Department of Social Sciences
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SESSION TITLE: To Rigor and Beyond! Creating knowledgeable Social Scientists through rigorous instruction yielding
an overall increase in student performance.
AUDIENCE:
Elementary School Teachers
FACILITATOR:
CO-FACILITATOR:
Ms. Susan Bound, Social Science Teacher
Dr. Mercy MacDowell, Social Science Teacher
RESOURCES: http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net
Paper Slide Video Instructions:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+make+a+paper+slide+video&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=26D608844
157D627E13026D608844157D627E130
OUTCOMES: Upon the conclusion of this synergizing presentation, participants should be able to attest to the
accuracy of the following statement:
“I understand how the subject area of Social Sciences is a valid and useful vehicle to increase students’ content
knowledge and skills as well as improve students’ literacy and writing abilities. I have a clear path to how I need
to improve the teacher quality of my Social Sciences department so teachers can plan rigorous and engaging
lessons that yield positive outcomes in student performance.”
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
What do best practices look and feel like in a rigorous Social Science classroom?
How do rigorous best practices in Social Sciences improve student literacy and writing skills?
How can infusion/use of technological resources support and increase student engagement?
How can I set the wheels in motion to improve the quality of my Social Science teachers?
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WHAT?
1 minute: Introduction of facilitators and
overview of guiding questions.
SO WHAT?
NOW WHAT?
Review session agreements:
Be present, attentive, and active; Be openminded; Trust the process; Try out something
new then, reflect; Acknowledge each other as
equals; Assume good will; Expect it to be
messy; Confidentiality is supported; Speak
from your heart; Get what you need.
5 Minutes: Mini Block Party: A Pre-Reading
Text-Based Activity.
Article/Blog: The Reasons We Must All Learn
Social Studies See article and protocol on
the following pages. See text on the index
card provided.
Whole Group Debrief:
What’s the validity of the information
presented? What ramifications does the
information have for your Social Science
team?
Note: Article included in the agenda.
Reflection Time: So What? Now What?
(How does the content of this article shape
your future work?)
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The Reasons Why We All Must Learn History and Social Studies
REASON ONE: To Help Us Develop Judgment in Worldly Affairs by Understanding the
Past Behavior of People and Societies
History must serve as our laboratory, and the past must serve as our most vital evidence in the quest to figure out why
people behave the way they do in societal settings. If decision makers do not consult history, they make decisions
without all of the facts.
REASON TWO: To Help Us Understand Change and How the Community, Nation and
World We Live in Came to Be
Each person’s world view is shaped by individual experiences, as well as the experiences of the group to which he
or she belongs. If we are ignorant of the contemporary and historical experiences of a variety of cultures, then we
cannot hope to understand why people, communities or nations behave the way they do or make the decisions they
make.
REASON THREE: To Help Us Develop Essential Skills for Good Citizenship
Citizens are not born capable of ruling. They must be educated to rule wisely and fairly. The cornerstone of
democracy is the informed citizen.
REASON FOUR: To Inspire Us
History teaches us that a single individual with great convictions or a committed group can change the world.
“It is from numberless acts of courage that human history is shaped. Each time a person stands up for an
ideal, or acts to improve the life of others, or strikes out against injustice, he or she sends forth a tiny ripple of
hope, and those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
Robert F. Kennedy (adapted)
REASON FIVE: To Help Us Develop Essential Thinking Skills
Social Studies promotes:
• Reading at the evaluation, synthesis, analysis and interpretation levels
• Critical thinking skills through writing
• Analytical thinking
It is in social studies that students learn skills ranging from reading a map to making an argument. Students learn
how to assess the validity of evidence, evaluate conflicting points of view and apply facts to making decisions.
These are the skills of the real world!
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“The student who learns history will unconsciously develop what is the highest value of history:
judgment in worldly affairs. We gather historical knowledge, not to make us more clever the next
time, but wiser for all time.” Jacques Barzun (adapted)
Why Our Students Must Learn Social Studies
“Any subject of study needs justification: its advocates must explain why it is worth attention. Most
widely accepted subjects—and history [and Social Studies] are certainly among them—attract some
people who simply like the information and modes of thought involved. But audiences less
spontaneously drawn to the subject … need to know what the purpose is.”
Dr. Peter Stearns, Historian
“History must serve as our laboratory, and data from the past must serve as our most vital evidence in the
unavoidable quest to figure out why our complex species behaves as it does in societal settings. This, fundamentally,
is why we cannot stay away from history: it offers the only extensive evidential base for the contemplation and
analysis of how societies function, and people need to have some sense of how societies function simply to run their
own lives.”
