Table of Contents Chapter 1: Social Studies Education: What and Why Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
11
Test Items
17
Test Answer Key
20
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Chapter 1: Social Studies Education: What and Why Chapter 1 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 1.1 Explain how the social studies subgoals of knowledge, values and attitudes, and skills help teachers achieve the two main goals of social studies. [Q1] The social studies curriculum is aimed at which two goals? 1. Social understanding and civic competence [correct] 2. Adult employment and democratic citizenship 3. Personal fulfillment and social knowledge 4. Marketable skills and social understanding [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Social studies aims to teach social understanding so that students might be able to participate effectively in making informed and reasoned decisions for the public good. In other words, students come to understand the social and physical world in order to participate as democratic citizens. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is hard to argue that holding a job as an adult isn’t important. However, it isn’t one of the primary goals of social studies. [Response to Answer Choice 3] We want students to be personally fulfilled. However, it isn’t one of the primary goals of social studies. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is hard to argue that having marketable skills as an adult isn’t important. However, it isn’t one of the primary goals of social studies. [Q2] What subgoal of social studies are teachers primarily addressing when they ask students to consider the big ideas contained in historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance? 1. Critical thinking and problem solving 2. Chronological understanding 3. Power, authority, and governance 4. Attitudes and values [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1]
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Critical thinking and problem solving are important and it is often necessary for students to think critically as they come to understand the big ideas in historical documents. Yet, a focus on critical thinking can avoid the larger subgoal that teachers should address when considering the big ideas in historical documents. [Response to Answer Choice 2] We want students to develop chronological understanding. But, this is not the subgoal that we are primarily addressing. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The theme of power, authority, and governance is clearly related to exploring the big ideas in historical documents. But, this theme is not the subgoal teachers are addressing when they invite students to engage in thinking about the big ideas in historical documents. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The big ideas in our historical documents often represent the attitudes and values necessary for democratic citizenship. Social studies is concerned with democratic attitudes and values that help students develop civic competence. One way teachers foster a commitment to our public values by carefully considering the values as they appear in historical documents. [Q3] How do the authors believe that the subgoal of skills in social studies is related to knowledge? 1. Knowledge must be learned before skills 2. Skillful behavior is supported by knowledge [correct] 3. Skills determine knowledge 4. Skills are learned first followed by knowledge
[Response to Answer Choice 1] It’s true that knowledge supports skills. However, it isn’t true that students must have all the knowledge before they begin to apply skills. Applying skills requires knowledge (and knowledge is often gained by applying skills). As the authors write, “skillful behavior is skillful because of the knowledge that supports it.” Thus, skillful behavior (such as creating a timeline) is supported by knowledge of the timeline’s subject. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Skills require knowledge (and knowledge is often gained by applying skills). As the authors write, “skillful behavior is skillful because of the knowledge that supports it.” Thus, skillful behavior (such as creating a timeline) is supported by knowledge of the timeline’s subject. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Skills are related to knowledge, but not because they determine knowledge. Rather, applying skills require knowledge (and knowledge is often gained by applying skills). As 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
the authors write, “skillful behavior is skillful because of the knowledge that supports it.” Thus, skillful behavior (such as creating a timeline) is supported by knowledge of the timeline’s subject. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Skills and knowledge are learned together. Applying skills requires knowledge (and knowledge is often gained by applying skills). As the authors write, “skillful behavior is skillful because of the knowledge that supports it.” Thus, skillful behavior (such as creating a timeline) is supported by knowledge of the timeline’s subject. [Q4] Intellectual skills support which of the following social studies goals? 1. Social Understanding and Civic Competence [correct] 2. Social Understanding and Social Studies Content Knowledge 3. Social Studies Content Knowledge and Civic Competence 4. Historical and Social Science Knowledge [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Intellectual skills, defined by the authors as critical thinking and problem solving, contribute to social understanding and civic competence. We gain social understanding as we do things like comparing and contrasting versions of an event. We become more civically competent as we learn to distinguish facts from opinions and identify and clarify problems and issues. The intellectual skills subgoal serves both of the main purposes of social studies. [Response to Answer Choice 2] You’re right that intellectual skills support social understanding. Social understanding is a goal of social studies. Content knowledge is an important subgoal of social studies, not an overarching goal as the question stipulates. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It’s true that intellectual skills support civic competence. We become more civically competent, for example, as we learn to look distinguish facts from opinions and identify and clarify problems and issues. Content knowledge is an important subgoal of social studies. It is not an overarching goal as the question stipulates. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Intellectual skills are put to use as students develop historical and social science knowledge. However, the authors define knowledge as a subgoal of social studies, not a goal as stipulated in the question. [Q5] Being committed to “liberty and justice for all” is an example of which subgoal of social studies? 1. Skills 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2. Knowledge 3. Attitudes and values [correct] 4. Civic Competence
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Liberty and justice for all is not a skill. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Liberty and justice for all is more than knowledge. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Liberty and justice for all is a value. Social studies seeks to promote values found in our founding documents, court decisions, laws, and oaths. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Civic competence is a broad goal of social studies, not a subgoal. Learning Outcome 1.2 Describe how the social studies curriculum’s scope and sequence builds toward students’ increasingly sophisticated understanding of the world. [Q1] How do the authors define “scope?” 1. The knowledge that students will learn 2. What is taught—the subject matter [correct] 3. The device teachers use to help students see the curriculum more clearly 4. The various methods teachers use in social studies teaching [Response to Answer Choice 1] Scope includes the knowledge that students will learn. However, scope is broader. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors define scope as the subject matter—the knowledge, values and attitudes, and skills—students learn. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Scope sounds like a metaphor for something people might look through to see more clearly. But, that isn’t how it is used in curriculum design. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Scope is not related to how teachers teach. [Q2] What do the authors mean by the term “spiral” curriculum? 1. Ideas are revisited with increasing precision as students get older. [correct] 2. As students get older, they study subjects further from their own experience. 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3. Curriculum is carefully planned to avoid repetition. 4. Curriculum that tries to cover too much. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The spiral curriculum introduces important ideas in a way that students can understand. Such a curriculum is planned in a way so that it spirals back to key ideas with increasing sophistication and precision until the student ultimately masters the idea. [Response to Answer Choice 2] In the expanding communities approach, topics move from the more familiar to the more remote. However, this is not the same as a spiraling curriculum. [Response to Answer Choice 3] In a spiral curriculum, the concern is mastery and ever deepening understanding, not avoiding repetition. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Covering too much tends to reduce what students understand. But, that isn’t the same as a spiral curriculum. [Q3] The authors propose that teachers develop a curriculum planning habit of applying the 10 social studies conceptual themes to the subject-matter topic emphasis at the elementary level. Why is this an important habit? 1. Teachers are able to integrate other content areas into their social studies scope and sequence. 2. The relevance of instructional strategies to students’ lives can be guaranteed. 3. The scope of a topic is expanded and deepened so that student understanding is expanded and deepened. [correct] 4. A social studies scope and sequence can be created for an entire elementary school. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Integration is often a good idea. But, that isn’t why teachers apply the themes to topics. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Teachers should always be concerned with relevance. Yet, that isn’t the reason the authors recommend developing the habit of applying the 10 themes. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Applying the themes helps the teacher expand and deepen a topic. These themes force us to look beyond a simplistic idea of a topic and expands and deepens students’ knowledge. [Response to Answer Choice 4] 5 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Applying the theme should happen across all grades. But, that isn’t the reason the authors recommend developing the habit of applying the 10 themes. [Q4] The authors suggest that teachers take a compare-and-contrast approach to curricular planning because the approach: 1. is an important social studies skill. 2. helps students see how others are different. 3. is more defensible to parents. 4. builds intellectual strength and conceptual power. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Compare-and-contrast is listed as an example of important social studies skills. But, that isn’t why the authors recommend this approach for teachers when they are planning curriculum. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Compare-and-contrast does, in fact, push students to look beyond the familiar and see how others are different. While this is important, the authors recommend a compareand-contrast approach for a different reason. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Teachers should be interested in working with parents. While this is important, the authors recommend a compare-and-contrast approach for a different reason. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Compare-and-contrast approaches encourage teachers and students to look beyond familiar examples. When students compare and contrast their own family (for example), with families around the world, it increases the intellectual challenge and they gain a deeper understanding of what families are and how they function. [Q5] What relationship do the authors describe between patterns in social studies topics and state standards? 1. National standards such as the C3 Framework are used by states. 2. Individual states decide what should be taught at each level and these standards often reflect national patterns. [correct] 3. The national curriculum determines social studies topics across the country. 4. There is no relationship between national patterns and state standards—states are free to do what they please.
[Response to Answer Choice 1]
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Frameworks such as the C3 are available for states to use and many states take advantage of this resource. However, educational standards are a state responsibility and states are not obligated to use these frameworks.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Individual states are responsible for deciding the social studies scope and sequence within their state. However, within these standards are patterns that are long-standing and familiar. Teachers can often see these patterns as they examine their own standards. [Response to Answer Choice 3] There is not national curriculum. Individual states are responsible for deciding the social studies scope and sequence within their state. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is true that states are free to do as they place regarding their social studies scope and sequence. Yet, national standards also have a place. Learning Outcome 1.3 Apply the four key trends presented in this chapter to the work of social studies teachers. [Q1] Why do the authors argue that political divisions in American democracy is a trend that impact social studies teachers? 1. Political divisions can cause teachers to be afraid to bring up controversial issues. 2. Political divisions can result in reduced administrative support for controversial issue discussions. 3. Political divisions can cause family to distrust teachers. 4. Political divisions can make the goal of civic competence more difficult to address in a classroom. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] It is true that teachers are often unwilling to bring up controversial issues when they sense that the community is politically polarized. However, this is not the main impact the authors discuss. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Administrators are also impacted by political divisions in the community. However, this polarization is not the main impact the authors discuss. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors write about the vicious cycle of political polarization and a lack of trust. However, this is not the main impact the authors discuss. 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Students might come to school with views that are diametrically opposed to the views of other students. Helping students talk across and through those differences is a difficult task. It is difficult to practice civil competence in a place where many opinions do not feel welcomed. [Q2] What do the authors argue is meant by the opportunity gap? 1. Students of different races tend to have different levels of achievement. 2. Students in poverty have lower levels of achievement than their wealthier peers. 3. Curriculum standards are less in some school districts. 4. Students often achieve at different levels because of students have different chances to learn. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The achievement gap focuses on the differential achievement between students of different races. The opportunity gap has a different focus. [Response to Answer Choice 2] There is little doubt that, with few exceptions, students in poverty have lower levels of achievement than their wealthier peers. Yet, the opportunity gap does not focus primarily on the different achievement levels. [Response to Answer Choice 3] In some places, it is true that some school districts hold their students to lower standards. This difference in expectations often results in lower achievement. That is not, however, what the authors mean by the opportunity gap. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] We are increasingly aware that gaps in achievement exist because of vast differences in opportunity. It’s as if it’s a race and some students are forced to start well behind the rest of the pack—they have less opportunity to keep up. [Q3] What does the evidence suggest was one major impact on social studies (and other areas, like as art, literature, and music) due to No Child Left Behind’s intense pressure on schools to score well on high-stakes tests? 1. Teachers stopped integrating social studies with other subjects 2. Social studies teachers started to teach the kind of social studies knowledge that the high-stakes tests measured 3. The curriculum narrowed to reading and math, leaving social studies behind [correct] 4. Social studies was transformed to be more focused on reading skills 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The evidence suggests that teachers taught social studies much less. We don’t know how high-stakes testing impacted integrated curriculum. [Response to Answer Choice 2] There were no social studies tests at the elementary level. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] NCLB resulted in curriculum narrowing, the intense focus on reading and math (and in some cases, science). Teachers reallocated instructional time away from social studies. In some cases, particularly low achieving schools, social studies disappeared from the school curriculum. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The Common Core State Standards threatened to focus social studies more on reading skills (particularly at the secondary level). However, this was not the main impact on social studies at the elementary level. [Q4] Which of the following best describes the rationale the authors provide for why social studies must be revitalized? 1. Liberal democracies are political systems where the people govern. 2. A democracy requires citizens with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that social studies teaches. [correct] 3. If students do not learn the lessons of history, they might repeat history’s mistakes. 4. Students are not currently mastering social studies standards.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] It is true that liberal democracies are political systems where the people govern. This is a partial rationale for the need for social studies. However, the authors make a more direct argument. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors argue that a democracy requires democratic citizens, citizens with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that social studies teaches. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is often argued that a society risks repeating the mistakes of history if we do not learn from them. However, social studies is more than history and the authors make an argument that reflects this larger definition of social studies. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is true that when students are not taught social studies, they do not reach the required standards. However, the authors make a more specific argument. 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q5] What aspect of the inquiry arc do the authors stress as the most critical to success? 1. Questions, tasks, and sources must align. [correct] 2. Questions must be compelling. 3. Tasks must help answer the compelling question. 4. Students must be able to use the sources.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] While every element of the inquiry arc is important, it is the way the three elements of the arc (questions, tasks, and sources) align that will make or break an inquiry. The sources have what students need to do the tasks. The tasks allow students to explore and answer the supportive questions. The supportive questions help students form an answer to the compelling question. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The inquiry arc is driven by a compelling question (or two). While this is very important, the authors stress a different aspect as critical. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Tasks should help students answer the supportive questions. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Sources that students can’t use would be a waste of time and would probably undermine student motivation. While this is important, the authors emphasize a different aspect.
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Chapter 1 Application Exercises Chapter 1: Social Studies Education: Why and What Application Exercise 1.1: Planning Thematically Learning Outcome 1.1: Explain how the social studies subgoals of knowledge, values and attitudes, and skills help teachers achieve the two main goals of social studies. [Q1] In Figure 1.2, we applied the 10 conceptual themes to the topic of communities, but the same process can be followed for any grade-level emphasis. Choose either the secondgrade emphasis, neighborhoods, or the fifth-grade emphasis, United States history (the Revolutionary War). Draw on the example of how the authors created the culture question for a third-grade unit. This exercise will provide you with experience in thinking conceptually about the topics you’re asked to teach at a given grade level. Question: Write a question for your students to explore under the theme of “culture” for either the neighborhoods emphasis or the Revolutionary War emphasis. The NCSS standards note that the culture theme includes “the socially transmitted beliefs, values, institutions, behaviors, traditions, and way of life of a group of people; it also encompasses other cultural attributes and products, such as language, literature, music, arts and artifacts, and foods.”* Make the language of the question(s) accessible and formulate your question(s) in a way that helps students compare cultures and think about the role of culture in our lives. Unsure how to proceed? The text provides some positive examples you could use as models to write your question. Looking at a poor example can also be helpful. A poor response might look something like this: How is your culture different from other people’s culture in your neighborhood? This question seems to be in language students could understand. Yet, it is overly broad and it evokes the term “culture” without an explanation—culture is an idea that many adults find challenging. The question seems to invite comparison between cultures. However, the differences in many neighborhoods are not pronounced enough to invite helpful comparisons. And unless the class has studied the different cultures in the neighborhood, students are unlikely to know enough about “others” to answer the question. Here is what a poor Revolutionary War response might look like: How might differences in British and Colonist cultures explain a conflict in the Revolutionary War?
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The language of this question is too complicated for fifth-grade students. For example, the term “culture” is overly vague and it is used without explanation. Culture is an idea that many adults find challenging to explain precisely. The differences between the British’s and the Colonists’ cultures are real, but students need help seeing where these differences might lie. For example, the colonists were not a unified group with a single set of beliefs. The beliefs of the Loyalists, in many ways, aligned more closely with those of the British than they did with those of the Patriots. The biggest problem with this question is that it asks students to explore historical causality rather than helping students to understand an aspect of culture (beliefs, values, etc.). [Q1 Model Response] Culture can be difficult to see and understand because we are surrounded by it so completely. While you want to make the idea of culture accessible to elementary students, you should avoid questions that reduce culture to only things (e.g., artifacts and foods). Evaluate your response based on the following attributes. Is your question:
Written in language that elementary students would understand?
Focused on at least one of the key aspects of culture listed in question one (beliefs, traditions, etc.)?
Likely to cause your students to examine at least one way that culture includes how people think and why they act the way they do?
Written in a way that invites comparisons between cultures?
Our neighborhoods response: What are the major celebrations people in our neighborhood observe? How are these different from other neighborhoods nearby? [Here we focused on celebrations as a way to illustrate different beliefs, traditions, and behaviors. We ask students to compare and contrast the variety of celebrations, both in their neighborhood and the neighborhoods of others. We think second graders would be able to understand this question.] Our Revolutionary War response: How did the values of the Patriots differ from those of the Loyalists during the Revolutionary War? [We think fifth-grade students would understand the idea of values, though they might need some help. Here we ask students to consider that not all Americans believed the revolution was justified and to see the relationship between cultural values (e.g., respect or authority vs. self-determination) and behaviors (e.g., obey the king’s mandates or rebel).] [Q2] In Figure 1.2, we applied the 10 conceptual themes to the topic of communities, but the same process can be followed for any grade-level emphasis. Choose either the secondgrade emphasis, neighborhoods, or the fifth-grade emphasis, United States history (the 12 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Revolutionary War). Draw on the example of how the authors created the people, places, and environments question for a third-grade unit. Notice that the authors’ question is accessible to third-grade students and is formulated in a way that can help students think about how people impact the environment and/or how the physical world impacts how and where people live. This exercise will provide you with experience in thinking conceptually about the topics you’re asked to teach at a given grade level. Question: Write a question for your students to explore under the theme of “people, places, and environments” for either a second-grade emphasis on neighborhoods or a fifth-grade emphasis on the U.S. Revolutionary War. The NCSS standards note that this theme helps us “understand the relationship between human populations and the physical world. Students learn where people and places are located and why they are there.”* Make the language of the question(s) accessible and formulate your question(s) in a way that help them think about how people impact the environment and/or how the physical world impacts how and where people live. [Q2 Model Response] Evaluate your response based on the following attributes. Is your question:
Written in language students at your grade level can understand?
Focused on how the physical world impacts people and/or how people impact the physical world?
Our neighborhood response: How was the land changed so our neighborhood(s) could be built? [Here we focused on the way people impact the physical world and (depending on the neighborhood) students might be able to see how the physical world impacts them every day.] Our Revolutionary War response: Why did British General Lord Cornwallis choose Yorktown as his base? How was General Washington able to use Yorktown’s location to his advantage? [Here we focused how the geography of Yorktown at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay gave it strategic significance—if the British controlled Yorktown, they controlled the entrance to this important waterway. We also note how the geography (and some luck) allowed Washington to surround the fort and that the soil was of a type that allowed for the American army to dig trenches and get their cannon close to the fort. Rocky soil, or a different geography, could have easily changed the outcome of the battle and the war. [Q3]
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In Figure 1.2, we applied the 10 conceptual themes to the topic of communities, but the same process can be followed for any grade-level emphasis. Choose either the secondgrade emphasis, neighborhoods, or the fifth-grade emphasis, United States history (the Revolutionary War). Draw on the example of how the authors created the “civic ideas and practices” question for either a second-grade emphasis on neighborhoods or a fifthgrade emphasis on the U.S. Revolutionary War. This exercise will provide you with experience in thinking conceptually about the topics you’re asked to teach at a given grade level. Question: Write a question for your students to explore under the theme of “civic ideas and practices” for either the neighborhoods emphasis or the Revolutionary War emphasis The NCSS standards note that this theme helps students understand “civic ideals and practices across time and in different societies. Through an understanding of both ideas and practices, it becomes possible to identify gaps between them” and work to close those gaps.* Make the language of the question(s) accessible and formulate your question(s) in a way that helps students explore and appreciate a civic ideal. [Q3 Model Response] Evaluate your response based on the following attributes. Is your question:
Written in language that elementary students would understand?
Focused on civic ideas and/or practices?
Our neighborhood response: Who represents our neighborhood on the city council? How do people living in our neighborhood tell our representative what they want him/her to do? [Here we focused on the idea of representation and the practice of how people in a democracy influence their representatives.] Our Revolutionary War response: Who made the decision to declare independence from England? What did they give as their reasons? [Here we focused on the ideal behind a democratic republic. Ideals such as representation, self-determination, freedom, and a government that serve its people.] *NCSS Standards: https://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands Application Exercise 1.2: Analyzing Lessons Designed Using the C3 Framework Learning Outcome 1.3: Apply the four key trends presented in this chapter to the work of social studies teachers. [Q1]
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Reread the C3 Framework section in Chapter 1. Once you’re feeling familiar with C3, go to the inquiries page on the C3 website http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/. Filter the inquiries by grade level, selecting third grade, and open and download the Children’s Rights inquiry. Review the inquiry lesson plan, paying particular attention to page 2 of the pdf. It is not necessary to read the entire lesson plan. Skim the plan so you have an idea of how it is organized. Focus on understanding the big picture (page 2), Staging the Compelling Question (page 5), and Supportive Questions One (page 6), Two (page 11), and Three (page 18). Question: Focus on the compelling question: “Do people around the world care about children’s rights?” Why is this a good compelling question? [Q1 Model Response] A good compelling question is both relevant to students and academically rigorous. This question is relevant to students because it introduces young children to the idea that even as children, they have rights that are protected. This idea is academically rigorous because it is important to understanding a liberal democracy and it is challenging because rights are not the same as getting what we want. [Q2] Reread the C3 Framework section in Chapter 1. Once you’re feeling familiar with C3, go to the inquiries page on the C3 website http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/. Filter the inquiries by grade level, selecting third grade, and open and download the Children’s Rights inquiry. Review the inquiry lesson plan, paying particular attention to page 2 of the pdf. It is not necessary to read the entire lesson plan. Skim the plan so you have an idea of how it is organized. Focus on understanding the big picture (page 2), Staging the Compelling Question (page 5), and Supportive Questions One (page 6), Two (page 11), and Three (page 18). Question: Analyze the connection between the compelling question and the three supporting questions. How does answering each supportive question help students answer the larger compelling question? Is the sequence important? [Q2 Model Response] Supportive questions are designed to help students answer the larger compelling question. These supportive questions help answer the compelling question by helping students understand three key ideas. Supporting question #1 explores the idea of universal human rights as defined by the Convention of the Rights of the Child (see page 6 of the lesson plan). Deciding if people around the world care about children’s rights can’t happen if student don’t know what children’s rights are. Supportive question 1 provides this information. Recognizing how rights are supported can be done by examining how these rights are violated. Thus, supportive question #2 invites students to think about how discrimination and poverty contribute to children’s rights being 15 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
violated (see lesson plan page 11). Finally, students should be hopeful and understand that things can change and people can make a difference. Supportive question #3 engages students in examining what people are doing to protect children’s rights around the world. All three questions provide necessary information to help students decide if people around the world care about children’s rights. The sequence is important because it builds from an understanding of the idea of human rights to thinking about why rights are violated and what we can do about it. [Q3] Reread the C3 Framework section in Chapter 1. Once you’re feeling familiar with C3, go to the inquiries page on the C3 website http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/. Filter the inquiries by grade level, selecting third grade, and open and download the Children’s Rights inquiry. Review the inquiry lesson plan, paying particular attention to page 2 of the pdf. It is not necessary to read the entire lesson plan. Skim the plan so you have an idea of how it is organized. Focus on understanding the big picture (page 2), Staging the Compelling Question (page 5), and Supportive Questions One (page 6), Two (page 11), and Three (page 18). Question: Analyze the relationship between supportive question #1 and the first formative performative task. In other words, how does the performative task help the student answer the supportive question? [Q3 Model Response] Asking students to define the word “rights” and giving examples from the Universal Rights of the Child can force students to think about the attributes of a right and what makes a right different from something you want (or even a need). The question, “Why are these rights important” helps students understand more of the nature of rights.
