K-5 STAY Teachers

Teaching Social Studies
What
Curriculum
How
Instruction
Assessment

Overview
What do we teach in Social Studies?
O NC Essential Standards
What does an effective Social Studies classroom look like? How
O Student Centered
O High Student Engagement
What is the role of assessment ?
O
O
Formative- Daily information on student progress
Summative- Evidence of student competence and achievement after instruction

Why

Teaching Social Studies
What How Assessment

What do we teach in Social
Studies?
NC Essential Standards
K – 8 = Five Conceptual Strands
O History
O
O
O
O
Geography
Economics and Personal Financial Literacy
Civics & Government
Culture

What do we teach in Social Studies?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PD7qi8VK_o
Your Life Winston-Salem North Carolina United States
History
Geography
Economics
Civics & Gov’t
Culture

History
Civics
&
Gov’t
Culture
Economics
Geography

What do we teach in Social
O
Studies?
WS/FCS Homepage
O
O
O
O
O
Departments
Social Studies
Elementary School Resources
K-5 Curriculum http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/971

O
O
O
What do we teach in Social
Studies?
Begin with the unit overview
One essential question (or “I can” statement) = about one day
Note key vocabulary
When teachers consider what they are teaching they should reference the conceptual standards not just the factual content.

Teaching Social Studies
What How Assessment

How do we teach
Social Studies?
What does social studies instruction look like to you?

How do we teach Social
Studies?
Before
O Activate prior knowledge
During
O Students are exposed to new information / new way of thinking
After
O Students apply new knowledge / understanding in a unique task

How do we teach Social
Studies?
O
O
O
O
O
WS/FCS Homepage
Departments
Social Studies
Social Studies Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=xwwFXTV4be4

How do we teach Social
Studies?
O
O
O
O
What standards were being taught?
What did Ms. Sipe do well?
What should Ms. Sipe have done differently?
What do you wonder about things you observed in her lesson?

How do we teach Social
Studies
Shared Resources
O
O
O
O
WS/FCS
Departments
Social Studies
Edmodo or tutorials
O http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/78502

How can I teach Social Studies when there is no time in my schedule?

Why should we integrate?

Social Studies helps develop essential reading, writing & thinking skills.
Elements of Critical Reading fostered in Social Studies…
Evaluation
Distinguish essential information from “eye candy”
Synthesis
Ability to take new information, combine it with what is known & create a new idea
Analysis
Read & form independent judgments and opinions
Interpretation
Cite evidence to justify opinion or position

Inquiry Based Lessons
O Compelling Question
O Supporting Question 1
O
O
Supporting Question 2
Supporting Question 3
O Summative Product – Civic Action
O Examples found here http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/98478

Teaching Social Studies
What How Assessment

K-5 WSFCS does not administer the NC Final
Exam for Social Studies
The NC Final Exam
O Designed to measure growth
O Provides an example of how to create an assessment

O
O
O
O
O
O
O Pick two questions from the 4 th or 5 th grade
NC Final Exam
Identify the standard(s) being tested
Do the questions have stimulus material?
Does the question test memorization or conceptual understanding?
4 th grade
5 th grade
Constructed Response Questions

Teaching Social Studies
What How Assessment

Teaching Social Studies
What do we teach – curriculum
 NC Essential Standards
How do we teach – instruction



Student centered – inquiry and application
NOT just memorization
Integration (does not need to be in isolation)
Assessment


Students process information in stimulus material
Goal = growth

Don’t forget why we teach
Social Studies
O
O
O
O
O Allows us to judge current events based on our understanding of past behaviors of people and civilizations.
Helps us develop the skills for good citizenship.
Helps us understand how our community, nation, and world we live in came to exist.
Inspires us.
Helps develop essential reading, writing, and thinking skills.