The author considers the treatment of women's rights as human rights in the social studies curriculum. She discusses the role of the United Nations in promoting women's rights since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. She also reviews the treatment of women's rights within social studies curriculum today through a…

The author describes teaching eighth-grade students about the civil rights movement. Teachers used photographs of students in the 1950s as a central theme of their unit about the U.S. civil rights movement. Using these photographs as a learning tool inspired the students to be engaged in history. At the end of the unit, students were able to…

Sometimes literature appears that a social studies teacher can use to create lesson plans for concepts that are difficult for students to master. This article is about such literature and how using it has resulted in students understanding and incorporating one of the most difficult lessons to absorb--leadership. In this article, the authors…

After September 11, 2001, the Bush administration initiated large-scale electronic surveillance within the United States to gather intelligence to protect citizens from terrorists. Media commentary, public reaction, and classroom practices regarding this program have tended toward either-or positions: either for presidential power and national…

The overarching goal of the social studies curriculum is to promote civic competence and to develop students' ability to make informed and reasoned decisions as citizens in a diverse and democratic society within an interdependent world. Philosophically, citizenship is the goal of social studies. Involvement in social action is the key for young…