EDU 375 603: Teaching Elementary School Social Studies

SUNY Cortland Education Department

Course Description:

This course emphasizes the content and methods for teaching elementary and intermediate social studies focusing upon how children learn social studies, problem solving, social issues and social action, recent trends and programs, and the integration of social studies with other areas of the elementary/intermediate school curriculum.

Required Textbook/Other Course Materials:

Bigelow, B. & Peterson, B. (1998). Rethinking Columbus , The Next 500 Years . Milwaukee : Rethinking Schools.

New York State Education Department. (2002). Learning Standards for Social Studies. Albany : NYSED.

New York State Education Department. (2002). Social Studies Resource Guide with Core Curriculum . Albany : NYSED.

Rand McNally. (1998). Atlas of American History . New York : Houghton Mifflin.

Zinn, H. (2003). A People's History of the United States : 1492 – present. New York : Perennial Press.

Recommended Materials (optional):

New York State Education Department. (2002). Consider the Source: Historical Records in the Classroom . Albany : NYSED.

Selected Websites for the Course:

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) at

http://www.ncss.org/ AND http://www.socialstudies.org/

The New York State Learning Standards at

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/social.html

The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) at

http://www.udel.edu/bateman/acei/

Library of Congress at

http://www.loc.gov/

Rationale and Goals of the Course:

The prospective Social Studies teacher will be prepared for effective interaction with elementary and/or intermediate students. The student will experience and understand strategies and theories of Social Studies pedagogy as well as implement them in an experimental "classroom". This will enable one to shape and fine-tune one's personal approach to the science and art of teaching as well as increase one's knowledge of social studies content. 

EDU375 Broad Course Goals (Goals to be used for the Multimedia Webfolio assignment): 

1. Recognized the scope and breadth of social studies topics and identified social studies topics in the elementary school curriculum.
2. Explored multiple perspectives of social studies topics, address diverse learning needs of learners, and construct hands-on social studies activities that support the NYS and NCSS standards.
3. Explored the strategies of developing an interdisciplinary approach to social studies instruction

Specific course goals are as follows:

TaskStream Component of the Course

The Childhood/Early Childhood Education Department uses TaskStream as its data management tool for performance-based assessment for New York State Department of Education, NCATE (ACEI), and other reports. Candidates are required to subscribe to TaskStream, and to upload certain tasks into a Directed Response Folio for each of their courses in the C/EC program.  For EDU 375, the only assignment to be submitted to TaskStream before December 15 is Social Studies Mini-Unit Plan .

Course Requirements:

•  Professionalis m

Attendance and punctuality are essential in this course. Come to class each week on time. Return from breaks on time. Finish and submit all assignments on time. Your course points won't be affected if you miss this course twice or less. If you miss three or more times, you will be deducted 5 points out of your total course points. If you miss five or more classes, a letter grade will be deducted from the course grade. Arriving more than 30 minutes late and/or leaving early will be counted as an absence.

PLEASE NOTE: I realize that circumstances beyond your control may at times require that you arrive late, leave early, or miss class. Please write a note to me explaining any such circumstances in case I do not remember verbal explanations. I will not excuse absences, but I will take reasonable conflicts into consideration when calculating final course grades.

PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to keep copies of all handouts and other materials needed to score well on the exams and document your class performance should questions arise. Copies of missed handouts should be secured from the instructor in advance or fellow students as I might not carry multiple copies of old handouts to class each day. Do please feel free to come to my office and get or copy handouts there.

•  “Making a Difference” -- Civic Engagement/Service Learning Project (10%) DUE any time of the semester, but no later than Dec.1. Submission through WebCt.

Each student will participate in a 3-clock hour civic engagement/service learning project and write a one-page essay reflecting on his or her participation. Early accomplishment of this project is strongly encouraged and appreciated. Suggested projects and d etailed instruction for this assignment will be provided on WebCt.

•  In-Class Mid-term Exam (10%) – Due in class on October 5, 2006

The mid-term exam will be a formative assessment of your performance and my instruction in this course. There will be five “question and answer” items on the exam. The result will assist the instructor how to improve the instruction to make sure the course objectives are met or will be met after adjustments. The questions on the mid-term exam will be totally based on the covered content of the course.

