Social Studies and the Young Learner
Volumne 24, Number 3, January/February 2012

Editors’ Notes

Guest Editor, Elizabeth R. Hinde

Social Studies is Not Just for the Classroom!

The theme of this special issue is “Kids in the Community.” One of the primary goals of social studies is to enable students to become participating members of our society and world. Teaching content from history, geography, civics, and economics is an important part of learning to become active citizens, but getting students into the community where they can participate in meaningful ways brings classroom learning to life. This issue describes elementary teachers who are taking their students into communities, neighborhoods, environment, and world to participate in activities that enrich the social studies curriculum and promote active citizenship.

In the first article, “A Rain Garden for Our School: Becoming Environmental Stewards,” Joy McFayden relates how her fifth graders initiated an effort to build a rain garden to slow down and filter rain runoff before it entered a waterway leading to Saginaw Bay. In the process, students learned about the importance of wetlands and maintaining the environment, as well as how to research a problem, garner community support, and ignite the power of active citizenship.

Carol C. Warren, a retired fourth grade teacher from a school on the Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Sacaton, Arizona, describes a project she and her students undertook to learn about and help restore an ancient Hohokam village near their school. In “From Geography to Civic Engagement: The Mesa Grande Ruins,” she relates how fourth grade Native American students worked to conserve a part of their own heritage.

Learning life lessons and utilizing language arts is the topic of Maggie Beddow’s article, “Dear César Chávez: Writing Persuasive Letters in the Sixth Grade.” Almost 20 years ago, Maggie’s sixth grade students wrote letters to César Chávez imploring him to continue his fight for farm workers’ rights. However, shortly after they wrote the letters, César Chávez passed away. Maggie and the students assumed the letters were lost forever. Years later, Maggie discovered that she was wrong —her university students discovered that her sixth graders’ letters lived on in the form of a website meant to teach about César Chávez and help other students to become active participants in society.

Nancy P. Gallavan and Freddie A. Bowles show how community gardening helps students learn social studies concepts and important life skills. “School-Community Gardening: Learning, Living, Earning, and Giving” describes a third grade teacher’s lessons on gardening and life utilizing literature and websites, which readers might use to plan and prepare community gardens in their neighborhoods, or on school grounds.

In the center Pullout, Mimi Milliken provides a lesson she taught with her second graders. “If These Walls Could Talk: Seeing a Culture through Human-Created Features of the Landscape” provides background and a lesson plan to help students learn about cultures and common human features through the use of an engaging book and a walk around the neighborhood.

In their article, “Meaningful Homework: A Study of Government that Utilizes the Broader Community,” Rob Ley and Janet Alleman describe how homework can lead to active, engaging lessons in the classroom. Homework played a role in bringing content alive to fourth graders in one school because it “extended beyond the four walls of the classroom” as they interviewed adults about their participation in voting.

In, “Helping Children Understand Communities: Past and Present, Real and Virtual,” Carolyn O’Mahony provides powerful justification for bringing students into the communities, both real and virtual. She describes four dimensions of community —place, people, nature, and virtual space.

Sherry L. Field and Michelle Bauml describe a whole elementary school where active learning is the norm. “It’s About Community: Active Social Studies Learning in a University Charter School” outlines a program of community-based social studies in every grade in a diverse preK-5 school. The school demonstrates that students in lower income and diverse neighborhoods can indeed learn social studies and participate in community activities in every grade.

In a review, “Teaching about a Growing World with a Good Book and a Geographic Perspective,” I describe a book that helps teachers apply concepts in math, reading, and language arts, while providing students with a geographic perspective and civic values. If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People is a work that adeptly integrates social studies disciplines and invites young readers to think about the world as one community.

Social studies is not just for classrooms. It’s meant to be lived, and taking our kids into the community will bring it to life for them—and us! —Elizabeth R. Hinde

An Invitation to Authors!

Call for Manuscripts for Social Studies and the Young Learner

If you are an enthusiastic elementary teacher or teacher educator with great ideas that you have implemented in the classroom, we invite you to share your work.

Below are descriptions of themes for some of the upcoming issues, but we also welcome pieces that do not fit these particular themes.

Theme: “What Are You Doing for the Holidays?”
How do you move beyond the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, Abe Lincoln’s tall hat, and Pilgrim outfits to promote thoughtful and accurate understandings of our nation’s diverse history? We are seeking articles, lessons, activities and reviews that reveal a meaningful take on traditional and non-traditional holidays.

Issue: November/December 2011

Submission Deadline: June 15, 2011

Theme: How Do You Teach Kids to Think?
How and in what contexts do you teach students to compare, analyze, generalize, make decisions, evaluate….how do you teach kids to think? We are seeking articles, lessons, activities and reviews that illustrate how you teach students the skills essential to understanding and thinking about social studies.

Issue: March/April 2012

Submission Deadline: November 15, 2011

Theme: Making Sense of the 2012 Elections
Presidential elections years are exciting years in which to teach. How do you address elections… the issues, the process, the politics, the problems, the media, the candidates and the aftermath of elections in our democracy? We are seeking articles, lessons, activities and book reviews that address elections at the primary and/or upper elementary grade levels.

