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Social Education May/June 2018


 

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2018

The National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council are delighted to present this year’s list of exceptional books appropriate for use in the social studies classroom.    

 

Editor's Notebook
Michael Simpson

   

 
Sources and Strategies

Analyzing Literary Maps to Bridge Geography, History, and English Language Arts
Kathleen McGuigan

Studying literary maps like the Texas map featured in this article can launch an engaging discussion about literature as well as on the perspectives of the mapmakers.     US History, Geography

 
Lessons on the Law

Bringing the World’s Constitutions to the Classroom
Jessie Baugher, Zachary Elkins, Tom Ginsburg

Having students compare and analyze international constitutions teaches them about different countries and also gives them new insights into governance and their own founding document. Secondary/High School     Law-Related, Civics/Government

 
Teaching the C3 Framework

Questions, Tasks, Sources: Focusing on the Essence of Inquiry
Kathy Swan, John Lee, S.G. Grant

A focused inquiry approach, like the one on Pearl Harbor in this article, enables teachers to weave inquiry into the fabric of their courses as part of their daily instruction. Secondary/High School     US History

 

Marriage between Slaves: Analyzing Legal Documents from Spain and the United States
Luis Martínez-Fernández

When studying the early colonization of the Caribbean, students will gain a deeper, more nuanced, understanding of the institution of slavery by examining Spanish colonial documents and comparing them with documents from the antebellum U.S. South. Secondary/High School     US History, World History

 

George Washington and Slavery: Going Beyond Picture Books to Teach about Our Flawed Founders
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, James Joshua Coleman, Lindsay R. Cicchino

Some key strategies can help provide students with a balanced picture of the founding fathers while honoring the lives, stories, and experiences of victims of slavery.     US History

 

The Bomb and Beyond: Teaching Nuclear Issues through Popular Culture Texts
Hiroshi Kitamura, Jeremy Stoddard

The three approaches to teaching about the legacies of nuclear development outlined in this article can advance students’ critical literacy skills as they analyze artifacts of popular culture. Secondary/High School     US History, World History

 

The Carter G. Woodson Awards, 2018

This year’s Carter G. Woodson award winners include books about the Birmingham Children’s March, Japanese internment (Fred Korematsu), and recognizing the history of people of African descent.    

 
Elementary Education

And the Children Shall Lead: Using the 2018 Notable Books to Nurture Young Citizen-Activists
Andrea S. Libresco

Elementary teachers can help nurture the next generation of citizen-activists with two books that explore examples of young people engaging in civic action. PreK-Elementary     US History, Civics/Government
Vol.: 
82
Number: 
3