Education Commons^™

Elementary Students’ Attitudes Toward Social Studies, Math, And Science: An Analysis With The Emphasis On Social Studies, Sahin Dundar, Anatoli Rapoport

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The purpose of the study was to compare upper elementary students' attitudes towards social studies, science, math, and to find out whether there si a significant difference between 4th and 5th grade students' attitudes towards social studies. The participants of the study were 4th and 5th grades students (n=348) from three elementary schools in a Midwestern state. Results showed that students held less positive attitudes towards social studies than science and mathematics, and fourth graders hold more positive attitues toward social studies than fifth graders.

Effectively Meeting The Needs Of Military-Connected Children Through Literature In The Elementary Social Studies Classroom, Hillary Anderson, Stacey Cutter, Bethany Hill-Anderson

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

There are two million military-connected children, and every school district in the United States has at least one military-connected student (Operation Educate the Educator, n.d.). The stresses on military children have increased in the post-9/11 era, and many educators are not prepared to provide an appropriate school environment to effectively meet these children’s needs. This paper examines some of the challenges military children face in schools and offers suggestions to enable educators to provide a safe and nurturing environment. An annotated bibliography of children's literature that is aligned with the NCSS Ten Primary Themes is provided.

Dear Senator: Young Citizens Explore Civics Through Literacy, Daryl Saunders, Ilene Berson, Michael Berson

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article reviews the components of an integration model for infusing literacy and social studies and provides an example of a civics lesson implemented with first grade students. The gradual release model and research-informed literacy practices are embedded in the delivery of instruction. Throughout the learning experience students use informational texts to develop social studies vocabulary, explore civics concepts, and engage in discussion focused on the content in the text. Students acquire skills in supporting their conclusions with information drawn from a variety books and represent the knowledge they have gained through writing activities. This developmental approach harnesses evidence-based strategies …

Arts Integration In The Social Studies: Research And Perspectives From The Field, Julie Anne Taylor, Timothy Monck, Sanaa Ayoub

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Teaching with primary sources has long been recognized as a vital practice, yet only recently have the educational merits of arts integration come under examination in the social studies. The objective of this study was to examine the use of art by practicing social studies teachers. The findings show that educators are teaching with a variety of art forms with some frequency in instruction, and they view the study of art as having positive effects on students’ motivation and learning. The social studies teachers, who participated in the study by completing surveys, reported that studying images of art improves students’ …

Service Learning In The Social Studies, Shaun Conway

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Education reform of the future starts with public service. Over the last two and a half years, I have built a public service program at Lake Park High School in Roselle, IL. The class allows students to pursue topical areas of self-interest in a classroom setting, while supplementing those subject topics with in-depth public service opportunities and experiential learning methodology outside the school building. Students can opt to take the semester elective during their junior or senior year (although the course was recently approved to be offered in full year format).

Reform of the future must start with public service …

Uncovering Marginalized Topics Using Webquests: From Atlanta To The Zoot Suit Riots, Gregory Samuels, Michael Berson

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

A critical part of social studies instruction is involving students in making sense of social issues in the past and present to help inform their decisions in the future. Through engaged inquiry students can tackle relevant topics associated with race, class, culture, gender, language, and nationality and explore how these challenging issues mitigate people’s experiences. Moreover, these issues reflect similar tensions that students encounter in their everyday lives. Although these social issues have historical and contemporary relevance, they often are marginalized in state standards and textbooks.

Keeping Social Studies Alive In The Elementary Classroom: Countering The Effects Of Nclb In Southwestern Illinois Schools, Bethany Hill-Anderson, Andria Harrison, Andrea Tardino

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This research project focuses on collaborative partnerships between university faculty, graduate students, and local cooperating teachers. Pre-service teachers surveyed cooperating teachers (N=30) regarding their opinions and practices in social studies education. The data led to positive changes in a university methods course and increased pedagogical skills for teacher candidates.

