The use of trade books to foster discussion of historical events and major Supreme Court decisions in the elementary classroom can serve as a powerful method through which elementary students can begin to see themselves as active contributors to the communities and worlds in which they live. In this article and the accompanying lesson plan, the authors share ways to teach about Supreme Court decisions —specifically the decisions that have affected marriage equality—with the C3 Framework.

The following articles have been selected from our three main journals for K-12 teachers: Social Education, Middle Level Learning, and Social Studies and the Young Learner. These articles are grouped by topic for easy reference. Also included are recent current event responses that address racism and call for human rights education. NCSS Current Events Responses (2020)Teaching about Race and Racism in the ClassroomThe African American Struggle for Civil RightsSlavery and Its LegacyRacism and Discrimination against Black, Indigenous, and People of ColorHuman Rights EducationMiddle Level…

2019, NCSS established the Septima Clark Book Award to recognize notable, high-quality trade books that center on the challenges and accomplishments of women, both in the United States and internationally. The award encourages authors and publishers to create accurate, authentic non-fiction texts for elementary to high school readers portraying women’s experiences.

This article focuses on 13 picturebooks by South Asian authors which the author categorizes as culturally conscious picturebooks. These books show the beauty of the lived experiences of South Asian American families. The author argues that in response to the sociopolitical realities, social studies educators can expand their curricula to weave in voices from South Asian communities.

Serious Fun in Social Studies for Middle Schoolers Guest Editors: Dan Rea and Robert L. Stevens “The War that Never Ended:” Special Education Students Write History Diane Zigo Freedom Train: Building an Underground Railroad Wayne Hickman Using Computers to Design Historical Communities April Mock A Walk Through Time: A Living History Project Alice Aud, Gini Bland, Barbara Brown, and Bruce Law

Three important strategies help students evaluate sources they encounter online and encourage active and evidence-based reconstruction of the past.

National Council for the Social Studies honors annually the outstanding performance of teachers, researchers, and other worthy individuals and programs, and has encouraged unique and innovative social studies education projects through its award and grant programs. Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS serves as an umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college teachers of social studies; teacher educators; researchers; curriculum designers; and curriculum…

490Book Review

This article explores how to teach source evaluation to upper elementary students with a focus on the right to clean water that is recognized in a United Nations resolution of 2010, and based on the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights. 

Social Studies and the Young Learner invites you to contribute to its new Children’s Literature feature, edited by Eric Groce of Appalachian State University. Share your experiences in integrating children’s literature in the PreK-6 classroom. Consider writing a short book review or a longer article. A book review (600 to 800 words) briefly explains how you used a book or a set of books to teach one social studies activity to students in a K-6 grade (e.g. to teaching about families, wants and needs, a figure in U.S. history, or different cultures around the world). An article (3000 words or…