Dr. Peter Stearns, Historian
Dr. Stearns’ analogy of the laboratory in this instance is a powerful one. When a scientist steps into a
laboratory he does so having formulated a hypothesis to be tested. The scientist predicts what will be the
outcome of a series of steps then tests his theory. If his experiment fails then he knows that his hypothesis
was flawed and takes a different course. Statesmen have no laboratory where they can test their hypothesis.
Nevertheless, statesmen formulate hypothesis regarding the potential outcome of their policies all the
time…and the stakes if they are wrong can be extremely high; involving even life or death. While there
are no perfect repeats, history provides no shortage of examples of how similar results stem from similar
catalysts, motivations and circumstances. If decision makers do not consult history, they make decisions
without all of the facts. Furthermore, it is essential that we remember that while not everyone is a
statesman, we are all decision makers each and every day of our lives.and World We Live in Came to Be
Integral to utilizing history to aid in decision making is adding the social studies elements of understanding
and appreciating difference and diversity. In his new book, Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the
Middle East: 1776 to the Present author Michael Oren explains that at the root of the long troubled history
of American Middle East foreign policy is the fact that America has consistently viewed the Middle East
through the lens of American culture, ideals and values. In other words, when the United States formulates
its Middle East policy, it consistently does so based on the flawed assumption that people in that part of the
world think just as we do in America. Each person’s world view is shaped by individual experiences, as
well as the experiences of the group to which he or she belongs. If we are ignorant of the contemporary and
historical experiences of a variety of cultures, then we cannot hope to understand why people, communities
or nations behave the way they do or make the decisions they make. The simple, undeniable fact is that
understanding history and social studies improves judgment. More specifically, understanding history and
social studies arms each of us with the necessary tools to make good decisions and wise choices.
"A high level of shared education is essential to a free, democratic society and to the fostering of a common culture,
especially in a country that prides itself on pluralism and individual freedom."
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A Nation at Risk Report, 1983
The cornerstone of democracy is the informed citizen. Solutions to social problems require the
insights that emerge from diverse perspectives and experiences. Citizens learn the skills of
democracy just as they learn to read or compute. They learn through experience, training and
practice. Effective social studies classrooms teach students each of the following essential
democratic skills:
•
to actively listen, evaluate competing points of view and formulate independent points of view.
•
to engage in public dialog. Public dialog requires citizens to think through their own point of
view and ask, “Why do I think as I do and what do I hope to achieve?”
•
to effectively resolve conflicts. Because people are different, conflict is inevitable. Negotiating
interests is a major part of conflict resolution. Negotiation means moving beyond pre-set positions,
knowing what one is willing to compromise, what one is not willing to compromise and being able to
reach win-win solutions that meet the shared interests of all parties.
•
to exercise good public judgment by hearing other points of view, thinking through the clash
of values and perceiving the ground from which differences come. All citizens are motivated
to a great extent by self interest, but society functions most effectively when citizens exercise
cultural tolerance, social empathy and a sense of responsibility for the well-being of their
fellow citizens.
•
to access the tools of democracy. In order to effectively participate in their democracy,
citizens must know their rights and responsibilities. They need to understand how to register
to vote, how to contact lawmakers and how to gather and wield influence.
When citizens of a democracy are deprived of an effective social studies education it places both the
citizen and the democracy at risk. Democratic illiteracy is no less destructive than reading illiteracy.
One of the most important factors in the fall of republics great and small throughout history has been
when citizens no longer felt connected to their government and became disinterested in what that
government was doing.
“Citizens are not born capable of ruling. They must be educated to rule wisely and fairly. They must be
drawn out of the egotism of childhood and the privacy of their homes into the public world of democratic
reasoning, deliberation and consensus. This requires not only civility, but knowledge and skill.”
Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States
Reason Four: History and Social Studies Inspires Students
Perhaps the least appreciated and among the most important roles played by social studies education is
the power of inspiration. It is in social studies classrooms that students learn that a single
individual with great convictions or a committed group can change the world. It is also in the
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social studies classroom that students learn the words and deeds of men and women, such as Mohandas
Gandhi, Sister Theresa, Elie Wiesel, Rachel Carson and Martin Luther King, Jr.
“It is from numberless acts of courage that human history is shaped. Each time a person stands up for an
ideal, or acts to improve the life of others, or strikes out against injustice, he or she sends forth a tiny
ripple of hope, and those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression
and resistance.”