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Chapter 1 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE)
1. How do the authors define “social understanding?” a) Ability to get along with others b) Knowledge of history and economics c) Knowledge of how people interact d) Knowledge of human societies 2. How do the authors define civic competence? a) The ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good b) A person who is civic-minded c) The ability to stand up for your point-of-view d) A willingness to be tolerant of those with whom you disagree 3. Study and Inquiry Skills serve which of the two broad social studies goals? a) Social Understanding and Historical Knowledge b) Social understanding and Civic Competence c) Civic Competence and Civic Participation d) Historical knowledge and Civic Competence 4. What do the authors suggest is the relationship of knowledge to skills? a) Knowledge must be learned before skills b) Skills determine knowledge c) Knowledge supports skillful behavior d) Knowledge and skills are best developed separately 5. According to the authors, when planning using the C3 Framework, where do teachers look to decide which knowledge is most important? a) Social science and humanities disciplines, content themes, and topics b) National standards c) Students, parents, and the community d) State and district standards 6. In curriculum planning, what do we call what is taught (the subject matter)? a) Scope and sequence b) State standards c) Topics d) Scope 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
7. Why does the NCSS say that the expanding communities model is “insufficient for today’s young learners?” a) It does not focus on key aspects of social studies such as civic engagement. b) The topics are too simple. c) Children often know more about national politics than local politics d) Teachers don’t use it well. 8. In a spiral curriculum, how would the idea of families be taught? a) By examining children’s own families in first grade b) In ways that make sure students don’t get bored. c) In increasingly sophisticated forms throughout a student’s schooling. d) By looking at smaller and smaller aspects of family 9. The authors recommend teachers use the N CSS 10 themes as a: a) resource if state standards are incomplete b) planning guide to expand and deepen teaching and learning c) starting place for deciding what to teach d) way of supporting instructional decisions with administrators 10. The authors suggest there is a major problem with many sixth and seventh grade social studies programs because the programs: a) choose concepts that have overly broad applicability b) have no coherent scope and sequence c) lack applicability to the 10 social studies conceptual themes d) attempt to deal with too many topics so that depth of understanding is sacrificed 11. What do the authors argue is the social studies teacher’s task in a politically divisive society? a) Teach students how to work with others who are not like them b) Avoid issues that might upset parents or colleagues c) Teach in ways that don’t offend any political point of view d) Help students see that we all want the same things 12. What do the authors suggest is a key implication of the opportunity gap? a) Teachers must accept the fact that students will achieve at different levels b) Teachers must examine their own attitudes about people who are not like them c) Teachers should group students with those who have similar skills d) Teachers must engage students in the inquiry arc 13. How do the authors define curriculum narrowing? a) The intense focus on reading and math to the exclusion of many other subjects 18 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
b) Teachers increasingly focus on covering a few things well rather than trying to cover everything c) Students in wealthier school districts get more time given to social studies d) Social studies is included under the English language arts standards 14. Which of the following is not included as a part of powerful and purposeful social studies? a) Social studies curriculum should be based in public values b) Social studies curriculum should be meaningful to students c) Social studies curriculum should be active d) Social studies curriculum should be aligned with state tests 15. What do the authors argue is the purpose of supporting questions? a) Keeps students interested in the inquiry b) Helps students answer the compelling question c) Aligns well with the tasks and sources d) Helps students use the sources carefully 16. What are the two main characteristics of compelling questions? a) Rigor and connection to standards b) Relevance and rigor c) Student interest and comprehension d) Perspective and permanence II.
SHORT ANSWER Evaluate the author’s statement, “Without historical understanding there can be no wisdom.” Do you believe it is true?
III.
EXTENDED RESPONSE As part of your application for a teaching position, you are asked to outline a twoweek social studies unit for second graders that illustrates your understanding of the three subgoals of learning and the typical scope and sequence used in an elementary social studies curriculum. Write a first draft of your response. Be sure to include examples of each of the three subgoals and an explanation of why this is an appropriate unit for second-grade students.
IV.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter Three to assess your participation. 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
To what extent, if any, should democratic education be the special responsibility of the social studies rather than the whole school?
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Chapter 1 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 1 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. D 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. D 6. D 7. A 8. C 9. B 10. D 11. A 12. B 13. A 14. D 15. B 16. B
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Table of Contents Chapter 2: Teaching in Diverse Classrooms Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
9
Test Items
12
Test Answer Key
16
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Chapter 2: Teaching in Diverse Classrooms Chapter 2 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 2.1: Recognize the changing demographics of the classroom and the three reasons teachers need to plan for the diversity that results from these changing demographics. [Q1] The authors argue that equal educational opportunity is a bedrock ideal in the United States. Which of the following best captures what the authors suggest teachers must do to close the gap that exists between this ideal and reality?
1. Teachers must change the curriculum to better match the demographics of their classrooms. 2. Teachers must recognize and respect differences. 3. Teachers must develop the necessary competencies to effectively teach all children. [correct] 4. Teachers must accept and understand the changing demographics of the classroom.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors explicitly note that teachers change how they teach (their instruction) without changing the curriculum (what they teach). The authors make this argument because a focus on changing the curriculum can result in dumbing down what we teach students who are struggling rather than focusing on helping them learn all they can.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors argue that teachers must recognize and respect differences. This is a minimum requirement and teachers must do more.
[Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] The authors acknowledge that teachers cannot do everything. Yet, they argue that teachers must develop the necessary competencies to do everything they can to provide equal educational opportunity.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers must accept and understand changing demographics. While important, it is just one of the competencies teachers must possess.
[Q2] Examine Table 2.1. Which of the following claims is not supported by the table?
1. The student population in 2060 will be more evenly distributed across racial groups than the population as a whole. 2. The student population in 2060 will include significant racial diversity.
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3. The student population in 2060 will have a greater gap between Whites and nonWhites than the population as a whole. 4. The student population in 2060 will be more racially diverse than the teaching force. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Looking across the two columns, it appears that the student population will be more evenly distributed than the total population. For example, the projections suggest that White and Hispanic/Latino students will attend schools in roughly equivalent numbers.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] Table 2.1 demonstrates that the student population will be more evenly distributed than the total population. No one group in the under 18 population has a clear majority. This suggests significant racial diversity.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] In 2060, Whites are projected to be 43.6% of the total population but only 35.6% of the student population. The gap between Whites and non-Whites is therefore expected to be greater.
[Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] There are many reasons to believe that the teaching force will not be as racially diverse as the student population in 2060. However, this table provides only a hint at that idea. The claim would need additional evidence to be conclusive.
[Q3] In the opening vignette, Ginny Simpson notes the incredible diversity of children in her classroom. Which of the following best captures how the authors suggest Ms. Simpson should respond to this diversity?
1. Ms. Simpson should learn all she can about her students and adapt her teaching. [correct] 2. Ms. Simpson should emphasize similarities and hold all students to high standards. 3. Ms. Simpson should teach well because good teaching will reach all students. 4. Ms. Simpson should emphasize cooperation with her students and help them look past the diversity.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Ms. Simpson must understand her student and adapt her teaching to the students. This respect for diversity is culturally responsive and will result in greater achievement for everyone.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors note that students are different and similar. While similarities and high standards are important, the authors argue that understanding and responding to diversity is key to students’ success.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] Good teaching is different for different students. A teacher who is “teaching well” is often teaching ways that respond primarily to others like themselves. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors note that cooperation is a key requirement of democracy and needs to be taught. Yet, cooperation does not mean ignoring differences. It means recognizing and respecting differences. Learning Outcome 2.2: Understand the characteristics of students in today’s classrooms and the challenges and enrichment such diversity offers the teachers and students.
[Q1] Which of the following are not considered White by the U.S. Census Bureau?
1. People with Hispanic origins [correct] 2. People with origins in Europe 3. People with origins in the Middle East 4. People with origins in North Africa
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The U.S. Census Bureau considers Hispanic to be an ethnicity, not a race. After selecting “Hispanic” on the census form, the person must also choose a racial category.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] The U.S. Census Bureau considers people with origins in Europe to be White. The question asks which of the choices are not considered to be White by the Census Bureau.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] The U.S. Census Bureau considers people with origins in the Middle East to be White. The question asks which of the choices are not considered to be White by the Census Bureau.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] The U.S. Census Bureau considers people with origins in North Africa to be White. The question asks which of the choices are not considered to be White by the Census Bureau.
[Q2] Kenji claims the following identities: Southerner, Buddhist, working class, and African American. Which of these identities identifies Kenji’s ethnic group?
1. Buddhist 2. Working Class 3. Southerner [correct] 4. African American
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Buddhism, like most religions, brings with it a set of values, beliefs, and customs. However, Buddhists do not share a common language or history. 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] Working class is an example of a social or economic class, not an ethnic group.
[Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Yes! In general, people who identify as southerners have a common history, sense of peoplehood, values, and beliefs.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] African Americans are considered a racial group, not an ethnic group.
[Q3] Racial categories are based in a nation’s history and they change as times and the power dynamics of a society change. What is this process called?
1. Racism 2. Racialization [correct] 3. Social construction 4. Ethnocentrism
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Racism is the systemic advantaging of one group over another based on their physical characteristics.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The process by which racial categories are formed and change is called racialization.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] Races are socially and historically constructed. But, that isn’t what we call the process by which racial categories are formed.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Ethnocentrism is the habit of judging other ethnic groups beliefs and behaviors by the standards of your own ethnic group—comparing them unfavorably to yourself.
[Q4] Based on what the authors have written about when difference should be addressed, which of the following is an example of difference being addressed inappropriately?
1. A teacher creates a central location where all pencils are stored so students who can’t afford pencils have the same access as everyone else. 2. A teacher notes that girls often have more trouble with spatial abilities—they need to work harder at map skills. [correct] 3. A teacher continues to provide language support for a student who no longer has an official EL designation. 4. A teacher helps students learn to speak Dominant American English while encouraging them to retain and use their home dialect. 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] School supplies that are shared by all students is one way to avoid asking students to perform their poverty by having inferior supplies or needing to ask every time they need something.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] In this case, the teacher is suggesting that boys and girls have different abilities. Whether or not you believe this is true, the result is a reduced expectation for girls to excel with map skills. And for girls who have strong spatial abilities, it may cause them to hide their abilities or worse.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] EL students can continue to struggle with academic language demands long after they are fluent English speakers. Continuing to recognize the challenge of operating in a second language by offering classroom support is good practice.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Most people agree that the ability to speak Dominant American English is important for students’ future success. However, other dialects are resources upon which students can draw. Speaking more than one language or dialect is a strength in our multilingual world.
[Q5] Carl is a third-grade student who consistently struggles with writing on his social studies assignments. A specialist offers to pull Carl out of social studies to help him with his assignments. Based on the guidelines for Response to Intervention (RTI), how should you as Carl’s classroom teacher respond?
1. Agree to extra help for Carl but insist that the instruction be done in a small group. 2. Turn down the extra help for Carl because he needs to learn to overcome his difficulties. 3. Agree to the extra help for Carl but insist that the help occur in the classroom. 4. Agree to the extra help for Carl as long as he does not miss new social studies instruction. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] RTI allows Tier 2 instruction to be individual or in a small group. It might be more efficient to include others if they are also struggling. But, it is not a violation of RTI for Carl to receive individual help.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] RTI requires that students who are not progressing as they should receive supplemental instruction. Therefore, to turn down the extra help is not appropriate.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] Supplemental assistance can happen in the classroom or outside of the classroom. You might have a preference for Carl to remain in the classroom. But, it is not a problem with RTI to provide this help outside of the classroom.
[Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)]
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Carl has consistently struggled and is eligible for a Tier 2 intervention. RTI requires that Carl doesn’t miss new instruction while he is getting the extra help. Therefore, you are right to insist that the assistance happen during a work session, not during instructional time. Learning Outcome 2.3: Apply the guidelines for teaching in diverse classrooms to classroom situations.
[Q1] According to the authors, what is the most important reason teachers need to help students understand the purpose of what they are being asked to learn?
1. Learning new information is more likely if learners see the value of the information or skill. [correct] 2. Students will do better on tests if they know why the learning is important. 3. Parents are less likely to question time given to social studies if their children can say why it is important. 4. Students will do better in the next grade if they see the value of information and skills.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Why we’re asking students to learn is not always clear to students. Understanding why can give purpose to learning. When students see the value of information, they are more likely to learn (and remember) it. They might, as a result, do better on the test and in the next grade. But, teachers want their students to learn valuable information.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] It is possible that students will do better on tests if they know why they are learning the information. Yet, the authors see a more basic purpose in stressing purpose.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] We want parents to support the teaching of social studies. Yet, that isn’t the main reason teachers should stress the purpose of learning information or a skill.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] It is probably true that students will do better in the future if they know why they are being asked to learn today. However, that isn’t primary reason we explain the value of information and skills.
[Q2] In a class with students of different abilities and different cultural backgrounds, which of the following is counterproductive?
1. Scaffolding 2. Peer tutoring 3. Fixed groups [correct] 4. Many information sources
[Response to Answer Choice 1]
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Scaffolding provides the supports students need to do or understand things they could not do without it. Scaffolding is eventually removed as students gain competence. But, at first, scaffolding is a productive teaching strategy.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] Peer tutoring has been shown to be extremely helpful for both those who tutor and those who are being tutored.
[Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Placing students in fixed groups, based on skill, ability, or prior knowledge, places unnecessary burdens on students who might be already behind. Sometimes students need small group instruction with those of similar ability. But, when those groups become fixed, it creates problems.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] A variety of sources provides students with many ways they might understand the material. People are different. Information sources should be different as well.
[Q3] Anna’s teacher never calls on her unless she raises her hand because she knows Anna, as an English Learner (EL), struggles with verbalizing what she understands. The teacher does not want to embarrass Anna. Which of the following is a reason the authors might give the teacher to consider changing this policy?
1. If the teacher does not call on Anna, she probably will not volunteer. 2. Calling on Anna communicates the teacher’s high expectations for her. [correct] 3. ELs must use English if they are to improve. 4. If the teacher does not call on Anna, she will learn that she doesn’t need to pay attention.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] It is probably true that Anna will not volunteer unless she is called upon. But, that is not the concern the authors write about.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Too often ELs are only provided with basic skills instruction. Anna needs support. But, the teacher has an obligation to engage Anna in learning enriching social studies content. The teacher must maintain high expectations for Anna’s learning.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] It is true that ELs must use English. Yet, that isn’t the main reason the authors suggest they should be regularly called upon.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Anna might stop paying attention if she isn’t called upon, especially if listening to English is difficult. Yet, that isn’t the primary reason the authors provide.
[Q4] 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Which of the following is not an example of a social position?
1. Living in a particular neighborhood 2. Attending a mosque 3. Speaking English as a first language 4. Riding a bus to school [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The nature of neighborhoods in the United States often positions people socially. Neighborhoods can influence who you know and the assumptions people make about you.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] A child who attends a mosque is located in a particular social group and excluded from other social groups.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] We don’t choose our first language and yet it positions us socially.
[Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Students from a wide-variety of social positions ride buses to school.
[Q5] Each of the following is an example of a kind of multicultural curriculum. Which of the choices illustrates what the authors describe as the key aspect of excellent multicultural education?
1. Third graders are invited to bring a food to school that represents their heritage. 2. Fourth graders in Idaho examine the arrival of Europeans from the Shoshoni point of view. [correct] 3. Fifth graders create a play to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 4. Sixth graders study the both Greek and Sparta as a part of their ancient civilization unit.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Sharing foods from different countries celebrates diversity. But, it missed a key element of multicultural education.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Multicultural education should consistently include a variety of perspectives and frames of reference. Examining how the Shoshoni viewed the arrival of Europeans provides the additional perspective.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] Creating a play to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day can be an effective activity. It focuses, however, on a single hero and a single day. If this is the only look at the civil rights movement, it lacks the consistency required.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Greek and Sparta were different and had different perspectives, yet alone they are a very European perspective on the ancient world. 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 2 Application Exercises Chapter 2: Teaching in Diverse Classrooms Application Exercise 2.1: Staying Flexible When Grouping Students Learning Outcome 2.3: Apply the guidelines for teaching in diverse classrooms to classroom situations.
[Q1] Scenario: Imagine that you are a fifth-grade teacher working in a classroom full of students from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of language and other school-related skills. You are engaging students in a study of immigration in the 1900s to the United States. Draw particularly on the authors’ 5th guideline (Flexible Grouping) to decide how you will group your students for the following learning experiences. Remember, there are no right answers about how teachers should group students. However, grouping has effects and your goal is to maximize students’ learning now and in the future. Part of learning is being interested in learning and being willing to put forth effort. Question: In your introductory activity, you want students to draw on your study of the 1900s over the past several months to brainstorm possible push and pull factors that might have brought people to the United States in the 20th century. Considering the authors’ suggestions, rank (1–3 with one being the best choice in this situation) the following participation structures. Explain your ranking. Whole-class brainstorming session Needs-based groups (those who will need the most support together) Cooperative pairs followed by a class brainstorming session
[Q1 Model Response] Compare your rankings and rationale with that of the authors. Our ranking:
1- Cooperative pairs followed by a class brainstorming session. 2- Whole-class brainstorming session. 3- Needs-based groups. The choice teacher makes in situations like these are based on numerous factors, including what they want to accomplish, how students are doing with particular group skills, and the particular group of students. In general, the following apply.
1. Cooperative pairs followed by a report to the whole class. The authors in many cases would choose this option. Cooperative pairs get all students thinking and they allow students who might struggle with the task (e.g., EL students) to practice what they might say before being asked to talk in front of the class. Thus, struggling students are supported and the class is able to have a shared experience.
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2. Whole-class brainstorming session is a good choice. The advantage of this choice is students can hear the thinking of others and build on it. From a grouping point of view, this choice brings less risk of stigmatizing some student because they struggle with the skill. The authors would make this their second choice. 3. Needs-based groups. While it is probably true that some students will find this activity easier than others, this option has the least benefit and the greatest possibility for stigmatizing students in the class. The teacher or other adult could support students who struggle more easily in this configuration. However, more capable peers can support struggling students through modeling the task and (if taught how) through asking good questions. This happens best in a mixed ability situation. The authors would rank this choice 3rd. [Q2] Scenario: Imagine that you are a fifth-grade teacher working in a classroom full of students from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of language and other school-related skills. You are engaging students in a study of immigration in the 1900s to the United States. Draw particularly on the authors’ 5th guideline (Flexible Grouping) to decide how you will group your students for the following learning experiences. Remember, there are no right answers about how teachers should group students. However, grouping has effects and your goal is to maximize students’ learning now and in the future. Part of learning is being interested in learning and being willing to put forth effort. Question: As a part of your immigration study, you’ve selected several books of historical fiction with protagonists that immigrated to the United States in the 20th century. Rank the following participation structures (1–3 with one being your first choice). Explain your ranking. Groups based on reading ability Groups based on students’ requests Whole-class reading of one book
[Q2 Model Response] Compare your rankings and rationale with that of the authors. Our ranking: 1- Groups based on student interest. 2- Whole-class reading of one book. 3- Groups based on reading ability. Groups based on student interest. It is important that students don’t try to read books that are too hard. They will do best if the text is at their level. Yet, it is also important that students are interested in the book so they will actually read it and engage in talking with others about it. We would put the books out for students to examine and provide direct instruction on what they should consider when choosing a book. We would teach them to think about how interested they are in the book and how likely they are to understand the text. If we see that a student has requested a book that is far too hard, we would meet with that student to talk about why. The resulting mixed groups can provide models for students who struggle and the fact that students 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
chose their book will often result in more persistence when things are challenging. Also, a student might want to read a book because it mirrors their experience or the experience of their family. To disallow this because of reading ability, works against our social studies goals. Whole-class reading of the book. This participation structure is less than ideal and we considered making it our third choice because it does not take student interest in to account and it is typically time-consuming and boring. Also, the best readers are likely to dominate any discussion and if students are asked to read aloud, poor readers are likely to be embarrassed and stigmatized. Still, if done well, the teacher can provide the class with a shared experience and sometimes even build interest in the book. Groups based on reading ability. Needs-based groups can be helpful when teachers want to help students build a skill they don’t have. Thus, reading ability groups seems like the obvious choice. There are several reasons we would not choose this option. First, students quickly figure out the high group and the low group and this can impact their perception of the book and of each other. Students might resent, for example, a book they would otherwise enjoy because they are in a group they see as low. Second, ability-based groups do not account for student interest and interested students are more likely to learn what we want them to learn about immigration. Third, a mixed ability group allows students who might master the material quickly a chance to explain their thinking—to teach. And there is nothing quite like teaching to improve their understanding. Finally, if ability-based grouping is used in literacy instruction, their presence in social studies can cement some students’ perception of themselves as incapable of school success.
