For nearly 50 years, the National Council for the Social Studies has presented the Carter G. Woodson Book Award to texts that accurately and sensitively depict the experience of one or more historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups in the United States. The award originated in 1974, named to honor distinguished scholar Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, the Harvard-trained historian whose scholarship and dedication to making Black History known and visible led to the eventual creation of Black History Month. Texts must be non-fiction, published and set in the United States, written for…

In elementary classrooms, teaching immigration often begins and ends at Ellis Island—without discussions of racist migration policies or engagement with current issues.This exploration of Southeast Asian (SEA) deportation community defense provides opportunities for young people to understand the relationship between power, migration, and citizenship.

Upper elementary students used a variety of research skills to identify and explore current events and issues within their own community. Using an action civics approach, students also developed and enacted a plan to address the issues that their exploration of local current events highlighted.

An inquiry approach to studying the 1940s Mendez racial segregation case can counter a narrative that centers the triumph of heroes and instead prompt students to explore larger issues related to colorism, racism, and language segregation.

In this article, the authors share how a third-grade teacher supported students in crafting and researching their own inquiry questions using a process known as the Question Formulation Technique to scaffold students’ development of supporting questions. Hughes and Heckart provide the reader with suggestions and resources for supporting student-initiated inquiry. 

An earlier article (by W. Toledo and others) in Social Studies and the Young Learner examined how young students engaged with locally-relevant civics curriculum focused on civic perspective-taking, a process wherein students examine multiple perspectives on public issues and form their own stances on these issues using fact-based reasons with a consideration for the public good. Here, the authors present additional key skills in civic thinking and important strategies for teachers hoping to engage young students in civic perspective-taking.

The one-page blueprint known as the Inquiry Design Model helps teachers outline essential elements of inquiry-based instruction and enables them to plan inquiry experiences for students.

In this article, the authors suggest that prop boxes can make more time in the school day for social studies learning and play. The authors share suggestions for designing and implementing prop boxes with young children. Several examples of social studies prop boxes for kindergarten and first grade are investigated.