This book introduces a thematic approach to social history that connects the past to the daily lives of students. Historical overviews of vacation and manners spanning from the ancient world to twentieth century United States provide detailed context for the teacher, emphasize issues related to social class, sex and gender, and popular culture, and examine the methods of social historians. Four unique primary source sets, reading guides, and essential/compelling questions for students are provided that encourage inquiry learning and the development of critical literacy skills aligned with the Common Core Standards for Literacy and the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards. Each themed chapter includes suggestions for extending each theme to current events, the local community through placed-based education, and across content areas for interdisciplinary instruction. The final chapter provides guidance on how to research additional historical themes, locate relevant primary sources, and prepare themed lessons and units.

Literacy, Media, Technology considers the continued significance of popular culture forms such as postcards, film, television, games, virtual worlds and social media for educators. Following multiple pathways through technological innovation, the contributors reflect on the way in which digital and portable devices lead to new and emerging forms of reading, participating and creating. Rejecting linear conceptualisations of progression, they explore how time is not linear as technological advances are experienced in multiple ways linked to different personal, social, political and economic trajectories. The contributors describe a range of practices from formal and informal education spaces and interrogate some of the continuities and discontinuities associated with literacy, media and technology at a time when rapidly evolving communicative practices often meet intransigence in educational systems. The chapters adopt diverse forms: historical perspectives, personal story and reflection, project reports, document analysis, critical reviews of resources, ethnographic accounts, and analyses of meaning-making within and beyond educational institutions. Together, they provide multiple insights into the diverse and fluid relationships between literacy, media, technology, and everyday life, and the many ways in which these relationships are significant to educational research and practice.

This book compares the current status of democracy in selected Eastern European countries. The focus is on young people's attitudes towards and experiences of democracy, including active political engagement. In many of these countries, democracy has been hard-won and may well need to be defended again in the future. The contributors collectively reflect on young adults exercising their civic rights and how they can influence the political system at both formal and informal levels. The chapters present different issues that arise in unique contexts but overall reflect the changing status of democracy and its effects on young people's citizenship activity and education. The volume compares perspectives of three groups of Eastern European countries with different traditions and past histories of democracy and citizenship: Central European countries (Poland, Czech, Hungary); Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia); and post-soviet republics (Ukraine, Moldova). These countries differ in the status given to democracy, citizenship action traditions and education. At the same time, many countries have experienced recent turbulence related to democracy and different kinds of actions by young people. Comparing them leads to conclusions about omissions made in current citizenship education provision and what needs to be done for a better understanding of the needs of citizenship education in these difficult times. This volume will be of interest to students and scholars in citizenship and civic education, sociology, political science and Eastern European Studies.

* Helps teachers/leaders incorporate social justice themes and lessons into their curriculum; aligns well with CCSS * Written practically and accessibly to make it easy for readers to engage with * Features ready to use rubrics and assignment sheets as well as access to digital resources.

* Helps teachers/leaders incorporate social justice themes and lessons into their curriculum; aligns well with CCSS * Written practically and accessibly to make it easy for readers to engage with * Features ready to use rubrics and assignment sheets as well as access to digital resources.

Meet Bo and Zop, two scouts from the Omega Quadrant, on a mission to monitor Earth. Their job is to find out all about us Earthlings, to see if we are friendly enough for a visit from the aliens of Omegatron. Bo doesn't think so, he doesn't seem to understand us at all! Can Zop show Bo what it means to be an Earthling? Explore PSHE themes in a fun and interesting way with this lively series.

This is a vital resource for any teacher or administrator looking to help students tackle issues of race, class, gender, religion, and cultural background. Authors Martha Caldwell and Oman Frame, both lifelong educators, offer a series of teaching strategies designed to encourage conversation and personal reflection, enabling students to think creatively, rather than stereotypically, about difference. Using the Transformational Inquiry method, your students will learn to explore their own identities, share stories and thoughts with their peers, learn more through reading and research, and ultimately take personal and collaborative action to affect social change in their communities. This second edition's updates include new research throughout, as well as additional lessons on gender and sexuality. The lesson plans and handouts throughout the book are appropriate for middle and high school classes and are easy to implement into your own curriculum.