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Chapter 2 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE)
1. Which of the following best describes culturally responsive instruction? a) Teachers learn about cultural characteristics of their students in order and work to match the curriculum with students’ cultures. b) Teachers learn about cultural characteristics of their students in order to communicate to students that s/he cares. c) Teachers learn about cultural characteristics of their students in order to individualize the curriculum. d) Teachers learn about cultural characteristics of student of their students in order adapt instruction. 2. Why do the authors suggest teachers must recognize and respect differences in the classroom? a) Teachers are stewards of democracy. b) When student differences are recognized they do better in school. c) Classrooms are much more diverse than they were in the past. d) Non-White students are already a minority in elementary schools. 3. How do the authors define diversity? a) Size and growth of populations b) Non-White populations c) Variability within populations d) Race, ethnicity, and culture 4. Which of the following best describes the concept of race? a) Race has no biological basis but is culturally significant. b) Race is based in clear biological differences between human populations. c) Race is socially constructed based in biological science. d) Race has common, agreed upon traits that are similar around the world. 5. Which of the following is an example of ethnocentrism? a) A person prefers to stand close to those with whom she is speaking. b) Non-Christian creation stories are described as myths. c) People are judged based on stereotypes about them. d) Students are asked to speak Dominant American English. 6. Which of the following is a consequence of poverty? a) Children are more likely to live in homes where alcohol is used. 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
b) Children have less access to recreational options. c) Children are less likely to hear positive messages about school. d) Children are more likely to have adult models who are lazy. 7. Which of the following is NOT a reason given by the authors for gender equitable classrooms? a) Gender equitable classrooms give all children an equal chance for attention and feedback. b) Gender equitable classrooms are a hedge against bullying. c) Gender equitable classroom recognize that there are many ways to express gender. d) Gender equitable classrooms will improve everyone’s test scores. 8. What do the authors suggest teachers should consider as decide to directly or indirectly break the silence around sexual orientation? a) How administrators are likely to respond to discussions of sexual orientation b) Ways to help students see that they are often talking about sexual orientation c) Community attitudes and their own comfort level d) Whether or not discussions of sex are appropriate at their grade level 9. What is the purpose of culturally responsive instruction, according to the authors? a) Culturally responsive instruction is designed to help children maintain their cultural identities while learning the school curriculum. b) Culturally responsive instruction is designed to introduce a wide variety of perspectives in to the curriculum. c) Culturally responsive instruction is designed to disrupt how we usually “do school.” d) Culturally responsive instruction is designed to make it easier for students to learn in school. 10. Why do the authors suggest that teachers must know their “cell phone?” a) Teachers must be able to know their own social positioning so they won’t be disadvantaged by it. b) Teachers must be able to know their own social positioning in order to be empathetic to their students. c) Teachers must be able to know their own social positioning so that they can help their students see how they are socially positioned. d) Teachers must be able to see how they are socially positioned so they can reflectively teach diverse students. 11. Which of the following best illustrates how the authors suggest teachers help engage students in learning? a) “Learning this will help you pass the upcoming test.” 14 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
b) “You will need to know this information next year in fourth grade.” c) “Learning this will allow you to win arguments with your parents.” d) “You will find this information super interesting.” 12. Which of the following illustrates a teacher communicating high expectations for learning? a) Praise students for getting their work done on time. b) Praise and critique boys and girls based on strong intellectual reasoning. c) Provide an alternative curriculum for struggling students—one more accessible to them. d) Provide clear behavioral expectations with strong rewards and punishments. 13. Which of the following is NOT an example of flexible grouping? a) Students are assigned to cooperative pairs to coach one another. b) Students are assigned to groups based on their skill level. c) Student are assigned to a partner before they receive their independent work. d) Students are assigned to a group based on the variety of skills and abilities the task requires. 14. Which of the following statements summarizes the relationship between teacher expectations and student performance? a) Teacher expectations do not impact student performance. b) Students do not care about their teachers’ expectations of their performance. c) Students consistently perform above the expectations of their teachers. d) Students tend to perform according to their teachers’ expectations. 15. Which of the following best represents the authors’ claim about sexual orientation and children? a) Children talk about sexual orientation in terms of romantic relationships. b) Children aren’t interested in sexual orientation. c) Children are uncomfortable talking about gay and lesbian people. d) As long as the teacher stays quiet, children won’t bring up issues of sexual orientation . 16. The text offers two suggestions for accommodating the child with special gifts and talents. What are they? a) Classwork and homework from the next grade level b) Tiered assignments and independent study c) Extra credit for peer tutoring and mentoring younger students d) Planning lessons for the teacher and monitoring other students’ behavior
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17. According to the authors, which of the following does being proficient in more than one dialect or language create? a) A disadvantage because standard English is all that’s really needed b) An advantage in a modern, diverse, and global society c) A disadvantage when looking for memberships in groups d) An advantage because they can provide translation for the teacher II.
SHORT ANSWER Explain and evaluate the statement, “If everyone is treated the same, we simply institutionalize and perpetuate inequality.”
III.
EXTENDED RESPONSE You are a teacher in a diverse elementary school (there are both boys and girls, more than one race, several religious and ethnic groups, the children’s first language is not always English, some children are exceptional, etc.). This school has an inclusion policy for children with special needs. At the first “parent night” of the year you want to explain how your curriculum and teaching strategies will be responsive to the diversity in your classroom. Write a first draft of what you will say to the parents.
IV.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Use one of the scoring rubrics found in Chapter 3 of the text to assess your participation. What should children in the primary (K–3), intermediate (4–5), and middle grades (6–8) be taught about race and racism?
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Chapter 2 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 2 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. B 7. D 8. C 9. A 10. D 11. C 12. B 13. B 14. D 15. A 16. B 17. B
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Table of Contents Chapter 3: Civics and Democratic Citizenship Education Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
14
Test Items
26
Test Answer Key
31
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Chapter 3: Civics and Democratic Citizenship Education Chapter 3 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 3.1: Give a rationale for citizenship education, and outline how it can be implemented in the classroom. [Q1] According to James Baldwin, what is the likely result if children are not educated to live democratically? 1. They will make poor electoral decisions. 2. They will be less able to resist tyranny. 3. They will become apathetic about government. [correct] 4. They will be insensitive to barbarism.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] It is probable that people not educated to live democratically will make poor electoral decisions (if they even bother to vote). Yet, Baldwin notes that, at minimum, they are unlikely to care about the preservation of democracy. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is possible that people not educated to live democratically will allow tyrants to be elected and rule. Yet, Baldwin notes that, at minimum, such people are unlikely to care about the preservation of democracy. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Indeed, James Baldwin spoke eloquently about the need to prepare children to do more than just follow the rules—people schooled only in following the rules are likely to become apathetic. Apathy can result in poor electoral decision making, tyranny, and barbarism. [Response to Answer Choice 4] In Baldwin’s example, he notes that many children born into the Third Reich became barbarians. Yet, barbarism is but one extreme possibility. Baldwin notes that, at minimum, such people are unlikely to care about the preservation of democracy. [Q2] What do the authors claim is the nature of a civic partnership that combats “idiocy?” 1. Students agree to work together for the common good. 2. Students share a common political identity alongside their many cultural identities. [correct] 3. Students understand that if they work for their own self-interest, things will improve. 4. Everyone works together to educate students. 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Citizenship requires a commitment to the common good (unity). Yet, that isn’t the complete nature of the civic partnership. This partnership also respects the diversity of our society. This is difficult for people to understand. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] “Alongside the many, the one” is the Latin motto on our money. A civic partnership allows for considerable diversity as people identify with communities of their birth and choosing. Yet, we share a common political identity: democratic citizen. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A civic partnership that combats “idiocy” is one that asks people to commit to considering the common good (unity). [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is valuable for everyone to work for the educating of students. However, that isn’t what the authors mean by “a particular kind of civic partnership.” The authors stress the relationship between diversity and unity as key to this partnership. [Q3] How would Westheimer and Kahne describe a student who volunteers to serve on the board of the local food bank? 1. Participatory citizen [correct] 2. Personally responsible citizen 3. Social justice-oriented citizen 4. Active citizen
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] People who are active in community organizations are usually exercising a type of citizenship we generally call participatory. They might also be acting responsibly (personally responsible citizenship) and they might also be interested in the causes of hunger (social justice-oriented citizenship). But, this particular characteristic generally refers to someone who values participation within the existing structure. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is very likely that a person volunteering on the board of a local food bank is personally responsible. However, the act of volunteering to help oversee the food bank suggests someone who is participatory. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is possible that this student is social justice-oriented. But, the evidence provided here cannot confirm this. What we know is that the student is interested in meaningful participation (beyond donating to the food bank). Thus, all we can say for sure is the student is acting as a participatory citizen. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] This student does seem active. Yet, “active” is not a term used by Westheimer and Kahne. [Q4] Which of the following is not given by the authors as a reason to engage students in deliberation about solving classroom and playground problems? 1. It makes classrooms easier to manage. [correct] 2. It nurtures cooperative discussion. 3. It creates chances for decision making. 4. It helps students think about why a problem is happening.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Engaging students in solving small problems cooperatively can make students easier to manage. However, this is not a rationale the authors provide because it is not a goal of democratic citizenship education. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Working together to solve small problems gives students practice in talking with one another. It is a clear reason to engage students continually in the practice. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Working together to solve small problems gives students practical chances to make decisions together. It is a clear reason to engage students continually in the practice. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Working together to solve small problems, when done carefully, can encourage students to look for why problems happen—to seek underlying causes. This is a basic skill that students with a social-justice orientation must have. [Q5] What so the authors argue is necessary to develop civic competence? 1. Learning about the Constitution and voting in elections 2. Being informed about current issues and respecting opposing viewpoints 3. Working for the common good and practicing social justice 4. Learning about democracy and practicing active democratic engagement [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Learning about democracy is one necessary component of developing civic competence. There is more. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Active citizenship is an important outcome of democratic citizenship education. Civic competence, however, requires both practicing democratic skills and knowing about democracy and how it works. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Students should have a concern for the common good and a respect for difference. These are developed by learning about democracy and practicing active democratic engagement. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Civic competence requires both learning about democracy and practicing democratic skills. Learning Outcome 3.2: Recognize active and passive citizenship education, and articulate the benefits of an active approach. [Q1] The authors identify three basic practices of democracy that can be nurtured through active citizenship education. What are they? 1. Inquiry, reasoning, and debate 2. Caring, respect, and independence 3. Courtesy, obedience, and altruism 4. Deliberation, voting, and community service [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] These practices can often be nurtured through active citizenship education. However, they are not the democratic practices that the authors identify. [Response to Answer Choice 2] These practices can often be nurtured through active citizenship education. However, they are not the democratic practices that the authors identify. [Response to Answer Choice 3] These practices can often be nurtured through active citizenship education. However, they are not the democratic practices that the authors identify. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Deliberation, voting, and community service are the democratic practices the authors identify that active citizenship nurtures. [Q2] Which of the following is an example of active citizenship as the authors define it? 1. Students discuss what they are pledging their allegiance to. [correct] 2. Students recite the Pledge every day. 3. Students define the key words found in the Pledge. 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Students answer questions from the teacher about what the Pledge means.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The authors note that active citizenship education means that the students are actively engaged in the study—their minds are busily considering an important question. Discussing what the Pledge means—thinking about it from different perspectives— invites students to think about the Pledge and to decide for themselves what they are pledging their allegiance to. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Reciting the Pledge each day is ritual, not education. Rituals can teach. But, it is a passive type of learning. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Being busy is not the same thing as being active. The active citizenship education described here focuses on students actively making meaning—not so much what the Pledge says as what it means. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Answering the teacher’s questions seems active. However, in a situation like this, students are usually trying to provide the answer the teacher is looking for, rather than actively working to decide what they should think. It is possible that some students are actively considering an important question. However, the format of the teacher asking a question followed by a student’s answer is usually considered passive learning. [Q3] Why did the Supreme Court leave the words “under God” as a part of the Pledge? 1. The Court declared that “under God” in no way establishes a favored religious belief. 2. The Court said that to remove “under God” would cause all religious expression to become suspect in classrooms. 3. The Court did not make a decision. Instead, it decided that the person suing the government was not eligible to sue. [correct] 4. The Court saw the claim as trivial.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] In his dissent, a lower-court judge made this claim. The Supreme Court left the question of the constitutionality of “under God” undecided. [Response to Answer Choice 2] In his dissent, a lower-court judge made this claim. The Supreme Court left the question of the constitutionality of “under God” undecided. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] 5 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Court ruled that Newdow, as the non-custodial parent, did not have “standing” to bring the case before the Court. As a result, they avoided making a decision as to whether or not “under God” is constitutional. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The Court did not make this claim. The Supreme Court left the question of the constitutionality of “under God” undecided. [Q4] Which of the following best describes how the authors would characterize learning the history of the Pledge of Allegiance? 1. Passive [correct] 2. Active 3. Patriotic 4. Cosmopolitan
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] We’re likely to agree with you, depending on your reasoning. We tend to think that knowing the history of the Pledge is interesting and can lead to actively deliberating the Pledge. Yet, learning about the Pledge without having to make a decision or state an opinion about it is usually considered passive, even if students seem interested in what you’re telling them. [Response to Answer Choice 2] You might have a case here, depending on your reasoning. We tend to think that knowing the history of the Pledge is interesting and can lead to active citizenship education. However, active citizenship education generally engages students in working together to achieve a bigger and better understanding. If “learning the history” means listening to how the teacher understands things, it is unlikely to be active. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Learning about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance would probably help students understand this patriotic ritual. However, the authors would not characterize this learning experience as patriotic. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The Pledge of Allegiance is a national pledge. Learning the history of the Pledge might help students to understand how a national pledge differs from one that could be more cosmopolitan. However, it is inaccurate to consider learning about the history to be cosmopolitan education. [Q5] Given what the authors write about an active approach to citizenship education, why do they advocate for a recently naturalized citizen to come and speak with the class? 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. The novelty of having a guest speaker will encourage students to listen carefully. 2. Students can ask questions directly and engage in thinking about how the system works. [correct] 3. Speakers sharing their experiences are likely to prompt student interest. 4. A recently naturalized citizen is likely to know more about the process than the teacher.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Students are usually interested by a guest speaker and what she/he has to say and they will often listen carefully. Yet, listening, while important, does not automatically make the learning active. Are the students listening and trying to understand a different perspective? Are they asking questions that are important to them? Students’ thinking is more important than the fact that they are listening. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors stress that the students are active in active citizenship education. A knowledgeable speaker is available to answer students’ questions and to prompt them to think about what is involved from the point of view of the person applying for citizenship. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is probably true that a speaker sharing firsthand experiences is likely to promote student interest. Interest is an important part of an active learning experience. Yet, it doesn’t fully capture what the authors mean by active citizenship learning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is probably true that a recently naturalized citizen knows a lot about the process. However, listening to someone who is knowledgeable does not make an experience active. Learning Outcome 3.3: Evaluate classroom practices designed to implement the six dimensions of citizenship education. [Q1] The authors argue that deliberation skills need to be 1. taught before they are practiced. 2. taught and practiced. [correct] 3. allowed to emerge organically within a group setting. 4. carefully monitored in the early grades.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The teaching is most effective when it happens before, during, and/or after the practice. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)]
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Learning deliberation skills requires both explicit teaching and practice. The teaching is most effective when it happens before, during, and after the practice. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Allowing skills to emerge organically often puts some students at a disadvantage. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers should watch carefully as students are learning to deliberate. However, even very young children are capable of deliberation when the topic is well chosen. [Q2] According to the authors, what is the relationship of deliberation to voting? 1. Deliberation informs and empowers voting. [correct] 2. Voting is impossible without deliberation. 3. Voting inspires deliberation. 4. Deliberation and voting should be taught separately.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Deliberation informs and empowers voting. A person can vote without deliberating and deliberate without voting. But, voting is informed when the voter has a chance to deliberate. [Response to Answer Choice 2] A person can vote without deliberating and deliberate without voting. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Think again. Voting can actually shut down deliberation as the issue may appear to be settled. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Deliberation and voting can be taught separately. But, that is not the most powerful way to go about it. [Q3] How do the authors suggest citizenship learning in school might be bridged with community civic life experiences? 1. Through listening to a speaker talking about an important issue in the community 2. Through classroom meetings focused on important community issues 3. Through voting in classroom mock elections 4. Through service learning activities [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1]
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Discussion is an important part of learning to be a citizen. However, it does not necessary translate to experiences in the civic life of the community. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The teacher can build awareness of issues in the community during classroom meeting. However, this isn’t the purpose of the classroom meeting and it is unlikely to create the expected bridge. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Voting in classroom elections is important. And while it mirrors what adults do in the community, it doesn’t create the bridge the authors write about. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Community service (or service learning) provides an excellent bridge between schoolbased learning and civic-life experiences in the community. [Q4] What is the source of the values the authors argue must be taught in school? 1. Our great public documents [correct] 2. The decisions and actions of exemplary individuals 3. National voluntary standards 4. The symbols found on coins
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The Declaration of Independence, the Constitutions of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and other great pubic documents contain the democratic values that schools should teach. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Decisions and actions of exemplary individuals can help make public values visible to students. However, they are not the source of these values. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Many national voluntary standards contain with values schools should teach. However, they are not the source of those values. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Symbols found on coins can illustrate the values schools should teach. However, they are the source of those values. [Q5] How do the authors define “dispositions?” 1. The willingness to act on your beliefs 2. The ability to listen generously to others and ask for clarification 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3. Habits or inclinations that summarize a person’s behavior and values [correct] 4. The ability to recognize and talk about important democratic values
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The willingness to act on your beliefs is an example of a disposition. However, an example is not the same as a definition.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] Having the ability to listen generously to others is not the same as the habit of listening generously to others. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Dispositions are habits that suggest how a person behaves or what she/he values. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The ability to recognize and talk about important democratic values is important. But, as a skill, it isn’t the same as a disposition. Learning Outcome 3.4: Explain the impact of religion on history and human affairs and how religion should be integrated into the social studies curriculum. [Q1] Which of the following do the authors claim as a “defining attribute of modernity in general and modern constitutional democracy in particular?” 1. Religious liberty and freedom of speech 2. Majority rule and minority rights 3. Pluralism and toleration [correct] 4. Secular government and religious liberty
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Religious liberty and freedom of speech are both very important attributes of modern democracies. Yet, the authors provide two different ideas as defining of modernity in general. [Response to Answer Choice 2] A modern democracy must observe majority rule and minority rights. Yet, the authors claim other attributes as being also defining to modernity in general. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Pluralism and toleration allows people of different religions or no religion at all to live, work, play, and educate their children together. In many ways they define modern constitutional democracy. 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Secular governments and religious liberty are an important attribute of democracy in the United States. Yet, the authors do not see these as defining of modernity in general. [Q2] Which of the following is not permitted in public schools? 1. Teaching ways that religion influenced past migrations 2. Noting how religion has been used to justify wars 3. Promoting a particular religious point of view [correct] 4. Studying the religious background of a historical figure
[Response to Answer 1] Teaching ways that religion has influenced past migrations is teaching about religion. This is permitted in public schools. [Response to Answer 2] As the text notes, religion has been used to justify wars and violence. To examine the connection is teaching about religion. This is usually permitted in public schools. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] The Constitution forbids the establishment of a religion. This is interpreted to forbid public schools from promoting a particular religious point of view as better than another point of view. [Response to Answer 4] Religion is often an important motivation for historical figures. The text references Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. as two examples. To consider the role of religion in their lives is teaching about religion. This is usually permitted in public schools. [Q3] Which of the following do the authors give as a reason for helping students understand religious diversity? 1. To avoid stereotypes about people [correct] 2. To reduce religious animosity 3. To appreciate diversity 4. To promote secularism
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] When students think everyone from a particular country or religion is the same, they are more likely to hold inaccurate (and often harmful) stereotypes. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
It is likely that understanding religious diversity will help reduce religious animosity. However, that is not the reason that the authors give. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Diversity is a goal of social studies education. However, the authors draw a link between understanding religious diversity and the stereotypes that come with viewing everyone in a particular group as the same. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The goal of teaching about religion is not to promote religion or secularism. Instead, religious diversity helps students understand that a particular region or religion does not dictate what a person is like or what they believe. [Q4] Which of the following is likely due to an interaction of religion and culture? 1. What people wear to worship services 2. The practice of excluding women from religious leadership 3. Winter breaks from school that happen around Christmas 4. All choices listed here [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The example of Easter hats (something people might wear to worship) is given in the text. However, it is not the only example of religion and culture interacting to inform a practice. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Some forms of a religion allow women to be in leadership positions while others do not —a clear indication that culture may be informing the practice. However, it is not the only example of religion and culture interacting to inform a practice. [Response to Answer Choice 3] For many, the fact of a winter break in December seems natural and they miss the interaction between the culture and religion that this demonstrates. But, that isn’t the only example listed among the choices. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Good for you! It can be intensely difficult to see how religion and culture interact. It is helpful to notice places where a group enacts different practices while sharing the basic religious point of view. What people wear to worship services is illustrated by the example of Easter hats that you can find in the text. Some forms of a religion allow women to be in leadership positions while others do not—a clear indication that culture may be informing the practice. For many, the fact of a winter break in December seems natural and they miss the interaction between the culture and religion that this demonstrates. [Q5] 12 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What do the authors suggest is a reason that teachers should learn about the religious diversity in their classrooms? 1. To be completely neutral in matters of religion 2. To avoid causing any child feel like an outsider [correct] 3. To keep their own religious bias in check 4. All of the choices listed here
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Learning about religious diversity could help the teacher be more neutral. However, the larger goal of neutrality is to make sure all students feel that they are not excluded because of their religious beliefs. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Learning about the religious diversity in the classroom can help sensitize teachers to students who might feel left out because of a comment or a classroom practice. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is important for us all to keep a teacher’s religious bias in check. Being aware of the religious diversity in the classroom is not necessarily the best way to do this. [Response to Answer Choice 4] While all of the choices might be a benefit of learning about the religious diversity in the classroom, the authors stress the obligation of teachers to help every child feel included.
