The authors advocate for systematic teaching of 9/11 within the social studies curriculum (K-16). The examination of the issues and impact of 9/11 illustrate the power of civic education in a democracy. Illustrated are the key concepts and associated issues and values of 9/11 with the National Council for the Social Studies curriculum standards.…

How best to move on with life was the challenge of the families of those who died on 9/11. The choice of one family to do something positive to perpetuate the human spirit is related through creative endeavors that bring rewarding memories and encourage others to rejoice in service and understanding for individual needs and talents. (Contains 5…

The tragedy of 9/11 is perhaps the most significant event so far in the 21st century. Ten years later, the vast majority of elementary school students have no personal connection with the original events, yet all live in a world that has been and continues to be affected by 9/11. How can teachers introduce young students to the events of that…

This year's rollercoaster primary elections and the pending national election, with an anticipated record voter turnout, provide the perfect backdrop for an examination of the questions: (1) Who can vote?; and (2) Who will vote? Historically, the American government refused voting rights to various groups based on race, gender, age, and even…

Describes a classroom game that challenges students to identify characteristics of a place, learn the location of a nation, use reference books, solve a problem through critical thinking, and classify data by degree of usefulness. (LS)

Geography helps one understand the physical and cultural characteristics of the world. Geographic education provides the values, knowledge, concepts, and skills to better understand ourselves, our relationship to the earth, and our interdependence with other peoples of the world. There is a great need to increase the quantity and quality of…

Describes four activities designed to require each individual student to think about a topic and make an informed choice or decision. Discusses the teacher's role in these participation activities and stresses the importance of helping students to think independently and critically. (GEA)

Teacher members of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) describe the study of current events as essential or very important to the social studies curriculum. Most teachers indicated using current events to provide contemporary examples of abstract historical, social, economic, and political concepts or to illustrate the continuity of…

Procedures for teaching about women and the Vietnam War using class activities and discussion questions are presented. The topics for which activities are suggested include: analysis of quotes by nurses and military women; dealing with the war-caused deaths; journalists; and civilian women. A list of seven references is included. (DB)

The educational value of games includes learning to: (1) follow directions and use social skills; (2) review information and use cognitive skills; (3) make decisions and live with the consequences; and (4) become aware of new information. This paper describes how teachers might use small group games to reinforce what is taught in social studies…

In this lesson plan students examine the concepts of immigrant and refugee, identifying the similarities and differences in the two concepts and exploring the stories of refugees and the people and organizations that help them. The lesson outlines knowledge objectives for students in grades 2-3 and presents additional objectives for students in…

A study addressed specific topics related to the teaching of current events through a teacher survey asking the more general question: How do social studies teachers who are members of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) teach current events in their classrooms? Questionnaires were mailed to a random, national sample of 598 members…

Activity requires secondary students to make an entrepreneurial decision concerning a conflict between long-term and short-term results. Students read a dilemma story involving an automobile manufacturer. They must write down positive and negative consequences for alternative decisions on a "Human Consequences Matrix" and an "Economic Consequences…

A study focused on documenting historical events and personal histories of individuals active in social studies during the last half of the 20th century. Objectives included: (1) to pass on the heritage of social studies education over the past 50 years as viewed by veteran social studies educators in their own words; (2) to identify major changes…

This paper is a collection of lessons that examine the many roles that women played in the Vietnam War and the consequences of their experiences for individuals, governments, and military policies. The series begins with an exercise in which students read 16 statements and then try to decide if they apply to U.S. women, Vietnamese women, or both.…