Social+Studies

April Wiki Question:

Which strategy do you feel will help engage students in your classroom? Why?

March Wiki Question:

Are we as social studies teachers effectively using the Internet as a means of instruction? In addition are there any downfalls to using this technology?

I have always approached the teaching of history from the aspects that our subject area affords the social studies teacher ability to utilize critical thing skills via debates, discussions, and various projects. Many non-social studies instructors have stated that with technology, such as computers, students have the ability to look up the facts, dates, and names of historical events. Therefore, it is my belief that it is the responsibility of the social studies instructor to create and utilize various strategies that allow and encourage student to engage in critical thinking. C Volchansky I often use self-deprecating humor to lighten the mood and relax the students. What types of humor if any do you use in the classroom?
 * January's Article**

Would you consider using humor on a quiz/exam? Why or why not?

I agree with the findings of the research which stated that use of appropriate humor engages the student’s attention, creates a relaxed classroom environment, and reduces student anxiety and relating to the teaching of the content material.

With the current demand throughout the nation for the development of curriculums that are rigorous and the demand for assessments to verify the rigor of said curriculums and level of achievement of students, classrooms have become incubators for stress. Both the teacher and the student are under tremendous pressure to meet or exceed the demands of the standardized test. In this type of classroom environment, the student realizes that failure is not an option. Therefore, the use of self deprecating humor, by the teacher, provides the student with the opportunity to see that failure is not a dreadful thing, but is a natural occurrence in the pursuit of knowledge. That failure allows the individual to reflect upon their mistake and to make corrections. Charles Volchansky

I agree with the rest of my department, when they say humor is important in the classroom. I even think humor on assesssments can help to elimanate stress. I often times see students smile or chuckle at a question on a test or quiz... It may not be the question, but one of the answer choices. We also have to remember that there is a time and place for humor... Whether they are in 6th grade or 12th grade, timing is essential with humor.... I think the big idea with humor in our classes, is make it genuine. Students want to know that we are real people that they can relate to.

Pete Voss


 * December's Article** - Th Dangers & Opportunities of the Common Core:

Please Respond: In my hope that by providing you with this article, that an open discussion concerning common core standards may occur. I wish to hear the various opinions on this topic...

As I am sitting her clearing my desk as part of my New Year’s Resolution to keep it organized, I found a copy of the social studies standards published by the PA Department of Education in 1933. While thumbing through the publication, I observed that some of the standards found within the publication look vaguely familiar. As I reviewed these standards, it called to mind a conversation I had with my next door neighbor, Jacob this past summer. We were discussing the Keystone Exams and after I was finish explaining to him the purpose behind the establishment of the Keystone Exams, he said that the exams sounded allot like the county wide tests that were administered to every student at every grade level when he was in school. When I asked Jacob, what the purpose of the exams he took was, he stated he believed,”It was to make sure the teachers were teaching what they were supposed to.” Later on, I asked myself why we had come full circle back to the ideas of common core standards and the creation of centralized competence tests. To answer the question, I can only offer my own perspective as a former student and soon to be former teacher. It seems that education philosophy much like philosophies in other fields swings back and forth like a pendulum. During the 40’s and 50’s the curriculum of most schools was similar and designed to create individuals in which the major of the students would enter the labor force, while a few students would progress on to college. During the mid-60’s the pendulum of educational philosophy seems to have swung the other way to much more open and flexible curriculum. Districts such as Lewisburg Area, in which I attended high school from 1969-1973, implemented a curriculum that offer not only the standard required courses but also introduced a variety of semester courses in the areas of English Literature, Social Sciences, and Science. I believed that it was the districts hope to create a curriculum that was not only diverse in its offering, but also one that molded that of a college curriculum. Presently, we read articles in newspapers and professional journal informing us that the curriculums of most high schools are becoming tightly structure to reflex the information that will be solely tested by state competence exams, thus it looks as if the pendulum educational philosophy has swung back to it position during the 40’s and 50’s. It is my hope that by reading this article, my colleagues will be reminded that the best position for the pendulum of educational philosophy is in the middle. That no one particular educational philosophy for the development of a curriculum is not without its merits. It is only by means of an __open discussion__ of various philosophies that a curriculum will be developed that best serves the needs of the students.

Charles Volchansky

I think we need to be careful not to create cookie cutter teachers and classrooms. This will certainly stifle the creativity of our students. Since students will then only be able to function like robots and will not be able to solve the problems our country and world face in the future. One of the big fears is how the United States is being left behind in education. I think we are now ranked in the high teens of developed country when it comes to math and science scores. I can't imagine going radically one wy or the other with the Common Core Standards is a good thing. I agree with Mr. V. the middle is usually the best road traveled and will hopefully give us the good qualities of both sides of the pendulum.

M Sanders

After reading the article supplied by Andrea Teats, please respond to this question...

What advice would you give a current Social Studies teacher?

