Teaching and Learning Social Studies – serie

The field of social studies is unique and complex. It is challenged by the differing perspectives related to the definition, goals, content, and purpose of social studies.Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader discusses the contemporary issues surrounding social studies education today. Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader encourages and inspires readers to think. The chapters included in this volume are written by prominent scholars in the field of social studies. The collection inspires and provokes readers to reconsider and reexamine social studies and its contemporary state. Readers will explore the various critical topics that encompass contemporary social studies.This collection provides readers with rich chapters which are sure to be cited as key works. Compelling and accessible, this collection brings to light the critical topics relevant to contemporary social studies and is sure to serve as a cornerstone and seminal text for the future.

The field of social studies is unique and complex. It is challenged by the differing perspectives related to the definition, goals, content, and purpose of social studies.Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader discusses the contemporary issues surrounding social studies education today. Contemporary Social Studies: An Essential Reader encourages and inspires readers to think. The chapters included in this volume are written by prominent scholars in the field of social studies. The collection inspires and provokes readers to reconsider and reexamine social studies and its contemporary state. Readers will explore the various critical topics that encompass contemporary social studies.This collection provides readers with rich chapters which are sure to be cited as key works. Compelling and accessible, this collection brings to light the critical topics relevant to contemporary social studies and is sure to serve as a cornerstone and seminal text for the future.

While the concept of integration or an interdisciplinary curriculum has been around for decades, the purposeful practice of integration is a relatively new educational endeavor. Though classroom teachers often say they “integrate,” there generally seems to be a lack of understanding of what this thing called integration is (theory) and what it is supposed to look like in the classroom (practice).Arguably, no other discipline has felt the pressure to integrate more than social studies. Marginalized by federal initiatives such as No Child Left Behind and suffering from a general crisis of credibility, social studies has been pushed further and further to the proverbial back burner of educational importance. Yet regardless of perspective or position, social studies remains ripe for integration.The crux of this book is to provide educators insights and strategies into how to integrate social studies with other discipline areas. Calling upon national experts in their respective fields, each chapter chronicles the broad relationship between individual content areas and social studies. Multiple examples of integrative opportunities are included. At the end of each chapter is a series of grade-specific integrative lesson plans ready for implementation. This book was purposefully designed as a how-to, hands-on, ready-reference guide for educators at all stages and all levels of teaching.

While the concept of integration or an interdisciplinary curriculum has been around for decades, the purposeful practice of integration is a relatively new educational endeavor. Though classroom teachers often say they “integrate,” there generally seems to be a lack of understanding of what this thing called integration is (theory) and what it is supposed to look like in the classroom (practice).Arguably, no other discipline has felt the pressure to integrate more than social studies. Marginalized by federal initiatives such as No Child Left Behind and suffering from a general crisis of credibility, social studies has been pushed further and further to the proverbial back burner of educational importance. Yet regardless of perspective or position, social studies remains ripe for integration.The crux of this book is to provide educators insights and strategies into how to integrate social studies with other discipline areas. Calling upon national experts in their respective fields, each chapter chronicles the broad relationship between individual content areas and social studies. Multiple examples of integrative opportunities are included. At the end of each chapter is a series of grade-specific integrative lesson plans ready for implementation. This book was purposefully designed as a how-to, hands-on, ready-reference guide for educators at all stages and all levels of teaching.

The world is ever changing and the way students experience social studies should reflect the environment in which they live and learn. Digital Social Studies explores research, effective teaching strategies, and technologies for social studies practice in the digital age.The digital age of education is more prominent than ever and it is an appropriate time to examine the blending of the digital age and the field of social studies. What is digital social studies? Why do we need it and what is its purpose? What will social studies look like in the future? The contributing authors of this volume seek to explain, through an array of ideas and visions, what digital social studies can/should look like, while providing research and rationales for why digital social studies is needed and important.This volume includes twenty-two scholarly chapters discussing relevant topics of importance to digital social studies. The twenty-two chapters are divided into two sections. This stellar collection of writings includes contributions from leading scholars like Cheryl Mason Bolick, Michael Berson, Elizabeth Washington, Linda Bennett, and many more.