This venture is a model of effective collaboration between university faculty, graduate students, pre-service teachers, and cooperating teachers who have worked together to gain a deeper understanding of the purpose and challenges faced by social studies educators. The overall goal of the project is to promote social studies education for all …

Teachers And Librarians Collaborate: Teaching About Family And Community Through Children’S Literature, M. Gail Hickey, Margit Codispoti

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Through the use of children’s books about family and community, students have opportunities to learn about people, culture, traditions, values, and everyday lives similar to and different from their own. A Children’s Special Collection Librarian and a teacher educator worked together to help teachers use Patricia Polacco's books to teach about family and community, and enable students to explore realistic and memorable examples of the cultures of diverse peoples within their own community.

Researching The Historical Representations Of Ancient Egypt In Trade Books, Lieren Schuette

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

State and national education initiatives require that historical information be introduced in the classroom through the utilization of multiple diverse texts. The role of non-fiction in the English/language arts classroom, as well as informational texts in the history/social studies classroom, increased considerably. The use of trade books allows teachers to connect the two curricula, while also meeting the standards. Primary sources can assist in filling the informational gap left by trade books and textbooks, which allow students to gain a more balanced view of historical events. Teachers, however, are not given direction as to which specific curricular materials are most …

Trade Books’ Representations Of Benjamin Franklin, A Life Of Reinvention, Alyson Diver Thompson

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

State and national education standards require teachers to introduce historical topics through multiple diverse texts, with emphasis on informational texts. Historical based trade books allow teachers to meet both English/language arts standards as well as history/social studies standards. Primary sources help provide students with a balanced view of history that may not be covered in textbooks and trade books, allowing students to gain a more complete and accurate understandings. The standards allow educators the flexibility to select trade books and primary sources for their classrooms. My research empirically evaluated how Benjamin Franklin is represented in children’s trade books, a figure …

Documenting Local History: Using The Library Of Congress Site, Primary Sources, And Community Resources For Teaching Social Studies, Mary Ann Hanlin, Chris Herridge, Katie Janovetz, Cindy Alcaraz, David Mcmullen, Dean Cantù, Sherrie Pardieck

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

In the 2011 academic school year, a central Illinois jr. high school and a private university initiated a partnership to create a local history research project. Through a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Project at the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, teachers and professors collaborated to identify information for research and design the inquiry’s final product for the project. Through the guidance of their teachers, seventh and eighth grade students accessed the Library of Congress resources and town primary sources for research. Historical inquiry included the identification of the town’s origination and important …

The Historical Representation Of Native Americans Within Primary- And Intermediate-Level Trade Books, John Holden Bickford, Lori A. Knoechel

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

State and national education initiatives require significant changes for public schools beginning at the earliest grade levels and within all content areas. Two relevant changes are the increase of non-fiction in English/language arts and the mandate for diverse texts within history/social studies. History-based trade books are a logical resource for both curricula. Teachers must rely on their discretion when selecting trade books because the initiatives do not provide curricular support. Research indicates trade books’ cultural representation and historical representation are inconsistent, yet there is a need for further research as just over a dozen empirical studies have been completed. This …

Historical Representation Of Immigration In Intermediate Elementary And Middle Grade Trade Books, John Holden Bickford, Stephanie J. Meier

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Education initiatives require social studies, history, and civics teachers integrate multiple texts from diverse perspectives and English, reading, and language arts educators spend half their allotted time on non-fiction. The changes are not accompanied with ready-made curricula, which will likely increase the place of non-fiction trade books in various curricula. Historical misrepresentations appear in trade books, yet most topics have not been empirically examined. This inquiry explores trade books’ historical representation of immigration and immigrants’ experiences. The data pool was organized by books intended for students in Intermediate Elementary (3-5) and Middle Grades (6-8), which enabled consideration of spiraling and …

Untold Stories: Using Common Core State Standards To Give Voice To Japanese Americans, Gregory Samuels

