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Social Studies Curriculum
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Looking Ahead
 What social studies topics and themes are to
be taught in elementary schools?
 What basis do the social science disciplines
provide for a social studies curriculum in the
elementary schools?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Can You –
 Identify reasons why there is controversy in social
studies?
 Describe the Expanding Environments
curriculum?
 Identify and explain the various social science
disciplines?
 Explain how the social sciences relate to what
students learn in social studies?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Do You –
 Know all the social science fields that are included
in social studies?
 Know how the social studies curriculum is
organized?
 Know what an instructional theme is?
 Know the history of the term “social studies”?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Focus Activity
 What did social studies mean to you as an
elementary student?
 What curriculum was included in social studies?
 Discuss the details of your experiences and
compare with classmates.
 Do your elementary experiences related to social
studies share common attributes with those of
others? If so, what attributes?
 What does social studies mean to you now?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Why Is There Controversy in Social
Studies?
 How is social studies a complex subject matter?
 How do certain elements make social studies a
controversial subject matter?
 Cultural differences
 Differing values, priorities, and viewpoints
 Special-interest groups
 Changing body of knowledge
 How has the history of social studies shaped the
discipline today?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Incorporating Themes from the
Standards
 What do you think about  Insert Table 2.4
the example of thematic
unit topics as it relates
to…
 topics that might be
taught?
 connections to the
standards?
 connections to a specific
discipline?
 thematic threads?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Social Studies and the Common
Core Standards
 What are your reactions to Common Core Standards
compared to traditional standards?
 Do you believe that Common Core Standards are more
manageable and/or practical than traditional
standards?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Constructivism and Social Studies
 Why do most social studies educators subscribe to the
learning theory, constructivism?
 How do you feel regarding constructivism?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
What is the Place of the Social
Science Disciplines?
 How are the various social science disciplines
incorporated into an elementary social studies
curriculum?
 Is it fair to say one discipline is more or less
important than others? Why or why not?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Looking Back
 The elementary social studies curriculum is
constantly changing as its goal is related to
expanding the world of the child.
 Each of the social sciences – history, geography,
anthropology, sociology, economics, political
science, psychology, and religious studies – offers a
body of knowledge, a unique perspective about the
world, and a method of inquiry from which
students can learn.
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Extension
 You have just taken a job. It is orientation night
and you are meeting all of your new students and
their parents. As you are sharing your daily
schedule with the group, you mention that you will
be teaching social studies from 1:05 to 2:25pm. A
parent perplexed by your schedule raises her hand
and asks “What is social studies?”
 Write down how you would answer the perplexed
parent.
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Self-Test
1. What factors contribute to controversy over what
is taught in the social studies?
2. How does the Expanding Environments
curriculum relate to the curriculum of
contemporary social studies programs?
3. What is the difference between the terms the
social sciences and the social studies?
4. How would you define constructivism?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Self-Test
5. Why does the social studies curriculum often
focus on history and geography?
6. How does anthropology relate to and differ from
geography?
7. Why is economics important to elementary
students?
8. Why do students need to be politically aware?
9. Does the study of religions conflict with the
American constitutional concept of separation of
church and state?
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013
Resources
 National Council for the Social Studies. (2010). National
Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework
for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. Silver Spring,
MD: National Council for the Social Studies.
 The Council for Economic Education (CEE)
http://www.councilforeconed.org
 National Council for Geographic Education. (1994).
Geography for Life: The National Geography Standards.
Washington, DC: National Geographic Society
Committee on Research and Exploration.
 Thornton, S. (2003). From Content to Subject Matter.
The Social Studies, 92(6), 237–242.
Essentials of Elementary Social Studies
By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013