The world is ever changing and the way students experience social studies should reflect the environment in which they live and learn. Digital Social Studies explores research, effective teaching strategies, and technologies for social studies practice in the digital age.The digital age of education is more prominent than ever and it is an appropriate time to examine the blending of the digital age and the field of social studies. What is digital social studies? Why do we need it and what is its purpose? What will social studies look like in the future? The contributing authors of this volume seek to explain, through an array of ideas and visions, what digital social studies can/should look like, while providing research and rationales for why digital social studies is needed and important.This volume includes twenty-two scholarly chapters discussing relevant topics of importance to digital social studies. The twenty-two chapters are divided into two sections. This stellar collection of writings includes contributions from leading scholars like Cheryl Mason Bolick, Michael Berson, Elizabeth Washington, Linda Bennett, and many more.

For social studies teachers reeling from the buffeting of top-down educational reforms, this volume offers answers to questions about dealing with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Each chapter presents and reviews pertinent standards that relate to the social studies. Each chapter also deals with significant topics in the social studies from various social sciences to processes such as inquiry to key skills needed for success in social studies such as analysis and literacy.The most important aspect of these chapters though is the array of adaptable activities that is included in each chapter. Teachers can find practical approaches to dealing with CCSS across the social studies panorama. The multiple authorships of the various chapters mean a variety of perspectives and viewpoints are presented. All of the authors have fought in the trenches of K-12 public education. Their activities reflect this in a way that will be useful to novice or veteran teachers.

For social studies teachers reeling from the buffeting of top-down educational reforms, this volume offers answers to questions about dealing with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Each chapter presents and reviews pertinent standards that relate to the social studies. Each chapter also deals with significant topics in the social studies from various social sciences to processes such as inquiry to key skills needed for success in social studies such as analysis and literacy.The most important aspect of these chapters though is the array of adaptable activities that is included in each chapter. Teachers can find practical approaches to dealing with CCSS across the social studies panorama. The multiple authorships of the various chapters mean a variety of perspectives and viewpoints are presented. All of the authors have fought in the trenches of K-12 public education. Their activities reflect this in a way that will be useful to novice or veteran teachers.

The pages of this book paint a portrait of thirteen scholars and their lifelong professional accomplishments in and contributions to teaching, service, and research in global international education around the world. Their extraordinary work contributed extensively to the development, direction and growth of the global education movement in the United States initiated by James M. Becker as Director of School Services for the Foreign Policy Association, New York City, in the 1960s. These scholars were honored with the Distinguished Global Scholar Award presented by the International Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies, the largest professional organization for social studies educators in the United States. Their narratives comprise an intriguing mosaic of backgrounds, scholarship, and contexts from which their extraordinary work blossomed in building bridges—not walls—among peoples and nations.The publication is intended to honor the professional achievements in global international education of these scholars who have devoted their professional lives to creating a better world through their work. More importantly, this book exposes globally-minded individuals, educators, scholars, administrators, and policymakers around the world to empowering role models from Africa, Europe, and the United States and opportunity to learn about the multitude of professional activities, teachings, partnerships, exchange programs and research in which they might engage to promote a deeper understanding about the cultural, geographic, economic, social, and technological interconnectedness of the world and its people---the very purpose of global education.

