Page 260 - Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students 4th Edition

232 Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students
examine the purpose of the lesson useful. Do I want my students to be able to read any map they come across, or do I want them to reason why physical characteristics of places contribute to the culture of a community? Once I narrow down what I want my students to take away from the lesson, not just for the assessment but for the rest of their lives, I can more clearly determine how to con- struct classroom activities. And designing varied activities that have such dynamic applications help achieve long-term outcomes, not just a neat answer on a fill- in-the-blank exercise.
One of the most useful aspects of this chapter includes the tools not only for designing an activity, but also for evaluating its effectiveness. As a new teacher, I found it helpful to examine my lessons using the criteria outlined by the authors. If you’re coming to this chapter with the expectation of getting ready-made activities for your social studies classroom, you will not find them. Instead, the authors ask you to think critically about your activities: Do they match the goals? Are they the appropriate level of difficulty? Are they cost effective in terms of time and trouble? Are they feasible?
In one of our studies (Alleman & Brophy, 1993–94), we asked preservice teachers in senior-level social studies methods classes to reflect on their elementary-school social studies experiences. For each of three grade ranges (K–3, 4–6, and 7–8), we asked them to identify at least one activity that they remembered clearly and to explain what they learned from it. Following is what was written by a preservice teacher who apparently experienced a relatively barren K–8 social studies curriculum:
Powerful/Memorable Activity
Grades K–3
(No memory)
Fourth Grade
We wrote letters to a specific state (Texas) and requested information about that state. When we got the information we wrote reports and drew the flag, flower, and so on.
Seventh Grade
We used maps and grease pencils to learn geography, latitude, and longitude. For every chapter, we had to read and outline it.
Eighth Grade
We had to research a particular subject and write a report on it. My topic was the Holocaust.
Explanation of What You Learned
(No statement of learning)
I learned how to write a formal letter, learned a great many facts about Texas, and learned from other students’ posters and reports.
I learned how to locate places by reading maps and using lines of latitude and longitude. I learned to outline.
I learned how to use the library and to find research materials.
The next preservice teacher’s memories were typical in most respects, except that she reported a cultural unit rather than a First Thanksgiving activity at the K–3 level.
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