Issue: September/October 2012

Submission Deadline: March 15, 2012

For each issue, we would like to include a book review that may or may not be related to the theme. Have you recently read a piece of children’s literature or a book written for teachers that you would like to review? Have you implemented any of the NCSS Notable Books into your curriculum? Tell us about it!

Please contact the co-editors at ssyl@ncss.org if you have any questions or ideas you would like to share.

Andrea S. Libresco, Ed.D.
Graduate Director of Elementary Education
Department of Teaching, Literacy and Leadership
Hofstra University
(516) 463-6543

Jeannette Balantic
Social Studies Coordinator
Garden City School District
(516) 478-2850

Guidelines for Contributors to SSYL

The goal of Social Studies and the Young Learner is to a) capture and enthuse elementary teachers across the country; and b) provide relevant and useful information about the teaching of social studies to elementary students. The editor especially encourages submission of manuscripts authored by K-5 classroom teachers themselves, or co-authored by professors and classroom teachers.

E-Mailing
E-mail your manuscript directly to the co-editors: Andrea S. Libresco, Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY), and Jeannette Balantic, Gardin City Public Schools (Garden City, NY), at ssyl@ncss.org. Expect an acknowledgement of receipt within a week. Manuscripts submitted for a particular theme issue are due four months prior to publication. Final decisions are usually made within one year.

Formatting
The first page should contain the title, word count, and contact information for all authors: name, title, position, complete mailing address, e-mail, phone, and fax. Identify the lead and/or corresponding author. The authors' names should appear only on this page for purposes of blind peer review.
Include a statement that the manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere. The second page should begin with the title and start the main text. With regard to citation notes, follow The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993) as closely as possible (not APA style). See examples of notes in the journal.
Margins: 1 inch top and bottom and 1.25 inch sides
Font: 12-point, Times New Roman
Length: Double Space, 1000 - 3000 words

Images and Examples
Follow up your e-mailed submission by mailing photocopies of examples of student work and learning, if possible—writing, photos of projects, art, or other media. Submit tables, graphics, photos, etc. as separate files by e-mail, not embedded in the text. If the manuscript is accepted, we will request high-resolution image files or glossy prints. Please set your digital camera at high resolution. Authors must obtain parental permission allowing publication of photos of students, as well as permission for the reprint of copyrighted materials used in a lesson.

Peer Review
SSYL is peer reviewed. If a manuscript is considered for publication, the author must be willing to work with the editor on revisions. SSYL is published by the National Council for the Social Studies.

Reprints
Authors of published manuscripts receive up to 50 complimentary copies of the journal in which the article appears, courtesy of NCSS. Authors are not paid for contributions.

Please feel free to contact the editor by e-mail if you have a question at any time.

SSYL co-editor Andrea S. Libresco, Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) and SSYL co-editor Jeannette Balantic, Gardin City Public Schools (Garden City, NY), at ssyl@ncss.org.

Tips for Authors

Who May Submit an Article?
Anybody may submit an article to Social Studies and the Young Learner. The editors especially look for manuscripts co-authored by classroom teachers and professors, or authored by K-5 classroom teachers alone.

 

What are Good Topics?
Articles in Social Studies and the Young Learner show how social studies (history, geography, civics, economics, anthropology, etc.) is taught in the pre-K-6 classroom. The lead article often provides background on the theme for that issue. A children's literature piece describes how to use quality books in the classroom. A pullout usually includes a lesson with handouts.

See the “Invite” tab to see themes of upcoming issues of SSYL (but you may also write on a topic that does not fit a theme).

 

How Will My Paper Be Judged?

This checklist shows the features that editors and reviewers will be watching for. Read your own paper against this checklist.

1. I have described the basic setting (grade level, time required to teach each activity, materials and resources needed)
2. The social studies content is strong (students learn history, civics, geography, economics, or anthropology, etc.) See the themes I-X in Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
3. I have included examples of classroom experience (what students said, how they responded, and pedagogical pitfalls that arose and how to avoid them)
4. I have included examples of young students' work (writing, art, quotes, photos of students in action)
5. Other teachers could use these ideas and methods (Can this lesson or activity be applied to other classrooms, in other states, with a low budget, and with a reasonable commitment of time and materials?)
6. There is a clear assessment of student learning. (How is student learning measured at end of the lesson? Are discussion questions or test questions included?)
7. I have linked the subject matter in my paper to state and national content standards and to the required curriculum of my school for this grade level.
8. I have avoided using the passive voice.
   Right: The teacher corrects and grades the papers. Wrong: Papers are corrected and graded by the teacher.
9. I follow the the Chicago style handbook for notes, and do not use Endnote or Reference Manager programs.
10. My notes follow this style-
    BOOKS: Alfie Kohn, What to Look For in a Classroom (San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass, 1998), 45.
    ARTICLES: Bruce E. Larson, "The Makah: Exploring Public Issues During a Structured Classroom Discussion,"
    Social Studies and the Young Learner 10, no. 1 (September/October 1997): 10-13.
    WEBSITES: "Creating the United States," (Library of Congress), myloc.gov/exhibitions/creatingtheus.
11. When citing online resources, I recommend specific, student-friendly websites, avoiding Wikipedia and Google.
12. I kept my reading audience in mind. (Will classroom teachers, who are the primary audience of SSYL, eagerly read this from start to finish? Will they find it useful to their actual practice?)