Robert F. Kennedy (adapted)
The pen is mightier than the sword, words can move mountains and in each of us is the power to
change the world.
Reason Five: Social Studies Teaches Students Essential Reading, Writing and Thinking Skills
Social Studies promotes reading at the evaluation, synthesis, analysis and interpretation levels.
The reading process does not end with comprehension. In the adult world, people do not ask friends or
colleagues to recall specific information from a book or article they have read. Instead, they ask for an
opinion on a lead story, or for analysis of the latest Wall Street trend, or for an interpretation of a
controversial article…
Karen Tankersley, The Threads of Reading
The Elements of Critical Reading Found in the Social Studies Classroom:
Evaluation in Reading: the ability to distinguish essential information or core concepts from what is
simply interesting or eye catching.
Synthesis in Reading: the ability to take new information and combine it with existing information to
construct a new idea, a new way of thinking or a totally new product or criterion.
Analysis in Reading: the ability to make comparisons between what is read and information in one’s
background knowledge. Analytical reading allows the reader to make generalizations about the
information which was read to form independent judgments and opinions.
Interpretation in Reading: takes analysis one step higher by requiring the reader not only to form
opinions and judgments, but also cite viable evidence or proof from what was read to justify a
position.
Developing Critical Thinking Skills through Writing in the Social Studies Classroom:
The National Assessment of Educational Progress directly links writing effectiveness to development of
skills in critical thinking.
Writing requires knowledge and focuses thought. In order to write, students must acquire and
present content (facts, generalizations, and concepts) when they write a social studies assignment.
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Properly designed assignments require students not only to collect knowledge, but also to
determine which knowledge to retain, which to discard, and how to present it. Such
choices reveal much about what students do and do not know. Writing leads to more
questions and to the discovery of connections between events, people, and ideas.
Critical Thinking in the Social Studies Classroom:
It is in social studies that students learn skills ranging from reading a map to framing an
argument, and it is also in these classrooms that students learn how to assess the validity of
evidence, evaluate conflicting points of view and apply facts to making decisions and
articulating compelling arguments. These are the skills of the real world. Literacy and
numeracy are essential for success in the modern world, yet now more than at any other time in
the history of the world, students must receive a thorough liberal arts education, as well. We live
in the era of globalization, where American economic, political and security interests are tied to
diverse cultures from across the globe. Citizens of foreign lands can name our political leaders
and describe our system of government. American children are not so well equipped. Students
sitting in the classrooms of our global competitors are required to learn the English language and
study American values and beliefs. Additionally, they are exposed to the representations of
American culture through a prolific, although sometimes unflattering mass media. Conversely,
America produces leaders who are often monolingual, largely ethnocentric and have little
exposure to objective portrayals of people in other parts of the world. In light of these facts, the
belief that American children will be prepared to compete globally in the 21st century solely
because they can demonstrate effective reading comprehension skills and compute at a high
level, appears to reject reason and is certainly inconsistent with numerous historical examples to
the contrary.
References Consulted or Quoted in this Article:
1. McFarland, Mary. Social Studies: What is It? Why Do Students Need It?, Parkway School District, St. Louis
County, Missouri, 2007
2. National Commission on Excellence in Education. A Nation at Risk Report,
<www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html> 1983
3. Oren, Michael. Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present, W. W. Norton
& Company, New York, NY , 2007
4. Stearns, Peter. Meaning over Memory: Recasting the Teaching of History and Culture, UNC Press, Chapel Hill,
N.C., 1993
5. Stearns, Peter. Why Study History, American Historical Association
<www.historians.org/pubs/Free/WhyStudyHistory.htm> 1998*
6. Tankersley, Karen. The Threads of Reading: Strategies for Literacy Development, Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, VA, 2005
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"The student who [learns] history will unconsciously develop what is the highest value of history:
judgment in worldly affairs. This is a permanent good, not because "history repeats" - we can
never exactly match past and present situations - but because the "tendency of things" shows
an amazing uniformity within any given civilization. As the great historian Burckhardt said
of historical knowledge, it is not to make us more clever the next time, but wiser for all
time.”
Jacques Barzun, Historian
* The language used in reasons 1, 2 and 3 are drawn directly from Why Study History, by Dr. Peter Sterns.
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WHAT?
SO WHAT?
NOW WHAT?
15 Minutes:
Mini- Social Science Lab
Social Science Lab
Social science labs are an engaging and rigorous
instructional approach designed to require in-depth
learning and thinking on the part of the student
guided by of an essential question, analysis of
primary or secondary source documents, and
ending in a rigorous writing assignment or other
rigorous learning task.
