For the past 60 years, the Census Bureau has enlisted the support of educators to bring to the community the message of the importance of a complete and accurate count of the population. The U.S. Census Bureau will deliver 2010 census questionnaires to every household in the United States in March 2010. The census questionnaire is composed of only…

The world is filled with information delivered through graphical representations--everything from voting trends to economic projections to health statistics. Whether comparing incomes of individuals by their level of education, tracking the rise and fall of state populations, or researching home ownership in different geographical areas, basic…

Like many other teachers, the author always looks for a way to enliven a lesson--a new twist, a different perspective, a novel resource. The slogan of the NCSS convention held in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2009 was, "Dreams and Deeds: The Civic Mission of Schools," and this article provides "how to" ideas, easy, high-interest opportunities to make that…

Since 1790, the United States government has conducted a count of its people by conducting a census every decade. The U.S. Census provides valuable data describing the population according to a variety of criteria including ethnicity, gender, age, and income, among other categories. Teaching about demographics and some of the interesting issues…

A teaching team of three teachers aims to prepare students for 21st Century Learning Outcomes, which includes critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. Yet classroom experience has taught them that one of the most difficult aspects of teaching young children is that they have few experiences or prior knowledge to make sense of…

At a very young age children become curious about themselves and their place in the world around them. As children mature, questions of origin signal the desire for a broader explanation of the world, a desire for a deeper understanding of something bigger than themselves to explain events that happen around them. There is a great variety of…

On the Southeast Asian island-nation of Singapore, many elementary schools feature a different kind of field trip. Under the name "fieldwork," first- through sixth-grade students regularly venture out of the school on excursions into the community. They conduct surveys and interviews, do simple experiments, observe and gather relevant information,…

If the young people are to become effective participants in a democratic society, then social studies must be an essential part of the curriculum in the early childhood/elementary years. In a world that demands independent and cooperative problem solving to address complex social, economic, ethical, and personal concerns, the social studies are as…

When planning for the new school year, K-2 teachers might consider the benefits of creating a caring classroom. Caring has the potential to not only encourage thoughtful social studies practice, but to also enhance it. The best K-2 teachers also recognize the importance of caring in the development of responsible citizens. Such teachers plan and…

Every teacher has had at least one student who has given him or her pause to wonder why he or she became a teacher. These students challenge the way teachers teach, question the content of the teachers' instruction, and stretch the teachers' abilities to maintain self-control in front of classes. In the face of these challenges, teachers continue…

This article describes five ways to contribute to the development of civically engaged citizens based on activities that have been widely used and described in detail over the last ten years: (1) Service-Learning Projects; (2) Extracurricular Activities; (3) Class Discussions and Debates; (4) Role Plays and Simulations; and (5) Home-School…

The basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic are necessary, but not sufficient for participation in a world that demands independent and cooperative problem solving of its citizens. Young children come to school with an interest in the community and the world outside their own. Social studies curricula can affirm the child's immediate…

In an inquiry-based classroom, student interest is at the heart of curriculum planning, instruction, and assessment. Students are responsible for asking questions, using sources effectively to discover answers, and deciding what format would best present their findings. Aside from creating a sense of ownership, inquiry in the classroom engages…

Cynthia Tyson and Sung Choon Park's powerful article, "From Theory to Practice: Teaching for Social Justice," addressed many key points for educators to consider when discussing issues of social justice and injustice. They offered a variety of multicultural children's books and strategies for using them that can be helpful to educators. This…

The purpose of elementary school social studies is to enable students to understand, participate in, and make informed decisions about their world. Social studies content allows young learners to explain relationships with other people, to institutions, and to the environment, and equips them with knowledge and understanding of the past. It…