The National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council are delighted to present this year’s list of exceptional books appropriate for use in the social studies classroom.

The three approaches to teaching about the legacies of nuclear development outlined in this article can advance students’ critical literacy skills as they analyze artifacts of popular culture.

When studying the early colonization of the Caribbean, students will gain a deeper, more nuanced, understanding of the institution of slavery by examining Spanish colonial documents and comparing them with documents from the antebellum U.S. South.

Having students compare and analyze international constitutions teaches them about different countries and also gives them new insights into governance and their own founding document.

Studying literary maps like the Texas map featured in this article can launch an engaging discussion about literature as well as on the perspectives of the mapmakers.