Social Studies and the Acquisition of Skills Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Looking Ahead What critical tool skills are necessary for elementary students to learn and master? What skills have a particular importance for social studies? Why are these skills important for social studies? How can elementary teachers best teach these skills to students? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Can You – Identify several ways that you can stimulate curiosity in students? Explain why map and globe skills are challenging for students? Explain the three types of memory? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Do You – Ever get the “Columbus urge” or have “Aha!” moments? Know and understand the term mnemonic device? Know how students develop time and space concepts? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Focus Activity Think back about how you learned to read a map and follow directions on a map. Do you consider yourself to be good with directions? Do you know people who are directionally challenged? Why do you think some people lack this skill? Share your experiences and opinions with classmates. Do your experiences and opinions share common attributes with others? If so, what attributes? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Building the Desire to Master Study Skills Learning to use knowledge is the heart of a problems approach. Once students learn that having information and knowing how to get it is useful in solving real problems, it gives knowledge purpose. Knowledge is empowering Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Finding Information What is the “Columbus urge”? What is the teacher’s role in the “Columbus urge”? How can a teacher facilitate the “Columbus urge” Stir interest/curiosity Leave questions dangling Model excitement Celebrate discoveries Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Maps and Globes Are map reading skills necessary in this day and age? What are some considerations teachers need to keep in mind when choosing maps or globes? What are a few ideas that might help students learn more effectively from and about maps? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Using Maps How can we create authentic map activities for students? Why do students tend to see map work as lacking in purpose? Why do students never really learn to use maps to find specific information or to follow routes? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Charts, Graphs, and Maps Can math related concepts and skills be taught within social studies curriculum? If so, how? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Time Concepts What are vague references of time? Precise references? How can the social studies curriculum help with teaching time concepts? What are some activities a teacher can use to teach time concepts? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Economic Skills What economic skills do students begin to learn in elementary school? What are some activities a teacher can use to teach economic skills? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Looking Back Well-developed study skills give students a winning advantage, including Knowing how to find necessary information Being able to make decisions about information Being able to organize and retain information This is a society in which the development of map skills, time skills and economic skills are essential to survival Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Extension The assistant principal requests that you attend a meeting with him and the principal that afternoon, which you agree to attend. As the day goes on you begin to wonder and even worry about the meeting. Finally the meeting time arrives and you discover that your administrators are pleased with your performance and would like you to create a sample skill development activity that you can share with your co-workers. You accept the offer and set off to complete the sample. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Extension Select a skill and K-6 grade level of your choice. Develop a new and unique activity that can help students master the selected skill while learning social studies content. The activity should be in written form and utilize the lesson/activity format required by your school/district/university. Share your response with peers and/or instructor. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Self-Test 1. What are some ways to create the “Columbus urge” in students? 2. What is a mnemonic device? 3. Describe the three types of memory. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Self-Test 4. What are some guidelines for using maps and globes? 5. Why is it important to teach maps in a way that involves maps as tools for problem solving? 6. What are some of the time concepts? Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013

Resources Council for Economic Education. (2003). The Great Economic Mysteries Book: A Guide to Teaching Economic Reasoning Grades 4 – 8. New York: Council for Economic Education. Johnson, T. (2012). Exploring the Options: Teaching Economic Decision-making with Poetry. The Social Studies, 103(2), 61 – 66. McIntyre, B. (2011). History Scene Investigations: From Clues to Conclusions. The Social Studies, 23(3), 17 – 21. Sumrall, J., Russell, W., & Carter, L. (2007). Yard Sale! Challenges for Young Geographers. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 20(2), P1 – P4. Essentials of Elementary Social Studies By Turner, Russell, Waters Copyright 2013