Social Studies Instruction in Adult
Diploma Programs
STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES FOR THE CLASSROOM
Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!
• John Trerotola – Teacher, • Kate Ronald - Director,
Robbinsdale Area
VOA High School
Schools Adult Academic
Kronald@voamn.org
Program
John_trerotola@rdale.org
So much to do… So little time!
• Assess current social studies teaching practices and resources.
• Identify the objectives and goals of the social studies competencies per
the Adult Diploma guidelines.
• Recognize the general framework of the Minnesota 9-12 Social Studies
Standards (and other standards) while exploring ways to align your
classroom materials.
• Investigate and assess suggested resources, materials and teaching
practices to ensure that Adult Diploma students will meet the
competencies in the four sub-areas of social studies.
• Formulate ideas for adapting Adult Diploma related lessons.
• Apply lesson-related concepts/teaching ideas for immediate classroom
use… the big take away from today’s session.
Let’s Chat for a Minute…
Size and/or type of classroom?
Does your program offer the Adult Diploma? Pilot Program?
Future Adult Diploma site?
Comfort level teaching social studies? How are you teaching it
and what resources are you using ?
QUESTION BOARD – What questions do you have about social
studies instruction within the Adult Diploma framework?
ICE BREAKER
LET’S GET INTO
THE SOCIAL
STUDIES MINDSET
WITH A QUICK
ACTIVITY THAT
YOU CAN
POTENTIALLY USE
IN YOUR OWN
CLASSROOM
Path to Completion
COMPLETION OPTIONS FOR THE ADULT DIPLOMA
In General…
Options for Demonstrating Completion:

