1 What Is Social Studies? 2
Defining Social Studies 5
What Is Social Studies? 5
The Nature of Social Studies 6
Social Studies as a School Subject 8
The History of Social Studies 8
Early Purposes of Social Studies 9
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 10
Approaches to Social Studies 11
Three Approaches to Social Studies 11
IN THE CLASSROOM: TEACHING ABOUT CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 12
LESSON: IS DRILLING FOR OIL IN THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN WORTH THE CONSEQUENCES? 16
Interdisciplinary Social Studies in School 18
Social Studies and Content Disciplines 20
History 20
Geography 21
Civics 22
Economics 22
Behavioral
Sciences 23
Standards-Based
Social Studies 24
2 Reflective Social Studies Teaching 30
What Is Reflection? 32
Reflection in Action 32
Reflection on Action 33
Reflection Prior to Instruction 35
Personal Subject Matter Interests 36
Focusing on Curricular Subject Matter 36
Reflecting on Subject Matter Misunderstandings 36
LESSON: THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS 38
Transforming Subject Matter Into Pedagogy 40
Reflection When Planning for Instruction 41
Reflection During and After Instruction 42
Reflecting During Teaching 42
Reflecting After a Lesson 43
IN THE CLASSROOM: ACCOUNTING FOR STUDENTS’ PRIOR KNOWLEDGE 44
Using Reflection to Increase a Teacher’s Professional Knowledge 45
Professional Development and Reflecting on the Learner 45
Professional Development and Reflecting on Community Needs 46
Professional Development and Reflecting on Curriculum 46
Professional Development and Reflecting on the Purposes of Education 47
Reflection as Inquiry 48
Learning About Teaching from Case Studies 49
IN THE CLASSROOM: A BRIEF CASE STUDY ON TEACHING ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION 50
3 Inquiry in Social Studies 54
Inquiry as Learning 56
What Is Inquiry? 56
Inquiry in Social Studies 60
Emerging Interests: Students Craft the Inquiry Question 61
Clarification: Helping Students Activate Prior Knowledge 62
Examination: Students Work with Authentic Materials 63
Suggested Solution: Students Develop and Propose an Answer 64
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 65
Designing a Successful Inquiry 66
Managing Time in Inquiry Activities 66
Managing Subject Matter in an Inquiry 66
Prior Knowledge and Inquiry 66
IN THE CLASSROOM: INQUIRING ABOUT THE TELLICO DAM 67
Supporting and Scaffolding Students’ Inquiries 68
LESSON: A GREAT SCIENTIST IN HISTORY 69
Forms of Inquiry 70
Social Science Inquiry 70
Social Inquiry 70
Historical Inquiry 71
Inquiry and the Curriculum 74
Inquiry-Driven Curriculum and Standards 74
Inquiry, Assessment, and Standardized Testing 74
LESSON: “THAT’S NOT FAIR”: AN INQUIRY LESSON INTO THE MEANING OF “FAIR” 76
4 Standards, Curriculum, and Testing 82
Standards and Curriculum 84
Where State Standards Are Born: Professional Organizations and National Standards 85
Standards and Curriculum: The Starting Point for Powerful Teaching 86
IN THE CLASSROOM: A CURRICULUM UNIT ON ANIMALS 88
Two Models of Elementary Social Studies Curriculum 89
Standards and Testing 90
High-Stakes and Low-Stakes Tests 90
Authentic Learning Connected To Testing 93
Teaching Subject Matter In-Depth While “Covering” the Curriculum 94
Creating Detailed Lessons from Broadly Stated Curriculum 94
LESSON: MAP ESSENTIALS 96
Translating Curriculum into Classroom Lessons: The Question of Depth vs. Breadth 98
Making Decisions Based on Instructional Time,Resources, and Meaningful Study 98
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 99
Authentic Teaching with Standards 100
Adapting Standards and Curriculum to Teacher Circumstances 103
LESSON: GO WITH THE FLOW RESOURCES 104
5 Teaching for Historical
Understanding 110
History in the Schools 112
The Need for History in the Elementary Schools 112
What Do Elementary School Children Need to Know About History? 112
History and the Curriculum 113
Constructing Historical Knowledge 114
Historical Thinking and Historical Understanding 114
Encouraging Historical Understanding through Direct Instruction and Explanation 115
IN THE CLASSROOM: USING HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS 116
Four Ways to Think Historically 118
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 119
Forms of Historical Understanding: Timelines, Stories, and Empathy 121
Historical Understanding as Chronology 121
Historical Understanding as Story 122
Historical Empathy 122
Understanding What Is Significant from the Past 124
Understanding the Relationship between the Past and the Present 125
Three Approaches to Teaching History 126
Direct Learning in History 126
Active Learning in History 126
LESSON: THE FIRST THANKSGIVING 128