•  Children's Book Project: Teaching Social Studies Concepts through Multicultural (Auto)Biographies (15%) Due October 17 to be submitted through WebCt.

Each student is required to read one multicultural (auto)biography of at grade level 4 or above, write a 50 to 100-word annotation for the book, and develop a lesson plan with ONE learning activity to teach one or more social studies concepts using the biography. Detailed explanation and evaluation rubrics are provided on WebCt.

•  Shared Project with Science EDU374 - Wolf Journal-Related Learning Activity (10%) Due November 9

As you read Wolf Journal in EDU374, please consider its potential connection to social studies. Each of the students will design ONE learning activity using Wolf Journal as a children's literature book to teach at least one social studies concept and/or theme. Handouts for the learning activity should be designed if necessary. You will have opportunities to work 6 th graders one-on-one using this lesson learning activity.

•  Community Diversity Analysis Paper (15%) First draft DUE on November 16. Please bring a first draft (hard copy) on November 16 for peer review. A final version is DUE on November 21 and should be submitted through WebCt.

Each student is required to write a 4-6 page community diversity analysis paper (word processed, double-spaced, margin 1 inch on all sides, font 12, page-numbered) based on his or her observations in an elementary social studies classroom. Before turning in the paper, each student should give his or her paper to another student in the class for peer review. The student who reviews the paper should write comments for the author. Detailed descriptions and rubrics of this paper will be provided through WebCt .

•  Cooperative Social Studies Mini-Unit Plan (25%) DUE on December 5 Hard Copy Submission as well as webCt submission. Presentations on December 5 and 7.

Cooperative Social Studies Mini-Unit Plan is the only assignment for EDU 375 that is required to be uploaded on TaskStream at the end of the semester.

Four students are expected to work in a cooperative group and develop an elementary grade level (4 th grade -6 th grade for this unit plan) social studies unit of at least four connected lessons. The unit will be judged on such factors as rationale, objectives, the quality of its content, its use of appropriate and engaging instructional strategies, and clarity of procedures. Each unit plan should includes considerations of high order questions in Bloom's Taxonomy, Multiple Intelligences Theory, Children's Literature, use of primary sources, technology integration, and civic/service learning project. Each group of four students turns in one final project, which is due on December. Each student will present his or her lesson plan in that unit on December 5 and 7. Detailed explanation and evaluation rubric are provided on WebCt. In the case that it is impossible to form into groups of four, I will discuss with students and form into groups of five students.

•  Multimedia Webfolio (15%) DUE December 12

At the end of the semester, you will create a multimedia webfolio, which will reflect the work you have done in all your courses in this TMB (thematic method block). It will replace the final exam in all of the TMB courses and will be presented to your instructors and peers during finals week. This webfolio will account for 15% of your final grade in EACH of the TMB courses. More specific information about this multimedia webfolio assignment will be provided on WebCt. You will present your webfolio on Thursday, December 12 2006 to a small group of peers and your instructors .

•  Demonstration of a Ready-Made Lesson Plan. Bonus Points (5 points)

This is the first time for me to try this with EDU 375 603 and 604 this semester. I'm very excited!

You and your course buddy could volunteer (alone or together) to demonstrate a lesson plan or lead a discussion after the demonstration in our class this semester to earn 5 extra points to your final course points. The lesson plan was written already and has been successful in previous demonstrations. If you volunteer to demonstrate a lesson plan, you and the instructor will meet before your demonstration and the instructor will walk you through the lesson plan. Most of the lesson plans need more than one student and each of you could demonstrate one activity if not the whole lesson plan. Handouts and lesson plans will be provided for you. Trust me, it is a wonderful opportunity to practice teaching using a ready-made lesson plan. Through the experience, you will learn about how a lesson plan could be implemented in actual classroom. You will also learn about the key components in each lesson plan. Your demonstration will be of great help to your other course projects and to your teaching experience in the long run. Trust me, you won't regret!

There are only 12 opportunities available for this task. So volunteer as early as you can! Again, I promise it is going to be a special experience.

