This article uses critical media literacy to approach themes of sexism and gender inequality depicted in the 2023 film "Barbie." Teachers cognizant of the need to address women's rights issues in American history often struggle to find resources that are accessible and meaningful for their students. Furthermore, the use of film in social…

The role of literacy in social studies education has been greatly elevated over the last decade. The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) models through the indicators of its C3 Framework how to strengthen K-12 students' disciplinary thinking, literacy, and argumentation skills in the four core social studies disciplines: civics,…

Historical novels, films, and other media can disrupt or reinforce dominant narratives about the past. Educators must be careful that when they attempt to select material from a range of seemingly diverse perspectives, they do not choose content that nevertheless maintains problematic depictions of people, places, and events. Time travel stories…

As evidenced by the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the World Cup, sports is a major part of global society, as millions of people throughout the world tune in to view renowned sporting events each and every week. This is especially true for soccer, which is the world's most popular and global sport. Because soccer is played in nearly every country…

Imagery and sounds from television, film, music, the Internet, and other media bombard American youth; dictating to them how they should act, think, or what they should believe. They often do not realize that they find much of their identity and belief systems in messages put forth to them by popular culture (Du Gay 1997; Hall 1997). Young people…

Cinematic feature films are a big part of youth popular culture. When blockbuster movies are about historical topics, it is reasonable for teachers to be drawn to using them in the classroom to motivate students interest. This article overviews research on film in the history classroom and describes three learning functions that history movies can…

Roswell has long been synonymous with aliens and UFOs, and people have been arguing over what happened that night in 1947 for many years. It is a topic left out of most textbooks and neglected in many social studies classrooms. However, Roswell has found a permanent place in American culture, and teaching about Roswell can be valuable to social…

Because music can evoke deep personal meanings, social studies educators often use songs to emphasize larger historical moments. Since music is a vital component of youth popular culture, preferred over even movies and television (Rideout, Roberts, and Foehr 2005), a teacher's understanding and application of popular music can be a powerful tool…

Discusses how modern singers and songwriters contribute ideas, events, and values which form the concept of urban existence in the minds of young Americans. Central issues (with record lists included) are the urban troubador, urban civilization as cultural enrichment, images of specific cities, and the urban female. (Author/KC)

The authors present activities that help students understand collective behavior in historical and contemporary settings. This topic is particularly appropriate for social studies content areas such as sociology, psychology, American history, and world history, yet it can also be included in the curriculum of other subject areas, such as language…

Provides classroom procedures for adapting the nineteenth-century-style song slide show to middle school history instruction. Suggests student production of song slide shows as individual or group projects. Argues that the activity can capture the drama of history and stimulate student curiosity about the past. (SG)

Suggests analysis of popular songs containing social commentary on women. Categories under which songs are listed include negative self-image, positive self-image, submissive individuals, dominant individuals, and personal independence. A bibliography of relevant books is included. (KC)

Demonstrates how the use of rock-era music images of political protest and social criticism can provide teachers with a forceful and entertaining introduction to the examination of controversial issues in U.S. society. Includes chronologically and thematically arranged lists of recordings which represent popular themes in U.S. music between…

Argues that using popular recordings that feature baseball imagery is an innovative way to introduce students to the pluralistic nature of U.S. life. Outlines a variety of themes that use baseball history to develop concepts about social change, cultural values, and individual achievement. Lists audio recordings that have baseball themes. (DB)

Outlines several approaches and strategies for using political buttons to enliven classroom study of political campaigns and issues. Notes that reproductions of historical buttons are inexpensive and accessible. Includes classroom activities and discussion questions related to various buttons. Lists several reference works and related…