The pages of this book paint a portrait of thirteen scholars and their lifelong professional accomplishments in and contributions to teaching, service, and research in global international education around the world. Their extraordinary work contributed extensively to the development, direction and growth of the global education movement in the United States initiated by James M. Becker as Director of School Services for the Foreign Policy Association, New York City, in the 1960s. These scholars were honored with the Distinguished Global Scholar Award presented by the International Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies, the largest professional organization for social studies educators in the United States. Their narratives comprise an intriguing mosaic of backgrounds, scholarship, and contexts from which their extraordinary work blossomed in building bridges—not walls—among peoples and nations.The publication is intended to honor the professional achievements in global international education of these scholars who have devoted their professional lives to creating a better world through their work. More importantly, this book exposes globally-minded individuals, educators, scholars, administrators, and policymakers around the world to empowering role models from Africa, Europe, and the United States and opportunity to learn about the multitude of professional activities, teachings, partnerships, exchange programs and research in which they might engage to promote a deeper understanding about the cultural, geographic, economic, social, and technological interconnectedness of the world and its people---the very purpose of global education.

The field of elementary social studies is a specific space that has historically been granted unequal value in the larger arena of social studies education and research. This reader stands out as a collection of approaches aimed specifically at teaching controversial issues in elementary social studies. This reader challenges social studies education (i.e., classrooms, teacher education programs, and research) to engage controversial issues--those topics that are politically, religiously, or are otherwise ideologically charged and make people, especially teachers, uncomfortable--in profound ways at the elementary level. This reader, meant for elementary educators, preservice teachers, and social studies teacher educators, offers an innovative vision from a new generation of social studies teacher educators and researchers fighting against the forces of neoliberalism and the marginalization of our field.The reader is organized into three sections: 1) pushing the boundaries of how the field talks about elementary social studies, 2) elementary social studies teacher education, and 3) elementary social studies teaching and learning. Individual chapters either A) conceptually unpack a specific controversial issue (e.g. Islamophobia, Indian Boarding Schools, LGBT issues in schools) and how that issue should be/is incorporated in an elementary social studies methods courses and classrooms or B) present research on elementary preservice teachers or how elementary teachers and students engage controversial issues. This reader unpacks specific controversial issues for elementary social studies for readers to gain critical content knowledge, teaching tips, lesson ideas, and recommended resources.

The field of elementary social studies is a specific space that has historically been granted unequal value in the larger arena of social studies education and research. This reader stands out as a collection of approaches aimed specifically at teaching controversial issues in elementary social studies. This reader challenges social studies education (i.e., classrooms, teacher education programs, and research) to engage controversial issues--those topics that are politically, religiously, or are otherwise ideologically charged and make people, especially teachers, uncomfortable--in profound ways at the elementary level. This reader, meant for elementary educators, preservice teachers, and social studies teacher educators, offers an innovative vision from a new generation of social studies teacher educators and researchers fighting against the forces of neoliberalism and the marginalization of our field.The reader is organized into three sections: 1) pushing the boundaries of how the field talks about elementary social studies, 2) elementary social studies teacher education, and 3) elementary social studies teaching and learning. Individual chapters either A) conceptually unpack a specific controversial issue (e.g. Islamophobia, Indian Boarding Schools, LGBT issues in schools) and how that issue should be/is incorporated in an elementary social studies methods courses and classrooms or B) present research on elementary preservice teachers or how elementary teachers and students engage controversial issues. This reader unpacks specific controversial issues for elementary social studies for readers to gain critical content knowledge, teaching tips, lesson ideas, and recommended resources.

American democracy is at a critical crossroads. Rancor, division, and suspicion are the unfortunate byproducts of the contentious 2016 presidential election. The election also bred a measure of civic uncertainty where citizens of all ages struggle to find and define their roles within a functioning democracy. No Reluctant Citizens: Teaching Civics in K-12 Classrooms is designed to help social studies teachers reinforce the centrality of civic education through a series of hands-on, participatory, and empowering activities. From civic literacy to human rights, from service learning to controversial issues, No Reluctant Citizens: Teaching Civics in K-12 Classrooms explores an array of topics that ultimately provides K-12 students the conceptual and practical tools to become civically engaged.