 

Proofreading?
Ask a colleague to read your paper and check it for grammar, organization, and writing style.

Who, When, and How?
Be sure to follow the basic advice found at the “Guide” tab to Social Studies and the Young Learner when you format text, type references, shoot photographs, write a cover letter, and submit your manuscript.

Other Questions?
Feel free to contact the co-editors:

SSYL co-editor Andrea S. Libresco, Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) and SSYL co-editor Jeannette Balantic, Gardin City Public Schools (Garden City, NY), at ssyl@ncss.org.

Conference Archives provide handouts and other materials given out at recent sessions on "best practices in the elementary grades" at NCSS Annual Conferences. (For journal back issues, click the Publications Archive link at www.socialstudies.org/publications.)

2010 NCSS Annual Conference Best Practices

How Elementary Teachers Teach for Transformative Citizenship [Powerpoint, pptx]
Sherry L. Field, University of Texas at Austin, Antonio J. Castro, University of Missouri-Columbia

CHILDREN AS ADVOCATES AROUND THE WORLD: Service Learning with “Third Culture Kids” [Powerpoint, pptx]
Janie Hubbard

Living in the Global Village: Strategies for Teaching Mental Flexibility [Powerpoint, pptx]
Dr. Carol McNulty, Dr. MaryAnn Davies, Ms. Mary Maddoux, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Structuring the Curriculum Around Big Ideas [Powerpoint, pptx]
Janet Alleman, Barbara Knighton, and Jere Brophy

We Are The Future: We Are Agents of Change! [Powerpoint, pptx]
Jill Stepanian, Shady Brook Elementary
Tracy Rock, UNC Charlotte

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2009 NCSS Annual Conference Best Practices

Count Me IN! Census and Economic Sustainability
Linda Bennett, University of Missouri

Classroom Practices and Applications
Paul Nagel, Northwestern State University

It's about Us: 2010 Census in Schools [powerpoint]
Patricia Dillon Watson, Census in Schools, U.S. Census Bureau

Federal Resources for the Classroom [powerpoint]
Mary C. Suiter, Ph.D.
St. Louis Federal Reserve

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2008 NCSS Annual Conference Best Practices

Welcome to the Digital Classroom [URL]
Linda Bennett, Barbara Jamison & Michelle Nebel

Google Earth: A Virtual Globe for Elementary Geography [pdf]
Google Earth [powerpoint]
Judy Gritt and Gus La Fontaine

PBS Presentation [powerpoint]
Marnie Lewis

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2007 NCSS Annual Conference Best Practices in Elementary Geography

The World in Spatial Terms: Mapmaking and Map Reading
Gale Ekiss & Judy Philips

Using “The Great Mail Race” to Learn About Communities (PowerPoint)
Shelli Jukel, Jill Strong, & Janna Hannon

Developmentally Appropriate Geography (PowerPoint)
Kay Gandy

Le Vieux Carre: A Marketplace Approach to the Standards (PowerPoint)
Craig Howat

A is for Aerial Maps and Art (PowerPoint)
Larry Littrell & Reese H. Todd

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2006 NCSS Annual Conference Best Practices in Elementary Social Studies

Best Practice in Elementary Social Studies from the SSYL Editorial Board
(PowerPoint includes Groce & Knighton’s presentations)

Authenticating Historical Fiction: Rationale & Process—Eric Groce

Supporting Struggling Learners in Social Studies—Barb Knighton
Mrs. Knighton’s Classroom Goals (Word Document)
Community Building (Word Document)
Co-Constructing (Word Document)
Traditional Social Studies Programs—Expanding Communities Sequence (Word Document)

Project Hometown—Ginger Smit
Project Hometown (PowerPoint)
Project Hometown Flyer (PDF)

What Makes an Effective S.S. Program Tick?—Kimberly Pearre (PowerPoint)

The co-editors of SSYL are Andrea S. Libresco, Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY) and Jeannette Balantic, Garden City Public Schools (Garden City, NY). Contact them at ssyl@ncss.org.

THE BOARD

Janet Alleman, Michigan State University (MI)

Mary Fortney, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (IN)

Jesus Garcia, University of Nevada--Las Vegas (NV)

Eric Groce, Appalachian State University (NC)

Lynda A. Herrera, Marymount University (VA)

Elizabeth R. Hinde, Arizona State University (AZ)

Tim Keiper, Western Washington University (WA)

Barbara Knighton, Winans Elementary School (MI)

Paul Nagel, Northwestern State University (LA)

Kim D. O'Neil, Liverpool Elementary School (NY)

Ellen Santora, University of Rochester (NY)

Alan Singer, Hofstra University (NY)

Cynthia Tyson, The Ohio State University (OH)

Patricia D. Watson, Educational Consultant (DC)