Steps to conduct the Social Science Lab: (Show
overview video on PowerPoint)
1. Share overarching/essential question.
2. Build background knowledge.
3. Conduct document analysis.
4. Take the learning task to the end- e.g.,
writing activity or other rigorous learning
task.
See next page for specific content, standards
addressed, overarching/essential question, and
documents related to this specific social science lab.
Reflection Time: So What? Now What? (How
can Social Science Labs shape best practices
back at your school?
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Benchmark: 4th grade- SS.4.C.2.3-Explain the importance of public service, voting, and volunteerism
5th grade-SS.5.C.2.4- Evaluate the importance of civic responsibilities in American democracy. Essential Questions:
What Civic responsibilities are required and which are voluntary? Which civic responsibility do you feel is more important?
Source
Main Idea / Message / Important Details
How does this document answer the
essential question?
Source 1
Political Cartoon on Taxes
retrieved fromhttps://peopleschoiceonline.wordpress.c
om/peoples-criteria/taxes/ on 6/3/2015
Source 2
People Voting
retrieved fromhttp://images.politico.com/global/news/
110106_voters_reut_605.jpg on 6/3/2015
Source 3
Jury Duty Summons
retrieved fromhttp://www.misshannigan.com/American
_Literature/angrymen/JuryService_files/i
mage003.gif on 6/3/2015
Source 4
Volunteers needed signs
retrieved fromhttp://humanesocietyofpolkcounty.org
/http://www.salvationarmy.org/ on
6/3/2015
Thesis:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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SOURCE 1
Source-https://peopleschoiceonline.wordpress.com/peoples-criteria/taxes/
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Source 2
Source- http://images.politico.com/global/news/110106_voters_reut_605.jpg
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Source 3
Source-http://www.misshannigan.com/American_Literature/angrymen/JuryService_files/image003.gif
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Source 4
Source-http://humanesocietyofpolkcounty.org/
Source-http://www.salvationarmy.org/
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5 minutes:
Using Paper Slides to Engage the
Learner and Check for Document
Analysis Success: Paper Sidles are a
valid approach using digital resources to
check for student understanding in an
engaging manner.
Show sample paper slides on the Social
Science lab that was modeled (see Power
Point).
Show instructional video on how to create
paper slides. See link on page 2 of the
agenda.
End Product: Taking the Document
Analysis to A Writing Task- See sample
student work on next page.
Reflection Time: So What? Now What?
(Why is it important to have discussions
about student work with colleagues?)
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What Civic responsibilities are required and which are voluntary? Which civic responsibility do you feel is more
important?
Sample Student Responses
Sample #1
These Civic responsibilities were importnt things for people to do. You have to do these importnt things. Because if you
don’t do them you could have trouble. You shouldn’t have trouble. The very most importnt way to do this is to listen to
your mother and your teacher. Then you will stay out of trouble and have Civic Responsibilities.
Sample #2
Some Civic responsibilities are things you have to due. These are things like doing what the law says and paying taxes.
You have to do these things or you might have to go to jail. It is a good idea to do this and stay out of jail. There are other
Civic responsibilities that are nice to do, but you won’t go to jail if you don’t do them. These are things like voting and
being nice to other people. It is just a very good idea to do these things. I think that doing what the law says is the most
important thing because our country would be really crazy if everyone did whatever they wanted.
Sample #3
All citizens of the United States have Civic Responsibilities. Some, like obeying the law, paying taxes, and serving on a
jury are required. That means that you must do them. Other Civic Responsibilities are voluntary. That means that they
are things you should do if you want to be a good citizen. I think that voting and volunteering to help your community are
very important Civic Responsibilities that are voluntary. I think that obeying the law is probably the most important Civic
Responsibility.
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WHAT?
SO WHAT?
NOW WHAT?
4 minutes (or for home learning provided time has expired):
Next Steps: Call to Action- In the chart below: Write out the steps that you will take to address the following in
your school:
1.
Encouraging the development of engaging lessons utilizing social science labs or other
proven practices that yield improved student content and skills.
2.
Encouraging the use of digital learning resources as a valid vehicle to achieve #1.
3.
Monitor the effective deliver of instruction in social sciences in my school.
Engaging Lessons
Support Digital Learning
Monitoring Progress
Whole Group Debrief: Have willing
participants share the information listed
in the chart above.
Reflection Time: So What? Now
What?
(What obstacles do you see in
implementing these best practices?
Solutions?)
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