Pauli Murray was an activist, legal scholar, author, and she was also queer. Her impact on the civil rights and women's rights movements cannot be overstated. The authors present the reader with the potential for elementary teachers to disrupt and "unmute" curricular silencing by shifting focus to Pauli Murray's story and work in the…

Online activism is a space of opportunity for students to encounter social justice issues, explore the possibilities of visual rhetoric, practice persuasive speaking skills, and actively contribute to the momentum of social movements. At the same time, digital activism raises concerns about "slacktivism," limiting the necessary…

Educators often bemoan the so-called learning gap that followed the upheaval to schooling in 2020, but the real learning gap will occur if the watershed events and social shifts of the early 2020s are not integrated into school instruction and learning. For today's learning to be relevant to today's students, it must reflect their lives and the…

Computational thinking--a set of mental and cognitive tools applied to problem solving--is a fundamental skill that all of us (and not just computer scientists) draw on. Educators have found that computational thinking enhances learning across a range of subjects and reinforces students' abilities in reading, writing, and arithmetic. This book…

With the proliferation of digital media and other forms of technologically mediated communication, this article argues that critical multimodal pedagogical approaches to public writing--particularly through interrogating mundane, everyday texts--have the potential to engage students with advocacy and its role in shaping public discourse. In this…

Middle school students' mathematical understanding benefits from connecting mathematics to other content areas in the curriculum. This month's activity explores the issue of the scarcity of freshwater, a natural resource (activity sheets are included). This activity concentrates on the critical areas mentioned in the Common Core State…

Rooted in graffiti culture and its attitude toward the world, street art is regarded as a postgraffiti movement. Street art encompasses a wide array of media and techniques, such as traditional spray-painted tags, stickers, stencils, posters, photocopies, murals, paper cutouts, mosaics, street installations, performances, and video projections…

Discusses using open Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for teaching sociology courses. Suggests that the meetings provide excellent case studies and can exemplify a variety of topics. Stresses that three conditions must be present: (1) easy access to meetings and high student interest; (2) meeting experience is integrated into course; and (3) student…

A prospectus and practical guide, this manual shows college teachers how to help students better understand social problems by comparing sociology with two other types of social knowledge (common sense and journalism) and cultivate critical thinking skills which transcend the three types of social knowledge. Chapter 1 proposes a teaching/learning…

This book presents summaries and activities associated with 15 books to read with kindergarten through second graders that explore social issues central to their lives. Thematic topics include the give and take of friendship; bullies, pests, and teasing; isolation and reaching out across generations; families; and working together. It features…

Discusses the use of melodrama as a method of historical research that provides students with an opportunity to study historical events and themes. Presents an activity based on the civil rights movement. Includes an example and handouts for creating a melodrama in class. (DK)

Argues that the behavioral or "human" sciences are fundamentally different in scope and intent from the natural sciences. Describes the use of controversial topics in undergraduate courses and provides a four-step process. Recommends using Karl Popper's falsification theory to help students think critically about issues. (CFR)

The Danish experience during the German occupation, presented through the experiences of the Rosen and Johansen families, provides the literary and historical background for the activities the author presents in this article. He designed the four activities for maximum student involvement, with each requiring students to respond to Lois Lowry's…

A 3-section handbook provides secondary school teachers with concrete suggestions on how to use the newspaper to promote a constructive, participatory citizenry. Materials and lessons can be easily integrated into either language arts or social studies courses on history, government, law, American problems, or current events. The lessons can also…

This document contains the Guidelines for Teaching Science-Related Social Issues adopted in 1982 by the National Council for the Social Studies and 10 examplar lessons each keyed to particular guidelines and drawing upon contemporary issues. The premise upon which the guidelines are based is that science is a social issue and that the examination…