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Chapter 3 Application Exercises Chapter 3: Civics and Democratic Citizenship Education Application Exercise 3.1: Teaching for Civic Competence: Analyzing a Lesson Plan Learning Outcome 3.1: Give a rationale for citizenship education, and outline how it can be implemented in the classroom [Q1] The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit, non-partisan resource dedicated to “promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy.” This activity gives you the opportunity to become familiar with this valuable resource and to practice analyzing web-based lessons you might want to use with your students. Go to the Center for Civic Education’s website: http://civiced.org/. Use the “resources” button and select “lesson plans.” On the lesson plans page, select “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.” Download the 3–4 lesson plan entitled, “What basic ideas are in the preamble to the Constitution?” Look over the lesson in order to understand what it is asking teachers to do with students. As you analyze this lesson plan, focus on the “Notes for the Teacher” section, beginning on page 5. In the textbook, the authors note that students must learn about democracy and they must also be allowed to practice democracy. The authors provide the example of learning about the U.S. Constitution (learning about democracy) while also practicing democracy by working and deliberating together to identify and solve problems in their schools or classrooms. Read the Lesson Overview and the Lesson Objectives. Notice that the overview states that “students read the Preamble and develop definitions for the six key phrases….” The Lesson Objectives say that students will be able to “explain the purpose of the Preamble…” and explain what some of the key phrases mean. Question: To what extent is this a lesson about democracy and to what extent is this a lesson that allows students to practice democracy? [Q1 Model Response]
This lesson is teaching about the Preamble to the Constitution. In the lesson overview, the authors note that students “read the Preamble and develop definitions.” The lesson seeks to teach about this important part of the Constitution by closely examining the text. For example, students begin by considering what they think the purpose of government should be. They illustrate some of the ideas. Students work together to understand a core concept in the text. An explicit propose of this lesson is to engage students in practicing democracy. Working together in groups to understand the text or create a skit is active, but it doesn’t necessarily involve students in practicing democracy. Still, this lesson is valuable because it pushes students to learn about democracy. 14 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2]
The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit, non-partisan resource dedicated to “promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy.” This activity gives you the opportunity to become familiar with this valuable resource and to practice analyzing web-based lessons you might want to use with your students. Go to the Center for Civic Education’s website: http://civiced.org/. Use the “resources” button and select “lesson plans.” On the lesson plans page, select “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.” Download the 3–4 lesson plan entitled, “What basic ideas are in the preamble to the Constitution?” Look over the lesson in order to understand what it is asking teachers to do with students. As you analyze this lesson plan, focus on the “Notes for the Teacher” section, beginning on page 5. Read Teaching Procedure A. Introductory Activity. The procedure involves having students think about what the purpose of government should be, examining the Preamble to see what it says is the purpose of government, creating skits illustrating each of the 6 purposes, and looking at illustrations designed to relate to the Preamble. At the beginning of Chapter 3, the authors argue that “deliberations turn on three questions”:
How virtuous (or not) can we expect everyone to be? What arrangements are needed for living together cooperatively and settling conflicts that inevitably arise? How can these arrangements be changed as conditions and beliefs change?
Question: Which of these three questions do you believe the introductory activity has the possibility to address? [Q2 Model Response]
The introductory activity asks students to discuss the purpose of government. As teachers ask students to discuss the purpose of government, they might invite students to think about how virtuous (or not) we can expect people to be. If, for example, everyone can be trusted to follow a strict moral code, perhaps government can forget about making and enforcing laws. This activity has the potential to engage students in the question of “What arrangements are needed for living together cooperatively and settling the conflicts that inevitably will arise?” Government is a type of arrangement, after all, for getting things done that need doing. The lesson is asking about the purpose of government and this holds much less potential for considering how arrangements can be changed. That’s okay. Lessons don’t need to do everything.
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[Q3]
The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit, non-partisan resource dedicated to “promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy.” This activity gives you the opportunity to become familiar with this valuable resource and to practice analyzing web-based lessons you might want to use with your students. Go to the Center for Civic Education’s website: http://civiced.org/. Use the “resources” button and select “lesson plans.” On the lesson plans page, select “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.” Download the 3–4 lesson plan entitled, “What basic ideas are in the preamble to the Constitution?” Look over the lesson in order to understand what it is asking teachers to do with students. As you analyze this lesson plan, focus on the “Notes for the Teacher” section, beginning on page 5. Focus on the Problem-Solving Activity where students work in groups to use resource materials to answer questions, draw pictures, and (perhaps) create a skit. Question: To what extent does this activity hold the potential to engage students in practicing democracy? Be careful. It is possible to engage students in activities without asking them to practice democracy. As you investigate this activity, keep in mind that practicing democracy involves being personally responsible, participating in identifying and solving problems, and working to understand why things are the way they are and to change them for the better. [Q3 Model Response]
This is tricky. The activity as designed here is intended to teach about democracy, not to practice democracy. On the surface, there isn’t much practicing of democracy going on. You might have noted, however, that students are working in groups to figure what a term means and how to best represent the meaning with a picture and/or a skit. The skills of working cooperatively with others to solve a problem (the problem of how to best represent a term) is a skill that practicing democracy requires; students need to work together in ways that invite everyone’s equal participation. How might students handle disagreements? How might they make sure everyone is a valued member of the group? And the group must consider the others in the class—what might the other students need to understand our ideas? If the teacher helps students focus on doing these skills well, you might argue that this activity teaches about democracy and allows students to practice democracy. Application Exercise 3.2: Planning for Active Citizenship Learning Outcome 3.2: Recognize active and passive citizenship education, and articulate the benefits of an active approach. [Q1] A danger of simply reading about active citizenship is you might find yourself learning about it in a passive way. This exercise is designed to put you in the role of teacher and to introduce you to some of what it means to think like a social studies teacher focused 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
on active citizenship. In this exercise, you will think through our suggestions and introduce you some of the underlying skills necessary to do this with students. When describing the Naturalization Simulation, the authors present the following organization: 1) prepare for the activity, 2) engage in the activity, and 3) debrief the activity. This structure is also evident in the seminar on the Pledge, though it is not expressed explicitly. As you answer the following questions, use the Naturalization Simulation to help you think like a teacher planning the seminar on the Pledge. Question: Look over the instructions on doing a seminar and identify the implicit ideas of what is involved in preparing for the seminar on the Pledge. As you consider preparing for the Pledge seminar, what might you need to do to prepare your students? What do you need to do to prepare yourself? [Q1 Model Response] As you look over your responses, consider how closely they match the authors’ ideas? You might have thought of something the authors missed. If so, congratulations! Skilled teachers prepare themselves and their students. Note that teachers prepare themselves for the seminar by learning about this history of the Pledge—how has it changed? What was its purpose? How have its purpose changed? What are the issues? You need to understand the Pledge and the issues embedded in it thoroughly so you can respond in the moment to things students might say. Teachers prepare interpretative questions that get to the issues involved in the Pledge. Interpretative questions help students have something important and interesting to talk (and disagree) about. We suggest some interpretative questions in the text (e.g., When people say they pledge allegiance, what are they pledging their allegiance to?). Teachers think about how their students might respond to the question (will they be able to understand it?) and teachers will consider how much help students will need to be sure they have a basic comprehension of the Pledge before they get to the larger, interpretative question. Teachers also prepare their students to discuss the text. Teachers need to be sure that students have a basic understanding of the vocabulary in the Pledge. How will you help them understand the term, “allegiance,” for example? Students need to understand the format for the seminar. The seminar is different from situations in school where there is a right answer and they are expected to report it. Are they prepared to do this? Students need help knowing the basic processes of the seminar—the rules of participation. Should they raise their hands, for example? How might they respond to someone’s statement when they agree or disagree? [Q2] A danger of simply reading about active citizenship is you might find yourself learning about it in a passive way. This exercise is designed to put you in the role of teacher and to introduce you to some of what it means to think like a social studies teacher focused
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on active citizenship. In this exercise, you will think through our suggestions and introduce you some of the underlying skills necessary to do this with students. When describing the Naturalization Simulation, the authors present the following organization: 1) prepare for the activity, 2) engage in the activity, and 3) debrief the activity. This structure is also evident in the seminar on the Pledge, though it is not expressed explicitly. As you answer the following questions, use the Naturalization Simulation to help you think like a teacher planning the seminar on the Pledge. Consider what it will mean to engage in the activity. Imagine your fourth-grade class engaging in a seminar on the Pledge. Question: Keeping in mind that your primary purpose is to help your students think about the text and gain an enlarged understanding of it, how might you respond to the student who answers the question, “To what are we pledging allegiance?” by saying, “to the flag, it says so right there in the first line?” Most of the students nod their heads in agreement. [Q2 Model Response] Your primary purpose here is an enlarged understanding of the Pledge—not to get your students to say the right answer. Thus, you want to accept the student’s response, validate her/his thinking, and push for more ideas. Your answer should include most of the following:
Write the student’s response on the board (accepting the response) Congratulate the student on referencing the text (“it says so right there…”) (validating the thinking) Note that many people seem to agree with this thinking (validating the thinking) Ask, something like, “Is there someone who can see another way we might use the text to answer this question?” (pushing for more ideas)
[Q3] A danger of simply reading about active citizenship is you might find yourself learning about it in a passive way. This exercise is designed to put you in the role of teacher and to introduce you to some of what it means to think like a social studies teacher focused on active citizenship. In this exercise, you will think through our suggestions and introduce you some of the underlying skills necessary to do this with students. When describing the Naturalization Simulation, the authors present the following organization: 1) prepare for the activity, 2) engage in the activity, and 3) debrief the activity. This structure is also evident in the seminar on the Pledge, though it is not expressed explicitly. As you answer the following questions, use the Naturalization Simulation to help you think like a teacher planning the seminar on the Pledge. The final step in your planning is debriefing the process. The debrief is not described in the section on the pledge, but the authors offer suggestions on debriefing an activity in the section on the Naturalization simulation. 18 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Question: Drawing on what the authors say about the simulation, how might you debrief the seminar? [Q3 Model Response] Looking at the debriefing of the simulation, you will notice two parts: 1) helping students think through what they learned in the seminar and 2) thinking about how the simulation went so they might continually get better at future simulations. Your seminar debrief should include the same two parts. “What is one thing you learned or thought about during our seminar?” is an example of a question focused on helping students think about (and remember) what they learned. “How did you think the seminar went?” or “Do you think we talked in a way so that everyone felt comfortable expressing an opinion?” is an example of question focused on helping students get better at doing seminars. Application Exercise 3.3: Evaluating a Classroom Discussion Learning Outcome 3.3: Evaluate classroom practices designed to implement the six dimensions of citizenship education. [Q1] The authors argue that it is important for teacher to assess their students’ current discussion abilities in order to plan instruction. In this exercise, you will read transcripts of students drawing conclusions about what symbols on coins might mean. Your task is to use Table 3.1 to focus on what the students are able to do so that you can plan instruction. Begin by reviewing Table 3.1: An ambitious scoring guide for assessing students’ participation in discussions of public issues on two dimensions, grade 6. Imagine that you are a fourth-grade teacher and you are using Lesson Plan 3— Symbolic Values with your class (you should review this lesson plan before proceeding with this exercise). Once students have examined the pennies in their hands, you ask them to turn to their elbow partner and talk about their observations and any conclusions they have made. You listen in on Tess and Andre’s conversation. Tess: I saw a lot of things on my penny. I think that these people believe in God because it says here, “In God we trust.” Andre: I think most people believe in God. My family goes to church every week, sometimes twice a week. There’s nothing wrong with that. Tess: I think the words on the penny are interesting. My penny says Liberty and on the back it says, E Pluribus Unum and One Cent. I’m not sure what E Pluribus Unum means. What do you think? Andre: My penny has those same words. Since we don’t know what the words mean, I think we could say that the people who made this coin speak English and one other language. 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Tess: Great idea! I didn’t think about that. Based on the transcript above, evaluate their participation using the substantive dimension of Table 3.1. Question: Focus on the substantive dimension. How would you rank Tess and Andre’s substantive comments? Note specific comments either student makes to provide reasons for your rankings based in the scoring guide in Table 3.1. [Q1 Model Response] We have assessed the statements of Tess as containing characteristics of the Minimal (level 1) and the Adequate (level 2) range. Tess’s opening statement supports her positions with evidence from the penny (“In God We Trust”). She introduces an important idea in an appropriate way for this point in the conversation. In her second statement, Tess focuses on the phrase “E Pluribus Unum” and she invites Andre to think with her about what it might mean. We assessed Andre as having characteristics of both the minimal (2) and unacceptable (1) levels. Andre’s initial comment is largely irrelevant to the discussion of what “In God We Trust” might suggest. Yet, that isn’t his only comment. Andre introduces an important idea when he suggests that E Pluribus Unum might suggest that the people also speak a language other than English. [Q2] The authors argue that it is important for teacher to assess their students’ current discussion abilities in order to plan instruction. In this exercise, you will read transcripts of students drawing conclusions about what symbols on coins might mean. Your task is to use Table 3.1 to focus on what the students are able to do so that you can plan instruction. Begin by reviewing Table 3.1: An ambitious scoring guide for assessing students’ participation in discussions of public issues on two dimensions, grade 6. Imagine that you are a fourth-grade teacher and you are using Lesson Plan 3— Symbolic Values with your class (you should review this lesson plan before proceeding with this exercise). Once students have examined the pennies in their hands, you ask them to turn to their elbow partner and talk about their observations and any conclusions they have made. You listen in on Tess and Andre’s conversation. Tess: I saw a lot of things on my penny. I think that these people believe in God because it says here, “In God we trust.” Andre: I think most people believe in God. My family goes to church every week, sometimes twice a week. There’s nothing wrong with that. Tess: I think the words on the penny are interesting. My penny says Liberty and on the back it says, E Pluribus Unum and One Cent. I’m not sure what E Pluribus Unum means. What do you think? 20 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Andre: My penny has those same words. Since we don’t know what the words mean, I think we could say that the people who made this coin speak English and one other language. Tess: Great idea! I didn’t think about that. Based on the transcript above, evaluate their participation using the substantive dimension of Table 3.1. Question: Focus on the Procedural dimension of the scoring guide in Table 3.1. Assess each student’s procedural participation. How would you rank each child’s participation? Include reasons for your ranking that refer to the criteria in Table 3.1. [Q2 Model Response] We have ranked Tess at the Minimal (1) level. She begins by implicitly inviting Andre into a conversation by stating her opinion about the words, “In God We Trust.” She explicitly invites Andre’s participation by asking him, “What do you think?” Tess affirms Andre’s thinking about E Pluribus Unum. None of her statements are negative. We did not place Tess at the Adequate (2) level because the exchange leaps from one idea to another—it is not extended. She does not ask Andre to explain why he sees his family’s belief in God as relevant to the words on the penny. We ranked Andre’s first response as Unacceptable (0) because of the way he shut down talk rather than invited another opinion or a response. We ranked his second statement as Minimal (1) because he is responding to the question Tess asked in a positive way. [Q3] The authors argue that it is important for teacher to assess their students’ current discussion abilities in order to plan instruction. In this exercise, you will read transcripts of students drawing conclusions about what symbols on coins might mean. Your task is to use Table 3.1 to focus on what the students are able to do so that you can plan instruction. Begin by reviewing Table 3.1: An ambitious scoring guide for assessing students’ participation in discussions of public issues on two dimensions, grade 6. Imagine that you are a fourth-grade teacher and you are using Lesson Plan 3— Symbolic Values with your class (you should review this lesson plan before proceeding with this exercise). Once students have examined the pennies in their hands, you ask them to turn to their elbow partner and talk about their observations and any conclusions they have made. You listen in on Tess and Andre’s conversation. Tess: I saw a lot of things on my penny. I think that these people believe in God because it says here, “In God we trust.”
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Andre: I think most people believe in God. My family goes to church every week, sometimes twice a week. There’s nothing wrong with that. Tess: I think the words on the penny are interesting. My penny says Liberty and on the back it says, E Pluribus Unum and One Cent. I’m not sure what E Pluribus Unum means. What do you think? Andre: My penny has those same words. Since we don’t know what the words mean, I think we could say that the people who made this coin speak English and one other language. Tess: Great idea! I didn’t think about that. Based on the transcript above, evaluate their participation using the substantive dimension of Table 3.1. Question: Use your assessment of Tess and Andre to decide 1) strengths you might build on and 2) weaknesses you might need to address through instruction. How might this exchange shape your instruction? [Q3 Model Response] In our response below, we look first at what might help Tess and Andre substantively and then we think about their procedural skills. As you read our response, consider both the substance of your response (the quality of the interventions you might make) and the extent to which you were comprehensive in considering both substantive and procedural skills. Strengths: The students are generally on the topic. Andre’s initial contribution is largely irrelevant, but it is related to the issue Tess raised. The students both give reasons for their ideas. Tess interprets “In God We Trust” and Andre interprets “E Pluribus Unum.” Both students use the language is a way that is appropriate to their argument. Tess uses the phrase, “…because it says here….” Andre uses the phrase, “I think we could say that….” The students are positive with each other and are taking turns speaking. In this short excerpt, there is no lapse into silence. Areas that need work: Substantively, we would help these students build on this student’s strength of supporting his position with evidence. We might help them start to make stronger connections between their conclusions and their reasons. For example, Tess might do well to expand on her assertion that the people believe in God by saying how “In God We Trust” suggests belief.
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Likewise, Andre’s claim that the people speak a second language would be stronger if he explains why he thinks two languages on the coin support his claim. Procedurally, we would help both students to be more aware of how they might use what the other has said to extend the conversation. We might teach this student to ask clarifying questions in order to better understand the ideas of others. We might help these students probe one another more intently to understand the connection between the claim and the evidence. Moving forward, we would make the scoring criteria explicit and ask the students to evaluate how they think they are doing. We would provide opportunities of the students to engage in discussions of greater public importance (and perhaps personal investment) than the questions currently before him. We would also build on these students’ ability to work positively with each other and their understanding that conversation involves at least two active partners. We would engage in some mini-lessons designed to help students think about how to extend conversation, pushing each other to better explain their thinking. Application Exercise 3.4: Teaching About Religion in the Public Schools Learning Outcome 3.4: Explain the impact of religion on history and human affairs and how religion should be integrated into the social studies curriculum. [Q1] As your text notes, it is often true that understanding people requires an understanding of their religious beliefs. For example, a required curriculum in Washington State is Since Time Immemorial (STI), a curriculum designed to accurately represent tribal history in the state. One area that S TI examines is tribal beliefs and customs. Tribal beliefs are often religious in nature, from creation stories to how many American Indian tribes understand their relationship to the earth, other creatures on the earth, and the Creator. For the purpose of this exercise, imagine you are an elementary teacher preparing to teach a lesson about the creation story of a tribe in your local area. To prepare for this exercise, review the Religion and Social Studies section of the social studies textbook. Question: List at least two things your textbook suggests you should keep in mind as you prepare to teach this lesson. [Q1 Model Response] Your textbook reminds you that neutrality is key and that diversity is the rule when working with religion. A key idea to remember when working with tribal religion is that the reality that beliefs varied widely between tribes. While it is appropriate to introduce students to basic ideas and practices of religion, you should have listed at least two of the following:
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Remind students that you are teaching them basic ideas and that not all American Indians will agree with these ideas. Students should come to expect diversity regarding religion. As you explore “core beliefs and symbols” allow for differences in how these beliefs are utilized or what the symbols might mean. Exploring how different tribes practice the same core belief can help students understand this idea. Students in your class might subscribe to the religions you are describing. Young students in particular should not be put on the spot to represent their own religion as they might not know about the beliefs or hold only a partial understanding of them. Diversity is the rule within traditions. The story of one American Indian tribe cannot represent the stories of all tribes. If students are learning about religion, they should hear stories from a variety of tribal traditions. When deciding if a story should be used, consider the extent to which it contributes to studying about religion, not promoting or denigrating a particular religious point of view.
[Q2] As your text notes, it is often true that understanding people requires an understanding of their religious beliefs. For example, a required curriculum in Washington State is Since Time Immemorial (STI), a curriculum designed to accurately represent tribal history in the state. One area that S TI examines is tribal beliefs and customs. Tribal beliefs are often religious in nature, from creation stories to how many American Indian tribes understand their relationship to the earth, other creatures on the earth, and the Creator. For the purpose of this exercise, imagine you are an elementary teacher preparing to teach a lesson about the creation story of a tribe in your local area. To prepare for this exercise, review the Religion and Social Studies section of the social studies textbook. In Issues and Challenges: Religious Liberty and School Neutrality, the authors lay out the case for why teachers must set aside their own relationship with religion in order to achieve religious neutrality in the public school classroom. Imagine that a parent who shares your religious beliefs approaches you and advocates that you engage students in an activity that positions your view of religion as superior to others. Question: Draw on the ideas in the Issues and Challenges feature to outline the points you think it is most important to help the parent understand. How will you help the parent see that their religious liberty requires respecting the religious liberty of those with whom they disagree? [Q2 Model Response] Evaluate your response based on the following criteria. To what extent does your outline
Explain some of the history of the religious persecution in the United States.
Emphasize how religious liberty seeks fairness for everyone. 24 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Connect the parent’s religious liberty to the idea that in the public school setting (as opposed to the private sphere) we must treat other faiths as we would want our own faiths treated.
Engage the parent in considering how they would feel about someone from a very different religious perspective engaging with students in the suggested activity.
Communicate that the policy of religious neutrality does not mean that religion must be ignored.
Your response does not need to include all of the points listed above. What is most important is that you have fairly represented the idea that religious neutrality is a way to protect and respect everyone. How you do this will depend largely on how you (and the parent) view religion. This exercise works best if you’ve used it as an opportunity to consider your relationship to religion and to think about how your own religious history might impact how you address religion in the classroom. To that end, we encourage you to share your responses with others in your class, especially those who have very different religious beliefs. Hearing how others approach religion can give you insight into how your own background might provide both opportunities and challenges.
