Dedication to social justice teaching is important, yet putting one's ideals into practice in American schools is a challenging task. This book goes beyond theory and idealism to fully explore the value and impact of implementing social action and social justice activities in the elementary school classroom. Informed by the experiences of more than forty teachers across the country, this thoughtful resource: examines how elementary teachers, from inner cities to rural towns, use the social studies curriculum to teach about and for social justice; focuses on how teaching social studies for social justice relates to standardized testing, state curricula, and the local challenges teachers face; offers classroom activities and ""Reflection Exercises"" and ""Teaching Ideas"" to provide teachers with practical applications for the topics discussed; and includes a list of children's literature books, curriculum materials, and websites.