The annual presidential address is traditionally an opportunity for the leader of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) to discuss the state of social studies and to provide insight about its direction. Central to these addresses have been reflections on the purpose of the social studies, which NCSS states is "… to help young…

This article explores the extent to which official social studies curriculum documents acknowledge difficult questions raised by the persistence of poverty in the United States. As it turns out, just as some parts of social studies curricula tell distorted stories about U.S. history, other parts tell misleading stories about the nation's present…

The number one question educators ask about inquiry is how many time a year should it be done. One of the inescapable challenges to inquiry is its lack of efficiency in "covering" content. Inquiry necessarily takes longer than direct instruction and this can be problematic for teachers struggling to find time to cover the breadth of…

In this article, the authors aim to provide best practices for enhancing the educational experiences of Black males. They champion recommendations marked imperative by impactful scholarship focused on the achievement of equity in education and by the studies that speak to the resilience of Black males and the rich experiences they bring to the…

In the early twentieth century in the American South, Black women teachers were especially dedicated to the creation of community and local institutions. They not only supported and taught Black history, but also created key texts that enabled a more accurate accounting of Black history. Educational leaders such as Nannie Helen Burroughs, Mary…

In 2005, the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners in Tampa, Florida, took steps to forbid government support for gay pride events. The issue came under scrutiny when a public library created a gay-themed informational display. When the commissioners learned of the display, they voted overwhelmingly (5 to 1) in favor of a policy prohibiting…

This article describes in detail, the New York State (NYS) Social Studies Toolkit, a curriculum and instructional resource that builds out from the recently released New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework, which reflects the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards. The Toolkit has been developed by…

The museum community is exceedingly aware that time allotted for teaching social studies shrinks every year. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is doubly aware that as social studies classroom time shrinks, so do opportunities to explore American history through an African American lens. Knowing this, NMAAHC, and…

This position statement is aimed at informing the general public, the K-12 community, and all educators, from pre-kindergarten through graduate school, about the importance of addressing study about religions in the social studies curriculum in ways that are constitutionally and academically sound. National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)…

There is no better site for political or democratic action than the school itself and the students' own community, according to educational philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952). Learning about local government provides students with authentic examples of democratic processes and institutions that shape their daily lives. Getting involved in local…

The juxtaposition of the 2012 national elections and the marginalization of social studies/citizenship education in the pre-K-12 school curriculum has been both coincidental, and, in a way, an opportunity for social studies teachers, supervisors, and teacher educators to find ways to restore creative classroom instruction about history,…

An ad hoc committee of National Council for the Social Studies members conducted a study to determine significant content for social studies education and the grade levels in which it should be taught. The findings are listed by subject matter, concepts, and grade level. (AM)

Results of an informal survey conducted by members of a curriculum committee of NCSS and others who expressed an interest in social studies curriculum revision and evaluation, describe and evaluate the dissemination and utilization of the NCSS Curriculum Guidelines published in 1971. (JR)

Presents results from the 1984 High School and Beyond Supplemental Teacher Survey which pertains to social studies teachers. The data provide information regarding such topics as job satisfaction, subjects taught, educational attainment, instructional practices, teaching load, certification, and professionalism. (JDH)

An argument in favor of the "new" social studies which stresses inquiry, argument, challenge, and rigor. In a time when the guiding influences of family and religion are weakening, social studies should attempt to develop students' ethical and moral growth. (AV)