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Chapter 3 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE)
1. Why do the authors claim that the example of Ms. Paley discussing a classroom rule with kindergarteners is at the heart of democratic citizenship? a) Deliberating public policy is what citizens must do in a democracy. b) Critical thinking is essential in a democracy. c) Democracies require participation and everyone here is participating. d) Students are learning to listen to a variety of perspectives. 2. According to the authors, which of the following is NOT a fundamental question upon which deliberations turn? a) How virtuous can we expect people to be? b) How will we agree to live together cooperatively and settle our conflicts? c) How will we change our agreements as things change? d) How trustworthy is the evidence before us? 3. What do the authors suggest about teaching democratic citizenship by emphasizing following rules and taking responsibility? a) It is important, but democratic citizenship requires more. b) It is something we can all agree on. c) Societies fall apart when we ignore values. d) Social justice requires that we downplay rules. 4. How would the authors categorize the task of engaging students in exploring the causes of hunger in their community? a) Participatory citizenship b) Social justice-oriented citizenship c) Personally responsible citizenship d) Robust citizenship 5. Which of the following best describes how the authors would develop civic competence in students? a) By engaging students in social-justice oriented experiences b) By learning to be good citizens of their school and classroom c) By participating in things like food drives d) By having students practice democracy and learn about democracy 6. A seminar about the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance is intended to teach which of the following active citizenship goals? 26 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a) How to participate in civic decision-making b) How to care for the common good c) How to follow rules d) How to engage in public service 7. What do the authors claim is the purpose of a seminar about an important political text like the Pledge of Allegiance? a) To help children decide if we should say the Pledge each day b) To help children see that other people think differently than they do c) To help children gain a bigger and better understanding of what the Pledge means d) To help children understand the key terms in the Pledge 8. What is the main reason the authors suggest simulating a naturalization ceremony? a) It helps students become active learners. b) It is good preparation for a field trip to a naturalization ceremony. c) It helps motivate students to learn about the U.S. government. d) It helps students think about the meaning of allegiance and democratic citizenship. 9. According to the authors, a seminar on the Pledge creates which of the following opportunities? a) To engage students in interesting activities and to expand their thinking b) To expand students’ minds and to assess what they know and can do c) To learn about the U.S. government and to assess what students know about it d) To think about the meaning of the Pledge in an interesting way 10. Which of the following represents an active approach that focuses on a passive view of citizenship? a) During a seminar on the Pledge, the teacher pushes students to give the right answer. b) Before a simulation of a naturalization ceremony, the teacher helps students think about what someone in their role might say and do. c) During a seminar on the Pledge, the teacher provides students with the meaning of words they don’t know. d) The teacher invites a recently naturalized citizen to come to class and answer students’ questions about the process. 11. How do the authors define deliberation? a) Weighing alternatives to make the best decision b) A wonderful alternative to violence c) A way of deciding what we should believe 27 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) A skill that students will need to become informed voters 12. Which of the following dimensions of democratic citizenship do the authors claim go hand in hand? a) Voting and elections b) Study and deliberation c) Real and mock elections d) Deliberation and voting 13. Which of the following do the authors suggest is designed to increase civic behavior out-of-school now and in the future? a) Deliberation b) Studying the push for voting rights c) Developing democratic values d) Community-service activities 14. Which of the following is NOT listed by the authors as an idea of particular emphasis in the NCSS “civic ideals and practices” in the early grades? a) Common good b) Mock elections c) Rights and responsibilities of citizens d) Democratic government 15. Which of the following do the authors claim is a basic democratic value? a) Justice, equality of opportunity, and voting rights b) Equality of opportunity, voting rights, and diversity c) Justice, diversity, and equality of opportunity d) Diversity, justice, and voting rights 16. What are the two pillars of religious freedom in the United States? a) Teaching about religion while not promoting religion b) Religious neutrality and removal of religion from the public square c) State religious neutrality and freedom of expression d) Pluralism and toleration 17. When considering teaching about a religious practice, what should be the primary purpose? a) A secular understanding of that practice b) Encouraging students to engage in that practice c) Celebrating the cultural aspects of the practice d) None of the choices listed here 28 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
18. Which of the following is prohibited by the First Amendment? a) Studying religion b) Teaching religious doctrine as truth c) Learning how religion was central to the Sojourner Truth’s efforts on the Underground Railway d) Including religion alongside geography, history, and culture. 19. What do the authors suggest that a student who uses the phrase, “that is a Muslim country,” might not understand? a) Different countries have different basic beliefs. b) What Islam actually means c) The difference between Islam and Christianity d) Within any country there is a diversity of faiths and beliefs. 20. What is the relationship between culture and religion as the authors explain it? a) Religion influences culture. b) Culture influences religion. c) Religion and culture interact. d) None of the choices listed here II.
SHORT ANSWER What do you believe are the characteristics of especially effective community service activities for elementary school children? Be sure to think about both social and political aspects. (These characteristics can then be used as criteria for judging the quality of a proposed community service activity.)
III.
EXTENDED RESPONSE As part of the interview process for an elementary school teaching position, you have been asked to prepare a short presentation to the faculty about the role of discussion in the social studies. You are to address four major questions: 1. To what extent should discussion be an important part of the social studies curriculum and why? 2. What specific skills do students need to develop to participate effectively in discussions? 3. How can elementary school teachers help students learn these skills? 4. How can teachers assess whether students are developing discussion skills? Prepare a first draft of your presentation. Be sure to include specific examples that are related to social studies objectives. 29 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
IV.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in this chapter to assess your participation. A parent is upset with you because you encourage her/his child to participate in class discussions. The child does not like to talk in front of classmates. The parent says, “I think it is fine for some people to be quiet. After all, you can learn a lot from listening.” Discuss the question: To what extent should children be encouraged to talk in class discussions? (Remember to consider both the democratic rationale for discussion and the learning rationale for discussion.)
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Chapter 3 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 3 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. A 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. D 6. A 7. C 8. D 9. B 10. A 11. A 12. D 13. D 14. B 15. C 16. C 17. A 18. B 19. D 20. C
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Table of Contents Chapter 4: Civics: Current Events and Public Issues Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
13
Test Items
21
Test Answer Key
26
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Chapter 4: Civics: Current Events and Public Issues Chapter 4 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 4.1: Articulate the value of including current events and social problems in the elementary and middle school curriculums. [Q1] Which of the following is not a purpose the authors give for teaching current events and social problems in elementary school? 1. Students must be aware of and interested in current events and social problems. 2. Students must refine the skills and abilities required to take a position on issues based on an evaluation of facts. 3. Students must be able to interpret the current events and social problems they find in the news. [correct] 4. Students must be able to relate their learning in school to life outside of school.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors argue that helping students to be aware of and interested in current events and social problems is one of the three purposes for teaching current events and social problems. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors argue that refining the skills and abilities that culminate with students’ ability to take a position based on issues is one of the three purposes for teaching current events and social problems. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Being able to interpret the news is a skill that is fostered when students study current events and social problems. It is not a purpose the authors list. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors argue that helping children relate school learning to life outside school is one of the three purposes we teach current events and social problems. [Q2] A fifth-grade student tells you that poverty is not her problem since her family has enough money. What would the authors say this student needs help understanding? 1. Social problems are important news items. 2. Social problems can get worse if we don’t address them. 3. Social problems are a key aspect of social studies. 4. Social problems are the responsibility of all citizens. [correct]
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[Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors would agree that social problems are important news items. However, this is not the key idea that the student seems to lack. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is often true that social problems get worse when they aren’t addressed. Yet, this isn’t the key idea that this student seems to lack. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors would agree that social problems are a key subject that students should study in social studies. Yet, this isn’t the key idea that this student seems to lack. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The authors argue that in a democratic society, social problems such as poverty are everyone’s responsibility. People experiencing poverty cannot be expected to solve the problem themselves and poverty in our communities impacts everyone. [Q3] Why do the authors argue that developing the skills required to analyze current events must be started in elementary school? 1. The required analysis skills take years to develop. [correct] 2. The required analysis skills are beyond the abilities of many adults. 3. The required analysis skills are useful when dealing with the world outside of school. 4. The required analysis skills are missing in much of the adult population.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The authors argue that the required analysis skills take years to develop. Adults must have these skills at their command and this fact demands that teacher start as early as possible. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors imply that the skills are within the abilities of most adults if they are developed in school. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors would agree that the skills are useful for the child outside of school. However, this isn’t the reason they argue these skills should be practiced starting in elementary school. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors provide no information about whether or not the adult population in the United States has the required skills. The authors imply that adults can possess these skills if the skills are developed in school. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Outcome 4.2: Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to including current events in the elementary school program. [Q1] According to the authors, what is a disadvantage of using current events in addition to social studies instruction? 1. Current events take time away from the formal curriculum. 2. Current events are isolated from the social studies program. [correct] 3. Current events can become the responsibility of a few students. 4. Current events can become trivialized and seen as not real work.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] It’s true that current events can take time away from the formal curriculum. However, the authors suggest that this is important and it can help connect what happens in school to students’ lives. They do not see this as a disadvantage. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] As the case of Ms. Hanson illustrates, current events can become isolated from the social studies curriculum. [Response to Answer Choice 3] If not structured well, current events can become the responsibility of just a few students. However, this does not have to be the case. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The possibility exists that current events can be trivialized if student brings in only strange or humorous stories. The careful teacher is aware of this possibility and structures the selection of current events in ways that discourages this from happening. [Q2] According to the authors, what is a disadvantage of using current events to supplement social studies instruction? 1. Teachers may not be able to create connections between events from long ago and those of today. 2. Teachers do not have the authority to bring in topics that deviate from the adopted curriculum. 3. Teachers can spend too much time keeping up with current events. 4. Teachers may feel restricted from using a range of news stories. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Making connections can be difficult. However, the authors have considerable faith in the ability of teachers to do this. 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] It is very rare that a school district might prohibit a teacher from discussing current events with students, especially if they are related to the social studies curriculum. The authors do not see this as a likely disadvantage. [Response to Answer Choice 3] There is little question that keeping up with current events takes time. However, social studies teachers usually see this as a necessary and important part of their jobs and of their roles as citizens. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The need to connect current events to the social studies curriculum will inevitably restrict the news stories that a teacher can use. This disadvantage is particularly acute if there is no other opportunity for students to discuss current events. [Q3] According to the authors, what is a disadvantage of using current events as a basis for social studies units? 1. Current events might require resources that are difficult to gather. [correct] 2. Current events rarely relate to social studies curriculum. 3. Current events can distract students from the social studies curriculum. 4. Current events might only interest a portion of the class.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] As Ms Diaz’s case illustrates, gathering appropriate resources for a current events unit can be time intensive and difficult. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Most current events relate to the social studies curriculum. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Current events are an important part of the social studies curriculum and they can help students see the connection between social studies and life outside of school. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Students will vary in their interest about any topic. However, current events often add interest to the social studies curriculum as students often find it easier to see the relevance of the topic to their lives. [Q4] As a beginning third-grade teacher, you want to feature current events regularly and meaningfully in your classroom without becoming overwhelmed the amount of planning you need to do as you teach multiple subjects. Based on what you’ve read in this section, which of the following would the authors recommend? 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. Have every student bring in and share their favorite news story each week. 2. Teach social studies as usual and look for current events that connect with your curriculum. 3. Subscribe to a grade-level appropriate news source that you explore each week with your students. [correct] 4. Design one in-depth unit based on a current event.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The advantage of students bringing in their favorite story is it requires very little planning on your part. Focusing on students’ “favorite” stories is likely to result in news stories that are strange or humorous. While these can be fun, they often detract from a meaningful use of current events. [Response to Answer Choice 2] This approach is likely to minimize your preparation time and your explorations of current events are likely to be meaningful because the current events you introduce are likely to be connected to the social studies curriculum. However, you are less likely to make current events a regular part of your week if you start with this approach. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] The key in this scenario is to find a way to engage students regularly and meaningfully with current events without becoming overwhelmed (if you are overwhelmed, you will start to avoid current events). Thus, this is the right choice for you. Current events are selected for you by the writers of the weekly magazine and you can set time aside each week to read and discuss the articles with minimal preparation. As you gain experience, you will want to explore other ways of working with current events. [Response to Answer Choice 4] This approach scores high on the meaningful scale and if you are starting with one unit, you minimize the planning demands. However, if you are hoping to use current events regularly, this is probably not the approach with which you should start. [Q5] You are teaching fifth-grade students when immigration officers announce the deportation of several undocumented immigrants from a neighboring state. Which of the following describes an assumption the authors believe should inform you as you decide how to discuss this current event with your students. 1. You should assume that your students will hold differing opinions about the event. 2. You should assume that at least one student in your class is the child of undocumented immigrants. [correct] 3. You should assume that students have heard about the event. 4. You should assume that your students will benefit from help to understand this event.
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[Response to Answer Choice 1] The assumption that your students will hold differing opinions is one that is true about almost any current event you study. Look again at the question and consider an assumption that relates best to this particular current event. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] While all choices describe assumptions you might make, this assumption is the one the authors highlight as key to approaching the discussing sensitively with students. Assuming that someone in the room has a direct connection to the current event will shape the discussion in ways that help avoid emotional traps that some current events can set. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The assumption that some of your students have heard about the event is one that is true about almost any current event you study. It is unlikely that all students have heard about this event. But, more importantly, look again at the question and consider an assumption that relates best to this particular current event. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The assumption that your students will benefit from help understanding the event is one that is true of many of the current events you study. Look again at the question and consider an assumption that relates best to this particular current event. Learning Outcome 4.3: Plan a program of current events that emphasizes daily use of the news, decision making on controversial issues, teaching about different kinds of controversy, and writing about issues. [Q1] Which of the following is not a special responsibility a teacher has when teaching a controversial issue? 1. Helping students develop the disposition to be civil and open-minded 2. Helping students to evaluate sources of information 3. Helping students understand which is the best choice for common good [correct] 4. Encouraging students to pursue multiple perspectives on a single issue
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The teacher must help students develop the disposition to be civil and open-minded. This is a special responsibility of the social studies teacher. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The teacher must help students evaluate their sources of information. This is a special responsibility of the social studies teacher. 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] If the teacher believes there is a single correct answer that the students should reach, she/he should avoid that issue. It is important that teachers allow students to form their own opinion, as long as they demonstrate civility, open-mindedness, a willingness to evaluate source, and to pursue multiple perspectives on the issue. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The teacher must encourage students to pursue multiple perspectives on a single issue. This is a special responsibility of the social studies teacher. [Q2] According to the authors, what is one of the best ways to teach current events? 1. Teachers use video of news clips each day in class. 2. Teachers select events that are controversial. [correct] 3. Teachers select events that students are likely to agree on as a way of promoting common understanding and group cohesion. 4. Teachers summarize each day’s current events for the students in a one-page handout.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Video clips can help all students become interested in current events and they are especially helpful for English Language Learners. However, the authors suggest that this isn’t one of the best ways to teach current events. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors argue that controversy creates interest as it develops citizenship skills. Controversy is a powerful way to teach current events. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Events that students can agree upon can build class cohesion. They can also silence dissent and fail to spark interest. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Summarizing each day’s current events places too much responsibility on the teacher and is unlikely to engage students as much as other techniques can. [Q3] When creating political cartoons, what do cartoonists rely upon? 1. What the reader already knows about the event [correct] 2. What the reader knows about how messages are hidden in a political cartoon 3. What the reader knows about interpreting a political cartoon 4. What the reader knows about events of the past
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Cartoonists rely on the reader’s prior knowledge, or what the reader already knows about an event.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] There are hidden messages in a political cartoon. However, understanding a cartoon requires more. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Knowing how to interpret a political cartoon is important. However, understanding a cartoon requires more. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Political cartoons are usually not about the past. Cartoonists typically don’t rely on this knowledge in the reader. [Q4] You have decided to engage your fourth-grade students in talking about a controversial issue. According to the criteria established by the authors, which of the following topics is best suited to a controversial issue discussion? 1. A student’s decision to live with his father after his parents’ divorce 2. A teacher’s decision to keep the class in from recess 3. A student’s decision to steal food for her little brother 4. A local municipal zoo’s decision to give their elephants to another zoo [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The decision of which parent a child should live with is a personal one that is best made by the family (and sometimes the courts). It is not an issue of public concern. [Response to Answer Choice 2] A teacher’s decision to keep the class in from recess will probably be controversial. However, it is not a public issue. Students might express their opinions, but the decision rests with the teacher. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Whether or not a student is justified in stealing food is a moral decision that is best made by the individual (and sometimes the courts). The issue is not sufficiently public (at least as it is framed here). [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The local zoo is owned by the municipality. As a result, some of its decisions are matters of public concern. Sending elephants to another zoo rather than upgrading their facility or sending the elephants to an elephant sanctuary is controversial and is one that students will find interesting and engaging. 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q5] Which of the following does not illustrate a definitional controversy as defined by the authors? 1. Deciding if a choice is risky 2. Deciding if a person has committed a crime 3. Deciding what it means to be poor 4. Deciding which of the available options is best [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Deciding if a choice is risky requires that we agree on what the term “risk” means. Thus, this illustrates a definitional controversy. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Deciding if a person has committed a crime requires a definition of the crime that is alleged. This is an example of a definitional controversy. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Deciding what it means to be poor requires that we define poor (or poverty). This is, therefore, an example of a definitional controversy. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Deciding between options is usually based in a value controversy. There are likely definitional issues to be considered here. But, this statement does not illustrate them. Learning Outcome 4.4 Describe issue-centered unit planning, and explain the relationship of enduring issues to current events. [Q1] Which of the following best aligns with how the authors describe an enduring public issue? 1. A controversial issue that is created by a current event 2. A controversial issue composed of several different current events 3. A controversial issue that does not go away when the current event ends [correct] 4. A controversial issue where more than two possible opinions exist
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Current events can create a variety of issues. Not all of which are enduring public issues. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Enduring public issues can surface in many different current events. But, that is not a critical attribute of them. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The focus here in on the word “enduring.” That is, an enduring public issue does not go away. Rather, people have grappled with it in the past and they will grapple with it in the future.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] It is hard to find an issue where there are not several opinions. This isn’t what makes an enduring public issue unique. [Q2] Which one of the following statements accurately explains the connection the authors make between current events and controversial issues? 1. All current events contain controversial issues. 2. All controversial issues are also current events. 3. Controversial issues that involve an enduring public issue can be found in current events. 4. Currents events that involve an enduring public issue are also controversial issues. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] There are many current events that do not contain controversial issues. [Response to Answer Choice 2] There are controversial issues embedded in the past that are not current events. For example, until 1922, whether women should be given the right to vote was controversial. That is a controversy embedded in the past. It is not a current event today. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is often true that the careful observer can find an enduring public issue in a current event. However, this is not the connection the authors are making. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The authors note that enduring public issues are always controversial. Thus, current events that involve enduring public issues are also controversial. [Q3] Which of the following best matches how the authors describe issue-centered unit planning? 1. Unit planning that draws on the social studies disciplines and a variety of instructional techniques to consider a public issue [correct] 2. Unit planning that includes an illustrative public issue 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3. Unit planning where students are asked to engage in an informed discussion of a public issue 4. Unit planning designed to teach student to consider the common good
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Issue-centered unit planning draws on the social studies disciplines and a variety of techniques to consider a public issue. The public issue is, as a result, central to the unit planning. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Unit planning that includes a public issue can give value to the rest of the unit. But, it is not an issue-centered unit. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Informed discussion should always be a part of public issue instruction. Yet, including a public issue discussion does not make the issue central to the planning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Social studies is always concerned about helping students consider the common good, in addition to their own wants and needs. However, this can be accomplished throughout the curriculum and isn’t a defining feature of issue-centered unit planning. [Q4] You are working with a second-grade class to consider human–environment interactions. Which of the following best illustrates an enduring human–environment public issue your class might explore? 1. Should the school district provide transportation to school for parents who cannot afford it? 2. Should the city require car makers to pay for electric vehicle charging stations? [correct] 3. Should the school require students to recycle when at school? 4. Should the state outlaw the use of e-cigarettes?
[Response to Answer Choice 1] This question is important but it doesn’t have a clear connection to human–environment interactions. A case could be made that it approaches the enduring question, “Who is responsible for the poor?” This question is related, but not exactly the same. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Embedded in this question is the enduring issue of balancing human survival and economic productivity. This is an enduring public issue related to human–environment interactions. [Response to Answer Choice 3]
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Recycling is related to human–environment interactions. Yet, it misses the enduring question of how we balance human survival and economic productivity. Asking students to recycle in a public setting is unlikely to be controversial in most places. [Response to Answer Choice 4] There are enduring public issues in this question, but they are less clearly around human–environment interactions.
[Q5] As a fourth-grade teacher, you have invited a local police officer to talk to your class about problems in the community. Which of the following goals would the authors suggest you share with the police officer to make her visit best serve your students? 1. Student should understand why police officers arrest people. 2. Student should understand the difficulties police officers face when trying to solve crimes. 3. Students should understand how a system of laws and justice benefits society. [correct] 4. Students should understand how the Constitution works.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Students would find this interesting. However, it might not serve the larger goals about crime and the rule of law that the authors spell out. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Students would find this interesting. However, it might not serve the larger goals about crime and the rule of law that the authors spell out. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Police officers are charged with enforcing the law and they must do it with a concern for justice. The benefits of a system of laws and justice are appropriate for a police officer to discuss. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Understanding the constitutional basis for the legal system is an important goal. Yet, a different guest speaker might be better suited to help students understand this idea.
