Social Studies Essays

Social Studies Reflection
During this semester I have learned a lot about teaching practices, methods, and focuses for social
studies education. It has taught me a great deal about what it really means to teach, not only
students but the importance of social studies within the educational system. Being a teacher is more
than just a nine to five kind of job its about shaping the world and to quote a great singer Phil
Collins "In learning you will teach, and teaching you will learn". The focus of this semester has
been to better understand what social studies is, how and why we teach it, and what make me a
good social studies teacher candidate. All of three of these questions have driven our discussion,
observations, writings, and course work. It is what I have...show more content...
Secondly, we must see how and why exactly we teach social studies. Social studies education has
unfortunately become one of the least loved subjects in school across the country. This is due to any
factors some of which depicted by Schug, Todd, and Beery are "many students find social studies
content to be repetitive, removed from their own experiences, and even irrelevant for their future
career paths". These students felt that social studies were a waste because to them being a doctor or
businessman were jobs and fields in which social studies was pointless so why bother learning it.
But it is not just the student's schools have also turned their backs on socials studies in favor of
meeting testing requirements for reading and mathematics skills, event social studies curriculum
shows a focus on more text based understanding than historical fact. As stated in an article about
disappearing social studies curriculum, "the curriculum that is supposed to teach social studies
reveals that teachers are indeed teaching social studies topics solely as a literacy endeavor. Students
are asked to find main ideas and supporting details, to compare and contrast, to make inferences, to
scan, and to understand graphical material – all important reading skills. But social studies are more
than reading for comprehension. It is learning powerful ideas that demonstrate how social systems
work, in the past and in other places, whether next door or around the world". So, to
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Social Studies And Its Impact On Society
I have found that social studies is a hard field to be a part of because in today's society, people do
not believe there is a purpose for it in academia. When social studies was first introduced, it was to
teach students about being a contributing citizen within society. However, now society views other
aspects such as, math, science, reading, and writing as the best ways to be a productive citizen.
The public views social studies as studying the past by simply memorizing facts and passing test.
Social studies has much more value than that and one way to show that is to address a major topic
of concern within this field known as depth vs. coverage. When it comes to not only keeping the
students interested but also making it worth their time, I believe that depth is key. Teachers are
exposed to training, studies, and even have this information presented to them in lesson format but
that does not mean they use it. Teachers using coverage, as their method of teaching are not giving
students any students the adequate knowledge or information to be able to appropriately
incorporate the art of social studies outside the classroom. This is why coverage, or simply giving
students the facts, needs to be at a minimum and teaches should focus on depth. Coverage is not
making students ask why or see the different sides of a story. This is when children are put into a
classroom that strictly covers the information, by making sure that students get the dates and names.
Coverage does not

Essay on Defining Social Studies
When defining social studies the best definition comes from the National Council for the Social
Studies (NCSS). Even though "the 'official' definition is somewhat misleading because authorities
in the field have long debated the dimensions of an appropriate definition of social studies"
(Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall, 2013). The NCSS defines social studies as the "study of
political, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects of societies" (NCSS, 1988). There may
never be a definition of social studies that is accepted unanimously, but this one seems to be accurate.
Social studies textbooks should support the specific states standards. Although the author of this
paper resides in New York State thetextbook used is Georgia based....show more content...
Activities are defined as "anything students are expected to do, beyond getting input through reading
or listening, in order to learn, practice, apply, evaluate, or in any other way respond to curricular
content" (Brophy & Alleman, 1991). This textbook does not have any authentic activities. It is
important for students to see and understand the importance of social studies. As technology
advances there is a real need for authentic activities. Students need to relate to the subject. The only
attempt made in this text was in Unit 2, lesson 1 when the students had to add to the maps
geography. This textbook is not good for kinesthetic learners.
Integration of Other Subject This textbook has many areas where the educator can integrate the
lesson in with other subjects. The economics lesson (unit 3, lesson 4) includes a lot of mathematical
problems. These problems can be done during math. The map lesson can be crossed over in art. The
students can make their maps in art, bring it to math and work on the grids. In unit 4, lesson 1 they
talk about facts and opinions regarding George Washington, John Hancock, and Benjamin Franklin.
This could be crossed over into ELA. The students must read sentences and tell which ones are facts.
Integrating "language in social studies courses may be an appropriate placement for English
language learners who are preparing to enter mainstream classes" (Short, 1994). Integrating subject
benefits everyone in

