This mixed methods study explored students' learning following an intervention unit, which focused on discipline-specific practices in elementary social studies/history. The research questions were: To what extent does students' learning in social studies/history change following their participation in a unit emphasizing disciplinary-specific practices?; and How does their learning compare to students who learn the same content without this approach? Two fifth-grade teachers in a low socioeconomic district taught a disciplinary unit, and a third fifth-grade teacher in the same district taught the same content using a transmission approach. All students performed similarly on the pre-assessment. The students in the experimental classrooms were shown to have made greater gains and also, demonstrated disciplinary-specific practices. Implications for social studies/history and literacy instruction are described.