This study was carried out to determine the effect of modeling instructional strategy on the performance of upper basic students in social studies. This quasi-experimental research based on pre and post equivalent test research design of 2x2 non-randomized. The Population of the study was Upper Basic students of public schools in Delta State. The sample was 207 students consisting of (Urban 118 Rural 89) selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was the Social Studies Performance Test (SSPT). The instrument value of reliability coefficients 0.72 was established by Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r). To answer the two research questions, mean and standard deviation were used whereas to analyze the two research hypotheses, the analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used. The result of the study revealed that modeling instructional strategy enhanced students’ performance besides the lecture method, location was not a factor in students’ performance in social studies. It is therefore recommended that teachers should be encouraged by providing a favorable environment to use modeling instructional strategies and hence to improve the performance of students.