Although many adults perceive young "digital natives" as savvy about our new media landscape, youth are regularly fooled by inaccurate stories and online scams. Furthermore, beyond the threat of outright false information, young people encounter confusing half-truths, misleading arguments, and disguised efforts to collect their personal…

The sequenced levels of thinking articulated in Bloom's original taxonomy (or in the multitude of subsequent variations) is the most widely known list in education. In addition to enduring popularity, it is arguably one of the most destructive theories in education. In this article, the author explains what makes it so damaging and how…

A notable feature of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts is the attention given to the teaching of reading and writing in history/social studies, science and technical subjects. The Standards for Reading Informational Text that are included in the Common Core State Standards require students to read texts in depth, understand…

A basic skills model is presented which stresses the skills of writing, reading, study, and research for elementary school pupils. The model focuses on lesson background, the purpose of the reading, independent reading, follow-up discussion, developing related skills, and extending and applying ideas. A lesson about the 1910 British expedition to…

Describes four lessons for teaching chronological skill concepts in secondary world history courses. Objectives and teaching methods are provided for each lesson. (RM)

Describes a lesson plan which was used successfully to teach the basics of investment to students in a fifth-grade social studies class on economics education. Projects included in the unit included selling stock, pre-sales preparation, selling, profits, and investment. (DB)

Teacher approaches to the controversial issue of the conflict between quality of life and economic growth are suggested for elementary and secondary grade levels. (KM)

Presents a rationale for making reading a part of students' lives. Suggests ways to use literature, particularly novels, in the social studies classroom to meet the need for differentiated assignments for levels of student ability. (Author/DB)

The reaction paper discusses two of the goals for social studies posited by B. Spodek: social knowledge and representation. Specific and concrete examples to enable teachers to translate theory into practice are provided. (Author/RM)

Teachers can exploit the contrast between the 1920's and the 1930's as a means for helping students understand the latter decade. Discusses the political, economic, social, and cultural differences between the two decades. Case studies and supplementary reading materials are suggested. (CS)

Offers ideas for making history a more interesting topic. Ideas include starting with topics which are nearby, including community and family groups and experiences, placing demands on students' intelligence and imagination, relating history to the humanities, using strategies for creating a sense of time in students, and teaching history as a…

Describes preparation and implementation of a lesson using student activity, material in the textbook, and the concept of the time line to teach the chronological order of events in history. The lesson is designed for use by junior high school students during one class period. (CK)

Problems in textbook content and teaching methods that need to be dealt with include excessive emphasis on conflict as a societal change agent, the supremacy of individual rights, "humanizing" historical figures, the inadequacies of American society, and gimmickry in social studies methodology. (JR)

The exercises prepared for and organized by the Education Commission for the States are investigated in order to determine their content validity and to determine if the exercises as developed are to be used as models by teachers in developing their own evaluation questions. (Author/KM)

Suggests an interview approach which junior high and high school social studies teachers can use to increase the interest level of students in history classes. It is suggested that the teacher role play an historical figure. Objectives of the exercise are to make history come alive, teach the basic principles of the oral history interview, and…