The days of being a purveryor of facts is over... Students need to be able to relate historical content and make it relevant to their lives... Social Studies teachers can do this with their teaching strategies.... Social Studies teachers need to get their student's to highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, where crtical thinking can take place... We need to prepare our students for the future, where critical thinking skills can set them apart from other candidates... We also need to have our students analyze the past, so they can undetstand why we are where we are... I also believe that we don't just cover content to cover it... We cover it so they understand the impacts it has had on society... I believe this article relates to our last article about having our students be social scientists... -P. Voss

The advice I would give to a new Social Studies teacher would be to focus on developing students who are reflective, competent, and concerned citizens. Students who become reflective individuals are critical thinkers and are able to solve problems and make decisions based on the information and evidence available. This allows them to be an active and effective member of society. Using Social Studies content, (i.e. historical events, learning about other cultures, etc.), to help students develop these skills is the overarching purpose of a Social Studies curriculum. I would encourage a new teacher to be aware of this mission and strive to teach students to have a sense of both their rights and responsibilities as a citizen, the ability to think critically, and a concern for the others around them on all levels in order to contribute to the successful growth of our local, national, and global society. - E. Gunkle

The point that I found the most interesting was the statement "What do you want your students to remember 10 years from now?" Often I get stuck on the facts instead of the big picture ideas. The article made me realize that I need to focus more on themes instead of specific content. B. Beward

The item that caught my attention the most, while reading this article, was the following statement, "Teaching social studies means showing how ordinary people have made a difference throughout history." So often I think our students do not think they can do anything or make a difference and to show them how ordinary some of these "famous" individuals were can hopefully give them the confidence to go out a make a difference in their world. - J. Hummel

After reading, //Getting Students to Think Like Historians,// please post educational strategies you have used in your classroom to create learning oppurtunites as historians for or students...

In World History we cover WWI. I have had my students act as war correspondants writing news articles as though they were witnessing the events firsthand... I have also had my students reanact trench warfare, where they are able to understand the brutality of the WWI Era...

One of my favorite "History Lab Activity" is the Boston Massacre trial. Students read and research testimony from the Boston Massacre trial, and then we conduct a mock trial of our own using the historical documents only. After the trial we watch a video clip from HBO's John Adams series which re-enacts the trial as well. - D. Klinger

Using their prior knowledge concerning the development and expansion of slavery in the New World from 1451 to 1870, the students in my World History classes will demonstrate their abilities to be investigative reporters concerning the existence of slavery and sweat shops throughout the world. The students will research and review various article that are supplied by the instructor concerning slavery and sweat shops and answer the following questions; As the students research the topic, the instructor will employ the RAP-ON Reading method to assist the students in extracting the necessary information from the articles. The instructor will assist the students in composing their essay concerning the existence of slavery and sweat shops in the world today.- C. Volchansky
 * 1) What nations have been identified as locations where slavery and sweat shops exist?
 * 2) What economic conditions exist in these countries that allow slavery and sweat shops to exist?
 * 3) What companies are involved in and receive products or parts produced through slavery and sweat shops?
 * 4) What actions are being taken to reduce and eliminate the existence of slavery and sweat shops?

During our Immigration unit, I have the students complete an “I AM Project” which includes a family tree. To do this they have to act as a genealogist and research their family to find out about their ancestors. Some students were able to find out why their family came to the US and other interesting facts about their ancestors, whether it was that one of them signed the Declaration of Independence to working on the Manhattan Project to owning slaves or to find out that their ancestors were slaves. Some accomplished this by researching online and finding census materials, entry documents into the US at Ellis Island, going to cemeteries to find dates, and interviewing their family. When they were completed they presented their findings to the class. - J. Hummel

For my 8th grade history class, we did an activity where the students were to put on a newscast as if they were a historian presenting details on the anniversary of the founding of Roanoke, Jamestown, and Plymouth. The students create great newscast that were informative as well as entertaining.- B Beward

One of my favorite activities is to have the students complete an exhibit for the National History Day competition. They are given a theme which is a national theme and then they need to research a subject within that theme using primary resource material. After they have completed their research students create an exhibit and write a short paper. Once finished students present the exhibit and paper to a panel of judges who interview the students. It is the job of the students to defend their project and show that they have an in depth knowledge of the subject. Another thing I try to do is connect history to the modern day. For example when speaking about ancient history we were discussing the vocab word "succession." In this case when an Egyptian pharaoh dies who take over. I explained that the United States govenment has a line a succession in case the president dies and the vice president and so on so we have leadership in place immediately. - M Sanders

I think using the internet and the technology associated with it should certainly be used in the Social Studies classroom. There are so many opportunities to bring history to life with this technology. Students can do research using primary resources that they would never have the chance to perform. They can veiw maps, charts, and various other resources to help them understand the subject they are studying. Even elctronic fieldtrips are possible. If someone is studying George Washington a quick search and take them to Mount Vernon where they can actually take a tour of the house and several buildings on the plantation. However, there are downfalls to this technology. Teachers needs to make sure that the websites being used are accurate. I think .gov sites or .edu sites should be the better sites to use. Also copying from sites can be an issue. It seems like it would be easy to print a paper or article nad call it your own. Another technique I have seen is cutting and pasting a paragraph here and a paragraph there. Once again this is wrong. Therefore, there are both positives and negitives to using the internet. But, I do think the positives certainly out weigh any negatives. - M. Sanders

I think using projects is a great way to teach Social Studies. Using projects is a way of changing the pace in a class. Students are not taking notes or listening to a lecture but are actively engaged in finding the answer or being creative. The key to a good project is to properly plan. What do you want the students to learn from the project should be the first question the teacher should ask themselves. Then, what type of project is going to be used to teach this lesson. Of course the teacher must create their own project to identify any potential problems. Time is also important so students are not rushed to complete the project or given too much time and end up wasting it. If done correctly projects can be a rewarding way of teaching as well as a great way for students to learn. M. Sanders