Teaching about the Civil War through the study of historic sites, such as the Confederate prison at Andersonville, challenges students to wrestle with tough interpretations of American history.

Developing students' abilities to question, to engage in debate, and to consider perspective are the hallmarks of a successful world history course.

In this article, the authors share how a third-grade teacher supported students in crafting and researching their own inquiry questions using a process known as the Question Formulation Technique to scaffold students’ development of supporting questions. Hughes and Heckart provide the reader with suggestions and resources for supporting student-initiated inquiry. 

Studying the artists and art of Japanese American incarceration can deepen student understanding about the experiences of 120,000 people forcibly removed from their homes during World War II.

As the number of English language learners continues to rise, four key principles will help teachers ensure a valuable social studies education.

On a blustery day in March 2021, a line of bundled-up, masked first graders walked from school to a house on the National Register of Historic Places in their south Minneapolis neighborhood. For these 23 young learners, it wasn’t just a walk. This Covid-era field trip was a culminating activity in a series of lessons, “Unearthing Histories,” that empowered the students to be historians, dig into their complex local history, and then take action to help create a more just future.

In this ever changing, interdependent world, students need a geographic awareness that includes familiarity with different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles to understand and address global issues.

Stephen J. Thornton Despite the striking growth in the social, political, legal, and media presence of gays in American life, few social studies materials treat gay history or issues substantively. 231 Dateline