In the elementary years, social studies is an essential subject, critical to young learners' academic success and well-being. The success of our democracy depends on equitable access to this vital learning for all students. Social studies must be taught in every classroom starting in PreK so learners can develop into civically knowledgeable,…

As social studies teachers, the authors feel they have a moral and ethical responsibility to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to become active participants in democracy. This starts with a transformative social studies curriculum that promotes critical thinking, is meaningful and relevant to the lives of…

Research in early childhood and elementary social studies education has illuminated how teachers can use children's literature to explore issues of injustice, elevate hidden histories, and affirm students' identities. Integrating children's literature into social studies instruction not only supports literacy education aims but also promotes…

The authors provide the reader an opportunity to see how second-grade children can use a twelfth-century painting as historical evidence to identify transportation modes, economic activities, and cultural features of Bianjing, an ancient Chinese city. They compare Bianjing with their community using modern mapping technology. Through this…

The abilities to listen reflectively and speak respectfully concerning another person's opinion, as well as to think critically about that opinion and one's own, are essential to a functioning democracy. The teaching and learning of these abilities is well incorporated into the social studies and English language arts standards that are used to…

Tina M. Ellsworth and Toni Gates center their article around stories of Black joy, agency, and resistance of Black Kansas Citians. Ellsworth and Gates' collaboration demonstrates how educators can effectively construct partnerships between schools and grassroots organizations. The authors of this piece will guide educators in ways to find local…

Election day is perhaps the most exciting day to teach elementary social studies. For a moment in time the entire nation, and most importantly our students, are captivated by the democratic process that will determine our next leaders. The 2020 election is particularly appealing because it coincides with the centennial of the passage of the 19th…

Providing opportunities for elementary students to engage with enduring social issues, such as houselessness, is essential in preparing informed, engaged, and social justice-oriented citizens. This article draws from the following standards: (1) C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards that center inquiry; (2) Learning for Justice's Social…

For a pre-kindergarten (preK) class, designing a 3-D map of a newly constructed playground offered authentic opportunities to participate, deliberate, and solve an authentic problem. Responding to the compelling question--"How do we build community spaces that are welcoming to, representative of, and sustaining for all community…

A troubling observation is that--outside of Black History Month in February and Women's History Month in March, during which students are acquiring some knowledge about noteworthy women and minorities--teachers in every grade level often teach about the same figures rather than expanding their lessons to include less-conventional or…

The first grade unit described here, Inspiring Americans, is a collaborative project between the authors, a first-grade classroom teacher and a librarian. The unit supports the four dimensions of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework, which guides the way students explore, interact, and learn about their world. The C3 Framework…

Provide your students with handwritten letters from three young students to then U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, written a few months prior to the first celebration of Earth Day on April 22, 1970. These primary source historical documents can be a part of upper elementary students' exploration of civic activism in the service of…

Rachel Carson made history as a science writer challenging governmental and industrial authorities about the safety of pesticides. Characterized as a "gentle subversive", Carson raised public awareness about the dangers of the pesticide DDT, including its bio-accumulation in the food chain, threats to living organisms, and impact on the…

How do we preserve our civil society and dynamic political system and prepare students to be active citizens in a democratic society? The need for civic education is more essential now than ever before, and students deserve access to powerful civic lessons that actively engage them in learning about our democracy. The ultimate goal would be for…

A fire alarm interrupted Gregory Powell's class discussion of possible service-learning projects. The experience during the fire drill sparked a service-learning project to improve the safety of pedestrians--students and other members of the community--along streets bordering their public school. It was the beginning of a study not only about…