"Why are people marching?" Given today's level of activism, this is a plausible question many students may have. Although only some students voice the questions, it is very likely that many more have pondered why people are protesting after seeing reports of events such as the Women's March (equality for women), March for Our Lives…

In elementary classrooms, teaching immigration often begins and ends at Ellis Island--without discussions of racist migration policies or engagement with current issues. Although contemporary immigration is rarely discussed with elementary students, the number of young people from immigrant and/or refugee backgrounds in the U.S. continues to rise.…

This article describes how one social studies class used chants to express themselves. One student's chant communicated her understandings of citizenship; it included three specific ways that she can be a good responsible citizen. This student's communication of ideas reflects the fourth dimension of the Inquiry Arc in the College, Career, and…

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…

The study of current events can take several forms, and the right current event to study as a class depends on the educational purposes, the curricular standards the authors want to address, and the resources they have available to meet them, and what the needs and abilities are of the students present in the class. In this article, they focus on…

Social studies educators have encouraged the use of primary sources and inquiry in the classroom for decades; however, inquiry-based instruction in which students engage meaningfully with primary sources remains the exception rather than the norm. The publication of the College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State…

What does it mean to teach meaningful and powerful social studies? What curricular frameworks might be useful to this end? What does vibrant social studies look like in the classroom? The purpose of this article is twofold--to propose a curricular and pedagogical framework for teaching powerful social studies and to illustrate outstanding…

Like many other teachers, the author always looks for a way to enliven a lesson--a new twist, a different perspective, a novel resource. The slogan of the NCSS convention held in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2009 was, "Dreams and Deeds: The Civic Mission of Schools," and this article provides "how to" ideas, easy, high-interest opportunities to make that…

The authors review an eight-year collection of journal articles from "Theory and Research in Social Education," "The Social Studies," "Social Education," and "Social Studies and the Young Learner". Their research yielded 37 articles, of which 20 were published in "Social Studies and the Young Learner" from 2000 to 2008. The authors describe three…

In this article, the author discusses how she compares social studies instruction to weaving a tapestry of responsible citizenship. She discusses strategies she used to help students who have limited or no English (Limited English Proficiency, or LEP) make the transition from home to school. The author's teaching techniques have many sources. A…

Currently about 20 percent of U.S. school children have at least one immigrant parent. Across the country, urban, suburban, and rural schools alike are facing increasingly diverse student bodies. This demographic change shapes nationwide discourse on "citizenship" and, in turn, citizenship education. In this article, the authors explore new…

In this article, the author shares her experience teaching at Rita Cannan Elementary, in Reno, Nevada, and describes how she and her colleagues teach lessons on citizenship education that are part of their social studies program. She describes an approach she used, which focused on student leadership rather than teacher intervention, that led to…

Linking to voices from the world is exciting for both students and teachers, but everyone needs to understand that global education is a form of citizenship education. The activities of the nation have a great effect on people in the rest of the world, whether in the realm of economics, diplomacy, the media, or the environment. Some states, like…

Discussing the effects of unethical economic behavior on young people, Schug presents suggestions for teaching about the values that are deeply rooted in our economic system. Highlighting the concepts of private property and individual responsibilities, he includes teaching ideas and a sample lesson that deals with property rights. (GEA)

Stating that the essential characteristics of citizenship are found in children's natural social interactions, the authors argue that sports should be used in citizenship education to teach rules, roles, consequences, respect, allegiance, winning, losing, and fairness. Teaching suggestions include a list of exemplary sports heroes, illustrative…