Return to Social Studies Module Overview

Title:  Planning a Social Studies Lesson

Context:  This module can be completed in one 75-minute class period.  It introduces lesson planning concepts and categories through analysis of a teacher's unit, rather than requiring students to create their own lesson ideas while simultaneously learning the lesson planning framework.  It should be completed before modules and assignments on microteaching and lesson/unit planning.  Addresses INTASC Core Standards, Principles 4.K.3, 6.P.5.  Addresses NCSS Pedagogical Standard 6.

Description:  This module builds upon the first module’s development of the engaged learning concept, and focuses on lesson planning by involving students in analyzing a NCREL Captured Wisdom Scenario, a video/CD-based depiction of a social studies unit called "Trash Talk," with the categories of NCREL's "Lesson Planning Framework."

Learning Goals and Objectives:

• Apply knowledge of alternative social studies curriculum goals to specific examples in the form of “standards” and “proficiency” statements.
• Relate standards to two depictions of social studies teaching.
• Create approaches to using the internet to accomplish some standards.
• Compare one state’s specific curriculum “proficiencies” to national curriculum standards.

Print out and study the “Index” and “Ten Thematic Strands in Social Studies” from the NCSS Standards web site: http://www.ncss.org/standards/toc.html

Study Johnson, Clark & Rector, Jack, “The Internet Ten,” Social Education, 61(3), 167-169.  Visit and become familiar with at least one of the listed web sites in these three sections: “Time, continuity, and change”; “People, places, and environments”; and “Power, authority, and governance.”  Note specific ways the sites might be useful in teaching a social studies topic.

Major Learning Activities:

Small Group/Whole Class Discussion of “Trash Talk” and “Historical Fiction” Videos and Their Relation to Standards.  Form groups of 3 or 4 and have them first view one of the videos, and then discuss which of the ten social studies standards are expressed in the teaching.  Have groups report and discuss their ideas.

Discuss Ways the Internet Might Promote Social Studies Standards.  Focus on the Johnson & Rector article, especially on “Time, continuity, and change”; “People, places, and environments”; and “Power, authority, and governance.”  Push the students to go beyond the general ideas in the article and develop specific ways they might create specific teaching approaches.

Compare National Social Studies Standards to Indiana State Proficiencies.  Hand out an overview of the Indiana State Proficiencies for Secondary Social Studies, and a few pages of specific example proficiencies in U.S. History, World Geography, and Government.  Have students compare these to the National Social Studies Standards, noting specific similarities and differences.

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Web site(s) for actual standards:

NCSS Social Studies Standards:
http://www.ncss.org/standards/toc.html

Indiana Social Studies Proficiency Guide:
http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/publications/socialguide.html

U.S. History Standards:
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/us-toc.htm

World History Standards:
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/wrldtoc.html

Economics Standards:
http://www.economicsamerica.org/standards/index.html

Geography Standards:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/education/standardslist.html

Civics Standards:
Tables of Contents:    http://www.civiced.org/stds.html
9-12 Standards:         http://www.civiced.org/912erica.htm
5-8 Standards:          http://www.civiced.org/58erica.htm

Assessment:

The performance assessment for this lesson will be based on the reports from small group discussion, and success will be judged based on:

• The extent to which the groups were able to identify specific instances of the ten social studies standards in the two example videos
• The extent to which students can create internet-based lesson ideas for promoting the three social studies standards
• The students’ ability to draw specific similarities and differences between national social studies standards and state of Indiana social studies proficiencies in history, geography, and government

Resources:

• Clark & Rector, Jack, “The Internet Ten,” Social Education, 61(3), 167-169
• “Index” and “Ten Thematic Strands in Social Studies” from the NCSS Standards web site: http://www.ncss.org/standards/toc.html
• Indiana State Proficiencies for Secondary Social Studies, pp. 124; 161-164; 172-176; 181-182; 184-188