While empirical studies on the use of hip-hop music in social studies spaces is limited, the work that has been done offers encouraging perspectives. Some research suggests that incorporating hip-hop lyrics into the classroom leads to increased student engagement and greater curricular relevance. Other scholars have centered hip-hop as a way to…

Part of media education is showing students other ways of being, knowing, and making change away from social media. Such experiences can allow youth to reflect not only on the benefits and drawbacks of social media, but how they change the flow of our lives. They are then better positioned to choose when to use, or not use social media. Educators…

With the eruption of political, racial, and pandemic-related conflicts and unprecedented threats to U.S. democracy, educators have raised their voices about the need to teach controversial issues in social studies classrooms. However many teachers feel unprepared to take up this challenging practice. They may also avoid it because they fear loss…

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 Federal Reserve (the Fed) is the central bank of the United States. It has a congressional mandate to promote maximum sustainable employment and price stability. In normal times, the Fed seeks to achieve this mandate by setting the position or "stance" of monetary policy, primarily by managing the level of short-term interest rates.…

As the C3 Framework for the social studies rolls out, it is hoped that its influence will grow, offering a vision and guidance for the development of a new generation of state social studies standards that promote deeper student learning and the acquisition of essentials skills for college, career, and civic life. In the interim, it can be an…

The building of historical thinking skills has historically been a lonely endeavor for AP U.S. history teachers. Many often generate their own pedagogy, perhaps modified from an AP workshop or generally gleaned from released exam essay questions. However, as currently scheduled, in 2014, the AP U.S. history exam will undergo a redesign that will…

Addressing the topic of rescue efforts poses particular challenges for teachers planning Holocaust curricula. While the issue leads many students to develop an engaged empathy with rescuers, teachers must avoid overemphasizing what was a limited occurrence within the overall Holocaust. This article presents a plan for using music to teach about…

Presents the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) presidential address to the annual meeting in Dallas on November 15, 1987. Examines the future direction of NCSS and discusses global interdependence as a challenge that must be given more emphasis in the social studies curriculum of the United States. (GEA)

This article suggests specific themes and approaches to integrate a more global perspective into courses presently taught at the secondary level. (Author/DE)

Focusing on elementary education, this article examines some of the pitfalls found in textbooks dealing with global interdependence. Suggestions are made to avoid these mistakes and involve students in activities outside of the textbook. (DE)

Maintains that social studies facts are worth teaching and suggests how to teach them to pupils in elementary school social studies classes. Topics discussed include definition of facts, ways in which facts encourage communication, and the importance of facts in reasoning. Several sample fact lessons are presented. (DB)

Describes two methods to incorporate problem-solving into social studies classes. Project REACH, a five-step method, teaches students the process of problem solving while using a variety of materials and classroom situations. Project USMES incorporates problem solving into a set of specially developed curriculum materials. (Author/AV)