The authors explore how graphic novels can be used in the middle and high school social studies classroom to teach human rights. The article begins with a rationale on the benefits of using graphic novels. It next focuses on four graphic novels related to human rights issues: "Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds" (Speigelman…

The purpose of this article is to introduce text sets of picture books that address 10 ancient civilizations commonly taught in middle school and also offer instructional strategies that could be used for critical and multicultural literacy exploration. Beginning with discussion of the importance of picture books and text sets in the middle school…

Social studies content is more meaningful to students when they can empathize with the people they study. Such empathy can be fostered via content material that is presented in a relevant, emotional, intimate, and even entertaining manner. Folk music offers this type of creative and constructive approach. The elementary school classroom is the…

Visual images within social studies textbooks need to be actively "read" by students. Drawing on literature from cultural studies, this article suggests three instructional conditions for teaching students to read visual texts. Agency implies that readers have the (1) authority, (2) opportunity and capacity, and (3) community for engaging in the…

Our social worlds are visually saturated. A feature of post-modern society is its relentless traffic in images, often borrowed from diverse times and places, and patched together in ever changing ways. This traffic serves commercial purposes, shapes identities, and increasingly stands in for reality itself. As a newspaper columnist noted, "most of…

Focuses on how visual images can help students integrate concepts and synthesize information to make a judgment, thereby guiding the learner toward higher order thinking. Uses geography to demonstrate how, by incorporating visual exercises, student perceptions of difficult concepts are enhanced. (CMK)

Reports on the ability of preschool age children to interpret a black-and-white aerial photograph and to solve a simulated navigation problem on the photo. By placing the problem in a story context with personal reference points, the children were able to identify landscape features and solve simple problems. (MJP)

Describes a field sketch mapping project conducted with a sixth-grade class. The project involved selecting appropriate sites around the school to map, organizing the students, and instructing them about measuring distances and drawing maps. Illustrations include assignments and examples of students' work. (MJP)

Defines remote sensing as the examination of something without touching it. Generally, this refers to satellite and aerial photographic images. Discusses how this technology and resulting knowledge can be integrated into geography classes. Includes a sample unit using images. (MJP)

Reports on a study where pairs of students in the fifth and seventh grades generated and answered questions based on maps. Results indicated that students most often generated three types of questions: (1) symbol reading, (2) inferring latitude and longitude, and (3) interpreting scale. Analyzes these questions in regard to cognitive processes.…

Outlines a variety of activities using each of Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences to teach map reading skills. The Multiple Intelligences are logical/mathematical, linguistic, musical, bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Includes multiple activities for teaching six key ideas and four skills. (MJP)

Presents the results of a study contrasting conventional instruction with protocol lessons (a sequence of lessons based on developmental stages of learning with each lesson building on the previous one) concerning sketch maps. The students taught with the protocol lessons showed significant improvement over the other group. (MJP)