Social Studies Research and Practice: Volume 6 Issue 1

The Role of Emotion in Democratic Dialogue: A Self Study

This study contributes to existing scholarship on democratic education by focusing explicitly on the affective dynamics of teaching with and for discussion. More specifically, the…

Engaging Public Issues Through Dialogue Journals: Pre-Service Teachers and Elementary Students Read and Respond

In a qualitative study, 50 pre-service teachers were partnered with 50 elementary students to write each other in dialogue journals responding to texts on public issues. Based…

Pedagogical Negotiations and Authentic Intellectual Work: A Phenomenological Examination of High School Teachers’ Experiences

This article focuses on the following questions: 1) How do secondary social studies teachers working in schools of color experience pedagogical negotiations when trying to teach…

Reflections of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers after Learning about an African Culture through Mask-making

Arts-integrated social studies projects can provide meaningful learning about another culture; yet, they are rare in the current assessment-focused climate. Similarly, students…

The Multigenre Research Project: An Approach to Developing Historical Empathy

This action research study explores how the multigenre research project develops historical empathy, or historical perspective taking skills, in a class of 22 fourth grade…

Integrating the Arts: Pre-Service Elementary Teachers Make African Masks of Six Cultures

Developing Civic-Mindedness in the Intermediate Grades: A Community-based Inquiry Project

The purpose of this study was to use the inquiry process to engage fifth grade students in a community-based project that would educate them about what it means to be a…

Notable Trade Books

Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan Lawn Boy Written by Gary Paulsen

Using Lawn Boy by Gary Paulson allows teachers to address numerous economic ideas and principals. This lesson introduces various economic concepts while concentrating on…

Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy Written by Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin

Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy is a biography incorporating history and social justice. This lesson involves students in grades 5-8 exploring social justice issues related to…

Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan Remember: The Journey to School Integration Written by Toni Morrison

The Remember: The Journey to School Integration lesson introduces students to the ideas of segregation and school integration. The lesson is designed to be a combination of…

Graduates Use of Technology in their K-8 Classrooms

This article examines ways in which graduates of an online teacher certification program integrate technology into social studies instruction. With dramatic growth in the number…

Interdisciplinary Education

Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: Uncovering the Truth Behind Polling Data

One of the fundamental tenets of social studies education is preparing students to become knowledgeable and informed citizens. Especially in this era of increased communication…