American democracy is at a critical crossroads. Rancor, division, and suspicion are the unfortunate byproducts of the contentious 2016 presidential election. The election also bred a measure of civic uncertainty where citizens of all ages struggle to find and define their roles within a functioning democracy. No Reluctant Citizens: Teaching Civics in K-12 Classrooms is designed to help social studies teachers reinforce the centrality of civic education through a series of hands-on, participatory, and empowering activities. From civic literacy to human rights, from service learning to controversial issues, No Reluctant Citizens: Teaching Civics in K-12 Classrooms explores an array of topics that ultimately provides K-12 students the conceptual and practical tools to become civically engaged.

John Dewey wrote in multiple places that education should be an experience of the content and processes of life itself. Too often, social studies is taught in a way that tells students about real-life, but fails to engage them in the process of life for which Dewey advocated. The core purpose of simulations is to reflect the processes, events, and phenomena expressed in a variety of real-life domains. They engage students in these reflections of real life meaningfully, as active agents who have the power to make decisions that impact the direction of events and that lead to both intended and unintended consequences. Because of the nature of simulations, students who participate in them are able to build their capacities to think in complex and critical ways.Today, despite the growing evidence that simulations have an important role to play in the teaching of social studies, they remain an underutilized and undervalued approach to the discipline. One of the key obstacles to their widespread adoption is the limited availability of training resources available to social studies teachers. Teachers need support to develop a new vision of social studies teaching and learning coupled with practical guidance necessary to implement simulations effectively. This volume provides teachers with both. When teachers are able to weave simulations effectively into the fabric of social studies teaching and learning, they help to promote social studies experiences that are both powerful and purposeful. They offer students an experience of the discipline that is, indeed, More Like Life Itself.

John Dewey wrote in multiple places that education should be an experience of the content and processes of life itself. Too often, social studies is taught in a way that tells students about real-life, but fails to engage them in the process of life for which Dewey advocated. The core purpose of simulations is to reflect the processes, events, and phenomena expressed in a variety of real-life domains. They engage students in these reflections of real life meaningfully, as active agents who have the power to make decisions that impact the direction of events and that lead to both intended and unintended consequences. Because of the nature of simulations, students who participate in them are able to build their capacities to think in complex and critical ways.Today, despite the growing evidence that simulations have an important role to play in the teaching of social studies, they remain an underutilized and undervalued approach to the discipline. One of the key obstacles to their widespread adoption is the limited availability of training resources available to social studies teachers. Teachers need support to develop a new vision of social studies teaching and learning coupled with practical guidance necessary to implement simulations effectively. This volume provides teachers with both. When teachers are able to weave simulations effectively into the fabric of social studies teaching and learning, they help to promote social studies experiences that are both powerful and purposeful. They offer students an experience of the discipline that is, indeed, More Like Life Itself.

In these times and for future generations, students must learn how to analyze constantly changing issues, decipher media as truth or fake news, and contest highly competitive, biased informational sources. Students must develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for leveraging their capacity as active citizens charged with holding institutions accountable for truthfully addressing and protecting civil liberties. Extending the Ground of Public Confidence: Teaching Civil Liberties in K-16 Social Studies Education is a book grounded in current scholarship and seeks to address the need for a practical, user-friendly resource for teaching civil liberties in K-12 social studies and teacher education. This book brings together chapter-length discussions about various issues, introduced first from historic perspectives and then compared and described in modern terms. Such topics include, though are not limited to, disputes surrounding freedom of speech and religion, power issues, defending property rights, debates on security of persons and privacy, free exercise of assembly and expression, and the endless debate about who can and cannot vote in U.S. elections.Each chapter contains teaching-ready, inquiry-based learning activities framed by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Inquiry Arc (2013). Students (1) develop questions and plan investigations; (2) apply disciplinary concepts and tools; (3) gather, evaluate and use evidence; and (4) work collaboratively to communicate conclusions and take informed action. Lesson ideas engage learners across age groups and grade levels in learning that fosters informed, sustainable actions aimed at upholding and protecting civil liberties.

