Our Textbooks: Are They Fair?

Adapted from Open Minds to Equality (3rd Edition), elementary social studies methods students analyzed illustrations from social studies text books. They observed who was portrayed (how inclusive are the representations) and whether the portrayals were culturally authentic. The students were also to examine the content in each text by looking at the contributions of different groups of people; examining the perspective from which the subject is presented; and looking for omissions, distortions. They were also to answer whether the struggles of each group’s (racial/ethnic, age, religious, class, gender, sexuality, and individualism vs. cooperation) fight for civil rights/equality presented?

They presented their findings orally and used charts or graphs to assist in the presentation. See the links below for examples.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B29mdPfkfwGyNllKeTZKamJFM1E/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B29mdPfkfwGyYWpHZG5nS3JKYlk/edit?usp=sharing

Sojourner Truth Puppet Shows

Students from my social studies methods course formulated skits about the life of Sojourner Truth. The activity was adapted from the 3rd edition of Open Minds to Equality. As part of our journey through U.S. history, we arrived at a moment in the adaptation of A People's History where the suffrage movement was mentioned. Often young people gain knowledge about Susan B. Anthony, but many do not know the role Sojourner Truth played as an abolitionist and a suffragist. Here are some of their creations.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-1itcVTg1EueFdTYmc3QUhlM2M/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-1itcVTg1EuQjhpUWMtd01jalE/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-1itcVTg1EuNnJZV1FBRlZqcWs/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-1itcVTg1EuRzhvSnJzSDhCU2c/edit?usp=sharing

Cooperative Biographies and Teacher Scholarly Knowledge

For the May and June Term of Teaching Elementary School Social Studies, we have used Young Citizens of the World: Teaching Elementary Social Studies through Civic Engagement as our course text. Two notable activities we attempted based on the reading was to create listings of necessary teacher information for teaching social studies units on social movements and creating biographies as ebooks. Here are a few examples of student work.

Let's Rethink Cinco de Mayo

In an effort to move beyond the "Heroes and Holidays" approach to multicultural education, the Zinn Education Project has posted a discussion and some resources for transformative instruction.

http://zinnedproject.org/2012/05/rethinking-cinco-de-mayo/

Timelines

Timelines*

Timelines contain different types of information and span different lengths of time. The help students understand chronology, issues of continuity, change, and cause and effect. A timeline is a tool to assist with learning; they are a type of graphic organizer. They help students synthesize and evaluate learning and should not be the total of student learning about a topic.

Procedural Recommendations:

1. Select a unit for which chronology/sequencing is essential. Instruct students on the concept of  
sequencing.

2. Determine what increments will be marked on the timeline (1 year, 10 years, etc…).

3. Structure questions related to the lesson/unit objectives that encourage students to think critically 
in choosing items for the timeline or in evaluating items on an existing timeline.

4. Encourage the use of mixed media (words, pictures, photographs, etc…). Timelines can even be 
acted out.

Suggestions for Use:

Primary Grades: Chronicle the day or their life

Intermediate Grades: Historical Events

*Obenchain, K.M. & Morris, R.V. (2011). 50 social studies strategies for k-8 classrooms (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Here are some timelines created by my social studies methods students highlighting some of the major historical topics we covered while reading A Young People's History of the United States.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-1itcVTg1EuMVNnRUtNSWVEeUFHajNLVmNaa3IyQ1pUNkdv/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B29mdPfkfwGyTjdtbWE4OXVTRHc/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B29mdPfkfwGyUmhZUkNsMjVZU3M/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B29mdPfkfwGycnJsNXpnb19IUzQ/edit?usp=sharing

Unsung Heroes

The Zinn Education Project, in collaboration with Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change offer classroom resources to assist teachers in teaching outside of the social studies text book. One such activity can be found in A People's History for the Classroom. In "Teaching About Unsung Heroes" students become acquainted with individuals who worked tirelessly for racial and gender justice. In following the activity guidelines, my Elementary Curriculum students acquainted themselves with a hero of choice, took on that individuals persona, and "mixed and mingled" with other social justice heroes in the room. After our networking session, the students were placed in small groups where they created VoiceThreads* highlighting the lives of unsung heroes. Here are three examples of their creations.




http://voicethread.com/share/4997506/

https://voicethread.com/share/4997490/

http://voicethread.com/share/4997477/

*A VoiceThread account maybe needed to access some of the Threads.

How Children's Books Fuel Mascot Stereotypes

Check out this link from Colorlines for an interview with Debbie Reese.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/04/mascot_stereotype_start_in_childrens_books_an_interview_with_debbie_reese.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter