There is a timely movement afoot to secure the rightful place of social studies as a core part of curriculum at a time when it is increasingly compromised across the nation. The authors present a model that accepts the call to consider the enterprise of social studies research and broaden it to address the needs of the day. They offer a brief…

The following article is a brief history of "The Journal of Social Studies Research." As well, this article provides readers with an index of all articles published in "JSSR" from 1977-2009. The index is arranged by year. Within each year, the articles are listed alphabetically by the first author's last name. The index includes all bibliographic…

In the 1920s and 1930s, Paul R. Hanna and Harold O. Rugg developed new textbooks that integrated social studies curriculum in the elementary grades for the first time. Each author's curriculum; Hanna's expanding environments framework and Rugg's recurring concepts with a focus on contemporary issues has significantly impacted today's elementary…

Despite the widely-held acknowledgment of the great potential of the Internet for improving social studies instruction, the available research tells us that most social studies teachers who use the Internet in their classroom do so without changing much in their traditional approach to teaching. This article suggests using the NCSS Position…

This article revisits and explores the promises and challenges of reverse chronology history instruction within the social studies. In response to student disinterest in social studies, changes in our educational culture that often value content knowledge exclusively, and marginalization of instructional time stemming from testing burdens, reverse…

In this paper we describe the action research projects of two second-grade teachers. Using the state-mandated content on famous Americans, the teacher/researchers developed foundational levels of historical thinking in their second grade students. To develop temporal understanding, the first teacher employed a time line of visual images to place…

Field placements in teacher candidate preparation have long been established as significant and formative for learners. Teacher educators attempt to align course goals with fieldwork and then assess candidate progress. This authentic practice has been highly valued for preservice candidates. For educators in the United States, providing an…

This article focuses upon the need for character education through examining and promoting the values demonstrated by historical storytelling and encouraging the adoption of values for citizenship development. It is noted that historical figures should not be chosen by political correctness but should be examined instead for their transcending…

Many of the colleges and universities in the United States have developed some form of study abroad programs to enable their students to receive a learning experience outside the continental United States. The desire to give my preservice teachers a study abroad experience unlike any other led me to explore many of the contacts I have made in…

Current pressure on education programs is leading to increased evaluation of course requirements. Alignment with national and state standards and demands for greater accountability are being reflected in teacher certification requirements and graduation proficiencies. There is a great deal of literature that identifies the need and value of…

This manuscript is a description of personal observations of two hutments in New Delhi, India. Data was gathered from my hotel window using the OSAE method of landscape observation. The OSAE is the method I use to understand processes that can be seen when studying a landscape. It is the most useful tool I have ever used when teaching geography.…

Many school districts have implemented "packaged" programs designed to teach character education. Millions of dollars have been spent on these programs, yet society continues to produce more "characters" than students "with character." This article describes a shift from the "programmatic" mindset to a solution that is not packaged or purchased.…

Elementary education teacher candidates identified four criteria they used to identify a "best" lesson plan they had developed and taught for posting to their electronic portfolio. Criteria include a lesson that students: liked, learned from, actively participated in, and were involved in carrying out research. Scoring with rubric focusing on…

K-3 students were interviewed to elicit their knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about families, a major topic in primary social studies. Along with valid knowledge, the students displayed significant knowledge gaps and misconceptions about marriage, kinship relations, and family life in the past, in other cultures, and in urban vs.…

The teaching of American history is not neutral; teachers and textbooks often define what is important and what is not. It is through this historical subjectivity that stereotypes and biases emerge and ultimately persist. With relevance to African Americans and American Indians, such stereotypes can be culturally, politically and economically…