Course Evaluation:

Student evaluation is based on the following components of SUNY Cortland's Conceptual Framework (CF):

Unit Plans (CF #1 - Knowledge Base, CF # 2, - Professional Commitments, CF #3 - Standards, CF #4 - Diversity, CF #5 - Assessment, CF #6 - Technology)

Multicultural Biography Project + Wolf Journal Project

(CF #1 - Knowledge Base, CF # 2, - Professional Commitments, CF #3 - Standards, CF #4 - Diversity

Community Diversity

Analysis Paper (CF # 1 - Knowledge base, CF # 2 - Professional Commitments)

Civic Engagement (CF# 2 – Professional Commitments, CF# 3 – Standards, CF#4 – Diversity)

Multimedia Webfolio (CF #1 - Knowledge Base, CF# 2 – Professional Commitments, CF#4 – Diversity, CF#5 – Assessment, CF#6 Technology)

Grading:

Civic Engagement /Service Learning 10%

Shared Wolf Journal activity with EDU374 10%

Mid-term Exam 10%

Multicultural Biography Project 15%

Diversity Analysis Paper 15%

Cooperative Unit Plan 25%

Multimedia Webfolio 15%

TOTAL 100%

Grading will be based on participation and assignments. Numerical grade equivalents are as follows:
99-100 points = A+ 95 to 9 8 points = A 90 to 94 points =A-

80 to 83 points = B- 84 to 8 7 points = B 88 to 89 points = B+

78 to 79 points = C+ 74 to 77 points = C 70 to 73 points =C-

68 to 69 points = D + 64 to 67 points =D 60 to 63 points =D-

0 to 59 points = F

•  SUNY Cortland Conceptual Framework:  

Teacher Education: All teacher education candidates at SUNY Cortland will possess the following:

•  Knowledge Base
· Understand how students learn and develop
· Manage classrooms for a safe learning environment
· Know and apply various disciplinary models

•  Professional Commitments
· Promote parental involvement
· Continue to develop as reflective practitioners and lifelong learners

•  Standards
· Integrate curriculum among disciplines
· Balance historical and contemporary research, theory and practice

•  Diversity
· Learn and develop a variety of teaching strategies
· Apply a variety of teaching strategies to help all students learn

•  Assessment
· Use of multiple and authentic forms of assessment

•  Technology
· Integrate technology into classroom instruction

•  Learning Outcomes/Expectations of SUNY Cortland Teacher Candidates:
Candidates will:

•  Demonstrate a solid foundation in the arts and sciences.

•  Possess in-depth knowledge of the subject area to be taught.

•  Demonstrate good moral character.

•  Understand how students learn and develop.

•  Manage classrooms structured in a variety of ways to promote a safe learning environment.

•  Know and apply various disciplinary models to manage student behavior.

•  Apply a variety of teaching strategies to develop a positive teaching-learning environment where all students are encouraged to achieve their highest potential.

•  Integrate curriculum among disciplines and balance historical and contemporary research, theory and practice.

•  Use multiple and authentic forms of assessment to analyze teaching and student learning and to plan curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of individual students. 

•  Promote parental involvement and collaborate effectively with other staff, the community, higher education, other agencies and cultural institutions as well as parents and other caregivers, for the benefit of students.

•  Demonstrate sufficient technology skills and the ability to integrate technology into classroom teaching/learning.

•  Foster respect for individual's abilities and disabilities and an understanding and appreciation of variations of ethnicity, culture, language, gender, age, class and sexual orientation.

•  Continue to develop professional as reflective practitioners who are committed to an on-going scholarly inquiry.

•  Standards Goal: 2e ACEI (Association for Childhood Education International) standard met by EDU 375

•  Social Studies candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studies, the integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areas to promote elementary students' abilities to make informed decisions as well as to become citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world 

Academic Integrity

Students with Disabilities

Tentative Course Schedule with Weekly Reading Assignments:

( Reading and written assignments should be finished by the date they are listed on.)

Week 1 Course Overview and Building a Learning Community

8/29 Syllabi and Schedules -- EvTMB Block-I Shared Class

Please g et all the required textbooks before Thursday and bring them to class Thursday

Please start reading Chapter 1 pp.1-22 of Zinn's “A people's History of the United States ” (Referred to as Zinn Book hereafter)

8/31 Read pp. 3-18 in Social Studies Resource Guide with Core Curriculum

Read online NCSS's definition of Social Studies at http://www.ncss.org/about/

NCSS = National Council for the Social Studies

Be prepared to discuss and answer questions in class:

1. W hat is social studies? Please find the million-dollar-definition of social studies by NCSS on its website, but you should also come up with your own definition of social studies.