Essay on Lesson Plan Social Studies
Student Teaching Lesson Plan Template
Subject: Social Studies | Topic: Who Where the first Americans? | NCSCOS/Common Core
Objective: The learner will acquire strategies for reading social studies materials and for increasing
social studies vocabulary. 1.01 Read for literal meaning. 1.02 Summarize to select main ideas. 1.03
Draw inferences. 1.04 Detect cause and effect. The learner will analyze important geographic,
political, economic, and social aspects of life in the region prior to the Revolutionary Period.1.01
Assess the impact of geography on the settlement and developing economy of the Carolina
colony.1.02 Identify and describe American Indians who inhabited the regions that became Carolina
and assess their impact on the...show more content...
This Quarter we are learning about the first Americans, How they got to America and what happened
after they arrived in America.| 5 min| 3. Teacher Input | The new unit lesson is introduced to
students. Introduce lesson and go through PPT. Review lesson material previously taught. Emphasis
new terms. Have students repeat terms, definitions, and lesson details.| 30 min| 4. Guided Practice |
Call on individual students to answer questions embedded in presentation. Praise correct choices and
re–teach incorrect choices to entire class. Students are asked to define terms and re–state relevant
facts. | 30 min| 5. Independent Practice | Students are asked to come up to the board and choose
the correct answer from a multiple choice format. Other students are asked if the choices are
correct or incorrect. If incorrect, the other student is asked to correct the answer. Students are asked
to practice the terms introduced in this lesson by copying each term three times. Students are given
worksheets to complete| 15 min| 6. Assessment Methods: 21st Century Skills and Lesson Objective|
Global Awareness, Critical thinking and problem solving: Tests are checked for accuracy and
scored. | 5 min| 7. Closure| Discuss upcoming lessons and classroom expectation. Review classroom
procedures and daily itinerary.| 5 min| 8. Assessment Results: 21st Century Skills and Lesson
Objective|

I believe social studies should be integrated into the school day more. I know that I had a social
studies class in elementary school and middle school. I really do not remember them or what was
taught in them though. I do not think that schools take it very seriously. I am not saying that the
teachers do not, because I specifically remember some of my teachers being very passionate about it.
However, I personally do not feel like I was prepared at all going into high school for this subject. I
believe that is one of the reasons I have never cared for this it. This class was only a few weeks,
but the information we have went over has made me see the importance behind starting it at an
early age. I believe it should be considered one of...show more content...
I believe there should be more field trips, including virtual field trips, for learning different social
studies topics. I only really remember going on one field trip in elementary school and that was to
the Tennessee State Capital building. When we got there they had a scavenger hunt set up for us
and that was so much fun and educational. I am sure that going on certain field trips can be
aligned with the common core standards. I believe field trips are a hands on experience that help
kids learn better. Even if we cannot actually go on a field trip a virtual one can help kids learn the
topic as well. There are many different websites to look through on finding a good virtual field trips
– for example a trip to the White House. These are experiences that can help kids grasp certain
material better.
I believe literature and movies should be used for broadening a child's knowledge on different
social studies topics. Textbooks are not always the most interesting books to read and learn from.
This is why I believe, as teachers, we should include other literature to help our kids want to learn
about social studies. There are many books that teachers can use for a variety of topics – for
example the Civil War, the American Revolutionary War, and even books on things like reading
maps. I also believe that movies should be used to help

