The public schoolhouse is one of the few remaining public spaces in which citizens may routinely gather to discuss controversial issues. Furthermore, it is social studies classrooms and teachers, in particular, that bear the moral imperative to ensure such civic discourse takes place. Nevertheless, many social studies teachers refrain from…

Improving the reading ability of young students could hardly be a more urgent priority for our elementary schools. Two thirds of American fourth and eighth graders are not able to read proficiently--and the outcomes are far worse for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2019 showed that only…

Changes in values of life have caused decline in the quality of global society character, including the character of Indonesian young generation, so it is of necessity to optimize character education through various learning media. This study seeks to develop a value-based digital storytelling media in social studies learning for the formation of…

This study aims at determining perceptions and experiences of prospective social studies teachers who create learning and teaching activities using historical evidence. We used the case study methodology in our study and collected data from activities created by prospective teachers, research stories, focus group interviews, and observations. We…

Because close reading and critical analysis of multiple sources is central to social studies, understanding teachers' perspectives about productive textual engagement is imperative. This comparative study explored twelve 5th through 11th-grade social studies teachers' perspectives about supporting students' textual engagement via think-aloud…

This conceptual article explores the use of threshold concepts to help pre-service teachers develop antiracist dispositions. Threshold concepts are "troublesome knowledge" within a discipline that serve as gateways to expanded modes of thinking about subject matter. Grappling with threshold concepts places learners in a liminal space as…

When teachers discuss the 2020 presidential election with students, now and in future years, they will, appropriately, place front and center the ramifications of the baseless challenges by Donald Trump and his supporters to Joe Biden's victory. Even as state and federal courts across the nation tossed out lawsuits challenging vote counts, the…

The Houston Independent School District offers two primary bilingual programs (transitional and dual language) for Spanish-speaking English learners (ELs). The relative amount of instruction in each language depends on both program and grade level. Students in the transitional bilingual program have the option of entering a "pre-exit…

For the first time, this volume provides a definitive collection of Gloria Ladson-Billings's groundbreaking concept of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP). After repeatedly confronting deficit perspectives that asked, "What's wrong with 'those kids?,'" Ladson-Billings decided to ask a different question, one that fundamentally shifted the…

Drawing on teacher written responses, this research explores the emotional and affective experiences of teaching environmental issues, focusing particularly on the function and expression of hope along the unclear path toward appropriate action around the complex pedagogical and curricular implications of engaging climate crisis in education.

Social studies teachers are consistently looking for new avenues to motivate learners. To facilitate this process, simulations and roleplaying have garnered considerable attention. However, game-based simulations have received little consideration in social studies classrooms. Through game-based simulations, teachers can create sophisticated…

Presidential elections have been described as "the quintessential example of teaching social studies" due to the authentic connections teachers can make between the formal curriculum and the political world in which students live. Yet current events often do not fit neatly into state curriculum standards and, as a result, some teachers…

Most prekindergarten (preK) teachers are probably unfamiliar with the "College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards." John McDonnell, who teaches a class of eleven four-year-old children, also had not heard of it until he attended the author's workshop on early childhood social studies practices,…

Despite the increasing literature on textbook analysis in post-conflict societies, few studies have investigated textbooks in conflict-ridden areas where wars and armed conflicts are still ongoing. This study examines representations of North Korea and unification in South Korean middle school social studies textbooks. South Korea is an…

In March 2020, schools across the country were forced almost overnight to shut their doors in an urgent effort to slow the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19). Within weeks or even days, teachers scrambled to move their classes online, and schools rushed to ensure that students had Internet access and computers. For this May/June issue of…