Quinn Rollins, Play Like a Pirate: Engage Students with Toys, Games, and Comics. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc., 2016, Paperback, 164 pp., $24.95. Here’s an informal book review, excerpts from a blog posting  (www.ucss.blog.com), by NCSS member Kaye Rizzuto (who teaches  8th and 9th grade U.S. History as well as AP Human Geography at Elk Ridge Middle School in South Jordan, Utah: “Our own Quinn Rollins, former UCSS [Utah Council for the Social Studies] president, has recently published a book called Play Like a Pirate. I highly recommend the book. It has great ideas for…

    Analyzing the Messages of the State of the Union Address  Mark T. Kissling and Christopher C. Martell The president´s annual speech to Congress on the condition of the nation offers students an opportunity to examine key domestic issues as well as the president´s proposals. (From Social Education, NCSS's flagship peer reviewed journal.) During the State of the Union (SOTU) on Tuesday January 30, 2018, students can join a live conversation on social media using #22x20. Afterwards, use the curriculum package “Break-a-Thon in a Box” (www.22x20.org/educate/) to…

Describe how Social Studies and English Language Arts Methods Instructors at Schools of Education can utilize the C3 Framework as a vehicle for training teacher education students how to use the C3 Framework to meet the Common Core State Standards through the social studies curriculum. Presenter Michelle Herczog 2014-15 NCSS President Consultant III, History-Social Science, Los Angeles County Office of Education Audience Grade K-12 teachers, school administrators Documents shared during the webinar are available as downloadable documents below.      

Explore resources and suggestions for guiding educators through various implementation phases of the C3 Framework. Presenters Michelle Herczog 2014-15 NCSS President Consultant III, History-Social Science, Los Angeles County Office of Education Michael Lovorn 2014-15 NSSSA President Department of Instruction & Learning, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA Audience Grade K-12 instructional leaders, administrators, department chairs  

In this investigation, we will identify ways to tap into informational texts that make texts readable, engaging, inviting, and at an appropriate level of complexity for each grade band. We focus on four strategies that promote the vision of complex text integration defined in the crossover of the Common Core State Standards and the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework.  At the heart of our understanding is reading as form of inquiry.  We describe four different ways to use informational text to support inquiry: visual inventory, chunking/short texts, close reading, and exploration…

This investigation is designed to answer the compelling question of “Why should teachers integrate literacy (using ELA CCSS) and social studies instruction (C3 Framework)?” Just as the C3 promotes inquiry-based learning, this investigation will similarly support you as teachers AND learners to use disciplinary concepts, tools, and sources to communicate your conclusions to this question so that you can take informed action in planning and utilizing the C3 in your school and classroom. Objectives: As a result of participating in this investigation, you will: Evaluate sources…

In this investigation, we’ll explore what you can do to support students’ argument writing and learn to integrate key aspects of argument into their writing as this student has done. You’ll see that working on argument writing with students relies on an inquiry approach to teaching social studies as well as an emphasis on literacy. As a result, working on argument writing in social studies classrooms also integrates the expectations of the C3 Framework—specifically the emphasis on an inquiry approach to learning social studies and communicating conclusions as outlined in Dimension 4.  …

Purpose: This investigation is designed to focus on the guiding principles of the C3 Framework to determine if the instructional pedagogy of the C3 Framework represents an instructional shift in classroom practice. Other investigations will provide a more in-depth look at the Four Dimensions and provide ample time for viewers to study and apply the work in classrooms. Objectives: Gain an understanding of the guiding principles of the C3 Framework Identify the implications for classroom instruction Understand how the instructional pedagogy…

Purpose: This investigation looks at Dimension 3: Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence. This includes the skills students need to analyze information and come to conclusions in an inquiry. These skills focus on gathering and evaluating sources, and then developing claims and using evidence to support those claims. Objectives: As a result of participating in this investigation, you will: Become familiar with the SOURCES Framework Experience ways to “practice” sourcing and evaluating documents to find evidence to support claims Learn ways in which you…

Standardized test items, and summative classroom tests that look like them (e.g., multiple choice questions about historical details), are rather limited in giving us good data about students' thinking and engagement.  If we want to cultivate 21st-century, cognitive habits of mind among our students, we need better assessment tools to help us see if our teaching practices actually promote them.  This investigation focuses on designing those “better tools” (e.g., performance-based assessments) by providing some examples of how to construct them, put them to use in the classroom, gather…