In this article, the author discusses the work of a public-school teacher in New York City whose commitment to social justice has led to the design and teaching of a lesson that directly addresses the meanings and manifestations of social class with her fourth- and fifth-grade students.

Today's teachers want to capture their learners' attention and strengthen their knowledge, skills, and dispositions "to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world." Social studies class can become the place and time where young learners begin…

This article describes how one social studies class used chants to express themselves. One student's chant communicated her understandings of citizenship; it included three specific ways that she can be a good responsible citizen. This student's communication of ideas reflects the fourth dimension of the Inquiry Arc in the College, Career, and…

Recounts the case of a learning disabled sixth grader mainstreamed into a social studies class. Describes a variety of instructional strategies and activities that capitalize on the student's strengths to facilitate learning. These include critical thinking maps, semantic maps, simulations, and kinesthetic learning. (MJP)

Describes an elementary social studies class that studied children of the Great Depression in order to create empathy with people of different eras. The class used journal writing, mural painting, and poetry writing to consider the physical and psychological hardships experienced by Depression-era children. (MJP)

This article models the integration of social studies and language arts commonly used in elementary classrooms by using a text that incorporates straightforward social studies content in the context of the daily experiences of a Chinese family in the U.S. The authors illustrate how to use the award-winning novel, Front Desk by Kelly Yang, with…

Describes teaching method in which a person of the day is featured on a calendar and used as the basis of that day's social studies class. Explains that the strategy introduces authors, artists, inventors, and others and provides matching activities. Suggests the method can incorporate aspects of cultural literacy into social studies, fine arts,…

Students often feel powerless. They feel like passive observers as the tapestry of the world is woven around them. Social studies teachers need to show students examples of individuals who have acted as agents of social change. By focusing on a historical figure's agency, students can see the ripple effects that people's actions can have over…

Elementary teachers frequently face the challenge of teaching about their state with limited time and resources. Teaching state or regional history is a longstanding tradition in fourth grade and has been part of the social studies curriculum since the beginning of the 20th century. In addition, national and state standards include attention to…

Most prekindergarten (preK) teachers are probably unfamiliar with the "College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards." John McDonnell, who teaches a class of eleven four-year-old children, also had not heard of it until he attended the author's workshop on early childhood social studies practices,…

For a pre-kindergarten (preK) class, designing a 3-D map of a newly constructed playground offered authentic opportunities to participate, deliberate, and solve an authentic problem. Responding to the compelling question--"How do we build community spaces that are welcoming to, representative of, and sustaining for all community…

A real-life experience is a "moving force" that can be part of the elementary social studies curriculum. This article discusses an experiential learning about India and describes how the author integrates the arts and service learning in his third grade classroom. It also describes class activities that enhance social studies curriculum…

This article draws on my reflections from a year-long study in a first-grade classroom in a Midwestern public elementary school during which the author read and discussed a total of fourteen Asian American picture books with the class. In this article, she discusses the children's interactions with Asian American stories and provides suggestions…

This guided inquiry launched a year-long study centered on social justice issues and people who have championed change in our communities and nation. The article, offers resources and activities that highlight Patsy Mink's congressional achievements and experiences, and push young students to think about the institution of Congress with a gendered…

Describes a middle school class that incorporated social studies and state history into a course on African American history. Recommends the children's book, "African Americans in Florida," a model for an exploration of state history that can be used as a guide by teachers looking for similar books. (MJP)