Discusses the use of children's literature in social studies instruction and addresses the nature of Canadian children's literature. Provides an annotated list of 14 picture books representing different geographical regions in Canada, reflecting various historical periods, and presenting information on Canadian experiences. Offers Canadian…

Maintains that geography field work is enjoyable for students and provides them with real-world experiences. Describes an activity where students visit a supermarket in order to gather data for a graph and a shopping center to investigate the store layout and shopping traffic. Provides pre-visit preparation guidelines and post-visit activities.…

Contends that integrating children's literature into the social studies classroom makes social studies content relevant, brings history to life, fosters the development of social studies skills, facilitates understanding of abstract concepts, and provides students with role models. Offers guidelines for choosing children's literature and…

Discusses inequitable learning opportunities of Canada Natives. Finds that rules and expectations of schools often create feelings of shame in Native learners that lead to withdrawal and failure. Asserts that when teachers become cultural brokers they can eliminate the inequalities and develop an environment conducive to learning. (CMK)

Criticizes the use of map coloring as an activity for teaching geography. Acknowledges that many teachers use it because it was how they were taught. Argues that children are inherently interested in geography and can be taught geographic skills in elementary school if the materials are presented well prepared. (DSK)

Suggests that geography instruction is an ideal opportunity for reinforcing culture and identity among First Nations people. Discusses the issue of culture and some sources of opposition to teaching culture on Indian reserves. Points to themes that can subtly integrate cultural lessons with geography lessons. (DSK)

Discusses ways in which Constance Horne's children's novel "Nykola and Granny" can be used with Canadian students to highlight religious experiences. Offers an overview of the novel and explains that the students will learn about settlement in Canada and immigration. Gives seven different activities to complement the book. (CMK)

Challenges citizenship educators to be more cognizant of the social and communitarian aspects of democratic citizenship. Explores engagement with children's literature and development of a classroom creed as two ways to actively engage children in citizenship roles. Includes an interview with a participating teacher. (MJP)

Defines the educational practice of deep ecology as utilizing a social action framework to teach students how to take action on behalf of the communities of flora, fauna, and people. Discusses the theories that form the basis for this movement and specifically addresses how this can be applied to citizenship education. (MJP)

Highlights the experiences of three elementary teachers involved in a computer technology project. Teachers' concerns included computer materials that did not closely match the required curriculum, lack of preparation and training, and the inconsistent level of the success experienced by both students and teachers. (MJP)

Describes the efforts of one elementary art class to move beyond the limits of formalism when examining and discussing art. Guided by the teacher, the class attempted a critical deconstruction of the work of Edgar Degas focusing on his depiction of working class women. Includes three reproductions of Degas works. (MJP)

Describes two classroom activities that introduce critical-thinking skills into social studies instruction. One is a debate, followed by position papers, on the contribution of Christopher Columbus. The other is a simulation of a Constitutional Amendment conference. Discusses which parts of the lessons specifically focus on critical-thinking…

Advocates a vision of social studies that includes the contributions, perspectives, and experiences of women. Proposes focusing on personal narratives as a simple and effective method for accomplishing this. Outlines a model unit of study for a grade four social studies class. (MJP)

Advocates a broader and more flexible conceptualization of the Canadian social studies curriculum, emphasizing thematic and interdisciplinary approaches rather than chronology and topics. Praises the reflective inquiry teaching model that adopts a learner-centered approach. Compares social studies to other curricula in an attempt to discover a new…

Discusses how students can examine global and moral issues by exploring trickster tales from different cultures. Recommends these tales for their moral component, entertainment value, and rich source of cultural knowledge. Includes criteria for selecting trickster tales for young audiences. (MJP)