The principles of teaching the subject Social Studies in any form or class, is to prepare dedicated
students who can contribute in developing a better society in that nation and the world at large.
Assessment is the systematic collection of data to monitor the success of a program or course in
accomplishing intended learning outcomes for both students and teachers. Without evaluation, there
is no avenue that can prove that students have learnt what was imparted. Assessment is one of the
key aspects in teaching and learning. According to Ausubel (2006), the purpose ofeducation is to
enhance the students' cognitive structures through the accumulation of knowledge in an organized
manner. Ausubel's perception on assessment techniques and evaluation...show more content...
Some teachers prefer using traditional rather than alternative assessment techniques, vice versa.
Reason being, they tend to choose their easy way out. In my opinion, both types of assessment
techniques have their advantages and disadvantages. Classroom Assessment improves learning when
teachers who create useful assessment be it, traditional or alternative assessments provides corrective
instruction for students and support them with the opportunity to test their intellects and also
demonstrate that success can improve their instruction and help students learn more efficient.
Teachers should make assessments useful for students. In my opinion, whatever ways suit best for
my students, I will use those techniques. Some techniques for example; a multiple choice, or short
answer tests, many students has suffered the experience of spending countless hours studying for a
major test, only upon doing the test he/she realize that what he/she had studied was different from
what the teacher chose to emphasize on the assessment. Teachers mistakenly believe that they must
keep their assessments a secret, resulting in students regarding assessments as guessing games. They
view success as depending

The Importance Of Social Studies In Education
Social Studies in Education At the beginning of the semester I walked into the course with a
different perspective on education and especially social studies education. I entered the course
with an overabundance of confident about becoming a teacher. My goal was to become a teacher
who would impact their students' lives. Before heading to college, I had many teachers tell me that
I shouldn't become a teacher. While I had their advice in the back of my head. I pushed it away and
came into EDTL 2670 and my field placement with an open mind. Throughout this course the class
learned what social studies education is, why and how it is taught to students. Which is how I
learned that I wouldn't make a good social studies candidate and how I found my true calling in
life. At the beginning of the year we were asked the question what is social studies? The thoughts
that come to mind for this question are that social studies is history. When MR2 was assigned one of
the readings was What is Social Studies? Within the reading it states that "Social studies is the
integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence."() In simpler
terms, social studies classes that fall under history, geography, sociology, and political science. Each
class as equally important to social studies as a whole. Each different subject promotes the
connection between people, countries, cultures, and history. Furthermore, is the importance of why
we teach social studies to

Introduction
According to the National Council for the Social Studies, 'Social Studies is the integrated study of
the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence, providing coordinated and
systematic study, drawing from many disciplines e.g. anthropology, economics, geography, and
history. The primary purpose of social studies being to help young people develop the ability to
make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good, as citizen of a culturally diverse,
democratic society in an interdependent world'.
In looking at this definition, it is clear to see, that Socials Studies, and the Social Studies curriculum
taught in schools is aimed at not only educating students about the history and culture of their
country, but at developing, training and producing citizens who are capable of not only functioning
in their country but the worldwide arena. Due to this, and if such a goal is to succeed, students must
be taught to be both productive and responsible members within a society. Consequently, to develop
a 'good citizen' who is educated in relations to culture, society and government, teachers must teach
beyond the basics, broadening their horizons to ensure that in the end their students are also able to
be productivity and responsible once their education in the Social Studies have ended, and for such
an achievement to be met, values must be taught and learnt.
According to UNESCO 'Values are basically the high regard or importance that an individual

In 1892, the National Education Association appointed a Committee of Ten to look at the general
curricula for high schools. The Committee's report outlined, for the first time, a history program
approaching the comprehensive programs seen in European education. In 1896, the American
Historical Association appointed the Committee of Seven to make a thorough study of history in the
secondary schools here and in Europe. The Committee's report had a considerable impact on the high
school social studies curriculum. The Study of History in the Schools report recommended the high
school history program should consist of Ancient History, European History, English History, and
American History. These four blocks of study were recognized in high...show more content...
Wesley (1937) felt the Committee's 1916 report would have a great influence on the curriculum. His
summary of the report's effects:
It restored the National Education Association to a position of leadership. It gave currency and
respectability to the phrase "social studies." It went far toward destroying the notion that school
subjects must faithfully and fully reflect the scholarly bodies of materials from which they are
drawn. It did much to popularize the needs of pupils and to emphasize the desirability of providing
for pupil growth rather than of merely storing up information for the future. It demonstrated that a
national committee could safely recommend new and relatively untried courses. And it had
considerable effect in loosening the rigid control that the colleges exercised over the high schools by
means of entrance requirements. (p. 98)
Although the 1916 report popularized the term social studies, there was little agreement on its scope
and sequence. Some schools continued to follow previous recommendations made by the American
Historical Association, while others followed various curricula of their own. There were problems
with defining the content of new courses, lack of certification requirements for teaching social
studies, and little cooperation between professors of education and professors of social studies
subjects (Davis, 1981; Thornton, 1994). The Social Studies in Secondary Education

