Since historical thinking can be such an unnatural process, social studies educators need to find effective methods to open students’ minds to historical ways of thinking while building upon and modifying researching skills already possessed. This article looks at one way to assist students in...

This article highlights the role of social studies educators in promoting democratic ideals and social action. The benefits of incorporating children’s and young adult literature into the social studies curriculum in the elementary and middle school grades are discussed. Biography, historical...

The Issue Campaign seeks to apply classroom information about issues, the Congress, interest groups, and the media to a “real life” campaign designed by the student. Multiple aspects of an issue campaign are addressed, including lobby products and a media/grassroots strategy. The Campaign...

This learning cycle lesson plan uses hands-on experiences to assist fifth or sixth graders in developing the important economic concept of scarcity. This lesson focuses on enabling students to understand that scarcity forces people to make choices about goods and services because they cannot...

In this lesson, students discover how the role of espionage was crucial in securing a victory against the British in the American Revolution. Based on the National Council for the Social Studies Notable Trade Book, George Washington, Spymaster—How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the...

This lesson plan can be used with elementary students to discuss the different aspects of entrepreneurship. It uses a trade book, Lunch Money , to launch a lesson about different aspects of designing and maintaining a business and business relationships.

The lesson for the Notable Trade book, Hana’s Suitcase , by Karen Levine, focuses on two stories: the story of a little girl who dies because she was born a Jew and the story surrounding the historical research performed by Fumiko Ishioka to learn Hana’s story. This book contains the true...

History classrooms are not neutral: They are contested arenas where legitimacy and hegemony battle for historical supremacy. The representation of marginalized groups within history classrooms is dependent upon the willingness of individual teachers to present material that accentuates...

Efforts to prepare new teachers to integrate technology into their teaching have a lengthy history. Increasingly, scholars are beginning to understand the importance of linking technology with specific content areas and pedagogy (Zhao, 2003). Mishra and Koehler (2006) refer to this intersection...

Social studies interactive notebooks are a unique but simple tool for organizing everyday activities in a creative, colorful, and meaningful way. Interactive notebooks help to meet the needs of middle school students by providing opportunities for teacher directed input and student-centered...