In these times and for future generations, students must learn how to analyze constantly changing issues, decipher media as truth or fake news, and contest highly competitive, biased informational sources. Students must develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for leveraging their capacity as active citizens charged with holding institutions accountable for truthfully addressing and protecting civil liberties. Extending the Ground of Public Confidence: Teaching Civil Liberties in K-16 Social Studies Education is a book grounded in current scholarship and seeks to address the need for a practical, user-friendly resource for teaching civil liberties in K-12 social studies and teacher education. This book brings together chapter-length discussions about various issues, introduced first from historic perspectives and then compared and described in modern terms. Such topics include, though are not limited to, disputes surrounding freedom of speech and religion, power issues, defending property rights, debates on security of persons and privacy, free exercise of assembly and expression, and the endless debate about who can and cannot vote in U.S. elections.Each chapter contains teaching-ready, inquiry-based learning activities framed by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Inquiry Arc (2013). Students (1) develop questions and plan investigations; (2) apply disciplinary concepts and tools; (3) gather, evaluate and use evidence; and (4) work collaboratively to communicate conclusions and take informed action. Lesson ideas engage learners across age groups and grade levels in learning that fosters informed, sustainable actions aimed at upholding and protecting civil liberties.

Substantial research has been put forth calling for the field of social studies education to engage in work dealing with the influence of race and racism within education and society (Branch, 2003; Chandler, 2015; Chandler & Hawley, 2017; Husband, 2010; King & Chandler, 2016; Ladson-Billings, 2003; Ooka Pang, Rivera & Gillette, 1998). Previous contributions have examined the presence and influence of race/ism within the field of social studies teaching and research (e.g. Chandler, 2015, Chandler & Hawley, 2017; Ladson-Billings, 2003; Woyshner & Bohan, 2012). In order to challenge the presence of racism within social studies, research must attend to the control that whiteness and white supremacy maintain within the field. This edited volume builds from these previous works to take on whiteness and white supremacy directly in social studies education.In Marking the “Invisible”, editors assemble original contributions from scholars working to expose whiteness and disrupt white supremacy in the field of social studies education. We argue for an articulation of whiteness within the field of social studies education in pursuit of directly challenging its influences on teaching, learning, and research. Across 27 chapters, authors call out the strategies deployed by white supremacy and acknowledge the depths by which it is used to control, manipulate, confine, and define identities, communities, citizenships, and historical narratives. This edited volume promotes the reshaping of social studies education to: support the histories, experiences, and lives of Students and Teachers of Color, challenge settler colonialism and color-evasiveness, develop racial literacy, and promote justice-oriented teaching and learning.

Substantial research has been put forth calling for the field of social studies education to engage in work dealing with the influence of race and racism within education and society (Branch, 2003; Chandler, 2015; Chandler & Hawley, 2017; Husband, 2010; King & Chandler, 2016; Ladson-Billings, 2003; Ooka Pang, Rivera & Gillette, 1998). Previous contributions have examined the presence and influence of race/ism within the field of social studies teaching and research (e.g. Chandler, 2015, Chandler & Hawley, 2017; Ladson-Billings, 2003; Woyshner & Bohan, 2012). In order to challenge the presence of racism within social studies, research must attend to the control that whiteness and white supremacy maintain within the field. This edited volume builds from these previous works to take on whiteness and white supremacy directly in social studies education.In Marking the “Invisible”, editors assemble original contributions from scholars working to expose whiteness and disrupt white supremacy in the field of social studies education. We argue for an articulation of whiteness within the field of social studies education in pursuit of directly challenging its influences on teaching, learning, and research. Across 27 chapters, authors call out the strategies deployed by white supremacy and acknowledge the depths by which it is used to control, manipulate, confine, and define identities, communities, citizenships, and historical narratives. This edited volume promotes the reshaping of social studies education to: support the histories, experiences, and lives of Students and Teachers of Color, challenge settler colonialism and color-evasiveness, develop racial literacy, and promote justice-oriented teaching and learning.