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article explores the idea of facilitating the use of Common Core State Standards, more specifically, the Comprehensive Instructional Sequence Model (CIS), in the social studies classroom for the purposes of providing students exposure to marginalized topics or those topics that are frequently overlooked in the dominant classroom discourse. Included in the article is a brief exploration of how the author reflects upon teaching marginalized topics in the social studies and suggestions for implementing the CIS Model, as well as a user-friendly handout to facilitate this model. The provided lesson includes a snapshot of the experiences and daily events of …

What Are We Teaching When We Teach About Religion?, Matthew Paul Schunke

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article examines issues and difficulties with teaching and study religion in the university. Topics discussed include the distinction of religious studies and theology, the problem of apologetics in religious studies, and the role of the scholar of religion in relation to the subject matter.

Rethinking The Social In Social Studies, Jeffrey Manuel

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article reviews new approaches in history, social sciences, and science studies that suggest a rethinking of the social. The article begins by situating the social within a long history of social thinking throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It then examines how these new critical approaches to the social offer useful insights into current intellectual problems in the social studies curriculum.

Grooming Tomorrow’S Advocates: Preparing Elementary Social Studies Teachers Today, Rachel Finley-Bowman

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

The effects of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) upon teaching and learning social studies at the elementary level are already well known. In light of the discipline’s increasing marginalization in the schools, the methods used to prepare elementary educators for teaching social studies and developing professional advocacy must be reexamined. This article, with reference to relevant scholarship, discusses eight key strategies to promote more effective teacher preparation, including a pledge of advocacy, meaningful pedagogy, pre-service professional development, knowledge of curriculum standards, content expertise, curriculum integration, significant field experience before student teaching, and reevaluation of NCLB.

A Virtual Tour Of Shiloh, Lindon Ratliff

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

In this article the author discusses a virtual field trip lesson created to assist his high school history students. By using pictures, videos hosted via youtube, and actual battlefield artifacts, the teacher was allowed to better explore the history surrounding the Civil War battle.

The Transnational Turn And Trickle Down Disturbances, Tim Lacy

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This is an extended review/review essay of *America on the World Stage*. It begins by briefly analyzing the historiography and theoretical background of the "Transnational Turn." The piece then moves to the book, providing the nuts and bolts, positives, and negatives. I conclude with some larger philosophical issues and suggestions for improvement.

How Can We Teach “Western Civilization” If It Doesn’T Exist? Rethinking The European History Survey Model, Jennifer Miller

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Teaching "Western Civilization" survey courses presents a dilemma to teachers and scholars who find themselves teaching with models, categories, and narratives that they would not only not use in their research, but also actively counter with their research. This article proposes that bringing our research into the classroom means fundamentally rethinking how we teach survey courses, from their conceptualization to the sources used.

Curriculum Drama: Using Imagination And Inquiry In A Middle School Social Studies Classroom, Catherine Franklin

Occasional Paper Series

This essay provides a vivid window into an eighth-grade class engaged in a legislative curriculum drama. Students acted as members of political parties within the Senate and participated in legislative hearings, discussed costs and benefits to legislation, and engaged in debates. Curriculum drama formed a bridge that linked the task of teaching and learning about a defined unit of study to the authentic interests, concerns, and energies of the students

Possibilities And Challenges Of Teaching Integrated Math And Social Studies For Social Justice: Two Teacher Educators' Collaborative Self-Study, Paula P. Guerra, Sohyun An

Georgia Educational Researcher

In this paper, we—one mathematics teacher educator and one social studies teacher educator—describe a project where we collaborated to model teaching integrated mathematics and social studies for social justice in our methods courses. We encountered varied challenges in our efforts to prepare teacher candidates for social-justice-oriented lessons. These challenges included teacher candidates’ perception of authority/credibility of their professors who were foreign females from the “Third World”, teacher candidates’ deficit views on minoritized students, and the limited time and resources for teacher collaboration in teacher education. Despite these challenges, we believe this kind of project is necessary to move forward in …

