Page 118 - Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students 4th Edition

90 Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students
topic. For example, if you were planning a series of lessons about the executive branch of our federal government, including where our president lives, The Story of the White House (Waters, 1991) would be a much better choice than Woodrow, the White House Mouse (Barnes & Barnes, 1998). After students have developed a realistic perspective on the presi- dency, you might want to share the Barnes and Barnes text during literacy and ask students to distinguish fact from fantasy. At that point you might even want to talk about the possi- ble motivation behind the authors’ decision for presenting playful/fanciful characters.
In several other places in this text (particularly in Chapter 12) we have discussed the pit- falls to avoid when seeking to accomplish curricular integration. Remember, wise integration demands much more than simply selecting literature that connects to the topic under study.
Throughout this text, we offer you guiding principles to assist in your planning. For example, in Chapters 10 and 11 we elaborate on strategy and activity selection, and in Chapter 9 we provide guidelines for assessment. The planning tool on government in Appendix A and the unit on shelter in Chapter 3 underscore the importance of a goals- oriented approach. We encourage you to consider these templates and the tools offered in this chapter as you plan your year to ensure a solid social studies program.
Frequently Asked Questions
While there is general agreement that planning is one of the most important responsibilities of a classroom teacher, it also is one of the most difficult. If you are beginning teaching, shift- ing grade levels, or changing curricula, planning can become overwhelming. Over the past several years, we have collected questions posed by professionals faced with planning issues. Following are our responses to those most frequently asked. We know that you will identify with many of them, and we hope our thoughts will stimulate your thinking. We encourage you to engage in conversation with your colleagues about these and other planning matters. Plan- ning issues are ongoing due to changes in national and state standards, new testing require- ments, changes in local school board policies, and so forth. Getting planning changes on the table is the first step in maintaining a powerful social studies program in your classroom.
How can I avoid becoming simply a textbook teacher? Adopt the high road! The sooner you realize that if you are a true professional who will never be replaced by tech- nology or textbooks, the happier you will be. Spend a major portion of your mental energy on goals and big ideas—even when you simply do not have time to create com- prehensive units of your own. Do not hesitate to borrow units from others to get you started. The secret is to internalize and personalize the content. You need to deconstruct and then reconstruct it for yourself so you can model these practices for your students.
Accept the fact that the textbook is a single source developed for the full range of instructional situations. Help your students to realize its limitations. Engender curiosity and help students develop a realization that there is so much to learn outside the bound- aries of a single source. Once students experience that for themselves, they will amaze you. A teacher recently remarked “I cannot possibly teach everything my students need to know even at my grade level. It has been calculated that there are over 300 standards and benchmarks. My challenge is to open their heads and their hearts to the world. There are unlimited resources we can tap. I could get overwhelmed if I did not pay close attention to the goal and big idea pieces. They rein in my responsibility and help me maintain integrity when it comes to instruction and accountability.”
How can I incorporate the state and national standards and yet not be over- whelmed by them? Familiarize yourself with them. Start with your existing curricu- lum and the units you have developed. Use the standards as a filter to determine what
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