As the civic engagement gap widens across lines of race, class, and ethnicity, educators in today’s urban schools must reconsider what it means to teach for citizenship; however, few resources exist that speak to their unique contexts. Teaching for Citizenship in Urban Schools offers lessons and strategies that combines the power of inquiry-driven teaching with a funds of knowledge approach to capitalize on the lived civic experiences of urban youth and children.Teaching for Citizenship in Urban Schools presents six strategies for making civic and social studies education relevant and engaging: using photovoice for social change, conducting culturally responsive investigations of community, defining American Black founders, enacting hip-hop pedagogy, employing equity literacy to explore immigrant enclaves, and drawing on young adult fiction to teach about police violence. Written by some of the leading scholars in the field, each chapter includes an overview of the strategy and lessons for both elementary and secondary students. As a whole, these lessons draw on neighborhood resources, facilitate cultural exchanges among students and teachers, create community networks, and bridge schools and communities in a shared mission of building a just and inclusive democracy.This book is for anyone who values student-centered, inquiry-driven, and culturally-sustaining pedagogies that foster a deeper understanding of citizenship within a diverse democracy.

As the civic engagement gap widens across lines of race, class, and ethnicity, educators in today’s urban schools must reconsider what it means to teach for citizenship; however, few resources exist that speak to their unique contexts. Teaching for Citizenship in Urban Schools offers lessons and strategies that combines the power of inquiry-driven teaching with a funds of knowledge approach to capitalize on the lived civic experiences of urban youth and children.Teaching for Citizenship in Urban Schools presents six strategies for making civic and social studies education relevant and engaging: using photovoice for social change, conducting culturally responsive investigations of community, defining American Black founders, enacting hip-hop pedagogy, employing equity literacy to explore immigrant enclaves, and drawing on young adult fiction to teach about police violence. Written by some of the leading scholars in the field, each chapter includes an overview of the strategy and lessons for both elementary and secondary students. As a whole, these lessons draw on neighborhood resources, facilitate cultural exchanges among students and teachers, create community networks, and bridge schools and communities in a shared mission of building a just and inclusive democracy.This book is for anyone who values student-centered, inquiry-driven, and culturally-sustaining pedagogies that foster a deeper understanding of citizenship within a diverse democracy.

Movies and Moral Dilemma Discussions: A Practical Guide to Cinema Based Character Development explores the values, attitudes, and beliefs depicted on film. Since the beginning of the film industry movie makers have depicted morals and values on the silver screen. Teachers will find the book to be a valuable guide for infusing character education and film into the classroom. The book includes an overview of character education, a discussion of film pedagogy, and explores utilizing film for educational purposes.

Movies and Moral Dilemma Discussions: A Practical Guide to Cinema Based Character Development explores the values, attitudes, and beliefs depicted on film. Since the beginning of the film industry movie makers have depicted morals and values on the silver screen. Teachers will find the book to be a valuable guide for infusing character education and film into the classroom. The book includes an overview of character education, a discussion of film pedagogy, and explores utilizing film for educational purposes.

This book presents a vision of education for democracy built around promoting equity and social justice. In doing so, Camicia and Knowles challenge many of the common perspectives of democratic education, deliberation, and the common good. The authors have published widely on the topic of education for democracy. This book builds upon their work to assist practicing teachers, teacher educators, graduate students, and educational researchers in understanding the background of education for democracy, as well as new directions for the field.While one of the primary goals of public schools is to teach students how to build better communities, this goal is increasingly difficult given the degree of political polarization within societies. Recent events provide no shortage of challenges to democracy in the United States and beyond. Utilizing theory and research, Camicia and Knowles promote instructional methods that are responsive to changing cultural and political contexts. There is an increasing need to rethink democratic principles and how these principles might be supported in classrooms in order to teach for social justice. This requires a move away from often stated idealistic notions of deliberative democracy, toward a perspective of education for democracy that incorporates aspects of identity, interests, and inequitable power relations within society.