What are the goals of elementary social studies?

1. According to the Social Studies Resource Guide with Core Curriculum, w hat are the eight dimensions of teaching and learning social studies?

Social Studies Bingo Civic Engagement Service Learning Project Assignment Starts.

Multimedia Webfolio Assignment starts.

Week 2 Critical Thinking of Elementary Social Studies Curriculum

9/5 Wolf Journal – Start Reading it

Continue to read Zinn's Book Chapter 1 about Columbus .

Read p.1 of New York State Education Department. (2002). Learning Standards for Social Studies . Albany : NYSED. Online version available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/pub/sslearn.pdf

Read pp.21-35 of New York State Education Department. (2002). Social Studies Resource Guide with Core Curriculum . Albany : NYSED

Read pp. 9-16 of the Atlas of American History and bring it to c lass next time we meet.

Be ready to discuss and a nswer questions:

In New York State , what are the five social studies learning standards?

For grades 1 through 6, what are the major topics of social studies? How much elementary students need to know about U.S. history?

How do we meet the New York Learning Standards of Social Studies?

NCSS Ten Themes

Organizing Content of Social Studies Program with NCSS Ten Themes

9/7 Finish reading Chapter 1 of Zinn Book “ Columbus, the Indians, and the Human Progress”. Use the Atlas of American History . What does the map tell us?

Shared readings from Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years by Biglow

Week 3 Raquette Lake Outdoor Education Experiences – No Class on 9/12 and please catch up course readings on your own.

9/14 Project Learning Tree with Beth (No Class for EDU375)

Week 4 Planning for Elementary Social Studies and Assessment

9/19 Approach to Social Studies – Cooperative Mini-Unit Plan

Cooperative Unit Plan Assignment Starts.

Please finish Zinn Book Chapter 6 “The Intimately Oppressed” by Thursday.

9/21 Discussion of Zinn Book Chapter 6 “The Intimately Oppressed”.

Introduction of the Unit

Examples of previous students' unit plan.

What is a social studies unit? What are the key components of a social studies unit? What are the major steps of developing a unit?

Ways to start planning your unit:

Using topics in Zinn Book as topics for your unit plan

An Ongoing List of Sung and Unsung Heroes for your unit plan

Please start thinking about your unit plan. Start with a rationale for the whole unit.

Cooperative groups should be formed by next Tuesday

Week 5 Citizenship Education and Community Service Learning

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

9/26 Read pp.24-27 of NYS Learning Standards for Social Studies

Lesson plan format discussion
Lesson plan demonstration: How do people improve their community? (3 volunteers needed)

9/28 Higher-Order Questions/Objectives/Student Outcomes

Learning to write objectives based on the content knowledge of the two chapters we have read in Zinn Book. Review lesson plan templates. Check point for Rationale.

Read online. Please bring a hard copy to the class.

Higher Order Questions vs. Factual Questions? (Bloom's Taxonomy) at http://www.coun.uvic.ca/learn/program/hndouts/bloom.html

Learn to write objectives of a lesson or unit. How to evaluate student performance?

Plan for different learners in your classroom.

Week 6 Multicultural Education and Cooperative Learning

10/3 Lime Hollow Field Trip – No Class

Children's Book Project: Teaching Social Studies Concepts through multicultural (Auto)Biographies Assignment Starts.

Homework: Go to the library and check out a multicultural biography from TMC or on course reserve from the list provided. If you find one that is not on the list, please talk to the instructor. Finish reading it no later than October 19.

10/5 Video “The Eye of the Storm”

In-Class Mid-term Exam .

Community Diversity Analysis Paper Assignment Starts

Week 7 Geography: People, Places, and Environment

10/10 Read pp.14-15 of New York Learning Standards for Social Studies

What are the six essential elements in Geography Standard?

Video – Five Themes of Geography (one volunteer needed)

Getting to know Africa better through the Maasai people

Checkpoint for Unit Exam with key or project with rubric

(Oct. 12-16)—Have a great fall break!