During the past several decades, there has been a blitz of information, sometimes referred to as the knowledge explosion, and students have struggled in their attempts to distinguish true, fake, and terribly biased information, especially regarding political issues. This book highlights the value of critical thinking as a way to navigate this difficult and frustrating terrain, so that students grow and develop as knowledgeable, independent thinkers. To promote this growth, the book offers thoughtful, evidence-based advice for teachers to support students' deep thinking as it relates to real-world contexts. Strategies presented include student reflection based on experience, moving from narrow to broader perspectives, and using graphic organizers to build and activate knowledge before, during, and after instructional activities. With the instructional guidance and activities presented in this short, easy-to-apply volume, teachers can give students the tools they need to negotiate the often-murky waters of political communication.

During the past several decades, there has been a blitz of information, sometimes referred to as the knowledge explosion, and students have struggled in their attempts to distinguish true, fake, and terribly biased information, especially regarding political issues. This book highlights the value of critical thinking as a way to navigate this difficult and frustrating terrain, so that students grow and develop as knowledgeable, independent thinkers. To promote this growth, the book offers thoughtful, evidence-based advice for teachers to support students' deep thinking as it relates to real-world contexts. Strategies presented include student reflection based on experience, moving from narrow to broader perspectives, and using graphic organizers to build and activate knowledge before, during, and after instructional activities. With the instructional guidance and activities presented in this short, easy-to-apply volume, teachers can give students the tools they need to negotiate the often-murky waters of political communication.

This book is about the anatomy of neoliberalism and education from a Marxist perspective. It is the dialectical materialism of neoliberal ideas, examining the material conditions of how these ideas and practices emerged, and under what conditions. Each of these elements is related to the other and can only be properly understood as part and parcel of the whole system of capitalism, which links them together. This book investigates neoliberalism's political, cultural, and financial tools. It goes deep in the forces who have supported neoliberalism and how it became ""common sense"". It explores the imperialist outcomes and the social devastation it created. It then goes to see how these ideas and policies have been implemented in education. In short, it is the materialist conception of the history of the American empire. It then uses the analytic tools developed through this investigation to re-read the neoliberal educational reforms.

This book is about the anatomy of neoliberalism and education from a Marxist perspective. It is the dialectical materialism of neoliberal ideas, examining the material conditions of how these ideas and practices emerged, and under what conditions. Each of these elements is related to the other and can only be properly understood as part and parcel of the whole system of capitalism, which links them together. This book investigates neoliberalism's political, cultural, and financial tools. It goes deep in the forces who have supported neoliberalism and how it became ""common sense"". It explores the imperialist outcomes and the social devastation it created. It then goes to see how these ideas and policies have been implemented in education. In short, it is the materialist conception of the history of the American empire. It then uses the analytic tools developed through this investigation to re-read the neoliberal educational reforms.

This essential overview gives teachers all the content knowledge they need to teach social studies. A great supplement for students who need to prepare for teacher certification content exams, this concise yet comprehensive reference book provides all of the necessary elementary school content information on history, geography, economics, and government. It is a must-have for all pre-service and in-service elementary and middle school teachers who may not be experts in the field of social studies. The history chapter is arranged chronologically within regions of the world and covers early humans through the twenty-first century. The book ends with substantial resource lists for teachers and students, as well as a thorough index. Noteworthy features of the book include:

• Provides valuable resources for planning content lessons
• Updates the Internet resources for each content area for easily researched and accurate information
• Gives teachers at-a-glance social studies information in the user-friendly and complete index
• ""Educational Resources"" for each content area, located at the end of each chapter, provide pedagogical grounding for the content covered in the chapter.
• ""Student Resources"" at the end of each content chapter offer suggestions for further research.

Penelope Fritzer is a former public school teacher who is an Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University. She earned a B. A. in History at Connecticut College, a B.A. in Education and an M.A. in English at Florida Atlantic University, and the Ph.D. in English at the University of Miami. She is the author of numerous articles on education and many books, including "Math Content forElementary and Middle School Teachers "and "Science Content for Elementary and Middle School Teachers," both from Allyn & Bacon. Ernest Andrew Brewer is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic University. He earned a B.A. and an M.E. in Elementary Education from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Central Florida, Orlando. He has written many articles on social studies education in the elementary schools. He is a member of the American Bar Association and was a nominee for the national Sallie Mae Award for Outstanding First Year Teacher in 1995.