NCSS is about to publish National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. These revised national standards continue to be based on the ten themes of social studies, but offer a stronger focus than the original standards on Purposes, Questions for Exploration, Knowledge, Processes, and Products.

Susan Hoffman FishmanThe attempted escape of more than seventy slaves aboard a ship called the Pearl spotlights issues of morality and law, slavery in a democratic society, and the inherent challenges in deciphering history.267

Spotlighting a sample lesson on the expansion of Islam in West Africa, the author demonstrates the important role that direct instruction plays in fostering inquiry-based instruction.  

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. Any NCSS member may submit a resolution following the guidelines established in the House of Delegates Manual. Resolutions are debated and voted on during HOD meeting at the NCSS Annual Conference.…

Electronic resources can be extremely effective in teaching economics. In this article, the authors highlight exemplary sites that foster economic understanding.

A close study of Tokugawa Japan and Industrial Revolution Britain will correct textbook depictions and reveal societies that had pro-growth government policies and significant economic freedom.

Students can investigate public policies in a complex and rigorous manner by examining tensions such as individual rights versus the common good.