50 Social Studies Strategies for K-8 Classrooms

Here are 50 strategies for creating meaningful social studies experiences for K-8 students -- four overarching and forty-six specific strategies --organized alphabetically, accompanied by assessment tools, and introduced by grade level and National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) standards indicators.

Features:

• Linking of strategies to NCSS standards—Including an explanation of the standards at the front of the book.

  • Prepares students to work in an increasingly standards-based, test-based educational environment.

• Thorough description of each strategy—Including rationale for its appropriateness and references to respected research.

  • Ensures students the benefits of current scholarship in the field.

• Applications and Ideas section with each strategy—Provide either a classroom application or an assessment tool.

  • Teaches students to recognize the difference between what a teacher taught and what his/her students learned. Illustrates strategies “in action” in real classrooms with real learners.

• Procedural Recommendations section with each strategy—Outlines how to prepare for, facilitate, and direct the strategy.

  • Gives students a guide for using the strategy in their own first classroom.

• References and Resources section with each strategy—Lists scholarly support, additional readings, websites, and/or helpful organizations.

  • Provides reliable information for further study and research.

• Technology icons throughout the text—Tag strategies that call for the use of classroom technology.

  • Illustrates ways to take advantage of the Internet, digital photography, software, and the like in real classrooms with real learners.