A team of researchers from 35 states across the country developed a survey designed to create a snapshot of social studies teaching and learning in the United States. With over 12,000 responses, it is the largest survey of social studies teachers in over three decades. We asked teachers about their curricular goals, their methods of instruction, their use of technology, and the way they address the needs of English language learners and students with disabilities. We gathered demographic data too, along with inquiries about the teachers' training, their professional development experiences, and even whether they serve as coaches. The enormous data set from this project was analyzed by multiple research teams, each with its own chapter. This volume would be a valuable resource for any professor, doctoral student, or Master’s student examining the field of social studies education. It is hard to imagine a research study, topical article, or professional development session concerning social studies that would not quote findings from this book about the current status of social studies. With chapters on such key issues as the teaching of history, how teachers address religion, social studies teachers’ use of technology, and how teachers adapt their instruction for students with disabilities or for English language learners, the book’s content will immediately be relevant and useful.

Making Connections in Elementary and Middle School Social Studies, Second Edition is the best text for teaching primary school teachers how to integrate social studies into other content areas. This book is a comprehensive, reader-friendly text that demonstrates how personal connections can be incorporated into social studies education while meeting the National Council for the Social Studiese(tm) thematic, pedagogical, and disciplinary standards. Praised for its eoewealth of strategies that go beyond social studies teaching,e including classroom strategies, pedagogical techniques, activities and lesson plan ideas, this book examines a variety of methods both novice and experienced teachers alike can use to integrate social studies into other content areas.

Teaching Social Studies: A Methods Book for Methods Teachers, features tasks designed to take preservice teachers deep into schools in general and into social studies education in particular. Organized around Joseph Schwab's commonplaces of education and recognizing the role of inquiry as a preferred pedagogy in social studies, the book offers a series of short chapters that highlight learners and learning, subject matter, teachers and teaching, and school context. The 42 chapters describe tasks that the authors assign to their methods students as either in?class or as outside?of?class assignments. The components of each chapter are: > Summary of the task > Description of the exercise (i.e., what students are to do, the necessary resources, the timeframe for completion, grading criteria) > Description of how students respond to the activity > Description of how the task fits into the overall course > List of readings and references > Appendix that supplements the task description

Now in its 4th edition, this popular text for secondary social studies methods courses integrates discussions of educational goals and the nature of history and social studies with ideas for organizing social studies curricula, units, lessons, projects, and activities. A major theme throughout is that what teachers choose to teach and the way they teach reflect their broader understanding of society, history, and the purpose of social studies education. Advocating an inquiry and activity-based view of social studies teaching that respects the points of view of students and teachers, and based in practice and experience, it offers systematic support and open, honest advice for new teachers. Each chapter addresses a broad question about social studies education; sub-chapters begin with narrower questions that direct attention to specific educational issues. Lesson ideas and materials in the book and online are especially designed to help new teachers to address common core learning standards, to work in inclusive settings, and to promote literacy and the use of technology in social studies classrooms. Chapters include highlighted Learning Activities, Teaching Activities, nd Classroom Activities designed to provoke discussion and illustrate different approaches to teaching social studies, and conclude with recommendations for further reading and links to on-line essays about related social studies topics. Activities are followed by four categories: "Think it over," "Add your voice to the discussion," "Try it yourself," and "It’s your classroom." All of these are supported with online teaching material. Designed for undergraduate and graduate pre-service social studies methods courses, this text is also useful for in-service training programs, as a reference for new social studies teachers, and as a resource for experienced social studies educators who are engaged in rethinking their teaching practice. New in the Fourth Edition Provides a number of new lesson ideas paired with online lesson plans and activity sheets in every chapter Takes a new focus on data-driven, standards-based instruction, especially in relation to the common core curriculum Addresses the interactive nature of learning in updated technology sections Reflects current trends in history education Includes more of what the author has learned from working teachers Offers a wealth of additional on-line material linked to the text

This sourcebook contains more than twelve hundred easy-to-follow and implement classroom activities created and tested by veteran teachers from all over the country. The activities are arranged by grade level and are keyed to the revised National History Standards, so they can easily be matched to comparable state history standards. This volume offers teachers a treasury of ideas for bringing history alive in grades 5?12, carrying students far beyond their textbooks on active-learning voyages into the past while still meeting required learning content. It also incorporates the History Thinking Skills from the revised National History Standards as well as annotated lists of general and era-specific resources that will help teachers enrich their classes with CD-ROMs, audio-visual material, primary sources, art and music, and various print materials. Grades 5?12