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Chapter 4 Application Exercises Chapter 4: Civics: Current Events and Public Issues Application Exercise 4.1: Deciding How to Use a Current Event Learning Outcome 4.2: Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to including current events in the elementary school program. [Q1] Several years ago on August 20, 2016, Colin Kaepernick, then quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, sat during the playing of the National Anthem prior to the game to protest police treatment of African Americans. Kaepernick eventually moved from sitting to “taking a knee” and he was joined by many other NFL players. The movement Kaepernick started caused a national debate that included people from all walks of life. Assume the role of a fifth-grade teacher teaching in 2017. Your students are studying U.S. history. If you are unfamiliar with this situation, you should search the Internet for new articles describing the event in 2016 and how it has grown and changed since then. You work in a diverse school with people from all ethnic, racial, and political groups. Review “Using Current Events to Supplement Social Studies,” “Using Current Events as the Basis for Social Studies,” and the “Issues and Challenges: When Current Events Feel Traumatic.” Apply what you’ve learned from the text to address the following question. Question: The authors suggest that one approach to current events is to use current events to supplement social studies. Give at least two examples of how the events surrounding Kaepernick’s actions could supplement your teaching of other events or movements in U.S. history. [Q1 Model Response] American has a long history of protest. Often protesters are criticized and encouraged to work within the system. Assess your connections to make sure they focus on movement involving protest. Possible answers include: The American Civil Rights Movement (especially the way White ministers criticized Martin Luther King, Jr. in Birmingham and M LK’s response in his Letter from Birmingham Jail). The movement to gain the right to vote for women. Women engaged in a variety of protests, many of them controversial. The abolitionist movement to free enslaved people of African descent. Abolitionists often protested by breaking the law and assisting people who had escaped from slavery. The protests by patriots against Great Britain, including protests such as the Boston Tea Party. 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2] Several years ago on August 20, 2016, Colin Kaepernick, then quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, sat during the playing of the National Anthem prior to the game to protest police treatment of African Americans. Kaepernick eventually moved from sitting to “taking a knee” and he was joined by many other NFL players. The movement Kaepernick started caused a national debate that included people from all walks of life. Assume the role of a fifth-grade teacher teaching in 2017. Your students are studying U.S. history. If you are unfamiliar with this situation, you should search the Internet for new articles describing the event in 2016 and how it has grown and changed since then. You work in a diverse school with people from all ethnic, racial, and political groups. Review “Using Current Events to Supplement Social Studies,” “Using Current Events as the Basis for Social Studies,” and the “Issues and Challenges: When Current Events Feel Traumatic.” Apply what you’ve learned from the text to address the following question. Question: You have decided you want to make this current event the basis for a social studies unit. Write a short answer to the question, “What will you help your students understand about the event?” Draw on the feature, “When Events Feel Traumatic” to help you think through your answer. Use the sequence of questions the authors provide to structure your unit. We are not suggesting that Mr. Kaepernick’s protest is traumatic. Rather, we want you to recognize that some of the questions we ask as we decide how to teach traumatic events can apply to any event. And we hope you will recognize that some of your student might experience comments made in class as traumatizing. [Q2 Model Response] When discussing traumatic events, the authors note that understanding an event includes understanding where the event is happening, why it is happening, and how people are responding. The movement Colin Kaepernick started is not traumatic. However, your students will have differing relationships to this event. They could experience the responses of their classroom as attacking their families or their own identities. Evaluate your response to see how many of these parallels you considered:
Students need help understanding where this event is happening. This event is happening in professional sports venues where the National Anthem plays a particular role. Did you provide a way for students to learn about professional athletes and the fact that they represent themselves and their teams? Does your plan assume that everyone has seen a professional sporting event or that they understand what the National Anthem symbolizes at those events? Students need help understanding why professional athletes are protesting and why others find their protests offensive. Does your plan involve introducing both Kaepernick’s perspective (that he is protesting police treatment of African Americans) and the perspective of those who disagree (those who see the National 14 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Anthem as a symbol of the country)? In other words, do you help students understand that some people understand standing up for racial justice as an important way to respect the values of the United States while others see the protest as being disrespectful toward the country and its values. Students need help understanding how people are responding. How are the owners responding? How is the player’s union responding? What about the fans? How are politicians responding? How have you helped your students in this area? You should assume that students have connections to this event that are highly personal and connected to who they are and to their families. Part of understanding the event is understanding why people feel strongly about it. Does your plan help students understand ways they might talk about the issue that are respectful of others with whom they disagree?
Application Exercise 4.2: Selecting and Shaping a Controversial Issue Learning Outcome 4.3: Plan a program of current events that emphasizes daily use of the news, decision making on controversial issues, teaching about different kinds of controversy, and writing about issues. [Q1] There is no end to things people disagree about. And, as the authors note, many things we do are not controversial—they are not at issue. Choosing a productive controversial issue to discuss with your class requires some skillful choice making, grounded in a clear understanding of what makes a controversial issue appropriate for the social studies classroom. This exercise is designed to help you hone your skill as spotting and developing a controversial issue. Use Chapter 4 and especially Section 4.3 to help you with this exercise. Consider yourself a fifth-grade teacher. As you look over the news, you notice that Facebook continues to make news. Would Facebook be a good controversial issue? You think so. Address the following question to help you decide how you might shape your idea into an issue for your students to explore. Question: We hope you recognize that Facebook, by itself, is not an issue. But why? Write down why the authors would discourage you from making Facebook the topic of your controversial issue discussion? [Q1 Model Response] Evaluate your answer against the two we provide below. 1. If you look at the controversial issues the authors list in the text, you’ll notice that they are phrased as questions, never as a single word. Single words or phrases do not capture the issue. It’s like saying we’re going to discuss the controversial issue of metal detectors. Metal detectors themselves are not controversial. People might like or dislike Facebook, but that isn’t the kind of controversial the authors are looking for. “Facebook” is too broad to discuss meaningfully.
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2. Facebook is a private (though publicly traded) company. The best controversial issues include public concerns. Notice that the issues in the text ask what citizens or their representatives should do. [Q2] There is no end to things people disagree about. And, as the authors note, many things we do are not controversial—they are not at issue. Choosing a productive controversial issue to discuss with your class requires some skillful choice making, grounded in a clear understanding of what makes a controversial issue appropriate for the social studies classroom. This exercise is designed to help you hone your skill as spotting and developing a controversial issue. Use Chapter 4 and especially Section 4.3 to help you with this exercise. Consider yourself a fifth-grade teacher. As you look over the news, you notice that Facebook continues to make news. Would Facebook be a good controversial issue? You think so. Address the following question to help you decide how you might shape your idea into an issue for your students to explore. Question: We hope you recognize that Facebook, by itself, is not great controversy. But, what do you do to take an area of controversy and turn it into a question you can discuss? Look at the following list. Which two best represent a controversial issue that your students could discuss in your social studies classroom? For each choice write why you believe it is a good issue.
Should Facebook do a better job of screening for foreign interference?
Should Facebook use advertising on its platform?
Should Facebook be able to delete opinions it finds offensive?
Should Congress require Facebook to stop collecting data on user activities without their approval?
Should the government require that parents have complete access to their children’s Facebook accounts if the children are under 17?
[Q2 Model Response] Key to deciding on a good controversial issue for the social studies classroom is noticing the extent to which it is a public issue. The first two questions are controversial, but they are matters of opinion rather than decisions about public policy. Any of the last three are public issues that make for good controversial issue in schools. Compare your answers to ours. Should Facebook be able to delete opinions it finds offensive? This questions raised freedom of speech concerns that student could benefit from talking about. However, as a private company, they do not face the same restrictions on regulating speech that governments do. This could work as an issue, but we do not consider it one of the stronger ones.
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Should Congress require Facebook to stop collecting data on user activities without their approval? The fact that this question asks about what Congress should do makes it more appropriate for a controversial issue discussion. Students would need to think about whether or not it is in the public interest to regulate Facebook in this way. This question could be a bit technical and students might not immediately see the value. But, it is controversial and it is a matter of public concern. Good choice! Should the government require that parents have complete access to their children’s Facebook accounts if the children are under 17? This phrasing is our favorite. Why? The question involves an enduring public concern— when should the government interfere in the workings of a private company? It also would be of particularly controversial and interesting to people under 17. Application Exercise 4.3: From a Single Lesson to an Issue-Centered Unit Learning Outcome 4.4: Describe issue-centered unit planning, and explain the relationship of enduring issues to current events. [Q1] Ideas for units often come from a single lesson or idea that sparks your interest. The purpose of this activity is to help you develop your ability to turn lessons or concerns into an issue-centered unit. Remember, an issue-centered unit is a unit that centers on an enduring public issue. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher who has recently explored the Population Education website. On the site you came across the lesson “Waste a-Weigh.” (If you are registered on the Population Education website, you might enjoy downloading this lesson. Doing so is not required for completing this exercise.) The Waste a-Weigh lesson asks student to weigh everything they are throwing away after eating lunch. Weight totals are tabulated each day with the goal of reducing the amount of waste they contribute to the landfill (Americans are 5% of the world’s population and we generate 30% of the world’s waste). You think reducing waste is a project your students could get behind (and it would be good for the planet). Address the following question to practice the initial stages of turning this idea in to a unit. Question: Your first step is to connect this lesson/idea to a larger enduring public issue. The authors provide five examples of such issues at the beginning of the Teaching Enduring Public Issues section (poverty, etc.). Review the examples and decide which general topic best describes what Waste a-Weigh is addressing. It is important that you note the reason for your choice.
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[Q1 Model Response] There are several areas you might choose, depending on your interest and what you want your third graders to learn. We have listed potential rationales for each of the five choices. Compare your rationale to ours. How closely do they match? Poverty: Waste a-Weigh could address the larger framework of poverty if you see poverty as related to some people having too much while others have too little. We think this connection might be challenging for third-grade students as you move ahead because the connection between the excessive consumption of some and the poverty of others isn’t immediately obvious and would require some careful teaching if they are to understand it. But, it holds possibilities. Human–Environment interactions: We see this as the strongest connection. Waste created by Americans far outpaces the rest of the world and its creation threatens our survival. Waste a-Weigh could be a starting point to consider the question of what it means to live in sustainable ways in our country—a topic that could be easily expanded for third graders to think about. Justice: The connection here is related to poverty because low-income community often suffer more from environmental degradation. How much waste we create is connected to the idea of environmental justice. When we create waste, where does it go? Who lives near the waste sites? Who suffers because of the waste we create? We think third graders could grapple with these issues with careful help from you, their teacher. Creating this unit would require carefully lesson sequencing to build toward these ideas. Peace: We think the connection here is weak, but we can see that it is related to questions of justice and poverty. Ideas around peace are usually connected to conflict resolution and preventing violence. Peace is an important topic around which to build a unit. However, the Waste a-Weigh exercise is probably not the place to start. Diversity/Unity: To what extent is a willingness to throw things away a cultural issue? Of course, it is related to culture. Is it a behavior/custom we could give up in the spirit of unity—for the betterment of everyone? We think the connection here is weak and because it is weak, we believe that third graders would struggle with it. [Q2] Ideas for units often come from a single lesson or idea that sparks your interest. The purpose of this activity is to help you develop your ability to turn lessons or concerns into an issue-centered unit. Remember, an issue-centered unit is a unit that centers on an enduring public issue. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher who has recently explored the Population Education website. On the site you came across the lesson “Waste a-Weigh.” (If you are registered on the Population Education website, you might enjoy downloading this lesson. Doing so is not required for completing this exercise.) 18 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Waste a-Weigh lesson asks student to weigh everything they are throwing away after eating lunch. Weight totals are tabulated each day with the goal of reducing the amount of waste they contribute to the landfill (Americans are 5% of the world’s population and we generate 30% of the world’s waste). You think reducing waste is a project your students could get behind (and it would be good for the planet). Address the following question to practice the initial stages of turning this idea in to a unit. Question: Starting with the question “How much environmental harm, if any, should be allowed for the sake of human survival and economic productivity?” consider what you must do to make this question more appropriate for third graders. In other words, what question would you write to introduce your unit? Please explain your thinking behind your question. [Q2 Model Response] Compare your question(s) to ours. To what extent did you capture the essence of the idea behind the environmental harm question? To what extent did you use kid-friendly language? Our example: When is it okay to do things that hurt the earth? We translated the phrase, “environmental harm” to “hurt the earth.” It isn’t exactly the same, but it roughly communicates what we mean. Rather than “how much environmental harm, if any…” we asked “when it is okay to do things.” Again, the language is less precise, but a third grader could understand what we mean. We let go of the phrases “for human survival” and “economic productivity.” We would introduce these ideas through the lessons we include. [Q3] Ideas for units often come from a single lesson or idea that sparks your interest. The purpose of this activity is to help you develop your ability to turn lessons or concerns into an issue-centered unit. Remember, an issue-centered unit is a unit that centers on an enduring public issue. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher who has recently explored the Population Education website. On the site you came across the lesson “Waste a-Weigh.” (If you are registered on the Population Education website, you might enjoy downloading this lesson. Doing so is not required for completing this exercise.) The Waste a-Weigh lesson asks student to weigh everything they are throwing away after eating lunch. Weight totals are tabulated each day with the goal of reducing the amount of waste they contribute to the landfill (Americans are 5% of the world’s population and we generate 30% of the world’s waste). You think reducing waste is a project your students could get behind (and it would be good for the planet). Address the following question to practice the initial stages of turning this idea in to a unit. 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Imagine you have created the question: “When is it okay to do things that hurt the earth?” for your third graders to consider. The exercise that follows is designed to help you think about how you will help your students start to answer this question. Use Figure 4.3 “Who’s responsible for the poor?” to help you as you consider what to include in your unit. The content is different but the figure can be helpful. Question: How would you connect this lesson to history? What history example might you use and why? Also, what two additional social studies disciplines you might use to develop your lesson? How you would use them? [Q3 Model Response] Compare your historical example to ours. They might not be the same. What is important is that you use our example to help you decide the extent to which your example draws on how people in the past dealt with environmental harm. The closer the historical example is to expressing the enduring public issue (how much harm is acceptable?) the better. Our examples: We chose the dust bowl as our historical example. In the dust bowl, farmers harmed the prairie as they produced (for a time) bumper crops of wheat at a hefty profit. When the grass disappeared and rainfall failed, the resulting dust caused severe health problems for people living in the dust bowl and dust darkened the skies of major cities as far away as the east coast of North America. The U.S. government responded in a wide variety of ways to this human-created disaster. Compare your chosen social studies disciplines to ours. Again, it isn’t important that you selected the same disciplines. Rather, pay attention to the extent that the way you use them is true to the discipline. Our choices: Economics—we would engage students in thinking about who profits from the extensive packaging Americans use for a wide variety of products. We might also ask who pays for the landfill and related environmental costs. We would introduce notions of scarcity and provide economic answers to why people behave as they do. Anthropology—we would engage students in looking at societies that place a higher value on sustainability. How are our basic needs the same? How are our values reflected in our behavior and the behavior of more sustainable societies?
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Chapter 4 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE)
1. Which of the following do the authors give as a reason for including the study of current events in the elementary curriculum? a) So students will find purpose in reading with close attention to detail b) So students will learn to write persuasively c) So students will be interested in and aware of current events and social problems d) So students will know how to access Internet resources 2. Which of the following do the authors provide as a definition of public issues? a) Problems that government should solve b) Problems that shape students’ experiences c) Problems faced by public officials d) Problems that are enduring and social 3. Which of the following is NOT a skill the authors list that students refine through the analysis of current events. a) Critical thinking b) Interpreting the news c) Predicting likely consequences of different positions d) Discriminating between important and less important news items 4. According to the authors, which of the following is a benefit of using current events in addition to social studies instruction? a) This method helps students see the connection between life inside school and life outside of school. b) This method provides a regularly scheduled time is set aside for discussing news. c) Much of the social studies content can be included through this approach. d) Students are able to go into depth with a topic that interests them. 5. According to the authors, which of the following is a benefit of using current events to supplement social studies instruction? a) This method allows for a regularly scheduled time to discuss the news. b) This method allows the teacher to include social studies content in the study of a current event. c) This method can provide students with information they do not have to help them understand future events. d) This method can motivate greater student interest in the curriculum. 21 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
6. According to the authors, which of the following is a benefit of using current events as a basis for social studies units? a) This method provides a regularly scheduled time to discuss news. b) This method can connect current events to what is being studies in social studies. c) This method can help students build a knowledge base to use with the next big thing happens. d) This method allows the teacher to gather current materials for student use. 7. Which of the following best describes what the authors advise teachers to remember when difficult events occur? a) Teachers should remember that understanding a current event can help students respond in more productive ways. b) Teachers should remember that students can often learn about current events at home. c) Teachers should remember that students have vivid imaginations. d) Teachers should remember that there are many ways to discuss a current event. 8. According to the authors, which of the following is a key advantage of using current events to supplement social studies instruction over using current events in addition to social studies instruction? a) Current events used to supplement instruction takes less time away from the adopted social studies curriculum than using current events in addition to social studies. b) Current events used to supplement instruction better illustrates the relevance of the social studies curriculum to the world scene than using current events in addition to social studies. c) Current events used to supplement instruction allows for more regular discussion of current events than using current events in addition to social studies. d) Current events used to supplement instruction demands less teacher planning time than using current events in addition to social studies. 9. According to the authors, which of the following illustrates how teachers should approach parents and guardians when addressing controversial issues in the classroom? a) Teachers should select topics that will not inspire parental complaints. b) Teachers should address parental concerns in the lesson’s design. c) Teachers should let the principal know what the class is discussing. d) Teachers should understand the political climate of the school to avoid untouchable topics. 10. According to the authors, what is accomplished by asking students to role play how a controversial issue is being discussed in the community? 22 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a) Role play helps the children enjoy studying about the controversy. b) Role play sparks interest in the controversy. c) Role play is a helpful way to remember the various positions people hold about the controversy. d) Role play helps make the event more concrete for students. 11. According to the authors, which of the following essay forms requires students to write a conversation that happens in the mind of someone deciding about a controversy? a) The short-essay format b) Persuasive letters c) An opinion essay d) The dialogical essay 12. According to the authors, which of the following is NOT a strategy for teaching current events? a) Discussing the news everyday b) Making decisions about controversial issues c) Exploring why Thanksgiving happens late in November in the United States d) Writing about controversial issues 13. According to the authors, which of the following is a productive way to deal with factual controversies? a) The teacher encourages students to ask credible authorities for a judgement about the facts. b) The teacher encourages students to try and persuade others that their facts are correct. c) The teacher tells the students the facts so the discussion can move ahead. d) The teacher asks students to compare their sources to see which is most believable. 14. The authors suggest that inviting recent immigrants and former Peace Corps volunteers to speak with your class can serve which of the following social studies goals? a) Considering how society should punish lawbreakers b) Developing a willingness to examine an issue from a variety of perspectives c) Developing a tolerant global perspective d) Considering how humans can best live in the natural environment 15. According to the authors, which of the following best describes an issue-centered unit? a) A unit that is focused on an enduring problem that much be solved b) A unit that allows students to discuss an issue 23 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c) A unit that includes students expressing their opinions about a controversy d) A unit that is focused on a current event 16. Which of the following is NOT an essential part of an issue-centered unit? a) Social studies disciplines, such as geography and sociology b) A public issue c) Reading, writing, and discussion d) Guest speakers with knowledge of the issue 17. Which of the following do the authors stress as particularly important when studying an enduring public issue? a) Writing b) Discussion c) Reading d) Music 18. According to the authors, what is a primary goal of studying the meaning and value of diversity in schools? a) Reducing prejudice b) Increasing cooperation and appreciation c) Engaging with multiple perspectives d) The smoother functioning of small, diverse groups II.
DATA ORGANIZATION CHART: Complete the chart below with information drawn from the chapter. Three Methods for Teaching Current Events Method 1. Teaching current events in addition to social studies
Advantages
Disadvantages
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2. Using current events to supplement or reinforce the regular social studies program
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3. Using current events as the basis for social studies units
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III.
SHORT ANSWER Explain what an enduring public issue is, paying attention to each of the following words: enduring, public, and issue. Then, identify an enduring public issue for which a current event presently in the news could serve as an example.
IV.
EXTENDED RESPONSE A controversy about whether a shelter for homeless families should be built in the neighborhood of your school is getting a lot of attention in the local newspaper. You would like to discuss this controversial issue with your class in a way that incorporates important social studies content from a variety of disciplines, such as political science, sociology, and history. Outline your strategy.
V.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation. Should teachers share their opinions on controversial issues with their students?
