The needs of individuals are increasing and diversifying in the rapidly changing world. Individuals cannot continue their lives in society through the only theoretical knowledge, and they also use the skills they have gained. In this regard, the social studies course has an important function in terms of where and how the skills will be used. The…

The importance of values in the development of society and the establishment of relations among individuals has made the social studies course important in the transfer of values. Because the social studies course is intertwined with values by its nature whether it is given directly or not. In this framework, values were included in every learning…

The goal of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the effects of Dual-Coding Theory on domain-specific vocabulary and comprehension in a 5th grade social studies classroom. The pretest/posttest design research was conducted in a rural elementary school (N = 49). Twenty-three students participated in an intervention of dual-coding based…

This study aims to analyse the media excerpts found in the officially approved textbooks for the social studies course in Turkey from the perspective of the thematic areas included in UNESCO MIL's [Media and Information Literacy] Curriculum. In the study, the descriptive analysis method was applied and the data were collected using document…

The purpose of this study is to investigate and evaluate which subjects related to "Social Services" are covered in the Social Studies textbooks in grades 4th, 5th 6th and 7th according to the Learning Domain / Unit and Subject headings in the Social Studies curriculum revised in 2018. The document analysis method, one of the qualitative…

Describes the development of a fifth-grade social studies program, Man: A Course of Study, or MACOS. Discusses how the program strengths and shortcomings, those of the educational reform movement of the 1960s, influence today's educational reform. Suggests that the role of scholars, the participation of teachers, and the use of media are valuable…

Responds to and disagrees with Kaltsounis's critique of the author's report "American History Textbooks: An Assessment of Quality." Answers each of Kaltsounis's criticisms, and reiterates several main points from Sewall's report, including recommendations for U.S. history textbook reform. (LS)

When planning her social studies unit on world exploration, this teacher offered the opportunity for her fifth-grade students to create a claymation video of a New World explorer. Students learn about exploration; practice research skills; and write, revise and edit a script. Finally, they incorporate both the acquired content and skills while…

Focuses on how student problem solving skills can be improved by teaching them a problem solving model. Includes a technique for developing student inquiry thinking using the game, Twenty Questions, or by examining conflicting statements. Includes the article, "Using Problem Solving Skills in a Fifth-Grade Classroom" (Alan Rock and Nicole…

Describes a learning activity that focuses on geographic profiles. Students are divided into five groups and are responsible for creating a profile of one geographic data set. The five data sets are based on thematic maps of the United States found in "Goode's World Atlas, 19th edition." (CMK)

Discusses the importance of studying history topics in-depth and how California's History-Social Science Framework (1988) has incorporated in-depth instruction into units of study. Describes the U.S. history and geography curriculum for grades 5, 8, and 11. Concludes that the Framework provides teachers with more time to plan and teach while…

Studies effectiveness of using computer simulation in a fifth grade social studies class. Concludes that a computer simulation can be used as an adjunct to teaching and that one computer may be used as effectively as many in the classroom. States that educators should use software that incorporates graphics, cuing, randomization, immediate…

The Civil War was perhaps the greatest turning point in U.S. history. The dual themes of slavery and power deeply divided the growing nation during the first half of the 19th century. The mission of the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) is to preserve the significant Civil War battlefields by protecting the land and educating the public about…

United States history as a linchpin in the school curriculum and as a potentially exciting, sometimes electrifying, subject was the conviction underlying this analysis of U.S. history textbooks. This assessment investigates the capacity of leading U.S. social studies and history textbooks to inspire the imagination of students through effective…

The self-instructional program is designed to give students in grades 4-6 new insights into the concept of money. By using the programmed learning material the students become acquainted with the evolution of money through questioning techniques. Students explore the concepts of barter, token money, coins, paper money, and checks. The paper…