Teaching Elementary School Social Studies - 210-164
Dr. Loretta Kuse
(History, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Political Science)
(For readings, also look at related pages in the index for each topic.)
Monday - May 7 - Getting to know one another and picture taking.
Introduction to the course.
Discuss course outcomes. Look at possibilities for an electronic portfolio.
Attendance and punctuality are crucial for this class. Being late for a session or missing a class will result in serious reductions in the grade for the class. A whole semester is being presented in a few short weeks and missing even one day seriously jeopardizes complete understanding of the subject area.
Assigned reading must be done before class.
Portfolio
Organization of social studies.
Begin yearly plan. Planning for the year. Read and look at a teacher's manual for social studies.
Pages 1-3 - Organization of the Social Studies CurriculumCheck the Web to see what the National Council for the Social Studies has identified as important standards for social studies teachers.
Standards for Social Studies Teachers
Pages 4-11 - What is Taught in Current Elementary Social Studies Textbooks?
Pages 12-18 - The Importance of Planning
Pages 101-107 - Yearly Lesson Plans
Note opportunities for experiences in the classroom. (See web site called "Information for Students.")
(Transfer items on this calendar to your daily planner.)
Tuesday, May 8 - Bring the same social studies teacher's manual and a language arts teacher's manual. Skim and then bring a social studies curriculum guide. Build a yearly plan in which social studies and language arts are coordinated.
Here are resources which give ideas for correlating social studies with other areas of the curriculum.
Reading / Language Arts
Read 108 - Building a Schedule for One Week
Pages 18-24 - Planning a week in commonly used lesson plan books
Making daily plans and learning how to teach from a textbook or curriculum guide
Pages 25-100
Here are sources of teaching ideas for social studies.
General Sources
Wednesday, May 9 - Paper with choice for Project 1 is due. Form for Project 1 Proposal
Planning units listed on the yearly planPages 112-252 - The Problem Method - Learning how to teach social studies by creating your own unit instead of using a textbook.
(Teaching knowledge, skills, attitudes and values and social participation.)
(Video - The Problem Method) - Continue work on the problem method.
Pages 253-284 - Other instructional strategies and the written unit.
Thursday, May 10 - Begin thinking about a topic for the unit which you will develop in folders. (Project 2)
Make a copy of the skills on pages 148-149 in the book listed below. It is on reserve in IRTS. Bring those pages to class. These pages will help you make one of your three folders.
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, pp. 148-149.
Themes or Unit Topics - This list has resources for some topics. These topics are very broad and might need to be narrowed down for a unit.
Unit Topics
There are many more topics listed in your text in the section about "Collecting, Organizing and Sharing Materials and Ideas."
Read 285-330 - Collecting, Organizing, and Sharing Materials and IdeasTeaching the various disciplines which make up social studies within thematic units. Teaching social participation or citizenship.
Teaching economics involves one of the major disciplines of the social studies. Examine social studies textbooks and curriculum guides to determine how economics is taught. Pages 693-729c.
Meeting Individual Needs
Motivation for Learning and Using Interactive Learning Devices - Pages 344-384
Friday, May 11 - Bring glue, scissors, and markers. Work with learning stations which will be used in participation. Plan for how lesson will be presented.
(Ask any remaining questions about Project 1)Proposal for Project 2 due. Proposal for Project 2
Monday, May 14- Friday, May 18 - Participation - Teach social studies in a school. (Take form along for participation.) (Students not participating will work in a classroom at Black Hawk Elementary School in Waterloo, Iowa.)
Observing and Teaching Social Studies During Participation
Monday, May 21 - Discussion of participation and in general "How to teach social studies." (Bring filled out form from participation.)
Anthropology
Anthropology
(Meet at the UNI Museum) How to teach about our culture and other cultures - How do we teach anthropology?
Begin "Attitudes and Values"
Pages 550-564
Attitudes and Values - Think about ways to teach about minorities, women, and people with handicaps. Think about more ways to be inclusive when teaching.
Multicultural Education - Pages 565-595
Review "Collecting, Organizing, and Sharing Materials and Ideas" - Pages 285-330. (Think of places to gather materials for Project 2.)
Constructing visuals and using them to teach the social studies - Pages 331-343.
Bulletin BoardsReview work done so far.
Tuesday, May 22 - Project One due - Draw numbers for order of presentation and then share handouts and projects. (Mark outcomes for class.)
Proposal for Project 2 due. Proposal for Project 2
Wednesday, May 23 - First exam
Begin - Using the News to Teach Social Studies. Listen to the news each day and bring a daily newspaper. Go to a library which houses children's news publications. See how many of the ones listed in the text are available in the library. Pages 385-451.
Listen to the news and bring a daily newspaper. Finish the topic of "News." Teaching the various disciplines which make up social studies within thematic units.
News
Examine social studies textbooks and curriculum guides to determine how political science and law-related education are taught.
Political Science
Thursday, May 24 - Teaching the various disciplines which make up social studies within thematic units.
How to teach the discipline of history and time and chronology skills. Use the time line dating from 1800 to 2056 to add events related to your family. Add other regional, national, and international events.
History
Pages 491-544
Teaching History Through Active Learning Experiences
Pages 596-627Storytelling - (Meet in one-room school)
Pages 628-667
Examine the progress you are making on the unit in your three folders.
Teaching the various disciplines which make up social studies within thematic units.
SociologyUsing Puppets to Teach Social Studies. Think about how to teach sociology and psychology when using puppets. Design and bring a puppet which could be used by primary children or a puppet which could be used by intermediate children to share ideas with primary children. Read pages 667-692. (Also examine - Puppets, 1001 Ways to Make and Use Them by Kuse and Kuse. It is on reserve in IRTS.
Emphasis on Skills
Pages 452-490
Friday, May 25 - Using computers to teach social studies (IRTS)
Technology and Social Studies
Monday, May 28 - Holiday - Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 29 - Teaching the various disciplines which make up social studies within thematic units.
GeographyEmphasis on Skills - Map and globe skills and teaching geography. Pages 187-198 and 452-490.
Wednesday, May 30 - Project 2 due. Share it in class.
Thursday, May 31 - Evaluating children in social studies. Read again pages 244-252 and 280-282. Mark the outcomes for this course and compare your ratings with those done on the first day of class.
Evaluation
Friday, June 1 - Final Exam