Applications in Elementary School Social Studies Teaching
210:143g
Fall, 2000
Dr. Loretta Kuse
University of Northern Iowa Mission Statement
College of Education Mission Statement
Department of Curriculum and Instruction Mission Statement
Applications in Elementary School Social Studies Outcomes
Other Helpful Resource Materials
Lessons
SPECIAL NOTE: The University of Northern Iowa is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Institution. Students with disabilities and other special needs should feel free to contact the professor privately if there are services or adaptations which can be made to accommodate specific needs.
Schindler Education Center - 9:30-10:45 - Mondays - (IRTS Lab) Wednesdays - SEC 120
Office Hours
8:30-9:30 - Monday/Wednesday; 12:30-2:00 - Monday/Wednesday
Applying knowledge of current trends, resources, and content as a means of developing, enriching and expanding the social studies curriculum. Prerequisites: 210:164; junior standing or consent of instructor.
The purpose of this course is to provide a greater depth of understanding and experiences in the area of teaching social studies than a beginning, survey class can give. Students read related professional literature, apply learning in hands-on situations, and think, write, and talk reflectively about their experiences.
University of Northern Iowa Mission Statement
The University of Northern Iowa, a public institution of higher learning, embraces a tripartite mission of teaching, research, and professional service.
To fulfill this mission and attain greater educational distinction, the University is committed to maintaining its historical emphases on instructional excellence and faculty/student interaction; on promoting faculty development through research, creative activities, and continuing scholarship; and on serving the citizens of Iowa and the nation through appropriate professional activities. In seeking to create, preserve, and disseminate knowledge, the University is committed to providing an optimum level of learning opportunities for the intellectual development of its students, faculty, and staff.
The University of Northern Iowa offers a broad range of degree programs and educational opportunities at the undergraduate and master's levels, and advanced study in selected practitioner-oriented doctoral programs. These academic degree programs are complemented by a range of continuing and non-traditional educational opportunities, both on and off campus.
Above all, the pursuit of excellence and distinction in all University programs and activities is critical to fulfilling the University's public responsibilities for the development of an educated and productive Iowa citizenry and for providing leadership and service to the nation and the world.
College of Education Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Northern Iowa College of Education is threefold. First, the College exists to prepare educational and human service professionals for a variety of direct service and leadership roles in school and non-school settings. Second, faculty members in the college conduct applied and basic research in the areas of teaching and learning, human behavior, human growth and development, and educational policy. Third, the college of Education provides service on the local, state, regional, and national levels. By doing so, the College of Education effectively serves in a leadership role for the improvement of education and human services at state and national levels.
Department of Curriculum and Instruction Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction faculty is to (a) communicate knowledge, skills, and attitudes underlying effective educative processes, (b) assume leadership specialties, and (c) add to the knowledge base of the academic profession and specialties.
Applications in Elementary School Social Studies Outcomes
Use the following scale to rate yourself on the first day of class, at midterm , and at the end of the semester. (Excellent = 5; Very Good = 4; Good = 3; Fair = 2; Poor = 1)
Upon completion of 210:143g, Applications in Elementary Social Studies Teaching, prospective teachers will:
1. STUDENT LEARNING: The practitioner understands how students learn and develop and provides learning opportunities that support intellectual, career, social and personal development.
A. Understand the application of stage theory development to teaching social studies knowledge, skills, and attitudes and values.B. Design social studies learning materials and opportunities that match intellectual, social, and personal development needs.
2. DIVERSE LEARNERS: The practitioner understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are equitable and are adaptable to diverse learners.
A. Create culturally appropriate social studies learning materials.B. Create social studies learning materials which assist the educationally challenged and the gifted learners.
3. INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING: The practitioner plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, curriculum goals and state curriculum models.
A. Use the content of the social sciences to identify appropriate social studies topics, narrow the topics to provide focus for study, and broaden topics to challenge the imagination and interest of children.B. Distinguish between social studies facts, concepts, and generalizations.
C. Develop appropriate social studies content generalizations.for an identified social studies topic based upon facts and concepts.
D. Write knowledge-based, skill-based, and affective oriented social studies learning objectives related to the facts, concepts and generalizations.
E. Adapt learning plans to needs of individuals and groups.
F. Develop lesson plans that integrate the elementary curriculum around a social studies topic.
G. Create yearly, weekly, and daily lesson plans for social studies.
H. Create social studies lesson plans for various methods and strategies of teaching. (Discussion, inquiry, storytelling, learning centers, computer-assisted instruction, etc.)
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES: The practitioner understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
A. Create a variety of appropriate social studies activities and use a variety of methods.B. Match social studies activities to selected learning objectives.
C. Understand and use various teaching methods and techniques in social studies. (Problem Method, inquiry, discovery, lecture, storytelling, computer-assisted instruction, etc.)
5. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT/CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: The practitioner uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
A. Create a social studies classroom with multiple teaching resources so that the environment engages the learner in positive social interaction, active learning, and self-motivation.B. Identify the advantages and limitations of social studies textbooks, curriculum guides, kits, games, video tapes, and computer programs and design a classroom in which these materials provide for active learning.
C. Integrate the use of children's literature and other media materials into social studies classroom environment.
D. Use maps and globes as teaching tools in constructing social studies lessons.
E. Use time lines and sequence lines as teaching tools in constructing social studies lessons.
F. Use graphs, charts, and pictures as teaching tools in constructing social studies lessons.
G. Utilize community resources in developing social studies learning sequences.
H. Gather a variety of materials useful for teaching social studies. (Print materials, pictures, journal articles, technology based materials)
I. Organize big ideas and materials in social studies.
J. Construct meaningful social studies materials.
K. Use democratic teaching strategies in the social studies classroom.
6. COMMUNICATION: The practitioner uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal and media communication techniques, and other forms of symbolic representation, to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and support interaction in the classroom.
A. Orally share information with others in the area of social studies.B. Use media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and interaction in social studies classe.
7. ASSESSMENT: The practitioner understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.
A. Recognize the relationship between teaching and assessment.B. Design appropriate formative and summative evaluation instruments for teaching social studies.
C. Utilize authentic assessment strategies in evaluating learning experiences in the social studies.
8. FOUNDATIONS, REFLECTION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The practitioner continually evaluates the effects of the practitioner's choices and actions on students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community, and actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.
A. Identify personal needs and interests in the area of social studies and relate those needs to the teaching in a classroom.B. Ask meaningful questions to guide personal learning in the area of social studies and relate those questions to teaching in a classroom.
C. Do research to find answers to questions in social studies materials and organize, summarize, and write about what has been found.
D. Learn by listening to and observing others.
E. Motivate others to learn social studies materials and ideas.
F. Perceive and analyze growth and change in elementary social studies.
G. Reflect upon lessons and interactions with students and colleagues, evaluate results of work done and make changes based upon the results.
9. COLLABORATION, ETHICS AND RELATIONSHIPS: The practitioner fosters relationships with parents, school colleagues, and organizations in the larger community to support students' learning and development.
A. Be aware of and begin to participate in parent/teacher groups, local and state professional social studies organizations, and local community organizations that promote the goals of the social studies.B. Recognize the contribution of the National Council for the Social Studies to the teaching profession and use guidelines in preparing to teach.
C. Be knowledgeable of standards written by various professional groups in the area of social studies and use these guidelines in preparing to teach.
10. COMPUTER APPLICATION: The practitioner understands and uses a variety of computer applications to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
A. Identify ways of appropriately integrating technology in social studies.B.. Develop social studies learning experiences supported by technology.
C. Operate a multimedia computer system and use word processing, authoring, and presentation programs to teach social studies lessons.
D. Examine and evaluate social studies software.
E. Operate and use projectors, scanners, VCR's, and cameras to to create materials and teach social studies lessons.
F. Support ethical use of media.
G. Use the World Wide Web for developing social studies lessons.
H. Use e-mail and design web pages for learning in social studies.
11. CONTENT/SUBJECT MATTER SPECIALIZATION: The practitioner understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry and structure of the discipline(s); the practitioner teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
A. Demonstrate a knowledge of the comprehensive nature of social studies.B. Examine various definitions of social studies.
C. Be able to define the content or history, geography, economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science.
D. Recognize the interrelationship of the social science disciplines.
E. Understand various ways in which social studies curriculum materials are organized. (Expanding Horizons, Spiral, Separate Subjects, etc.)
F. Create organized learning expriences for social studies that help children learn the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of the area and provide opportunities for social participation
Kuse and Kuse. Applications in Elementary School Social Studies Teaching. Cedar Falls, Iowa: CopyWorks.
Martorella. (1998). Social Studies for Elementary School Children. Merrill Publishing Company.
Hurst, B., & Reding, G. (2000). Professionalism in teaching. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill.
Other Helpful Resource Materials
Elementary social studies methods books and curriculum guides for social studies.
Children's literature related to social studies.
Materials published by the National Council for the Social Studies:
Social Education
Social Studies and the Young Learner
Social Studies Curriculum Planning Resources
The Social Studies. Published bimonthly by Heldref Publications.
Schneider, D and others. (1994). Curriculum standards for social studies expectations of excellence: National Council for the Social Studies. Washington, D.C.: National Council for the Social Studies.
Bednarz, S. and others. (1994). Geography for life: National geography standards. Washington, D. C.: Geography Education Standards Project.
National Standards for history, United States history, world history, economics, and civics and government.
Bulletins or yearbooks.
Social Studies web sites.
Complete eleven lessons
Take two examinations
Attend and participate in class
The eleven lessons, examinations, attendance and participation in class will be considered.