This study addresses the need for improved pedagogical strategies in early childhood and elementary social studies education, focusing on reducing instructional disparities and opportunity gaps for lower socio-economic status (SES) students. Utilizing the wonder framework by Conijn et al. (2022), we propose a design-based approach to enhance teacher preparation and classroom practices. The approach integrates dialogic reading, inquiry-based learning with historical primary sources, and critical literacy to stimulate curiosity and wonder, aiming to bridge educational opportunity gaps. Despite its potential, the implementation faces challenges in consistently fostering transformative educational practices. Drawing from an illustrative example, we critically evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in creating inclusive and dynamic learning environments, highlighting the obstacles to integrating such methodologies within current educational settings. The findings underscore the complexities of operationalizing innovative teaching strategies and the imperative for systemic changes in teacher education programs. This research contributes to the discourse on equipping future educators with necessary tools for meaningful social studies instruction, advocating for further research to achieve equitable educational outcomes.