This book presents a vision of education for democracy built around promoting equity and social justice. In doing so, Camicia and Knowles challenge many of the common perspectives of democratic education, deliberation, and the common good. The authors have published widely on the topic of education for democracy. This book builds upon their work to assist practicing teachers, teacher educators, graduate students, and educational researchers in understanding the background of education for democracy, as well as new directions for the field.While one of the primary goals of public schools is to teach students how to build better communities, this goal is increasingly difficult given the degree of political polarization within societies. Recent events provide no shortage of challenges to democracy in the United States and beyond. Utilizing theory and research, Camicia and Knowles promote instructional methods that are responsive to changing cultural and political contexts. There is an increasing need to rethink democratic principles and how these principles might be supported in classrooms in order to teach for social justice. This requires a move away from often stated idealistic notions of deliberative democracy, toward a perspective of education for democracy that incorporates aspects of identity, interests, and inequitable power relations within society.

As social studies standards shift to place a higher emphasis on critical thinking, inquiry, interaction, and expression, many teachers are scrambling to figure out how to appropriately shift their instruction accordingly. This book provides examples and ideas for working with elementary and middle school students to build social studies skills and knowledge in order to become independent learners and thinkers. Teaching these skills helps to support students in ways which are important to them, and to society at large.Real Classrooms, Real Teachers: The C3 Inquiry in Practice is aimed at in-service and pre-service teachers, grades 3-8. This text includes six sections: an introduction, one section for each of the four dimensions of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013), and a conclusion. Each chapter begins with a vignette based on a real-life social studies lesson authored by a practicing teacher or researcher. This is followed by a sample lesson plan associated with the vignette and suggestions for appropriate texts and supporting materials, as well as suggestions for modifications.

As social studies standards shift to place a higher emphasis on critical thinking, inquiry, interaction, and expression, many teachers are scrambling to figure out how to appropriately shift their instruction accordingly. This book provides examples and ideas for working with elementary and middle school students to build social studies skills and knowledge in order to become independent learners and thinkers. Teaching these skills helps to support students in ways which are important to them, and to society at large.Real Classrooms, Real Teachers: The C3 Inquiry in Practice is aimed at in-service and pre-service teachers, grades 3-8. This text includes six sections: an introduction, one section for each of the four dimensions of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013), and a conclusion. Each chapter begins with a vignette based on a real-life social studies lesson authored by a practicing teacher or researcher. This is followed by a sample lesson plan associated with the vignette and suggestions for appropriate texts and supporting materials, as well as suggestions for modifications.

The objective of this edited volume is to shed light upon K-12 perspectives of various school stakeholders in the current unique context of increasing political polarization and heightened teacher and student activism. It is grounded in academic freedom case law and the majority of opinion of the Supreme Court in the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) that held that certain forms of expression are protected by the First Amendment. Justice Fortas wrote in the majority opinion that “it can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”This volume is timely and instructive, as protections afforded by the First Amendment are a topic of enduring concern, with such freedoms requiring vigilant advocacy and protection from each generation. Paulo Freire stated, “Citizenship is not obtained by chance: It is a construction that, never finished, demands we fight for it” (1998, p. 90). There is confusion and much debate in and outside of schools about how and when these and other rights described in the First Amendment may or may not be limited, and the time is now to clarify the place of such rights in public education.At the Schoolhouse Gate is divided into three sections: Foundations, Case Studies of Rights in Schools, and Choices to Act. The “Foundations” section presents the case law pertaining to the rights of both teachers and students, setting the tone for what presently is permissible and chronicling the ongoing struggle with defining rights and responsibilities in schools. In “Case Studies of Rights in Schools,” various authors examine teacher and student interactions with rights and responsibilities in schools, including the interest of students in participating with their teachers in the democratic experiment of schooling, the promise of student-led conferences, a new teacher’s success with democratizing her classroom, and student views of news and technology. “Choices to Act” includes a portrait of teacher activism during the Oklahoma Walkout, a general counsel’s advice to teachers for availing themselves of their rights, a story of a civic education curriculum generating student agency, and vignettes of two public high school students who took action in their schools and communities.