Engaging students in conversations about our system of government—what is and isn’t working—can ignite interest and involvement in civic activities.

A new survey by the American Bar Association exposes the dire state of civic literacy in the United States.

It's a critical time to engage in classroom discussions about democracy—what it is, what threatens it today, and how we can protect it.

As young children engage in their play and daily activities, they show a natural interest in the world around them. Early childhood educators may capitalize on these interests and carefully plan a variety of experiences with social studies in mind, cultivating and extending young children’s diverse skills and abilities to form and voice opinions, identify and solve problems, negotiate roles, perceive diversity and inequality, and recognize the consequences of their decisions and behaviors on others. Social studies is a vital part of the early childhood curriculum, since children’s formative…

The use of social media saturates the everyday lives of young people, offering complex, rich challenges and opportunities for cultivating their skills with and disposition toward online participatory politics in “a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world ” (National Council for the Social Studies). While attempts to define digital civic engagement are still in a formative stage (Kligler-Vilenchik & Thorson, 2016), National Council for the Social Studies suggests drawing upon youth’s informal personal use of social media and seeking to transfer these experiences…

The National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council are pleased to present this year’s selection of outstanding books for teaching primary, intermediate, and high school social studies.

The House of Delegates (HOD) provides a forum for the general membership of NCSS, as represented by state councils, communities, and associated groups, to bring ideas, principles, beliefs, and actions regarding social studies education to the attention of the NCSS Board of Directors. Resolutions are the framework through which the NCSS membership at-large makes recommendations to the Board. Published here are the resolutions approved by the NCSS Board of Directors at its Winter 2019.

Having a meaningful plan for professional development on inquiry-based learning will translate into richer instruction for students.