The visual arts and media historically employed by teachers as a corollary to "traditional" social education can play a more vital role in promoting critical inquiry among students. The use of short films like "The Flying Man" (2013), a 2013 motion picture which depicts an almost mythic vigilante in a realistic world, can help…

Upon entering the social studies hallway in any middle or high school in the United States, you are likely to hear the sounds of a film or video emanating from at least one classroom. Though often perceived as a medium for low-level intellectual work, recent research has documented an increasing array of authentic and rigorous pedagogy with films.…

Historical memories are often weak, and must be kept alive by media, schools, and government. The disaster of 9/11 is one of those unusual and unsettling events that call for recognition. But memories are already fading in people's minds after just ten years. Unpleasant, contested events require commemoration but we tend to honor more upbeat…

The juxtaposition of the 2012 national elections and the marginalization of social studies/citizenship education in the pre-K-12 school curriculum has been both coincidental, and, in a way, an opportunity for social studies teachers, supervisors, and teacher educators to find ways to restore creative classroom instruction about history,…

This article describes an activity that introduces the Lithuanian holiday tradition of decorating with straw ornaments in geometric shapes. By building a Lithuanian sunburst star with straws, students explore a number of geometric relationships and reinforce their mathematical vocabulary. It also provides an excellent foundation for a…

It is enchanting when over twenty students' quilt squares make a quilt. The common, yet diverse techniques for making a quilt transform the students' quilt squares into a shared quilting experience. A quilt made by students in one classroom can demonstrate a unique characteristic of each student by combining their squares into a quilt about a…

Each year, seventh graders at Woodlawn School in Davidson, North Carolina, learn about Japan through a compilation of literature, history, and art. They are introduced to a wide range of ideas and materials: they study the Heian and Tokugawa Periods as well as modern Japan, the code of the samurai warriors, haiku and its components, and Japanese…

In the author's article in the 1988 premiere issue of "Social Studies and the Young Learner," he suggested that chain songs and rounds, simple folk and summer camp standards, could be easily transformed with lyrics (written by the teacher or students) that contained useful, purposeful social studies content. He argued then, and still does, that…

There is nothing worse than hearing moans and groans when writing time is announced to students. Motivation for writing begins when students' interests are mixed with opportunities for creativity. This article presents an idea shared by a writing coach who found a way to spark students' interest in writing by developing recipes for more…

A unit of study on Ancient Greece is a part of the fourth grade social studies curriculum at Belmont Day School. The students spend 10 weeks exploring Greek history and mythology. This article discusses a new project that the authors conducted, wherein one of them was going to Greece on a study tour, while the other one stays in Belmont Day…

This paper reports on one secondary social studies teacher's efforts to engage students in learning about self, others, and the world. Modes of presentation and learning activities are the specific focus. Observations occurred during 160 class periods in four different social studies classrooms, tenth-grade world geography, eleventh-grade U.S.…

Describes how one fourth-grade teacher developed a Web site to build online research skills. The Day I Was Born helps students find interesting details about what was occurring in the world on their birth day. Suitable for grades 4 and up, it provides links to such sources as the New York Times Learning Network and History Channel On-Line. (SM)

This book describes how one New York City middle school social studies teacher challenged the traditional, textbook-driven curriculum, kindled the students' interest, and ultimately transformed both teaching methods and learning experiences through process drama. Drawing from a blend of narrative reflections and classroom-based research, the book…

Describes problems associated with teaching a multigraded social studies class. Relates an apocryphal story about how one teacher used innovative practices in a multigraded class but aroused administrative ire. Questions whether scores on achievement tests are more important than critical-thinking and decision-making skills. (CFR)

Maintains that the creation of a time capsule for any particular time period can help students visualize an abstract historical setting in a highly concrete way and provide a powerful, hands-on link to the past. Discusses different types of time capsules including family, famous people, arts, and culture. (MJP)