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Chapter 4 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 4 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. C 2. D 3. A 4. B 5. D 6. C 7. A 8. B 9. B 10. D 11. D 12. C 13. A 14. C 15. A 16. D 17. B 18. A
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Table of Contents Chapter 5: Economics, Anthropology, and Sociology Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
10
Test Items
16
Test Answer Key
20
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Chapter 5: Economics, Anthropology, and Sociology Chapter 5 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 5.1 Explain why learning economics is important in elementary and middle schools. [Q1] Which of the following do the authors give as a reason teaching economics is an issue of social justice? 1. Understanding economics allows people to avoid unscrupulous lenders. 2. Understanding economics can give people the chance to engage with decisions that impact their lives. [correct] 3. Understanding economics means people can make better use of their money. 4. Understanding economics can help put everyone on a more equal footing. [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors mention that understanding economics helps people know the dangers of compound interest. However, they do not relate this to social justice. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors argue that people who don’t understand economics can be excluded from “having a seat at the decision-making table.” Thus, social justice demands a strong economics education. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A solid understanding of economics can help people make better use of their money. However, the authors do not tie this benefit to social justice. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Understanding economics can help people strive for more equal economic systems. This does not, by itself, create a fair or equal playing field. [Q2] Which of the following is a key aspect of marginal analysis? 1. Making choices requires setting clear priorities. 2. Making choices is what economics is all about. 3. Making choices often involves compromises and trade-offs. [correct] 4. Making choices is necessary because resources are limited.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Marginal analysis benefits from having priorities. However, setting priorities is only part of what those involved in marginal analysis must do. 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] Economics is concerned with making choices. However, marginal analysis is a process that considers how we make those choices when resources are limited (as they almost always are). [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Well done. Marginal analysis is based in the idea that choices always require trade-offs and compromise is often necessary. Funding a single option, for example, is not necessarily the answer when we have multiple priorities. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Making choices is necessary. However, marginal analysis think about how we make those choices in ways that give priority to multiple demands on our resources. [Q3] As they appear in Figure 5.2, how do the authors describe the Economics standards? 1. The standards are concerned mainly with content. [correct] 2. The standards are concerned with content and how to use the content. 3. The standards are concerned with how students apply the content to their lives. 4. The standards are concerned mainly with helping students make good decisions.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] As listed, the economics standards are content standards—they tell us what students should know. [Response to Answer Choice 2] This is tricky. When you delve into the standards, they include what students should learn to do. But, as they appear in Figure 5.2, they do not address skills. [Response to Answer Choice 3] There is little in the economics standards related to how students apply the content to their lives. That is often found in the financial literacy standards. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Decision making is a key idea in the C3 Framework. However, it is one of 20 standards listed in the economic standards. [Q4] What do the authors say happens if students are not taught how the economic world operates? 1. Students are more likely to make poor economic decisions. 2. Students who are taught economic ideas at home will be at an economic advantage. 3. Students will not understand marginal analysis. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Students will develop their own theories about how the economic system works [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Students are likely to make better economic decisions with a solid education in economics. However, they won’t necessarily make bad ones. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is true that if schools ignore economics, only those students with families able to teach them will learn them. However, this is not the argument the authors make. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Students who are not taught marginal analysis are less likely to understand it. However, this is not the argument the authors make. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] In line with Schug’s research, the authors suggest that children develop idiosyncratic ideas about how the economic system works when we don’t teach them how it actually works. Learning Outcome 5.2 Select economics activities and simulations based on how effectively they teach economics and financial literacy concepts and skills. [Q1] The authors note that many standards suggest that students understand why we use money. Which of the following is a key idea the authors give for why this is important? 1. As a means of exchange, money is much more efficient than the alternatives. [correct] 2. Money can be beneficial for teaching students math. 3. Money is pervasive and students need to understand it. 4. If students don’t understand money, they might misuse it.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Money is an invention that has many benefits as a means of exchange. Most standards emphasize this for young students. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Money is often used when teaching math. However, this isn’t why the social studies standards often call for students to be taught about it. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It’s true that money is everywhere and understanding it is a good idea. This isn’t, however, why the standards ask that students understand why we invented money. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It’s hard to see the connection between understanding money and misusing money. The standards (and the authors) make a different claim. 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2] Which of the following represents what the authors suggest for selecting activities and simulations? 1. Teachers should locate activities that help students actively engage in economics. 2. Teachers should spend time engaging with the lesson plans provided by various Federal Reserve Banks. 3. Teachers should narrow down their topics to those that are developmentally appropriate for their students. 4. Teachers should consult the standards and look for reputable resources for appropriate activities. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors believe in active engagement. However, looking only for engaging activities often misses the point of good activity selection. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The Federal Reserve Banks often have excellent activities related to economics. However, the authors suggest that more is necessary for good activity selection. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is always a good idea to make sure the activities teachers select are appropriate for the age of their students. However, that isn’t what the authors suggest as the main method of selecting activities and simulations. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes! Start with the standards and try to understand what it is you’re expected to teach. Then move to reputable sources to find activities designed to teach those concepts and skills. [Q3] What do the authors suggest is a key reasons teachers might use economic games and simulations? 1. Simulations and games are useful keeping students on task. 2. Simulations and games feel like real life with fewer risks. [correct] 3. Simulations and games are motivating for students and fun for teachers. 4. Simulations and games can help students see why they should study economics.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Simulations and games can often keep students on task. That isn’t a key reason the authors suggest teachers use them.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Simulations and games foster the feeling of having a real life experience without the accompanying financial risk. They are, as a result, incredibly powerful ways of learning economics concepts and skills. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Simulations and games are often motivating and fun. That isn’t the power for learning that the authors suggest. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It’s true that simulations and games can help students see why economics ideas matter. That isn’t, however, the key reason that the authors suggest for their use. [Q4] Why do the authors suggest it is important to debrief any classroom simulation? 1. Debriefing signals that the activity has come to an end. 2. Debriefing is a critical way of assessing what the student still need to learn. 3. Debriefing is necessary if students are to learn from and remember the experience. [correct] 4. Debriefing is important to help students talk about their experience.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Teachers generally debrief an activity when it ends. However, we can also stop and debrief in the middle of an activity. Debriefing does not mean the simulation is over. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Teachers can learn a lot about what students still need to learn during a debrief. However, the authors suggest other reasons why a debrief is critical. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Teachers sacrifice learning and retention when they skip a debrief. Debriefing is often where the teaching happens and it can be where students are able to give meaning to the task so that they can remember it. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Talking about learning is important. Yet, this doesn’t exactly capture what debriefing a simulation does for the students. [Q5] Why do the authors suggest that teachers take time to consider their own political assumptions about economics?
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1. Teachers who know their political assumptions can more easily avoid their blind spots. [correct] 2. Teachers who know their political assumptions can present economics to students more coherently. 3. Teachers who know their political assumptions can help students see the connection between economics and politics. 4. Teachers who know their political assumptions can help them see the connections of economics to civics.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] When teachers know their own political assumptions they can work more effectively to teach both individual initiative and the need to consider the public good. Unexamined assumptions can result in blind spots for teachers. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is possible to present a coherent (and inaccurate) view of economics to students without knowing one’s political assumptions. Knowing your political assumptions helps teachers achieve balance. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It might be true that knowing your political assumptions can make it easier to help students to see connections. That is not, however, the arguments the authors are making in Issues and Challenges 5.2. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers who know their political assumptions might be better able to help their students see how politics and economics intersect. That is not, however, the argument the authors are making in Issues and Challenges 5.2. Learning Outcome 5.3 Understand the basic concerns of anthropology and sociology [Q1] According to an anthropological point of view, what is a uniquely human creation that distinguishes humans from animals? 1. Creativity 2. Culture [correct] 3. Social organizations 4. Diversity [Response to Answer Choice 1] Some animals demonstrate creativity. Creativity is not an exclusively human characteristic. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yes. Animals can be creative, have sophisticated social organizations, and they are certainly diverse. Only humans can be said to possess culture. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Animals often have a social organization. Think ants or chimps. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Even within an animal species, there exists considerable diversity. Diversity is not an exclusively human characteristic. [Q2] Which of the following is sociology especially concerned with? 1. Wants and needs of people 2. Location of groups 3. Cultures of people 4. Social organizations [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] Wants and needs are important, but they are not the primary concern of sociology. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The location of groups is more likely to be a primary concern of geography. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Anthropology focuses on the cultures of people. This is not the primary concern of sociology. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] It’s true. The primary concern of sociology is the social organizations of people. [Q3] Which of the following is not an important aspect of culture? 1. The symphony [correct] 2. The system of beliefs and values of a society 3. The ways in which basic needs are met 4. Ideas about what is polite or rude [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] People often think of attending the symphony as an example of being cultured in our society. However, the symphony is an example of a cultural event. It is not an aspect of culture. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The systems of beliefs and values in a society are most definitely an important aspect of culture. [Response to Answer Choice 3] How we meet our basic needs is most definitely an important aspect of culture.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] We think something is rude or polite based in our cultural understandings. This is an important aspect of culture. [Q4] Which of the following ideas do the authors argue that first-grade students will have trouble understanding? 1. People usually live in families. 2. Members of families usually care for one another. 3. The role of genetics, law, and custom in determining what is a family. [correct] 4. People have different kinds of families. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Most children live in families. They understand this easily. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The affective nature of families is something children understand readily. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Young children often have trouble understanding the relationship between genetics and the law, in particular. The sociology teaching suggestions section spells this out in detail. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Most children can quickly understand that families are different. [Q5] What do the authors suggest is an important benefit of teaching anthropology? 1. Students can begin to see the familiar as strange. 2. Students can learn to do ethnography. 3. Students can learn to eat food from around the world. 4. Students can come to see ways of being as different, not superior or inferior. [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1]
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Seeing the familiar as strange is a benefit of teaching anthropology. However, that isn’t what the authors emphasize in the text. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Doing ethnography can be valuable. But, it is not what the authors emphasize in the text. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Anthropology should not be equated with food from around the world. Doing so simplifies ideas of culture that are so important to anthropology. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Citizens in a democracy must learn to respect different ways of being. Anthropology, with its emphasis on culture as a human creation, can help with this very important social studies goal.
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Chapter 5 Application Exercises Chapter 5: Economics, Anthropology, and Sociology Application Exercise 5.1: Using Standards in Economics Learning Outcome: 5.1: Explain why learning economics is important in elementary and middle schools. [Q1] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a teacher of second- or third-grade students. During a class meeting with your students, you realize that they don’t know how adults get their money. Use Figures 5.2 and 5.3 in the textbook to help you consider what you will teach. Question: Which standards you might draw upon to help you think through what you might teach your young students about how people earn income? [Q1 Model Response] Which standards did you identify? Compare your answers to ours. In Figure 5.2, we identified Standard 13 “Income” as the most obvious choice. We also see possibility in Standard 14, “Entrepreneurship,” because people earn money through their businesses. Even Standards 16 and 19 (Role of Government and Market Failure, and Unemployment and Inflation). For some adults, government provides money to compensate for their disabilities or because the market has failed and they have become unemployed. In Figure 5.3, “Earning Income” is the first place we’d look. We would also keep “Financial Investing” in mind as an income source. [Q2] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a teacher of second- or third-grade students. During a class meeting with your students, you realize that they don’t know how adults get their money. Use Figures 5.2 and 5.3 in the textbook. Focus on Standards 13 and 14 in Figure 5.2 and on Standard 1 (Earning Income) in Figure 5.3. Question: Within the standards are clues to what you might teach your students about income sources for adults. Drawing on the standards, identify at least three ideas you should teach students to help them understand where adults get money? [Q2 Model Response] Did you locate at least three of the following: wages, salaries, profits, commissions, interest, capital gains, dividends, and rents? Here’s how we identify these ideas. The language of Standard 13 in Figure 5.2 can seem unclear. “The value of the productive resources they sell” seems targeted at those 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
who work in wholesale or retail industries. The selling idea raises the possibility of earning money through profits or commissions. As adults, we know that people don’t simply earn income by selling things, our labor and the use of our skills are also productive resources we sell with. Employers pay people for their time and skills through wages and salaries. Standard 14, with its emphasis on entrepreneurship, reminds us that some people make their income through profits. Notice how we draw on the standard and our own experiences to help identify what we might teach students. In Figure 5.3, the connections are more explicit. The “Earning Income” standard explicitly names wages and salaries. Drawing on this standard we might also consider teaching students about interest and profits. Since we are teaching second- or thirdgrade students, we would likely save ideas such as capital gains and dividends when they are older. In short, given help from the standards and the ages of our students, we would work to help them understand wages, salaries, profits, and commissions as a place to start helping them to understand how adults get their money. Application Exercise 5.2: Applying F ETCH to Historical Events Learning Outcome: 5.2: Select economics activities and simulations based on how effectively they teach economics and financial literacy concepts and skills. [Q1] As noted in the text, author and teacher Jeff Whittingham created the F ETCH system for integrating economics into the teaching of history. The text provides you with the questions students bring to historical study when they use F ETCH. Before proceeding with this activity, review those questions on page 127 of the text. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a fifth-grade teacher who is teaching students about the Civil Rights Movement. Your students are currently learning about the Montgomery Bus Boycott with a particular focus on the leaders of this boycott— Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church) and Rosa Parks (a seamstress at a Montgomery department store). If you are unfamiliar with this boycott, you should search “Montgomery Bus Boycott” to gain a basic understanding of the event. Question: Identify which of the F ETCH questions are most appropriate for infusing the study of economics into a study of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Explain your reasoning for including each question you select. [Q1 Model Response] Question one: “Who was involved in the historic event” seems critical. Knowing individuals such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks is important. Yet, from an 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
economic point of view, the bus company and the many Black workers, who counted on the buses to get them to work, cannot be ignored. Question two: “The wants or needs each participant had” is a question we would definitely include. This question provides students with insights into what was at stake for each participant. What economic risks did Rosa Parks take, for example, when she refused to move? How were the economic risks different for Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. What was at stake economically for the bus company and for the African American community? Question three: “The resources (human, natural, capital) that were available” is a question we also see as relevant. How did the bus company continue to operate when the majority of its patron refused to ride? How did Black people get to work? How did Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. manage to pay their bills after the boycott began? Question four: “The goods or services that were provided” is a question we would also use in this case, though we might emphasize it less than the other three. The benefit of using this question is it allows us to think about the services the bus company provided as well as the services provided by those who drove others or simply walked long distances to work. A careful shaping of this question also allows us to notice that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continued to provide his leadership services to the church, while Rosa Parks (and her husband) lost incomes that were dependent on the White community. [Q2] As noted in the text, author and teacher Jeff Whittingham created the F ETCH system for integrating economics into the teaching of history. The text provides you with the questions students bring to historical study when they use F ETCH. Before proceeding with this activity, review those questions on page 127 of the text. The goal of this activity is to help you realize how a focus on economics can deepen our understanding and appreciation of historical events. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a fifth-grade teacher who is teaching students about the Civil Rights Movement. Your students are currently learning about the Montgomery Bus Boycott with a particular focus on the leaders of this boycott—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church) and Rosa Parks (a seamstress at a Montgomery department store). If you are unfamiliar with this boycott, you should search “Montgomery Bus Boycott” to gain a basic understanding of the event. While Rosa Parks is often celebrated for her brave response to being told to give up her seat, we rarely explore the economic costs of that decision. Rosa Parks, and her husband, were both unable to get work in Montgomery following her stand. They were eventually forced to move away from the South to Detroit to find jobs and escape death threats.
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Question: Some teachers teach about the Jim Crow era with examples like separate bathrooms, water fountains, and sections on buses. As you consider the economic experiences of people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., what do their experiences suggest about (1) why ministers tended to lead the Civil Rights Movement and (2) the pervasive oppression Black experienced in the south? [Q2 Model Response] Our answers to the two questions follow. (1) Why did ministers tend to lead the Civil Rights Movement? As you consider the experiences of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks from an economic perspective, you should notice that a key difference is who employed them—who paid their wages. Dr. King was paid by his church and while he risked a great deal for being a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, he did not risk losing his job or a loss of income. Rosa Parks (and her husband), on the other hand, were dependent on White-owned businesses for their employment. If the white owners did not approve of their activities, they would be fired. Examining the economic experiences can help students understand why ministers and others who served primarily the Black community were more likely to take leadership positions in the movement. (2) How did the oppression of Black permeate the Black experience? The overwhelming nature of oppression during the Jim Crow era can be difficult to grasp. Looking at the economic experience of Rosa Parks helps us see how difficult it was to object to the Jim Crow system. To protest the rules of the day risked the loss of employment and income for African Americans. A risk that many, especially those with children, would find difficult to take. Application Exercise 5.3: Creating Activities to Support Generalizations Learning Outcome: 5.3: Understand the basic concerns of anthropology and sociology [Q1] In the text, the authors provide three sample generalizations from anthropology (page 131). Review these generalizations and be sure you understand them. [Question] Use these three sample generalizations to critique each of the following activities. How does each activity support one or more of the generalizations? Where does the activity fall short? Remember, it is the rare activity that manages to do everything. Activity One: The teacher organizes a food fair where students sample foods from around the world. Activity Two: The school organizes a cultural fair, asking students to dress up in clothing that represents their ancestry. Visitors to the fair walk around and observe the various forms of dress.
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[Q1 Model Response] Compare your responses to ours. To what extent have you identified a way the activity supports a generalization? To what extent have you identified ways that the activity falls short? Activity One: The food fair activity introduces students to different cultural traditions. The food fair can also help students see how cultures meet the same need (the need for food) in very different ways. The list of what the food fair does not do is long. Focusing on food misses ideas of culture as made up of beliefs, knowledge, values, or skills. It is hard to see how the food serves as a guide for human behavior. Finally, focusing on food risks trivializing the many different ways people meet their psychological and physiological needs. Activity Two: A cultural fair holds potential for helping students see the diversity that exists within any community. Like the food fair, the cultural fair, with its emphasis on clothing, highlights traditions (and some skills). Clothing can also communicate rules about human behavior if students are helped to see how clothing can communicate rules of what is appropriate and beliefs about people related to sex or race. Yet in this case, participants are simply asked to observe the clothing. This suggests that the deeper meanings will not become clear to students. A focus on clothing, particularly when the emphasis is simply on noticing the differences, can cause students to miss the complexity of culture and how it operates in the lives of people and societies. For example, while clothing can communicate rules (how girls can act, for example), student will need help seeing this. Seeing how clothing communicates values will similarly require careful teaching. Focusing on clothing from one’s ancestry can suggest that differences in culture existed only in the past. Wearing similar clothing can hide the significant differences that exist between people around systems of beliefs, knowledge, values, and traditions. [Q2] In the text, the authors provide three sample generalizations from anthropology (page 131). For the purpose of this activity, focus on generalization one: “Every society has formed its own system of beliefs, knowledge, values, traditions, and skills that can be called its culture.” Reread teaching suggestion 3, “Fieldwork.” Question: Design a series of questions or activities that help your fifth-grade students use what they find in your cafeteria fieldwork to determine the culture of the cafeteria. For example, what does the fieldwork teach us about the beliefs at play in our cafeteria? Focus your answer on how you might support students in discovering the beliefs, knowledge, and values students through what they observe in the cafeteria.
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[Q2 Model Response] As you examine your questions or activities, consider the extent to which you might have succeeded in helping students see the meaning of what they observed—the way their ideas reveal the culture(s) in the cafeteria. We also want students to use evidence to come up with their own ideas rather than simply giving you answers they think you want to hear. Compare your responses to ours. Beliefs: We think that the idea of “beliefs” is overly broad for fifth-grade students and is unlikely to be clearly understood. Getting specific and giving examples is a key. Keeping this in mind, our activity asks students to consider beliefs about food that are on display in the cafeteria (we are getting specific—note we aren’t asking about beliefs about authority or politeness). We’d provide some continuums across which students might identify beliefs. For example, we might ask, what do your observations in the cafeteria suggest about people’s beliefs about whether food is plentiful or scarce? What characteristics about food are most important? How it looks? How it tastes? How it smells? Where it comes from? Knowledge: The rules of the cafeteria game are a key to its culture. Students will need help seeing them. Being successful in the cafeteria requires knowledge of the rules. Some rules are explicitly taught by adults and it can be helpful to start there. Asking students to consider first what violates the rules can help them see the rules. They might watch for when students get in trouble. What rule was violated? Once the “adult” rules are explored, helping students see the “hidden” rules requires more support. Here, again, focusing on specific items or situations can be helpful. We would ask students to figure out how students know where to sit, with whom to sit, or when and how to leave their table. Figuring these things out demonstrates underlying cultural knowledge. Values: Similarly, we want to help students “see” values that are not obvious. We do this by helping them know where to look and what they might look for. We ask students to look at seating patterns and noise levels. Within those two places, we provide continuums that help students with their analysis. One continuum might have, “making everyone feel welcome and included” at one end and “belonging to exclusive groups” on the other end.
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Chapter 5 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE)
1. Which of the following best aligns with the authors’ definition of economics? a) How people decide to use limited resources b) How the economic system works c) How people earn and use money d) How individuals can maximize the money they have 2. Which of the following do the authors claim is necessary to help students make the best possible economic decisions? a) Students must understand the costs and benefits of their decisions. b) Students must understand how interest rates work. c) Students must have help applying economic concepts to their decisions. d) Students must have help weighing arguments. 3. According to the authors, how should teachers go about deciding what to teach? a) Teachers should look for ways to simulate economic exchanges. b) Teachers should teach to the standards. c) Teachers should focus on one or two big ideas. d) Teachers should do a marginal analysis as they consider choices. 4. Which of the following is a key question the authors suggest teachers ask themselves as they make decisions about what they should teach? a) What economic experiences do my students have? b) How might economics be integrated into other social studies lessons? c) How might economics be integrated into math? d) What are the economic ideas that are taught across the grade levels? 5. How do the authors suggest that teachers use the economics standards? a) As a guide to what teachers should cover in their classrooms b) As a map of the economics concepts teachers and students should know c) As a way to generate ideas for lesson plans d) As a means for justifying teachers’ curricular choices 6. Which of the following best describes what young students should understand about money? a) Bartering is an inefficient way to get what you want. b) Money is more efficient than the alternatives. c) Money is the main form of exchange in the modern world. 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) Money is a human invention that makes exchange more efficient. 7. Why do the authors believe geography and economics work well together? a) The geography and economics impact each other. b) All places have an economy. c) All economies are impacted by their location. d) Students can’t understand economics without thinking about location. 8. When selecting an activity for teaching economics, where do the authors argue a teacher should begin? a) Teachers should start with the national standards. b) Teachers should start with what their students already know. c) Teachers should start with their state standards. d) Teachers should start by locating engaging and interesting activities. 9. What do the authors suggest is a key consideration for deciding whether or not an economic simulation is worthwhile? a) How quickly students can be engaged in the simulation b) How well the simulation aligns with the ideas and skills the teacher is trying to teach c) How many resources are required to run the simulation d) How well the simulation modifies students’ behavior 10. What do the authors argue is the main benefit of resources such as those found on the Learning to Give website? a) Students learn about why wealth in the United States in not evenly distributed. b) Students learn how wealthy people have managed to give back to society. c) Students learn about making a positive difference through giving money. d) Students learn that economics, civics, history, and literacy relate to one another. 11. . According to the authors, how did the idea of culture impact Western imperialism? a) Culture makes it easier to see why differences exist. b) Culture makes it harder to explain racial differences. c) Culture makes it easier to justify one group dominating another. d) Culture makes it difficult to claim that one group of people are inherently superior. 12. Which of the following is NOT a generalization from anthropology? a) Societies have their own cultures. b) Culture is learned and guides human behavior. c) Societies are usually patriarchal. d) People meet their needs differently. 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
13. Why do the authors emphasize the use of data-organization charts when considering topics like “families” or “neighborhoods”? a) Charts support students as they compare different examples. b) Charts help students remember the examples there are studying. c) Charts encourage teachers to take a comparative approach. d) Charts help lay out the curriculum in a more sequential way. 14. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of anthropology that the authors discuss? a) A steadfast concentration on group membership b) A steadfast concentration on culture c) A commitment to comparative study d) A commitment to ethnography as a means of research 15. Why do the authors suggest social studies teachers should be familiar with anthropology and sociology? a) These subjects have only recently been removed from what is considered social studies. b) These subjects make teaching topics such as family and community more effective. c) These subjects emphasize issues of culture. d) These subjects can challenge American notions of individualism. 16. FETCH is a graphic organizer designed for what purpose? a) Create a greater understanding of the way economics permeates history. b) Systematize teaching economics through history. c) Bring together economics and civics. d) Focus economics instruction in the early grades. 17. Which of the following best describes how the authors describe what distinguishes marginal analysis from other forms of decision-making? a) Deciding based on a careful analysis of the pros and cons of each choice b) Deciding based on values c) Deciding using a careful analysis of all options d) Deciding how much priority to give to each choice 18. What do the authors identify as a key difference between the National Content Standards and the Financial Literacy Standards? a) The Financial Literacy Standards focus more on what the individual needs to know. b) The Financial Literacy Standards do not include content. c) The Financial Literacy Standards are geared toward younger children. 18 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) The Financial Literacy Standards are more accessible. II.
