As a high school history teacher, author Dave Marshall integrated music more and more into his lessons over the years, yielding powerful results. Early in his career, this was done by playing a relevant song to start class--perhaps Edwin Starr's "War," before studying anti-Vietnam protests. Later, the author built full lessons around…

Elementary teachers can maximize instructional time by interweaving social studies disciplines while fostering inquiry and promoting literacy development.

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) reaffirms that an excellent education in social studies is essential to civic competence and the maintenance and enhancement of a free and democratic society. Thus, NCSS advocates that students should be provided with a social studies experience at all grade levels PK-12. In grades PK-5, every…

Teachers can successfully integrate student-centered, disciplined inquiry, and technology into their classroom using the three-part approach to monitoring instruction described in this article.

The College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards published by the National Council for the Social Studies advocates the need for students not just to acquire and produce knowledge, but also to live a life of active engagement in the workings of our democracy. Dimension Four of the C3 Framework articulates this…

The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards calls upon social studies teachers to enhance the rigor of civics, economics, geography, history and the other social studies disciplines while building the critical thinking, problem solving, and participatory skills of students to help them become actively…

The author truly believes that the marginalization of social studies is not only harming the profession, it is jeopardizing the democracy. But if social studies is in jeopardy, consider the colleagues in the arts and music. Art and music programs have been reduced or eliminated in thousands of schools throughout the nation. Marginalizing art and…

Tracy A. Sugarman served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant, junior grade, in the European theater during World War II. During his years of service from 1942-45, in addition to writing letters home, he recorded his experiences through original artwork. His sketches and watercolor paintings, completed before, during, and after D-Day, with titles such…

For many students, high school coursework consists of discrete subjects, each disconnected from the other, but together adding up to a high school diploma. Nonetheless, at the classroom level one can find many examples of integrated, interdisciplinary, or cross-subject teaching. Some pursue this approach because they consider that high school…

As elementary social science methods instructors, the authors observed a need in their student population for instructional methods that would engage students in the content, process, and values of geography instruction. Their initial purpose was to create an instructional model that pre-service teachers could adapt and use in their future…

The fascination with buried treasures and lost civilizations transcends all ages and serves as an effective magnet for drawing students toward the study of archaeology. Connecting students to the past gives them a better understanding of their own present and future. In this article, the author describes how the scientific method of investigation…

Discusses a rationale for teaching about Africa and an interpretation of appropriate inquiry techniques. (DB)

To become an integral part of the school program, local resources must be identified, documented, and cataloged at the school or district level. A form for collecting data and sample activities and ideas for using these community resources in interdisciplinary social studies/language arts courses in the elementary grades are presented. (RM)

Teachers and students of economics and literature can learn about economics by studying concepts and topics in great literature and drama. Themes in literature deal with economic forces. A table of these themes is included. (AM)

Addresses the difficulties for upper elementary students in shifting from reading to learn to reading for content. Suggests that integrating reading instruction into social studies lessons will help students improve in confidence and responsibility for learning. Includes detailed plans for two lessons and the strategies to be used. (DK)