The Key Of Connection, Lori Desautels

Lori Desautels

Over the past few weeks, I have learned deeply. My students were paramount teachers as I was privileged to share a part of their interior worlds, their "private logic" that is a culmination of accumulated beliefs, experiences, values, thoughts and feelings. This inner world is often kept tucked away unless an environment is created that allows for feelings of safety and an untainted sense of belonging. When any child or adult enters into a space that accepts, inspires and affirms their "ever-changing personhood," we have finally found the key that unlocks the door to extravagant learning! What is that key? …

Curtain Up: Place-Based Teaching & Learning In The New York City Theater District, Peggy Mcnamara, Bryan Andes

Occasional Paper Series

In this article we describe and analyze the process first grade teachers used as they guided their students to investigate a place in their school community called “the Theater District,” an important industry in the neighborhood.

Introduction: Claiming The Promise Of Place-Based Education, Roberta Altman, Susan Stires, Susan Weseen

Occasional Paper Series

Each of the papers in Claiming the Promise of Place-based Education offers a much-needed antidote to the forces that disconnect us from the places we teach, learn, and live in. Taken together, they provide an opportunity to reflect on the power of place in education. We invite you to enjoy the fresh air that the authors of this issue of Occasional Papers have brought with them to share with you.

The Power Of Graphic Organizers: Effects On Students’ Word-Learning And Achievement Emotions In Social Studies, İlhan İlter

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of three graphic organizers for teaching vocabulary and the development of the emotions-related to achievement. The study focused on the effects of different types of graphic organizers on word-learning and various emotions in social studies. This study was designed as a quasi-experimental design by utilizing a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group was instructed on vocabulary by using the Concept definition map, a Word-questioning strategy and a Circle thinking map for word-learning, while the control group was taught to use the C(2)QU [(Context (2)- Questioning- Using)] as a …

The Bank Street Program: Child Growth And Learning In Social Studies Experiences (1952), Charlotte B. Winsor

Bank Street Thinkers

"The teachers and psychologists who are the Bank Street group lay no claim to the discovery of any new axioms in educational practice. They have invented no method, no device, no gadget that opens magic doors to learning. What they have done is to establish principles based upon the needs and purposes of children, related to the world in which they live..." This article illustrates a program at City and Country School in which class jobs, such as running the school post office, supply store, and printing shop form the base for social studies experiences. Applying a philosophy similar to …

Social Studies And Geography (1934), Lucy Sprague Mitchell

Bank Street Thinkers

Lucy Sprague Mitchell muses upon the meaning of each of the title words separately and then together providing insight into how children learn best -- by doing. Discusses Mitchell's concepts of human geography and how school trips promote students' understanding of their world.

Artful Teaching And Learning: The Bank Street Developmental-Interaction Approach At Midtown West School, Sam Intrator, Soyoung Park, Ira Lit

Books

This case study begins by examining the Theater Study, a yearlong integrated social studies unit that serves as a cornerstone of the first grade curriculum at MidtownWest. As Midtown West is located in the heart of Manhattan’s theater district, the study is both an investigation of community and an in-depth exploration of, and engagement in, the many facets that go into the production of a play—from story, to script writing, to the many indispensable jobs, such as creating sets, lighting, and acting. The case study then turns to the “centrality of meetings” and the importance of meaningful discourse as a …

Literacy Strategies Successfully Implemented By Secondary Social Studies Teachers, Kelly Killorn

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine which literacy strategies were used by secondary social studies teachers who were identified by their principals as having strong literacy integration skills. In addition, teachers' beliefs and purposes for utilizing said literacy strategies were examined. It was hypothesized that participants would incorporate literacy strategies into their instruction, and would utilize explicit vocabulary instructional methods and graphic organizers most frequently. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from five participants through three 50-minute behavioral observations apiece, followed by a 45-minute focus group discussion. Results indicated that these participants overwhelmingly utilized literacy strategies regularly …