Role–Play: A Strategy for Teaching Social Studies
One of the reasons social studies is viewed as a tough academic discipline is the result of force–fed
historical dates and data. It is also one of the reasons that students think history is boring and
irrelevant. Furthermore, their inability to relate to the culture and people of the past creates a
what–does–this–have–to–do–with–me attitude early on in their education that directly influence their
future performance. The misconception that social studies is about facts and dates is continuously
supported by teachers who persist in using direct teaching and long lectures, believing that it is the
most convenient way to teach students. Although lecturing is useful for presenting...show more
content...
Because direct teaching focuses on the teachers skills, students do not learn basic social studies
skills and concepts, such as cause–and–effect or problem–solving. These concepts, used in social
studies classes, are especially important because they develop studentsf cognitive process in order to
comprehend why certain events occur and how they happen. Hence, direct teaching is appropriate
only when teachers need to convey specific information.
Role–playing, often over–looked as an effective and fun teaching strategy, is a more useful method
that personalizes the information and makes it tangible for students. According to Strategies to
Teach Social Studies, there are five main steps in role–playing: initiation and direction, describing
the context, making roles, enactment, and debriefing. The initiation and direction stage is key to
directing the success of the role–play because, in this step, the teacher identifies the topic and guides
students in their exploration. During this step, the teacher sets up the situation of the event and
explains the historical figures involved in the role–play. The second step allows the teacher to follow
up by describing the context of the event. This step is important because it gives the teacher the
chance to provide students with historical information in order to help students explore their
characters and ensure that they are true to the

Social Studies SBA Essay
Social Studies SBA
What are factors influencing premarital sex among teenagers at the Munro College and what are the
effects and possible solutions?
Name: Johann Weatherly
Candidate No:
School: Munro College
School Code:
Territory: Jamaica
Year: 2014
Contents
TopicPage
Acknowledgement.....................................................................................3
Statement of problem...................................................................................4
Reason for selecting area of research.................................................................5
Method of investigation................................................................................6
Data collection instrument.............................................................................7
Procedure for data collection..........................................................................11
Presentation of data....................................................................................12
Analysis and interpretation of...show more content...
Tick in appropriate boxes пЃ’ and answer other questions briefly.
1. To which age group do you belong?
п‚Ј11–13
п‚Ј14–16
п‚Ј17–19
2. Gender
п‚ЈMale
п‚ЈFemale
3. Are you engaged in sexual activities?
п‚ЈYes
п‚ЈNo
4. Are you a Christian?
п‚ЈYes
п‚ЈNo
5. Do you believe that sex before marriage is morally wrong?
п‚ЈYes
п‚ЈNo
Why?

______________________________________________________________________________
6. What is your attitude toward sex before marriage?
п‚ЈI encourage it
п‚ЈI tolerate it
п‚ЈI believe in abstinence until marriage
п‚Ј Other ________________________________________________________________
7. What do you think is the major cause of premarital sex?
п‚ЈPeer pressure
п‚ЈMedia and entertainment
п‚ЈCuriosity/Ignorance
п‚ЈInfatuation
п‚ЈOther, specify__________________________________________________________
8. Where did most of your sexual knowledge come from?
п‚ЈFriends
п‚ЈParents
п‚ЈTelevision
п‚ЈOther, specify__________________________________________________________
9. Can parents' level of barriers or freedom with their teen be a factor that lends itself to sex before
marriage?
п‚ЈYes
п‚ЈNo
Briefly state how
__________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Do you have friends whom are engaged in premarital sex?
п‚ЈYes
п‚ЈNo
11. If yes, have you seen any changes in their
п‚ЈAppearance
п‚ЈHealth
п‚ЈAttitude
п‚ЈAcademic work
п‚ЈSocial life
State how

