Some important concepts and strategies can help social studies educators teach civics in an inclusive manner when not all students in the classroom are formal citizens.

“Why are people marching?” Given today’s level of activism, this is a plausible question many students may have. Although only some students voice the questions, it is very likely that many more have pondered why people are protesting after seeing reports of events such as the Women’s March (equality for women), March for Our Lives (about gun control), Black Lives Matter (for racial justice), Janitors March (for fair pay), and Keep Families Together (demanding the Trump administration reunite immigrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border). As elementary teachers, our subsequent…

As young children engage in their play and daily activities, they show a natural interest in the world around them. Early childhood educators may capitalize on these interests and carefully plan a variety of experiences with social studies in mind, cultivating and extending young children’s diverse skills and abilities to form and voice opinions, identify and solve problems, negotiate roles, perceive diversity and inequality, and recognize the consequences of their decisions and behaviors on others. Social studies is a vital part of the early childhood curriculum, since children’s formative…

The use of social media saturates the everyday lives of young people, offering complex, rich challenges and opportunities for cultivating their skills with and disposition toward online participatory politics in “a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world ” (National Council for the Social Studies). While attempts to define digital civic engagement are still in a formative stage (Kligler-Vilenchik & Thorson, 2016), National Council for the Social Studies suggests drawing upon youth’s informal personal use of social media and seeking to transfer these experiences…

In partnership, the National Council for History Education and the National Council for the Social Studies present “In Pursuit of Equity.” The purpose of this Equity Summit is to engage multiple communities in deliberative discussions about opportunities for and challenges to equity in the United States’ past, present, and future. Drawing upon the complex history of race, ethnicity, enslavement, poverty, and immigration in the American experience, sessions will emphasize opportunities, activism, and student empowerment. This Equity Summit fosters actively engaged and informed…

In Pursuit of Equity: Book Banning and Censorship Book bans in schools and libraries are on the rise. Last school year, more than 850 individual titles were impacted by censorship efforts of local groups and state decision-makers. How can educators and students navigate censorship in their communities? NCHE and NCSS united for a fourth virtual Equity Summit in October 2023 in support of our history and social studies educators and students, with a focus on book-banning and censorship. These are the session recordings from the Summit. 

Inviting students to ponder the meaning of secure elections can launch an important discussion about public trust in election results.

Consider how you can be a power player for diversity and equity by naming exclusive practices and language that are commonly used in education that are ineffective. Explore how you can encourage and activate inclusive language. Speaker: Magdalena Mata, Texas National Board Coalition for Teaching Founding Director

International children’s picture books provide windows and mirrors for children and allow them to consider issues of fairness, justice, equity, diversity, and the common good as they build their nascent citizenship skills.

The Census Bureau’s emphasis on hiring census takers who reflect the communities in which they count has played a historic role in ensuring that neglected communities gain representation.