Learning in History Using Authentic Resources 130
6 Teaching for Geographic Awareness 138
The Need for Geographic Awareness 140
What Is Geographic Awareness? 140
Geographic Concepts and Ideas for Elementary School Children 141
How Children Relate to Places 144
Geography as the Starting Point for Social Studies 145
Learning How to Use Maps 147
How Children Develop Geographic Awareness 148
Human and Cultural Geographic Awareness 148
IN THE CLASSROOM: UNDERSTANDING PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL PLACE 150
How Children Understand the World around Them 151
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 152
Elements of Geographic Understanding: Spaces,Places, and Systems 154
Spatial Understanding 154
Places and Regions 155
Human Systems 155
LESSON: POPULATION DENSITY 156
Physical Systems 164
Using Maps to Teach Geographic Awareness 166
Using Maps and Other Geographic Representations 166
Developing Spatial Reasoning Skills 166
Using Geography to Understand the Past 166
7 Teaching for Civic Competence 174
The Need for Civic Competence 176
Why Do We Need a Competent Civic Body? 176
What does it mean to Possess Civic Competence? 177
How Do We Achieve Civic Competence? 178
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 179
Forms of Civic Awareness 180
Respect for Authority and Respect for Others 180
Patriotism, Good or Bad 182
IN THE CLASSROOM: CIVIC ACTION: SETTING CLASS RULES 183
Knowledge of Social Issues 184
Conversation, Discussion, and Dialogue in a Democracy 186
Elements of Civic Competence 187
Understanding Rights and Responsibilities 187
Understanding the Role and Processes of Government 188
Democratic Reasoning and Multicultural Understanding 188
LESSON: TINKER V. DES MOINES AND THE FEDERAL COURTS 190
Participating and Taking Action in Democratic Communities 192
Promoting Civic Competence 192
Using Stories to Communicate Civic Values 192
IN THE CLASSROOM: THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ 194
Developing Civic Knowledge 195
Engaging in Civic Activity 195
Social Studies Content, Teacher and Student Opinions, and Ideology 196
8 Direct Teaching and Learning 202
Direct Instruction and Teacher-Directed Instruction 204
What Is Direct Instruction? 205
What Is Teacher-Directed Instruction? 205
A Comparison of Direct and Teacher-Directed Instruction 207
IN THE CLASSROOM: TEACHER-DIRECTED INSTRUCTION—LEARNING ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT 208
Factors Influencing Teacher-Directed Instruction 210
Subject Matter and Teacher-Directed Instruction 210
Teacher-Directed Instruction and Active Learning 210
Curriculum: When to Use Teacher-Directed Instruction 212
LESSON: USING TEACHER-DIRECTED INSTRUCTION IN A LESSON ON AN IMPORTANT INVENTION 213
Types of Teacher-Directed Instruction 214
Direct Explanation 214
Storytelling 215
Taking It Apart: Higher-Order Thinking Skills 216
Other Teacher-Directed Activities 216
Whole Class and Independent Teacher-Directed Instruction 218
Whole Class Teacher-Directed Instruction 218
Independent Teacher-Directed Instruction 218
IN THE CLASSROOM: DECISION MAKING 219
LESSON: HOW MUCH SPACE IS ENOUGH? 220
North Carolina
South Carolina
Florida
Georgia
Alabama
Mississippi
Louisiana
Texas
Alaska
Juneau
Honolulu
Phoenix
Sacramento Carson City
Santa Fe
Austin
Oklahoma City
Denver
Salt Lake City
Olympia
Salem
Helena
Bismark
Pierre
Lincoln
St. Paul
Des Moines
Madison
Boise Lansing
Cheyenne
Topeka
Little Rock
Jackson
Jefferson City
Springfield
Nashville
Montgomery
Atlanta Columbia
Raleigh
Tallahassee
Indianapolis
Columbus
Charleston
Richmond
Harrisburg
Albany
Montpelier
Augusta
Concord
Boston
Providence
Trenton
Dover
Hartford
Annapolis
Frankfort
Baton
Rouge
Hawaii
Arkansas Tennessee
Virginia
West
Virginia
Kentucky
Illinois Indiana
Michigan
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Kansas
Nebraska
South Dakota
North Dakota
Montana
Washington
Idaho
Nevada
Utah
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
California
Oregon
Wyoming
Oklahoma
Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Vermont
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
Delaware
Maryland
New Jersey
Maine
9 Interactive Teaching and Learning 226
What Is Interactive Instruction? 228
Defining Interactive Instruction 228
The Structure of Interactive Instruction 229
Assessing Children’s Knowledge When Planning for Interactive Instruction 231
LESSON: INTERACTIVE LESSON ON STATE GEOGRAPHY 232
Characteristics of Interactive Instruction 234
Active and Meaningful Learning during Interactive Instruction 234
IN THE CLASSROOM: LEARNING ABOUT CIVIC LEADERS 235
Dynamic Instruction and Active Learning 236
Interactive Instruction and Challenging Subject Matter 237