) What is meta–cognition in social studies? Using three examples explain the social studies problem
solving processes.
Meta–cognition in social studies is said to be the ability to use prior knowledge to plan a strategy
for approaching a learning task, take necessary steps to problem solving, reflect and evaluate
results and modify one's approach as needed. It can also be said to be awareness of one's own
knowledge, what one does and doesn't know, and one's ability to understand, control and manipulate
one's cognitive processes.
Meta–cognition can therefore be defined as the knowledge and control people have over their
thinking and learning activities. It involves "thinking about thinking" that is to say, the knowledge
and control people have their own thinking and learning activities.
In relation to the acquisition of critical thinking skills, meta–cognition refers to what a learner knows
about his/her thinking processes, (conscious awareness) and the ability to control these processes by
planning, choosing and monitoring. Literally, therefore, meta–cognition means "big thinking".
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL STUDIES SOLVING PROCESS.
Problem solving process in social studies is defined as cognitive processing that is mental
functioning and thinking directed at achieving a goal when a solution method is obvious to the
problem solver.
The processes or steps involved in problem solving are;
(1)Definition or identification of problem.
(2)Analyze the problem (determine or guess the

Essay on My Definition of Social Studies
My Definition of Social Studies
Social studies is the study of world cultures, social and economic issues. It took some time for me
to come up with this definition but after years of studying history I feel social studies is not just
geography, civics, and history.
I do not remember my childhood years of social studies other than studying about white men and the
black men they enslaved or the white men who signed the constitution and what great men they
were. I always felt the history I learned was one–sided.
When I got to junior high school not much had changed. We did begin to learn about a few great
black people such as, George Washington Carver, WEB Dubois, and Harriet Tubman. By
...show
more content...
I am now in college and my professors have opened my eyes to many things, as well as, challenged
me to want to learn what was not taught to me long ago. I had Dr. Combs for Urban Geography
where I learned about what urban sprawl and contaminated water can do to a community. By learning
what causes urban sprawl helped me to understand why family businesses that have been in business
for fifty years are now closed. Whenever we discussed our surrounding communities I was always
asking questions because I had a genuine interest.
I am a forty–year–old black female that grew up in sixties in eastern Arkansas. I do not have many
out of school social studies experiences other than the family cultures and traditions I was taught
down through the years. One that stands out is Sunday dinners and the stories that my grandmother
used to tell about our heritage.
The characteristics of an effective social studies teacher would include learning about your students'
socioeconomic background, their interest, and there likes and dislikes. The instruction should not be
all lecture, notes, and then test. There should be some hands on opportunities as well as cooperative
learning groups. Students could use the computer to communicate with other students in foreign
countries to learn of different cultures.
Social studies is fun, good, and interesting when it is used to

What Is Social Studies? Essay
What is Social Studies?
"Social Studies is the study of people in relation to each other and to their world" (Alberta
Education, 2005, p.1), which is key in students developing the necessary skills to understand human
society. "Social Studies provides opportunities for students to develop the attitudes, skills and
knowledge that will enable them to become engaged, active, informed and responsible citizens"
(Alberta Education, 2005, p.1). For the past seven years, I have been a grade three teacher, focusing
primarily on the humanities aspect of the curriculum, including Social Studies. My teaching
philosophy has evolved around the notion of taking the curriculum and making it student centered
learning, and differentiating lessons to meet the needs of each students which fits with the ideas of
both Doll (1993) and Eisner (2013). Learning experiences for children need to incorporate lessons
which are engaging, interesting while allowing students to experience hands on learning. These
experiences will assist in students reaching their full potential. As stated by Doll (2013), the
curriculum needs to have the "right amount of indeterminacy, anomaly, inefficiency, chaos,
disequilibrium, dissipation, and lived experience" (p. 216). Teachers need to know each of their
students life experiences, backgrounds, interest, hobbies, and ability level in order to gage my
instruction. Doll (2013) and Eisner (2013) would agree that relationships amongst stakeholders are
deeply important

