EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies

State University of New York College at Cortland
School of Education
Childhood/Early Childhood Department
Education 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies
Course Syllabus

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.

Course Attendance Policy: **Mandatory** Your presence and participation are crucial in a course that emphasizes interaction and the experiential. Penalties are given for unexcused and/or chronic absences (see handbook, pg. 56).

Rationale 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-tine one's personal approach to the science and art of teaching as well as increase one's knowledge of social studies content. 

Student evaluation is based on the following components of SUNY Cortland's Conceptual Framework (CF):
Mid-term Exam (CF #1 - Knowledge Base)
Community and Diversity Analysis Paper (CF # 1 - Knowledge base, CF # 2 - Professional Commitments)
Learning Log (CF #2 Professional Commitments)
Lesson Planning and Implementation (CF # 1 - Knowledge Base, CF # 3 - Standards, CF # 4 - Diversity, CF # 5 - Assessment) 
Children's Social Studies Literature Project (CF #3, CF #6)
Unit Plans (CF #1 - Knowledge Base, CF # 2, - Professional Commitments, CF #3 - Standards, CF #4 - Diversity, CF #5 - Assessment, CF #6 - Technology)

Evaluation of Student Performance: Based on mandatory attendance (5 points), Community and Diversity Analysis Paper (10 points), Learning Log (20 points), Children's Social Justice Literature Project (10 points), Mid-term Exam (15 points), Peer Lesson Planning and Implementation (5 points), Virtual Field Trip (10 points), Learning Center (10 points) and Mini-Unit Plan (25 points). 

SUNY Cortland Conceptual Framework: 
Teacher Education: All teacher education candidates at SUNY Cortland will possess the following:
1. Knowledge Base
·  Understand how students learn and develop
· Manage classrooms for a safe learning environment
· Know and apply various disciplinary models
2. Professional Commitments
· Promote parental involvement
· Continue to develop as reflective practitioners and lifelong learners
3. Standards
· Integrate curriculum among disciplines
· Balance historical and contemporary research, theory and practice
4. Diversity
· Learn and develop a variety of teaching strategies
· Apply a variety of teaching strategies to help all students learn
5. Assessment
· Use of multiple and authentic forms of assessment
6. Technology
· Integrate technology into classroom instruction

Learning Outcomes/Expectations of SUNY Cortland Teacher Candidates:

Candidates will:
1. Demonstrate a solid foundation in the arts and sciences.
2. Possess in-depth knowledge of the subject area to be taught.
3. Demonstrate good moral character.
4. Understand how students learn and develop.
5. Manage classrooms structured in a variety of ways to promote a safe learning  environment.
6. Know and apply various disciplinary models to manage student behavior.
7. Apply a variety of teaching strategies to develop a positive teaching-learning environment where all students are encouraged to achieve their highest potential.
8. Integrate curriculum among disciplines and balance historical and contemporary research, theory and practice.
9. 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. 
10. 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.
11. Demonstrate sufficient technology skills and the ability to integrate technology into classroom teaching/learning.
12. 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.
13. Continue to develop professional as reflective practitioners who are committed to an on-going scholarly inquiry.

Standards Goal: 2e ACEI 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 citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world. 

Broad Course Goals: 
(1) Candidates will develop a sense of skepticism through social science inquiry approaches.
(2) Candidates will develop integrated disciplinary learning experiences.
(3) Candidates will understand and use critical pedagogy.
(4) Candidates will engage elementary age learners in processes that seek to produce a sense of empathy and a desire to enact social justice.

Specific course goals are as follows:

Academic Integrity Statement:
The college is an academic community which values academic integrity and takes seriously its responsibility for upholding academic honesty. All members of the academic community have an obligation to uphold high intellectual and ethical standards. For more information on academic integrity and academic dishonesty, please refer to the College Handbook, the College Catalog and the Code of Student Conduct and Related Policies or ask your instructor.

Students with Disabilities:
If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please contact the Office of Student Disability Services located in B-40 Van Hoesen Hall or call (607) 753-2066 for an appointment. Information regarding your disability will be treated in a confidential manner. Because many accommodations require early planning, requests for accommodations should be made as early as possible.

Grading: Grading will be based on participation and assignments. Numerical grade equivalents are as follows:
A+   99 - 100%
A     95 - 98%
A-    90 - 94%
B+   88 - 89%
B     84 - 87%
B-    80 - 83%
C+   78 - 79%
C     74 - 77%
C-    70 - 73%
D+   68 - 69%
D     64 - 67%
D-    60 - 63%
F      00 - 59%

Learning Activities and Assignments:
The following are requirements of this course. You will be asked to evaluate yourself on each of these throughout the duration of this course.

1. Class Participation
· Demonstrate your thorough understandings of the assigned readings.
· Contribute regularly in class - not dominating discussions or having to be prompted to contribute during class discussions.
· Listen attentively.
· Attend every class, on time and prepared. 

2. Reading Assignments
· There is extensive reading for this course. You are expected to come to class having already read the assigned material. Occasionally, there will be in-class assignments related to your reading, as well as in class group assignments.

3. Written Assignments
· Four reading responses to assigned reading
· One mid-term exam
· One Community and Diversity Analysis paper
· One Social Studies Mini-Unit Plan with (four connected lessons)

4. Teaching Assignments
· One peer teaching lesson plan (with reflection)

5. Presentation Assignments
· One Children's Social Justice Literature Project
· One Social Studies Learning Center
· One Virtual Field Trip Assignment

Course Assessment and Evaluation:

Evaluation should be designed to (1) promote your own growth and learning; (2) give you on-going feedback; (3) strengthen the working relationship between the teacher and the student.

Detailed descriptions of all assignments and corresponding grading rubrics will be handed out in class. Please follow the rubric and assignment explanations carefully to avoid misunderstandings.

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 assignment to be submitted is the mini unit plan on the same due date as mentioned on the course calendar.

Assessment and evaluation of this course will be based on a 100-point system and is outlined as follows:

In class participation (including final presentation/exam) 5 points
Community/Diversity Analysis Paper (field observation) 10 points
Mid-Term Exam 15 points
Learning Log including:
4 Reader Responses @ 5 points each 20 points
Children's Social Justice Literature Project 10 points
Peer Teaching (including plan and reflection) 5 points
Social Studies Unit Plan including:
4 connected lessons 15 points
Learning center 10 points
Virtual Field Trip 10 points

Rewrite and Re-do policy:

If you receive less than full credit on your reading responses, you can re-write it and turn it in within one week. If you resubmit a reading response, it must be re-typed and you must turn in your original paper and the original scoring rubric so I can see the changes you made. Your new grade will be an average of the original and new grade.

If you receive less than full credit on your peer teaching lesson plan, you can set up a time to meet individually with me to review your lesson plan and to implement my suggestions for improvement. Revisions can be made and you can resubmit your revised lesson plan for full credit. This is to ensure that you can apply what you've learned in class (both pedagogy and content) to your own planning.

The Children's Social Justice Literature Project presentation will not be accepted late, nor can it be redone.

The Social Studies Mini-Unit Plan will not be accepted late, nor can it be redone.

The Community and Diversity Analysis Paper will not be accepted late, nor can it be redone.

The Social Studies Learning Center will not be accepted late, nor can it be redone.

The Virtual Field Trip will not be accepted late, nor can it be redone.

The Community and Diversity Analysis Paper will not be accepted late, nor can it be redone