Prior Experience-Based Competency Verification

Test-Verified Knowledge

ABE Course Participation and Demonstration

Applied Learning
More Specifically…
Potential Social Studies Competency Completion Options:
Completion Option
K-12 Social Studies Course Credit Passing and Completion Verification
Completion and passing grade in postsecondary courses that align to
identified competencies in social studies
GED (2002 Version) Social Studies passing score 410+
GED (2014 Version) Social Studies passing score 150+
ABE instruction (verified demonstration of secondary-level competencies in the
U.S. Government and Citizenship, Economics, History and Geography)
Approved and standards-aligned interdisciplinary and/or culminating project
with written report and/or oral presentation
Social Studies Competency Domain
Sections
•U.S. Government and Citizenship
•Economics
•History
•Geography
Our Main Focus Today…
•
ABE instruction
(verified
demonstration of
secondary-level
competencies in the
U.S. Government
and Citizenship,
Economics, History
and Geography).
•
Approved
Standards-aligned
interdisciplinary
and/or culminating
project with written
report and/or oral
presentation.
HANDOUT #2
Competencies for the Minnesota State Adult Diploma
are based on:
Competency Domain
Guiding Standards
English Language Arts
Minnesota K-12 Standards &
College and Career Readiness Standards
Mathematics
Minnesota K-12 Standards &
College and Career Readiness Standards
Science
Minnesota K-12 Standards
Employability and Career Development
Academic, Career and Employability Skills
(ACES) Transitions Integration Framework
(TIF) &
Northstar Digital Literacy Standards
SOCIAL STUDIES
MINNESOTA K-12 STANDARDS
MINNESOTA K-12 SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS
• Minnesota’s 2004 social studies standards were reviewed and revised in
2011.
• Adopted in May 2013 and required to be implemented by the 2013-14
school year.
• Next review of the standards will be during the 2019-2020 school year.
• Refer to the Minnesota Department of Education website for an
electronic copy of the standards and other resources:
http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/StanCurri/
K-12AcademicStandards/SocialStudies/index.html
OTHER STANDARDS TO KEEP IN MIND
• In addition to the state social studies standards, there are standards for
Literacy in History/Social Studies included in the 2010 Minnesota K-12
Academic Standards in English Language Arts. An electronic copy can
be found at:
http://www.mcss.org/Resources/Documents/ELA%20standards.pdf
• College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education(CCRS).
An electronic copy can be found at:
https://www.vrae.org/images/customer-files/CCRStandardsAdultEd.pdf
Classroom Application
REVIEW OF SUGGESTED RESOURCES, MATERIALS AND TEACHING
PRACTICES/IDEAS TO ENSURE THAT ADULT DIPLOMA (AND OTHER ABE
STUDENTS) WILL MEET THE STANDARDS-ALIGNED COMPETENCIES IN THE
FOUR SUB-AREAS OF SOCIAL STUDIES
So Many Resources!
“Those who
don’t know
history are
destined to
repeat it.”
Edmund Burke
One Stop Shopping…
• The Center for Social Studies Education (CSSE)
• CSSE was established in 2009 as a partnership between the Minnesota
Department of Education and the Minnesota Historical Society.
• It maintains a regularly updated calendar of events related to social
studies, as well as lesson plans and other resources for social studies
instruction, curriculum, and assessment for social studies educators at
all grade levels.
• Visit the CSSE website at:
http://csse.mnhs.org/
U.S. GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
• Demonstrate an understanding
of the functions of the three
branches and levels of
government and how they
interact with each other and with
indigenous and other sovereign
nations.
• Demonstrate an understanding
of individual rights, duties and
responsibilities within the
community, state and nation.
Government Resource Highlight & Activity
COMPETENCY:
“Functions and
interactions of the levels
of government (Federal,
State and local).”
Other Government Resources…
“Teaching Civics” Website:
http://teachingcivics.org/
“National Constitution Center” Website:
http://constitutioncenter.org/
ECONOMICS
• Explain how economic policies
and behaviors of individuals,
governments, banks, and
businesses, both domestic and
international, impact
themselves, their community,
the nation and the world.
• Demonstrate personal financial
skills, including the ability to
plan for the future, by setting
goals, creating a budget, and
analyzing short- and long-term
costs and benefits of spending,
saving, investing, borrowing and
insuring.
Economic Resource Highlight & Activity
COMPETENCY:
“Personal Financial
Goal Setting.”
Other Economics Resources…
“Minnesota Council on Economic
Education” Website:
https://www.mcee.umn.edu/
“Econedlink” Website:
http://www.econedlink.org/
HISTORY
• Explain why past patterns
influence the present and why
history is important to
develop an understanding of
where we are today and where
civilization is headed.
• Demonstrate historical
inquiry, discovery,
interpretation and critical
analysis of human history and
how they change over time.
History Resource Highlight & Activity
COMPETENCY:
“Demonstrate historical
inquiry, discover
interpretation and
critical analysis of
human history.”
Other History Resources…
“EDSITEment” Website:
http://edsitement.neh.gov/
Library of Congress (Teachers) Website:
https://www.loc.gov/teachers/
GEOGRAPHY
• Demonstrate the ability to read and
interpret geographic
representations of physical
characteristics, human
characteristics and distribution of
resources, to report, investigate and
analyze information to problem
solve and plan for the future.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and
understanding of how resources,
physical and environmental factors
influence and are influenced by
human activities (migration, social,
economic and political systems)
over time.
Geography Resource Highlight & Activity
COMPETENCY:
“Demonstrate the
ability to read, interpret
geographical
representations of
physical characteristics,
human characteristics
and distribution of
resources.”
Other Geography Resources…
“Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education” Website:
http://lt.umn.edu/mage/curriculum/
“Association of American Geographers” Website:
http://www.aag.org/
What about the project option?
Pilot Social Studies Competency Completion Options
Section One: U.S. Government and Citizenship
Label
Completion Option
Prior Experience A
Test A
Passing/completion of high school social studies course in U.S. Government and
Citizenship.
Completion and passing grade in postsecondary course in U.S. Government and
citizenship
GED (2002 Version) Social Studies passing score 410+
Test B
GED (2014 Version) Social Studies passing score 150+
Test C
Passing U.S. Citizenship Naturalization Test
ABE A
ABE instruction (verified demonstration of secondary-level competencies in the
U.S. Government and citizenship)
Approved and standards-aligned interdisciplinary and/or culminating
project with written report and/or oral presentation (verified demonstration
of secondary-level competencies in the U.S. Government and citizenship)
Prior Experience B
Experiential
Learning A
Evidence
A possible idea from “ProCon.org”
Another project idea from
“Lessonsonlocalgovernment.org”
Activities:
1. Brain storm issues of interest.
2. Select the one issue that is most interesting or
important and put it into a question form.
3. Create a notebook, folder, or portfolio organizer to
keep all of their work.
4. Research their issue.
5. Create an action plan.
6. Implement their plan.
7. Reflection.
8. Share their work as a portfolio.
CIVIL ACTION
PROJECT
The student will select
one issue that they
believe to be the most
important or
interesting, and they
will try to solve the
problem or at least
move it in the right
direction.
Adapting Social Studies Lessons and Resources
• ESL and multi-level classroom considerations.
• Using adult diploma-related materials for GED,
college-prep and/or other ABE students.
• Teaching in a “one room schoolhouse” versus larger
program.
Try Using Primary Sources
Minnesota Social Studies Standard
Adult Diploma Competency
COMPETENCY
“Demonstrate historical inquiry,
discover interpretation and critical
analysis of human history.”
“Observe – Reflect – Question”
 Library of
Congress
 National
Archives
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Making the Connection
Table Talk!
With others at
your table, please
discuss how you
would use some
of the session
suggestions and
ideas in your
respective
classrooms.
QUESTIONS
 Did we answer all of the initial questions on the board?
 Are there any additional questions or resources that you would like to ask or share?
 All session materials will be posted to the LAN website: info@literacyactionnetwork.org
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!!