Importance And Importance Of Social Studies
Within any society, education is a key institution on which the society relies. However, it plays an
arguably larger role in democratic societies such as the American society. Education provides not
only the basic skills that people need to survive in a community, but also the reproduction and
production of societal norms and values, as well as the maintenance and improvement of the nation
as a whole. All academic subjects play a part in this process, however, the one on which this paper
will focus is Social Studies. Social studies is essential for the survival, maintenance, progression, and
overall well–being of democratic capitalist societies. Understanding this importance, as well as best
practices related to student success in the field, it is my belief that I would be a good social studies
teacher that can produce engaged and involved citizens.
The National Council for the Social Studies defines Social Studies as "Social studies is the
integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence". It focuses on
the more abstract skills that students will need to participate politically and socially within a
democratic society. History focuses on observable social, political, and economic trends that have
occurred and reoccurred. It teaches students the background information that helps students
understand the world around them today. Psychology and sociology focus on the way people think
and function not only as individuals, but also within the

Reflective Essay On Social Studies
The area I grew in was Social Studies. The way I changed was the way I did my homework and
the grades I got for tests. I used to look at Social Studies as a boring class and that it just gave a
ton of homework. When I got homework from Social Studies I thought how long would it take me
to finish it and how can I make it shorter. Also when there were tests I didn't study for it at all. I
thought that studying for a test wouldn't change the outcome of the test.
I got a mapping homework for social studies in 7th grade. I thought that it was waste of time
because knowing the maps won't do anything to me. The assignment I was supposed to do was to
label the countries and fill in mountains, rivers, etc. If I got the same assignment in 6th grade I
would just quickly finish it and not look over it. But I thought to myself that if I got a test on the
maps I would not be able to answer anything. I thought to myself that I should be getting A's if I
can and that it is stupid not getting an A just because I didn't take my time on the assignment. I
also felt that if I don't take my time then I would fail the test. I took my time on the map and also
studied the map. Also, it was the day I had no other homework so I could take my time. I got a 10
/10 on the homework and realized that I can get good scores if I take my time.
Another example I have is the Constitution test. I never studied for any tests and I would get an A
or a B in social studies. But the Constitution test was different. The test affected the whole grade.
If I got a C on that test I would have a B or a C even if I had a 95% before the test. It was worth so
much points I had to study for it. And if I failed it I had to keep taking the test until I get a passing
grade. When we were testing each other during class I was doing really bad. I barely got
questions right and I thought if I failed this test it would not be pretty. I studied every night, made
note cards, and I did everything I can to pass the test. The day before the test I was nervous. I
asked my mom to test me with the note cards. I was getting 75% of them right. I thought I can't get
a 75% on the test. I studied for about an hour and I was getting 99% of them right. I was now
comfortable taking

Essay On Social Studies
This worker met with Ms. Mathali at university of Minnesota Medical Center. Ms. Mathali
appeared irritable, and tired. She was responsive and cooperative however, provided limited
responses. Ms. Mathali stated that she may leave the hospital by Monday night or Tuesday. She
stated that she likes to leave as soon as possible. She stated that she likes to be outside driving
around which makes her more comfortable. She stated that feels that she is in a restricted area and it
hypes her anxiety.
Ms. Mathali stated that she may be going to "Mary Place" after the hospital discharge. She reported
that she has family in Saint Cloud MN and in Canada however, their communication is very limited.
She stated that she prefers staying in Mary's Place...show more content...
She stated that she hit him with her keys on his back or either his stomach side. Ms. Mathali
reported no previous domestic violence between her and Mr. Ziad. However, she reproted there was
lots of domestic violence between her and her other former partner Mr. Hassan Hussein who lives in
Arizona.
Ms. Mathali denied drinking or using drugs. She reported that she struggled with mental health and
manages it with medication. However, she has not been taken it regularly. She denied childhood
abuse and neglect. Ms. Mathali was asked about discipline techniques in the home and she stated that
she verbally reminds them to follow directions and if things do get difficult between them she calls
911 and connect them with police with her the oldest children.
Mr. Ziad:
This worker met with Mr. Ziad to the west Broadway office. He appeared calm and engaged
during the interview. He stated that his relationship with Ms. Mathali has been very difficult over
the years. He stated that they have been divorced more than 3 years. He reproted that she has been
physical and verbally aggressive to him. He stated that he is willing to take care of his children
including Ms. Mathali's children until she manages her depression. Mr. Ziad stated that he will be
moving back to Ms. Mathali's home until her doctor's manages her depression episodes. He stated
that he will be moving on 7/18/17 to MS. Mathali's home.
This worker asked about the allegation. He stated that the last time he has seen

