Teachers and curriculum specialists are exposed to many ideas from educational leaders, but it is difficult to know which ones can be transformed into meaningful learning experiences in the classroom. "Concept-Based Instruction": (1) Helps educators translate the works of leading educational thinkers into concept-based units; (2) Draws…

At the intersection of social studies and world language curricula are opportunities to explore students' prior learning with vocabulary-rich content designed to support language acquisition goals. "Funds of knowledge" is defined as socio-cultural, economic, and historical knowledge from home and community settings. The instructional…

Social studies education plays an important role in preparing students for a diverse, pluralistic democratic citizenry (NCSS 2010). While the field has made some gains in addressing the needs of various marginalized communities within the curriculum, there has been very little progress in incorporating LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,…

This article draws on European approaches to differentiation that do not entail fatalistic determinism. It describes two challenging initiatives in Denmark, where democratic learning and learning for democracy are enshrined in law. Other examples come from Germany, from the Bielefeld laboratory school and a sixth form college, where planning for…

Quality sequence in the social studies is of utmost importance. Sequence emphasizes "when" selected concepts should be stressed in ongoing lessons and units of study. The social studies teacher needs to observe pupils carefully in teaching and learning situations to ascertain suitable, ordered experiences for pupils. Pupils face frustration if the…

"Big Expectations" discusses the benefits of developing and using big ideas for a diverse set of learners in social studies. Experimenting with both honors and inclusion classrooms at the middle school level, I found that all students are capable of relating to and thinking deeply about the content through the use of big ideas. Although…

How does teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) inform their instructional planning? How can this knowledge be enhanced? In an interpretivist study of experienced secondary social studies teachers' planning, we sought to discover clues to the nature and development of these teachers' TPACK-in-action as it was expressed in…

This article begins with an overview of elementary social studies, considering its purposes and goals, historical and contemporary controversies about learner readiness and curriculum content, and commonly reported problems with textbooks and time pressures. It then considers proposed reforms, first considering approaches recommended by others and…

Methods of teaching young Canadians about their own country are discussed. (JW)

Discusses a study to determine whether using a specially-designed taxonomy-linked curriculum unit on cities teaches the higher level thinking process of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation to academically gifted students more effectively than a curriculum without such specific materials. Concludes that it does. Results are presented. (Author/DB)

The nine instructional units presented in this publication are designed to teach basic economic concepts to secondary students. The units can stand alone and are arranged so that they do not have to be taught in any particular sequence. They range in order from less to more difficult. Topics of units are: economic wants; productive resources;…

In a question and answer interview, a social studies consultant gives assistance to teachers. (GB)

Reviews the new'' social studies curriculum in Hawaiian schools. (DS)

Describes the framework and 31 model lessons developed by the University of Georgia's Sea Grant Project, the major purpose of which is to make upper elementary and secondary students more aware of coastal and marine affairs. An illustrative lesson is included. (RM)