Page 40 - Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students 4th Edition

12 Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students
Storypath offers a way to organize social science understandings into meaningful learn- ing experiences, challenging students to consider the value dimensions and implications of their decisions. Storypath combines students’ imagination with real-life experiences through an inquiry process and structurally uses the story form of setting, characters, and plot. The story can be based on historical events or on typical structures children encounter on a daily basis (e.g., local communities, businesses). Storypath uses a narrative structure that helps students grasp concepts in a meaningful context (McGuire & Cole, 2010, pp. 25–26).
The idea of Storypath was developed over 40 years ago in Scotland. More recently, Margit E. McGuire refined it based upon years of experiences with teachers and students. Currently 16 units are available for elementary students. Examples of topics include Safari, Great Barrier Reef, Oregon Trail, and Life in Ancient Egypt. For more information, see fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/web/.
Social Scientific Issues Issues analysis is an instructional approach suggested by social studies educators who believe that debating social and civic issues is the most direct way to develop dispositions toward critical thinking and reflective decision making in our citizens (Engle & Ochoa, 1988; Evans & Saxe, 1996). Most proposals for issues- centered social studies have focused on the secondary grades, but some have suggested that primary-grade social studies should engage them in inquiry and debate about social policy issues. Reflective discussion of social issues and related decision-making opportu- nities should be included in teaching social studies at all grade levels, although it is important to consider the age-appropriateness of both the content of the issue and the method of discussion.
With issues analysis, students deliberate matters of public concern about which there is reasonable disagreement. Issues can be historical or contemporary. For exam- ple, they might focus on the effects of natural disasters on humans. Through the study of earthquakes, students could analyze their causes and consequences, how human rights are both abused and protected during earthquakes, and how countries can help each other during disasters (Pang, Fernekes, & Nelson, 2010). As another exam- ple, students could debate whether drivers should be allowed to text message while driving or whether school uniforms should be required. To teach issues analysis effec- tively, children need practice in reading material related to the topic, taking a stand and defending their position with evidence or logic, considering other points of view, and listening to others’ perspectives (Harris, 2002). Most teachers do not use this approach in the elementary classroom because it is time-intensive, often requires background reading, and departs from traditional approaches. However, issues-centered education offers rich opportunities for children to learn valuable content and to see themselves as future citizens.
Project-Based Learning Project-based learning (which is a kind of problem-based learning) actively involves students in studying a topic that has meaning and application to the world beyond school (Katz & Chard, 2000). The topic can be generated by the teacher or by students. The approach represents a form of “learning by doing” hailed by many advocates of progressive pedagogy. Historically, teachers using this approach selected topics based upon children’s perceived interests. It involves exploration (often through data collection) of the topic, structured by the teacher in the form of learning centers, art projects, investigations, surveys, visits from local experts, field trips, and other activities. Often with project-based learning, students collaborate on a project over an extended period of time, producing an artifact or final project such as writing
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