Presents terms used in the elementary classroom for language arts, history, and social science. Explains that knowledge of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes can help students to understand new social studies terms. Includes a list of primary word parts, intermediate word parts, and lesson ideas. Notes those ideas suitable for a sheltered lesson.…

Suggests three authentic and empowering roles for writing in the social studies classroom: rhetoric, persuasion, and commentary. Gives examples and suggests activities for each. (SR)

Describes ways laptop computers are used in two high school Advanced Placement History classes. Discusses notetaking on laptops, small group assignments via modem, cooperative-learning groups, and laptops as a research tool. (SR)

Presents the response of a teacher to the question, "Besides the local newspaper and newscasts, with what sources of information on current events do you try to acquaint your students?" (HB)

Provides a crossword puzzle for social studies students. Offers clues based upon early Canadian history. Invites teachers to submit their own puzzles. (SG)

Discusses the role of social technology in the elementary social studies curriculum. Describes three strategies designed to enhance the social and emotional well-being of students. Explains the Magic Circle, dilemma discussions, and role playing. Suggests that such social technology methods of teaching will teach students to behave responsibly…

Discusses teaching the Holocaust to secondary education classes using newspapers. Highlights the strengths and limitations of newspaper articles, effective methods for using this resource, and teaching activities. Concludes that, to make a study of the Holocaust as engaging and thought-provoking as possible, teachers need to use all of the tools…

Suggests applications of the National Geography Standards to integrated elementary social-studies instruction. Explains why geographic education is essential, why standards are necessary, the six essential elements of the standards, and applications of each of these elements for social studies lessons. (DSK)

Presents an activity that gives elementary social studies students a chance to investigate the meanings of personal names from around the world. Uses the Global Names Table to gather from students' neighborhoods the names, meanings, backgrounds, and classifications from different cultures. Concludes the lesson with presentations and selection of…

Discusses public participation methods that aim to include the public in policy making. (Author/CCM)

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of curriculum-based measures as indicator of growth in content-area learning. Participants were 58 students in 2 seventh-grade social studies classes. CBM measures were student- and administrator-read vocabulary-matching probes. Criterion measures were performance on a knowledge…

Children's literature is one of the more popular and useful teaching tools in the elementary social studies classroom. Children's books that communicate social studies content in an artistic manner can have a significant impact on students. In this article, the author relates her personal adventures in seeking appropriate material and gives brief…

Children are exposed to a wide variety of images related to New York City through various media outlets. They may have seen glimpses of Manhattan by watching movies such as Spiderman or Stuart Little or by taking in annual television events such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration. Additionally,…

Social studies is about preparing our children to be active participants in the social, economic and political worlds of adults in the future. It is also about making children aware that they can influence the choices that people around them make and that their current decisions have consequences too. Their responsiveness to issues that are…

Men in the United States are products of society's assumptions about what it means to "be a man." Throughout American history, these assumptions have supported aggression, conflict, and war. Seeing American troops in Iraq conjures comparisons not only to past military ventures but also to the changing face of the masculine warrior. One might see…