The Louisiana Board of Regents is currently outpacing the nation in its ability to inform the public about the effectiveness of redesigned teacher preparation programs in preparing new teachers to teach grades 4-9 students in the areas of mathematics, science, social studies, reading, and language arts. Through the use of Louisiana's Value-Added…

This study seeks to empirically ground the debate over mathematics and science teacher shortages and evaluate the extent to which there is, or is not, sufficient supply of teachers in these fields. The authors' analyses of nationally representative data from multiple sources show that math and science are the fields most difficult to staff, but…

Introduction: The teacher plays a significant role in the intellectual development of the pupils, using various assessment and teaching styles to improve pupils' performance in school subjects. The study therefore investigated the effect of some teacher related factors: teacher level of awareness of assessment style, teacher assessment style,…

This article explores how 12 classroom teachers, enrolled in one of the author's graduate social studies methods course, used service-learning as an instructional tool to help students practice active participation in their community and beyond, while also recognizing the relevance of academic coursework as they applied their knowledge and skills…

In this kindergarten unit, students learn to name and talk about their address. The purpose of the lesson is to meet requirement K.4 of the California History Social Science Standards, to guide young children as they become aware of themselves in relation to the earth upon which they live, to develop a story which focuses the student's learning,…

Social studies educators are constantly teaching concepts. From culturally universal concepts in the early grades to highly contested concepts such as "democracy" in later grades, good social studies instruction often centers on helping students form key concepts. As anyone who has spent time in twenty-first century social studies classrooms…

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…

To prepare students for effective citizenship, the author examines the Pledge of Allegiance and explores its meaning, history, and role in American history. The author includes quotes presenting different views of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance and examples of pledges from different countries. Teachers are encouraged to have students examine their…

Preparing students to be global citizens is foremost among teachers' educational goals and is central to the teaching of social studies. High quality trade books with multicultural and international themes can promote cultural and global awareness, which in turn advocates for peace and social justice. Such literature allows teachers to select…

Should elementary school students be introduced to disturbing current events topics? A common response would be to protect the innocence of young children, allowing them to live their lives relatively free of the troubles that beset the world. But closer examination reveals that the study of current events actually helps to reduce fear and worry.…

Although the Internet has been touted as a boon to social studies education, little research exists that documents the impact of using it as a contextualizing tool for analyzing primary sources and developing Web sites on high school students' achievement. In this article, the authors address both issues by using a quasi-experimental design to…

Most teachers will endorse "standards" of authentic instruction, including deep knowledge, higher order thinking, substantive conversation, and connections to the world beyond the classroom. When it comes to putting such endorsements into practice, however, they too often accept a standardized view of content that is dull and doctrinaire and…

This study seeks to understand the ways nine states represent African Americans within their standards for U.S. History. Previous research on the effects of high-stakes assessment on social studies educators suggests teachers align their instruction with information found in state standards. Therefore, an understanding of the way African Americans…

A detailed pictorial and verbal account is given of the evolution of the state of Israel. (CK)

Social studies educators have identified three areas where the Web is being used to assist social studies teaching and learning: inquiry-based learning, online interaction, and displaying student work online. Examples of each are provided. The chapter concludes with the challenges ahead.