Week 8 Power of Literature and Writing in Social Studies

10/17 Lesson plan demonstration

Practicing Writing the Lesson Plan using the multicultural biography

Messenger and Scribe (one volunteer needed)

Six Responses / Two-Word Strategy (one volunteer needed)

10/19 Practicing Writing the Lesson Plan using the multicultural biography of your own choice.

(a.k.a. Children's Book Project)

We will share a bibliography of all the biographies you read.

Read five pages from the following website: “Life of the Maasai”

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/transcripts/5-31-2001.1-1.shtml

Week 9 History: The Roots of Knowledge

10/24 Read: Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Gardner's Five Entry Points (handout provided)

Read pp.2-5 of NYS Learning Standards for the Social Studies

Read pp. 17-31 of the Atlas of American History.

Civic Engagement Service Learning Project Checkpoint.

Children's Book Project DUE today through WebCT

10/26 Lesson Demonstration: American Revolution (two volunteers needed)

Reflection questions:

What are the objectives of the lesson?

How does this lesson use Multiple Intelligence theories?

How does this lesson set, achieve, and evaluate its objectives?

Community Diversity Analysis Paper Assignment Checkpoint

(Optional) Read Alfie Kohn's article on “What to look in a classroom” at http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/wtlfiacchart.htm

Week 10 Using Primary Sources to Teach History

10/31 Read Zinn Book Chapter 17 “Or Does it Explode?”

Read pp.8-11 of NYS Learning Standards for Social Studies

Read pp. 39-44 of the Atlas of American History

Bring NY State Social Studies Learning Standards and Core Curriculum to class and get ready to discuss:

1. What is “school history”?

2. What are the appropriate historical concepts for elementary learners?

3. What are the appropriate historical thinking skills?

11/2 Primary Sources and DBQs. Checkpoint of Unit Plan Outline (Draft)

Share Unit Plan Outline draft in groups

Grade 5 Social Studies Test Review

Homework: Students form into pairs and go to library TMC to checkout at least one Jackdaw Kit for each pair. It would be great if the Jackdaw Kit is related to your unit plan. Bring the Jackdaw Kit to class.

Week 11 History: The Root of Knowledge Continued.

11/7 Each pair of students brings one Jackdaws Kit to class. Jackdaw Activity.

students share what they learn from Jackdaw Kits.

11/9 Checkpoint for Unit Plan Rationale, Standards Addressed, and Objectives Draft

Wolf Journal-related Learning Activity Due Today

Week 12 Economics: Production, Distribution, and Consumption

11/14 Read pp.18-21 of NYS Learning Standards for Social Studies

Start reading Zinn Book Chapter 25 The 2000 Election and the “War on Terrorism”

Read pp.63-71 of Atlas of American History

Economics: Explaining Money and More / Economics Lesson Plan Demonstration (two volunteers needed)

11/16 Community Diversity Analysis Paper (First Draft) is due today . Each student brings a

hard copy to class for peer review

Read Zinn Book Chapter 25 The 2000 Election and the “War on Terrorism”

Checkpoints for the Lesson Plans in the Cooperative Unit Plan

Week 13 Interdisciplinary: Integrating Other Subjects into Social Studies

11/21 Community Diversity Analysis Paper (final version) DUE today

Unit Plan Workshop

Unit Plan Cooperative Group Presentation Sign-up List (Available dates for presentation: December 5 and 7)

11/23 Thanksgiving Break – No Class

Week 14 Unit Plan Workshop

11/28 Group Unit Plan Workshop

11/30 McGraw School Field Trip – Integrated session with McGraw 6 th graders

No Class for EDU375

Week 15 Reflecting on Course Experiences: Presentations of Cooperative Unit Plans

12/5 Written Unit Plan Due in class (Late submission will cost 5 points for each member in the cooperative group.)

Student Presentations

12/7 Student Presentations

Week 16 Reflecting on Block I – evTMB Experiences: Presentations of Webfolios

12/12 Multimedia Webfolio Presentation

12/15 Uploading Social Studies Mini-Unit Plan to TaskStream DUE TODAY

*This syllabus is tentative and may be modified at the discretion of the instructor and at the reasonable requests of the students.

**Please type the final project . Use font 12, use appropriate subheadings for each section, page-numbered.