A typical social studies lesson for elementary students often includes the memorization of facts and dates, but lacks the inquiry-based instruction that could promote purposeful engagement with historical sources. In this social studies learning experience, framed in the tenets of transcaring and the C3 Framework, students actively and…

The objects that represent our material culture--street signs, mascots, symbols etched into stone or printed on stationery--are silent bearers of history: the past tattooed on the present. The meanings given to those objects may change from one social or culture group to another. One seemingly innocent and overlooked example in this vein is the…

In this article, the authors suggest a project that social studies teachers can do with students, using the location of the school as a starting point to address the inquiry question: "Whose place is this space?" They provide resources, such as a sample case study and worksheets, to conduct a field-based exercise so that students can…

For years the text of choice for developing excellence as a teacher of K-12 students with moderate and severe disabilities, this clearly written work has now been revised and updated. Chapters provide step-by-step procedures for designing standards-based individualized education plans and evaluating and enhancing student progress. Methods and…

This article explores a multidisciplinary lesson on nanotechnology that can provide an effective means for teaching about both STEM and social studies topics. This approach encourages students to consider the "role that science and technology play in our lives and in our cultures." The extraordinary promise of nanotechnology, however, is…

The large percentages of teachers in the United States are white, middle class people who may not understand or identify their own cultural connections within the American culture, let alone elaborate their own ancestral cultural elements. Educators are expected to teach a diverse student population, and preservice teachers should be prepared to…

Looking for social studies adventures to help students find connections to democratic citizenship? Look no further! This book provides just the answer teachers need for engaging students in field trips as researching learners with emphasis on interdisciplinary social studies plus skills in collecting and reporting data gathered from field…

Very often events misfire because people are too involved with a set of premises, on which they have built correct logical systems. They look to their methodology or to their data for the difficulty, when they should examine the premises. Examples are discussed. (RM)

Discusses scholarly criticism and media coverage of the controversy surrounding the effects of Christopher Columbus' voyages upon the Americas. Examines the reactions of some writers to some scholars' negative portrayals of Columbus. Argues that schools should continue to be the place for respectful study of the explorer. (SG)

The objects collected and displayed by museums may be connected with famous people, made by exceptional artists, natural specimens, or simple ordinary things that show what everyday life was like for most people. All these objects offer unique ways to learn about life in the United States and the world. In 1996 the Smithsonian Institution…

Examines the influence of New France on Canadian history, focusing on the survival of a strong francophone culture in North America. Presents the politics, culture, and geography of Quebec, the center of French Canada. (DB)

This booklet is part of a series designed to help students take and defend a position on public issues. This unit examines the topic of immigration. Lessons encourage students to engage in discussions that touch on ethical, definitional, and factual questions alike. The first unit, "The Immigrant Experience," presents the stories of…

Developed for sixth grade in Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, Florida, this is a scope and sequence guide for Social Studies. The central theme is stated as "changing world cultures" with emphasis on the relationships between people and their environments at various times in history and changes occurring in these relationships. Primary…

The kit provides students and teachers new ways to study culture through its material evidence: the objects and artifacts of daily life. In the four activities comprising this kit, students study clothing as an aspect of their own material culture. They move from general observations about clothing to consideration of their personal wardrobes,…

Outlines a method for conducting a rural cultural-landscape field project. Notes that this activity is especially useful with students whose life experiences are primarily urban. Describes a cemetery survey, a small town reconnaissance, and rural land and building survey. Provides examples of student generated materials. (KO)