Why Social Studies? Why Social Studies indeed. In order to answer this question one must first define what Social Studies is. For our pruposes here (elementary education) Social Studies can be generally defined as the study of the following subject areas: government, law, history, religion, philosophy, economics, geography, agriculture, sociology, psychology, and archeology. That said, the subjects are then studied in the context of one's grade level. In other words, generally speaking, a 6th grader would study Social Studies from the perspective of the world, a 5th grader their country, a 4th grader their state, a 3rd grader their town, a 2nd grader their neighborhhod, a 1st grader their family, and a kindergartner from the perspective of one's self. Given the above, I suppose the "academic" answer to the question of, why Social Studies, would include such reasons as to understand all societies and cultures, to undestand people then and now, to help one become a more productive citizen, and to understand and relate to one's daily life. While the Illinois State Board of Education states, "The integrated study of the social sciences and humanities promotes civic competence. The study of social science helps people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world." But I beleive the reason we study Social Studies is very simple. As Dr. Bob Kizlik, former Social Studies Methods professor relates, it helps students to understand human interactions that occurred in the past, that are occurring now, and prepares them for ones that will occur in the future. We study Social Studies in an effort to instill vlaues in our children that will enable them to assess any situation, determine the right thing to do, and to act accordingly, no matter how hard it is to do. Easily said, but a lifetime's journey to accomplish... George Santanaya once said, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Please explore and enjoy the following Social Studies websites on your life's historical journey. |
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This website is run and maintained by Ibis Communications. The target audience of this website is middle school through the high school grade levels. What is so wonderful about this site is that it only contains eyewitness accounts to historical events. The time frame is incredible ranging all the way from 490BC to 1974. This site is broken down into various categories such as Ancient world, Middle Ages, both World Wars, Century, and Even Photos, but it can also be displayed via an index. Teachers will find this a wonderful site to refer their students to as each story is a first hand resource. And for factual first hand knowledge it can be a great learning tool. The main page also boasts section such as “Spot Light On:”, “Photo of the Week”, and “It Happened this Month”. |
A wonderful website devoted to current and past events for children. Teachers will appreciate the site being divided into grade levels and children will appreciate the site's dedication to addressing topics of interest specific to their everyday lives. This site is chalk full of resources for educators including a resource link and mini lesson plans. The main page layout is eye catching to children, and includes links for children to voice their opinions and write letters. This site includes a search engine, worksheets, printable quizzes, and graphics organizers. |
This is the premier website for educators as well as students and parents. It contains a wealth of information about the history of the Unites States. The main page is laid out with links to areas for teachers, students, and parents. The main page has a layout that includes current news, movie links, today in history, and even a link for young readers. Also impressive are webcasts, a link to places in the news, and one that encourages celebrating the joy of reading. A most worthy site sure to be a resourceful favorite any teacher, student, or parent. |
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