Southern United States folk music is rich in not only sound, but in voices of the past. Folk songs were created by working class individuals who described aspects of their life in connection with societal issues and events. Folk songs, now digitally archived, can serve as primary historical sources that can be used to enhance the secondary social…

Democratic societies require a citizenry skilled in argumentation. At present, the written argument maintains primacy among communicative modes. Because of its cognitive demands, written argumentation is often difficult to teach. A multimodal approach to writing instruction carries the potential to assist struggling learners. This article outlines…

For social studies teachers, the challenge is to teach about war by going beyond causes and results and the major battles and highlights historians claim as important. Excerpts from literature and primary source materials and discussion questions are presented to help secondary students study the personal side of World War I. (RM)

To provide a structure for exploring the different approaches of presidents to economic problems, questions are presented. The contrast between the Carter and Reagan programs is discussed and placed into historical perspective by reviewing the different philosophic responses of Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt to economic issues. Classroom…

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a contemporary hit song by Canadian folksinger Gordon Lightfoot describing a shipwreck on Lake Superior in 1975, is used to illustrate how popular music can be used to teach geography to secondary students. Students analyze atlases, topographic maps, nautical charts, and weather maps. (RM)

Describes an elementary school program of free enterprise education that involves students in real, money-making business activities. Discusses previous class projects and methods for integrating all aspects of education into this program. Provides guidelines for starting a similar program. (GEA)

Strategies to help social studies teachers integrate writing into their classes are suggested. These include student journals, focused freewriting, written assignments used for review, creative book reports, poems, short stories, and songs. (RM)

Activities to help senior high students learn about human rights are suggested. The activities include both social studies and language arts skills objectives. Examples of activities include reading and discussing newspapers, magazines, fiction, biographies, and nonfiction; viewing films; conducting research; preparing posters; making maps;…

Presents a model for infusing energy conservation into the social studies curriculum at the junior high school level. The model provides for vocabulary-concept building, prereading activity, content reading, and group and individual activities. (RM)

Through the use of history resource folders containing literature and primary source materials, elementary teachers can involve children in historical issues. Discusses how to design and construct the resource folders and provides suggestions for themes, source materials, and learning activities. (RM)

Based on the premise that social studies programs must involve students in dynamic learning and language activities, the article discusses thought and language in social studies education and describes an Ohio State University Program which integrates social studies instruction and active learning-language experiences. (KC)

Presents an interdisciplinary approach to teaching history at the elementary level. Suggests that a concept-based approach could expand the role of children's literature in the elementary classroom and bring history to the center of the curriculum. Lists five points to consider when selecting literature for a history unit. (KO)

Including both social studies and language skills objectives, this unit of study encourages senior high school students to examine and wrestle with issues concerning nuclear warfare. Activities suggested are many and varied, e.g., students read and discuss fiction and nonfiction, analyze films, do library work, write essays, and conduct surveys.…

Objectives and content of an interdisciplinary social studies-art program for elementary children are discussed. A sample lesson and evaluation activities from a successfully implemented pilot program are provided. (RM)

Describes a unit on Ancient Greece designed to make social studies meaningful to fourth and fifth graders. Individual projects and group activities helped students learn about ancient Greek culture. (AM)