Meaningful Social Studies Essay
Meaningful Social Studies Introduction Today many classroom teachers are faced with the
challenge of delivering meaningful and powerful social studies lessons to their students. This paper
will explain how the learning cycle can help students gain a better understanding when learning new
concepts. This paper will also give an example of a Native American Indians unit can be taught in a
4th grade classroom, covering the following contents: Location; Movement/Migration; and
Individuals Groups, Institutions. In addition this paper will address the 4th grade performance
objective(s) and Georgia social studies standards used in this unit. Additionally, this paper will
explain and justify the use of various instructional strategies that...show more content...
Some ways that teachers can implement the exploratory introduction phase in a lesson or unit is by,
(a) asking students questions to prompt their recall of relevant prior knowledge learned; (b) using
the K–W–L technique (what the students know, want to know, and what the students have learned);
(c) or having the students make comparisons connecting the new concept to concepts the students
already know (comparisons charts). The second phase of the learning cycle is the lesson
development phase. In this phase students are exposed to new ideas or skills that can lead students
learning to practice new skills and in using new content. The instructional strategies used in this
phase may range from expository through the inquiry–based problem solving and decision making.
Meyerson & Secules, 2001 explains that, "inquiry learning approaches, students are put into
situations that require critical thinking and encourage the internalizing of major concepts. Inquiry
activities can also allow students the opportunity to confront, express, and analyze preconceptions
and misconceptions in an active, nonthreatening way". Teachers can provide students with
instructional activities such as: having guest speakers; providing games; having real life
demonstrations; role–playing; and simulations. The final phase of the learning cycle is the

The Importance Of Social Studies In Education
Social studies in itself is one of the most underrated subjects currently taught in schools. However,
underneath the sometimes–boring faГ§ade lies a truly spectacular curriculum that can engage and
excite students to learn. One such inspired student is me, social studies inspired me to change my
career from brain surgery to teaching. In the end despite being an underappreciated subject, social
studies remains an important part of education and my life. Before the scope is narrowed to
examine the finer points of the subject, the focus needs to look at what exactly is social studies.
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) says in their article What is Social Studies?
"Social studies programs have as a major purpose the promotion of civic competence–which is the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of students to be able to assume "the office of citizen""
(NCSS, 2010). This exemplifies what social studies in an interesting way because it is in the
details of social studies' finer points. Social studies is a way to teach the next generation to
become better citizens than their predecessors. It is a way to break the pattern of history of
always repeating itself, into looking to a brighter future. Now the scope of examination can be
broadened. Now that the what is answered the why and how we as educators should teach social
studies can be seen. Let us start by looking at why students do not like social studies. In an article
titled Why Kids Don't Like Social

There is not much experience I get to observe in my mentor teacher class when it comes to teaching
social studies. We only focus on this subject about 20 to 30 minute a day. Since we are given a short
period of time to teach social studies to the students, the lessons that are planned will have to be
broken down segment and taught throughout the week. Within the short amount of time, the teacher
would have to introduce part of the lessons day by day.
A successful experienced that I have from my social studies teaching during my placement was
when the students was learning about the Regions of Texas and the U.S.. The TEKS that aligned
with this lesson was that the students will be able to describe a variety of regions in Texas and the
United States such as political, population, and economic regions that result from patterns of
human activity (7A). During this social studies lesson, the students are reading the articles that
was provided to comprehend informational text and understanding of factual information. When
students are done reading, they will then compare regions of Texas to the regions of the United
States. In this unit, the lesson is broken down into 6 to 7 days but I will only go into details only
on a few days of this lesson. On day 1, the students will focus on how Texas has land, animals,
plants that are also similar to other areas in the United States. The students will also read about
Beaches and Ocean waters, Giant Pine Trees, Miles and Miles of

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