Shifting to an inquiry-based practice can be challenging. How should teachers get started? How many times should teachers plan for inquiry? What do teachers do when students struggle with inquiry? How long does it take for students to buy in to the inquiry process? These kinds of questions, and the concerns that underlie them, can create an…

In this article, the author recommends websites that include both traditional world history content and sites that focus on contemporary world issues and problems. The first two sites provide an intellectual stage for both world history and global studies. While they don't have lesson plans or links to other sites, they provide an understanding of…

Today's schools and teachers are challenged with meeting the demands of specific content standards, high stakes assessment, and developing students from diverse backgrounds to be capable of competing in a global market. These twenty-first century students must not only possess critical thinking skills and the ability to process information, but…

In this article, the author talks about the updated National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Standards that are directed toward those meaningful units and engaging lessons. The revised standards set guiding questions and provide strategies and "Snapshots of Practice" which can be used to combine extensive use of content with suggestions for…

Research has pointed out that an over reliance on textbooks and lecturing in the social studies often devolves instruction into narrow perspectives and uninspiring activities. Thus, teachers allowed their students to use something they were interested in, technology, to access a wide range of resources for a class project. This assignment, the…

In this article, the author shares some ways that social studies teachers in the United States have worked to scaffold knowledge, skills, and dispositions that over time create global awareness and worldmindedness--habits of the mind that foster knowledge, interest and engagement in global issues, local/global connections, and diverse cultures.…

In an attempt to deal with the problem of generating the thinking skills needed for the 21st century, this article discusses how a statewide of 30 teachers developed Grade Level Foundations. The core component of the Grade Level Foundations for Social Studies consists of a set of questions that are designed to stimulate higher level thinking about…

As people head further into the 21st Century, they are living in a constantly changing and interdependent world. As such, students need a global awareness that includes familiarity with different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles in order to understand and address global issues. Geography can help students understand these issues. In this article,…

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills places an important emphasis on fundamental social science subjects including history, geography, government and civics, and economics as well as a stress on other important subjects such as English, foreign languages, arts, and science in the school curriculum. It has also identified what it calls 21st…

The primary goal of global education is to prepare students to be effective and responsible citizens in a global society. Toward this end, students need to practice real-life skills, gain knowledge of the world, and develop expertise in viewing events and issues from diverse global perspectives. How are social studies teachers preparing young…

Argues that textile arts offer opportunities for students to explore other cultures and to illustrate themes contained in the National Council for the Social Studies Standards. Describes the use of Hmong "paj ntaub" textiles to teach elementary students about the Hmong people of Laos and Hmong immigrants in the United States. (DSK)

Richard Paxton recently wrote an article for Phi Delta Kappan titled "Don't Know Much About History--Never Did," which gives an historical perspective to what has often been a very "presentist" debate. In the article, Paxton examines responses to poor student scores on formal and informal history surveys in 1917, 1943, 1976, 1987 and 2002.…

Argues that misconceptions about culture, and the vastness of the topic make teaching global cultures difficult. Presents a general model for visually organizing concepts associated with culture that can be used in the classroom. Includes a lesson plan on how cultural perspectives can affect the definition and use of resources. (DSK)

Provides a selective list of 19 associations that offer resources for teachers. Includes contact and Internet information, and a list of selected publications for each association. Incorporates a review essay by Ron Herring and Jonathan Weil entitled, "The Contemporary World History Project for Culturally Diverse Students." (DSK)

Presents materials related to the United Nations Global Teach-In Project on landmines and their dangers. Includes a set of lessons prepared by the American Forum for Global Education and the UN CyberSchoolBus, e-mail exchanges between students and UN de-mining teams, and contact information for further information on the de-mining campaign. (DSK)