Types of Interactive Instruction 238
Solving Problems Together 238
Making Decisions Together 238
Putting Things Together 240
Other Approaches to Interactive Activities 241
Grouping Strategies 243
Why Group Students? 243
How to Group Students 243
Specific Grouping Strategies 243
Interactive Instruction and Learners 248
Collaboration and Interactive Instruction 248
Adapting Interactive Instruction 248
IN THE CLASSROOM: AN INTERACTIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING ABOUT SOCIETAL RULES 250
10 Literacy in Social Studies 256
The Importance of Literacy 258
Defining Literacy 258
Literacy, Society, and Decision Making 259
Reading in Social Studies 262
General Approaches to Reading in Social Studies 262
Reading and Instruction 263
IN THE CLASSROOM: USING LITERARY RESOURCES IN A LESSON ABOUT TRANSPORTATION 264
Specific Approaches to Reading in Social Studies 265
Determining Reading Levels 267
Using Textbooks in Social Studies 268
Three Approaches to Using TextbookS 268
Textbook Structure and Analysis 270
Limitations of the Textbook 270
Using Authentic Texts in Social Studies 271
Authentic Intellectual Work 271
IN THE CLASSROOM: AUTHENTIC LEARNING ABOUT CUSTOMS 272
Authentic Learning Materials 273
Writing in Social Studies 275
Writing for Social Studies 275
Writing for Learning 276
LESSON: USING WRITING SKILLS TO ARGUE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY POWER 278
Literacy and the Social Studies Curriculum 280
Literacy in the Curriculum 280
Literacy, Social Studies, and Language Arts 282
11 Planning for Active Learning 288
Active Learning in Social Studies 290
Goals for Active Instruction 291
Active Learning and Authentic Social Studies 292
Active Learning and Subject Matter 292
LESSON: WEATHER AND THE EARTH’S MOVEMENTS 294
Initial Considerations for Instructional Planning 296
Reorganizing Knowledge: Content to Subject Matter 296
Transforming Subject Matter into Pedagogical Ideas 296
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 298
Planning Instruction for Active Learning 302
Developing Procedures for Facilitating Students’ Learning 302
Selecting and Using Resources 305
Choosing Meaningful Assessment Techniques 306
Lesson Plans and Reflection 307
Writing Lesson Plans 307
Reflection 309
12 Teaching Social Studies in a Diverse Society 314
Teaching Children in Diverse Environments 316
Forms of Diversity 316
Diversity in School 318
Diversity in Society 319
Diversity in Learning: Intelligences and Learning Styles 320
Cultural Diversity and Social Studies 322
How Does the Social Studies Curriculum Reflect Cultural Diversity? 322
Cultural Diversity and Instruction in Social Studies 324
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning 324
IN THE CLASSROOM: TEACHING ABOUT CALENDARS 325
Individual Diversity and Social Studies 326
Diversity and Individual Learning Personalities 326
Accounting for Individual Diversity When Teaching Social Studies 328
IN THE CLASSROOM: DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION IN A LESSON ABOUT PIONEER LIFE IN AMERICA 329
Teaching in Schools with Homogeneous Social and Cultural Characteristics 330
General Considerations for Teaching in Homogeneous Settings 331
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS 332
Curriculum and Homogeneous Cultural Settings 333
13 Assessing Learning 338
Types of Assessment 340
What Is Assessment? 341
Formal and Informal Assessment 341
Formative and Summative Assessment 344
Assessment as a Part of Instruction 346
Assessment in the Teaching Cycle 346
IN THE CLASSROOM: ASSESSMENT AS INSTRUCTION 348
Planning for Assessment 349
Implementing Assessment 349
Using Assessments to Improve Teaching and Learning 351
Assessment Results and Effective Teaching 351
LESSON: THE DEATH OF TUTANKHAMEN 352
IN THE CLASSROOM: A NEW METAPHOR: CHANGING METHODS FOR EXPLANATION DURING A LESSON 354
Reteaching and Remediation 355
Assessment Case Studies 356
IN THE CLASSROOM: AN ASSESSMENT CASE STUDY 357
Designing and Using Rubrics 358
Purpose of Assessment Rubrics 358
Components of Assessment Rubrics 359
Uses of Assessment Rubrics 360
14 Promoting Student Learning with Technology 364
Using Technology in Social Studies 366
What Is Technology? 366
The Why and When of Technology Use 367
Guidelines for Using Technology 368
Developmentally Appropriate Technology 370
Technological Applications 371
Finding and Using Web-Based Resources and Information 371
Technology, Democracy, and the Human Experience 372
Instruction and Technology 376
Planning for Teaching with Technology 376
LESSON: TECHNOLOGY TIMELINE 377
Using Computer-Based Games 378
IN THE CLASSROOM: GAMES AS INSTRUCTION 379
Appendix A 385
Appendix B 401
Glossary 403
References 409
Credits 411
Index 415