SHORT ANSWER Identify two standards (either content of financial literacy) you believe should be included at the grade level you hope to teach. Explain why you believe these standards are particularly important.
III.
EXTENDED RESPONSE Your grade level team is attempting to create a more standardized approach to classroom management and is considering introducing a token economy in each classroom. Some believe a token economy sends the wrong messages about why we cooperate and follow rules in class. Other feel that the token economy can improve behavior while teaching key financial literacy concepts. Where would you place yourself in this discussion. Write a letter to your colleagues taking and defending a position.
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Chapter 5 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 5 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. A 2. C 3. D 4. A 5. B 6. D 7. A 8. C 9. B 10. C 11. D 12. C 13. A 14. A 15. B 16. B 17. D 18. A
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Table of Contents Chapter 6: Geography Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
12
Test Items
22
Test Answer Key
26
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Chapter 6: Geography Chapter 6 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 6.1 Explain what geography is and why we teach it. [Q1] Geography is composed of five themes according to the National Geographic Alliance. Which of the following best describes what each theme is? 1. A concept that students should form as they work through multiple examples. [correct] 2. A way of thinking about the world that appeals to students. 3. A strategy for understanding how to go from one place to another. 4. A process for constructing multiple types of maps and scale drawings.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Looking closely at the themes, you’ll see that they are concepts or ideas that students can use to better understand our world. As you will learn in Chapter 10, concepts are best formed through multiple examples (and nonexamples). [Response to Answer Choice 2] While geographers do engage in a way of thinking, that way of thinking is not the focus of the five themes. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Getting from one place to another is only one small part of geography. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers often engage students in constructing multiple types of maps as a way of achieving some of the five themes. This is not a description of the themes themselves. [Q2] Which of the following is not a reason the authors give for helping students gain geographical knowledge? 1. Geographical knowledge helps us get to where we want to go. 2. Geographical knowledge helps us understand the wants and needs of people in different places. 3. Geographical knowledge helps us understand daily events in relation to their settings. 4. Geographical knowledge helps us understand that there is no perfect place to live. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] This is a reason the authors give. Geographic knowledge helps us get where we want to go. 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] This is a reason the authors give. Geographical knowledge helps us understand the wants and needs of people in different places [Response to Answer Choice 3] This is a reason the authors give. Geographical knowledge helps us understand daily events in relation to their settings [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Right! Geographic knowledge can help students understand that there is no perfect place to live as they study human–environment interactions. However, that is not a primary goal of geography and it is not a reason the authors give. [Q3] Which of the themes of geography relies on the understanding that all places on earth have advantages and disadvantages for people living there? 1. Regions 2. Human–environment interaction [correct] 3. Location 4. Place
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Regions emphasize the similarities between particular areas of the earth. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Students need to understand that all places have advantages and disadvantages in order to grasp why people and things are located as they are (a key question geographers ask about human–environment interactions). [Response to Answer Choice 3] Location works with absolute and relative locations. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Place emphasizes distinctive characteristics of places using physical or human characteristics. Students can come to see the advantages and disadvantages of different places. But, that isn’t necessary to understand the theme. [Q4] What do the authors suggest is the relationship of maps to geography? 1. Maps are necessary but not enough when studying geography. [correct] 2. Maps are often overemphasized in the geography curriculum. 3. Maps are the best place to begin understanding geography. 4. Maps are challenging and need to be simplified for young students. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Maps are necessary—you can’t study geography without them. Yet, geography is more than maps. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It is possible that some geography teachers overemphasize maps. However, that is not a claim the authors make. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors do not express an opinion of whether or not the study of geography should begin with maps. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Maps are challenging and the authors suggest that young children should begin by making big maps of small spaces. The authors argue for teaching students to read maps rather than simplifying the maps. [Q5] What is a basic reason, according to the authors, why students want to understand geography? 1. Students want to know their home address. 2. Students want to be able to use maps well. 3. Students want to write letters to friends in other geographical locations. 4. Students want to know the nature of the world and their place in it. [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Knowing your home address is important. Yet, it isn’t the basic reason the authors want students to understand geography. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Using maps well is important. Yet, it isn’t the basic reason the authors want students to understand geography. [Response to Answer Choice 3] We hope students will develop relationships beyond their own region. Yet, it isn’t the basic reason the authors want students to understand geography. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] People everywhere want to know the nature of the world and their place in it. Students are no different. Geography deals with these questions (and more). Learning Outcome 6.2 Identify and explain the map and globe skills that are essential parts of social studies education. [Q1] 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Which of the following is not an essential map-reading skill according to the National Council for the Social Studies? 1. Orient a map and note directions. 2. Create a map from memory. [correct] 3. Use scale and compute distances. 4. Express relative location.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Orienting a map and noting directions is considered an essential map-reading skill by the N CSS. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] There is considerable value in creating a map from memory, particularly a map of the world. However, it is not an essential map-reading skill. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Using scale and computing distances is considered an essential map-reading skill by the N CSS. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Expressing relative location is considered an essential map-reading skill by the N CSS. [Q2] Which of the following is one of the fundamental skills in learning to read a map? 1. Knowing how to fold and care for a map 2. Knowing that elevation can be determined on certain maps 3. Knowing that symbols represent real and actual things [correct] 4. Knowing that cities and towns can be found on certain maps
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Knowing how to fold and care for a map is becoming increasingly unimportant as we move to digital maps. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It’s true that elevation can be determined on certain maps. However, that isn’t generally considered a fundamental skill. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Understanding that symbols represent real things is basic (fundamental) to correctly reading a map. Thus, it is a fundamental skill. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is helpful to understand that cities and towns can be found on certain maps. However it is not generally considered a fundamental skill. 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q3] Which of the following is often learned in the primary grades? 1. Cardinal directions and relative location [correct] 2. Compass rose and latitude 3. Parallels and meridians 4. Relative location and purpose of the earth’s poles
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Cardinal directions and relative location are two important ideas that primary children should learn. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The compass rose is often taught to young children. However, latitude is usually taught later. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Parallels and meridians are usually taught in the intermediate grades. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Relative location is usually taught in the primary grades. However, the purpose of the earth’s pole is usually taught later. [Q4] Which of the following is an example of relative location? 1. At the corner of 23rd and Pine. 2. 12933—15th Avenue South 3. At 45° North and 290° East 4. Across the street [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] The corner of 23rd and Pine expresses absolute location. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 12933—15th Avenue South expresses absolute location. [Response to Answer Choice 3] 45° North and 290° East expresses absolute location using latitude and longitude. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The phrase across the street give us a location in relationship to something else—a relative location. [Q5] Which of the following scales can be accurately enlarged on a copy machine? 5 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. Inches to miles 2. Representative fractions 3. Graphic scales [correct] 4. Verbal scales
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Inches to miles will be distorted when enlarged because the size of the image (the inches) changes but the miles do not. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Representative fraction scales will be distorted when enlarged because one part of the fraction changes size (the map on the paper). This makes distances look different than they are. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] A graphic case can be enlarged because the graphic in the legend will grow the same amount as the rest of the map. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Verbal scale is another name for the inches to miles scale. Verbal scales distort distance when enlarged by a copier because the size of the image (the inches) changes but the miles do not. Learning Outcome 6.3 Teach students to use maps and globes and to apply mapping skills. [Q1] According to the authors, how are map- and globe-reading skills best learned? 1. Through creating different kinds of maps and globes 2. Through seeing many different maps and globes over an extended period of time 3. Through directed inquiry into the need for and uses of maps and globes 4. Through direct teaching and application in situations where map- and globe-reading skills are used [correct]
[Response to Answer Choice 1] There is much to be learned from creating different kinds of maps. We recommend you engage students in map making. However, this answer is too specific to communicate what the authors have in mind. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Simply seeing a variety of maps and globes is unlikely to teach students what they need to know. [Response to Answer Choice 3]
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You should engage your students in direct inquiry. From this inquiry they will learn and remember much more. However, this answer is too specific to communicate what the authors have in mind.] [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes. Learning map and globe-reading skills are greatly enhanced when students are directly taught how to use the tool to accomplish real purposes. [Q2] According to the authors, what is a chief advantage that globes have over maps? 1. Globes more accurately represent the size and shapes of areas as they appear on the earth’s surface. [correct] 2. Globes capture students’ attention better than maps. 3. Maps are limited in the amount of earth they can show. 4. Maps have less physical relief than globes.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The earth and globe are both round. Thus, the representations on a globe are more accurate than those found on a flat map. We love maps, but they don’t stand up to globes when it comes to understanding the relationships between areas on the earth. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Students tend to love globes. However, this isn’t their main advantage. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Maps can show most of the earth. They can’t show things as accurately as the globe. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Maps can be created to show physical relief. This isn’t their main disadvantage. [Q3] According to the text, what is the primary task of the teacher in developing mapping skills in children? 1. Require students to consistently work with maps. 2. Help students to see the relationship of maps to globes. 3. Develop the spatial capacities that students already possess. [correct] 4. Teach students to read maps, including legends and symbols.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] A social studies teacher should do this. However, it is not the primary task of the teacher. Keeping the primary task in mind will shape your assumptions and instruction in positive ways. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
A social studies teacher should do this. However, it is not the primary task of the teacher. Keeping the primary task in mind will shape your assumptions and instruction in positive ways. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Students come to us with spatial capacities that they have developed through experience with the physical world. Teachers who see building on those capacities as their primary task are more likely to connect map skills to the students’ worlds and prior knowledge. Students will learn and remember more as a result. [Response to Answer Choice 4] A social studies teacher should do this. However, it is not the primary task of the teacher. Keeping the primary task in mind will shape your assumptions and instruction in positive ways. [Q4] How are map- and globe-reading skills best learned? 1. Through creating different kinds of maps and globes 2. Through seeing many different maps and globes over an extended period of time 3. Through directed inquiry into the need for and uses of maps and globes 4. Through direct teaching and application in situations where map- and globe-reading skills are used. [correct]
[Response Answer Choice 1] A variety of kinds of maps and globes can be helpful. However, it is not the most important thing to keep in mind when teaching geography. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Just seeing many different maps and globes is unlikely to teach students map- and globe-reading skills. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It’s important to see the need for using maps and globes. But, that doesn’t teach them the necessary skills. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes. Learning map- and globe-reading skills are greatly enhanced when students are directly taught how to use the tool to accomplish real purposes. [Q5] What do cartographers mean by projection? 1. Transferring an image from a flat surface to a wall or screen 2. Transferring information from a round globe to a flat map [correct] 3. Transferring information back and forth between maps and globes 4. The process of representing the earth accurately 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] In common language to send an image from a flat surface to a wall or screen is to project it. That isn’t what cartographers mean. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The process of transferring information from a globe to a map is what cartographers call projection. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Projection is not a two-way process. [Response to Answer Choice 4] When cartographers are engaged in projection, they are trying to be as accurate as possible. But, that does not describe projection. Learning Outcome 6.4 Teach children to read and interpret the data in graphs and charts. [Q1] What is one way the text proposes content in graphs be made less abstract for younger students? 1. Through the use of bar graphs 2. Through the use of pie graphs 3. Through the use of pictorial representations [correct] 4. Through the use of circle graphs
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Using a bar graph to make graphs less abstract is unlikely to be successful. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Using a pie graph to make graphs less abstract is unlikely to be successful. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Pictures can help young students visualize what the graph is representing. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Using a circle graph to make graphs less abstract is unlikely to be successful. [Q2] According to the text, what is the main reason data-organization chart is used? 1. It allows teachers to understand student comprehension of data. 2. It allows students and teachers to keep track of information across several examples. [correct]
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3. It allows students to understand the points that teachers think are important in a unit of study. 4. It is a way for students to keep track of their assignments.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Asking students to create a data-organization chart can help the teacher understand students’ thinking. However, the focus here is on using such charts, not creating them.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] A data organization chart (like the one used in Chapter 4) is primarily used to help the reader keep track of a large amount of data. Organized data are more easily tracked than “disorganized” data. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A data organization chart typically includes a large amount of information. In some ways this communicates value, but that is not the primary purpose for the chart. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Data-organization charts can be used to keep track of assignments. But, typically that is not their purpose. [Q3] The authors connect the use of graphs and charts to represent and interpret data to which curricular goals in which of the following areas (beyond social studies)? 1. Math [correct] 2. Music 3. P.E. 4. Art
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The Common Core State Math Standards in grades 1–5 demand that students be able to use graphs and charts to represent and interpret data. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Graphs and charts can be used in music. However, the authors don’t stress their use as a primary music goal. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Graphs and charts can be used in P.E. However, the authors don’t stress their use as a primary P.E. goal. [Response to Answer Choice 4]
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Graphs and charts can be used in art. However, the authors don’t stress their use as a primary art goal. [Q4] What is another terms for a data-organization chart? 1. Classification chart 2. Paper-chain chart 3. Two-dimensional chart [correct] 4. Flow chart
[Response to Answer Choice 1] A classification chart is not the same as a data-organization chart. [Response to Answer Choice 2] A paper-chain chart does not have the same characteristics as a data-organization chart. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Right! A data-organization chart is also known as a two-dimensional chart with focus questions across the top and place, people, or things down the left side. [Response to Answer Choice 4] A flow chart is quite different from a data-organization chart. [Q5] Which of the following do the authors argue is important for children to learn about graphs? 1. Graphs are read from left to right. 2. Graphs can create false impressions.[correct] 3. Graphs are visual representations of the world. 4. Graphs often represent what authors have written in the text.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] While graphs can be read left to right, they can also be read in other ways (and the authors do not stress this). [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Figure 6.15 shows three graphs that represent the same data in very different ways. Graphs can create false impressions! [Response to Answer Choice 3] Graphs represent data in the world. Yet, that isn’t the larger point the authors are making. 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Graphs can represent what the author has written. They can also provide additional information that goes beyond the text. Students should understand that graphs can do both of these things.
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Chapter 6 Application Exercises Chapter 6: Geography Application Exercise 6.1: Using Student Responses to Decide Which Map Skills to Teach. Learning Outcome: 6.2: Identify and explain the map and the globe skills that are essential parts of social studies education.
[Q1] For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher working with your students with a map activity designed to help you understand what they need to know and what they need to be explicitly taught. Students are looking at a map of your local area. You have asked your students a series of questions about the map. Teacher: See if you can find our school on this map. When you have found it, tell me how I can find it on my map. Student One: I found a building with a cross on it. Is that our school? Student Two: I found our school. It’s close to the top of the map. I can tell it’s our school because it is next to the green park. Student Three: I found our school. Take your finger and put it on the A line and follow it until you get to the 4 line. Our school is near there. Use your textbook as a reference (focus on the section entitled, “Map and Globe Skills Essential to the Social Studies Curriculum”). Read these students’ responses with an eye toward what they tell you about what it is that students seem to understand and what they do not fully understand (things you will need to teach). Question: Examine Student One’s response. What does the student understand about reading a map? What does the student’s response reveal about what they might still need to be taught? [Q1 Model Response] Look over your answer to see the extent to which you were able to see what the student understand and where the student might need help. We note that the student seemed to understand that symbols on a map represent actual things. The student seems to be able to identify a building on the map. However, the student does not seem to understand that the legend tells us what the symbols represent. A building with a cross might be a hospital or a pharmacy or a Christian church. Knowing to consult the lesson whenever you’re using a map is a critical skill you will want to emphasize with this student.
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[Q2] For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher working with your students on map skills. You are engaging your students with a map activity designed to help you understand what they know and what they need to be explicitly taught. Students are looking at a map of your local area. You have asked your students a series of questions about the map. Teacher: See if you can find our school on this map. When you have found it, tell me how I can find it on my map. Student One: I found building with a cross on it. Is that our school? Student Two: I found our school. It’s close to the top of the map. I can tell it’s our school because it is next to the green park. Student Three: I found our school. Take your finger and put it on the A line and follow it until you get to the 4 line. Our school is near there. Use your textbook as a reference (focus on the section entitled, “Map and Globe Skills Essential to the Social Studies Curriculum”). Read these students’ responses with an eye toward what they tell you about what it is that the students seem to understand and what they do not fully understand (things you will need to teach). Question: Examine Student Two’s response. What does the student understand about reading a map? What does the student’s response reveal about what they might still need to be taught? [Q2 Model Response] Compare your answer to ours. Note that we start by focusing on what the student seems to understand so we can build on that as we consider what the student might still need. Student Two is using cues from the map to help locate the school. They are noticing and using color (green might represent a park). They seem to know that the symbols on the map represent real things. They are able to identify a building and they use their knowledge of the area to infer that the building is a school by looking at the familiar landmarks close to the building. This is sophisticated map reading. Student Two is able to use relative location quite effectively (close to the top, next to the park). Building on the ability to use relative location, we might teach the cardinal directions, getting the student to practice saying things like, “The school is on the north side of the map. It is to the east of the large park.” As with Student One, this student could use help with consulting the legend to see if the symbol on the building they are looking at indicates a school. [Q3] For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher working with your students on map skills. You are engaging your students with a map activity designed to help you understand what they know and what they need to be explicitly taught.
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Students are looking at a map of your local area. You have asked your students a series of questions about the map. Teacher: See if you can find our school on this map. When you have found it, tell me how I can find it on my map. Student One: I found building with a cross on it. Is that our school? Student Two: I found our school. It’s close to the top of the map. I can tell it’s our school because it is next to the green park. Student Three: I found our school. Take your finger and put it on the A line and follow it until you get to the 4 line. Our school is near there. Use your textbook as a reference (focus on the section entitled, “Map and Globe Skills Essential to the Social Studies Curriculum”). Read these student responses with an eye toward what they tell you about what it is that the students seem to understand and what they do not fully understand (things you will need to teach). Question: Examine Student Three’s response. What does the student understand about reading a map? What does the student’s response reveal about what they might still need to be taught? [Q3 Model Response] Compare your answer to ours. Note that we start by focusing on what the student seems to understand so we can build on that as we consider what the student might still need. Student Three seems to understand how to use coordinates on a map to locate places. We got very excited when we heard this comment! Student Three’s comment is less helpful for determining what this student needs help understanding. We’re careful not to assume that the sophisticated understanding of coordinates means the student also understand such essential skills as directional orientation and scales. And the information in the example does not tell us if the student actually located our school! From this answer, we would ask questions like, “How do you know you’ve found our school?” to ascertain what to help the student learn next. [Q4] For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher working with your students on map skills. You are engaging your students with a map activity designed to help you understand what they know and what they need to be explicitly taught. Students are looking at a map of your local area. Read these students’ responses with an eye toward what they tell you about what it is that the students seem to understand and what they do not fully understand (things you will need to teach). Question: Examine the three students’ answers. You should notice that these three students demonstrate what appears to be some different understandings of maps. Identify at least one essential map skill from the text that all three students might need. Justify your choice. 15 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q4 Model Response] To help you evaluate your response, we have taken the essential skills in Chapter 6 and have provided what we might do with each skill based on the three responses. Compare the area you chose to our response. Orient a map and note directions. The three students demonstrate very different abilities to do this. Student Three is able to use coordinates, but does not use map directions. Teaching to practice the cardinal directions is something all three students might benefit from. Use of scale and compute distances. We have no information from students’ responses about whether or not they could do these things. We want to be careful not to assume that they can’t do something just because we didn’t see them do it (just like we want to be careful not to assume they can do something just because they did it correctly once —it might have been luck). Locate places on maps and globes. Student Three seems to be able to use coordinates effectively. Students One and Two, however, did not demonstrate this ability. This ability probably needs to be taught to the class. Student Three might become our class expert, helping those who have trouble with this difficult skill. Interpret map symbols and visualize what they mean. We found very little evidence in any of the responses that students are proficient with this skill. Before moving ahead, we would do more with students to see if they cannot do the skill or if they just did not do the skill. This one we have moved high onto our list of instructional priorities. Application Exercise 6.2: Introducing Students to Imaginary Lines on Maps and Globes. Learning Outcome: 6.3: Teach students to use maps and globes and to apply mapping skills. [Q1] Teaching about maps and globes can lead to misunderstandings. Teachers work to teach students that symbols on a map represent real things. And yet, some things (e.g., lines of latitude and longitude and the equator) are imaginary. For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher just about to embark on teaching latitude and longitude. You realize as you begin your unit that most of your students think that lines of latitude and longitude are real. After all, they’ve been taught that symbols on a map represent real things. You tell them this isn’t true, but they don’t seem to understand why cartographers would include the lines if they aren’t real—this is an idea you will need to teach. You decide to create a lesson to help students understand that lines of latitude and longitude (including the equator) are imaginary lines that geographers use for a wide variety of important purposes. You’ve decided to engage the supportive question, “Why do some maps include intersecting lines?” You understand that when students see an activity as important and meaningful, they learn and remember more. This exercise asks you to use Lesson Plan 6 as a model for helping students embrace a reason to invest in the lesson. Focus on Staging the Question. Notice that the authors help the students to see that the question matters to 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
their lives beyond school. The authors don’t just tell students that they will need the information for the test or for middle school. For the purpose of this exercise, you have decided to follow the authors’ advice and have students create a map of a space with which students are familiar. You have selected the playground as a place that students share and that they can revisit often. Question: Using the staging the question example in Lesson Plan 6. What might you ask students to help them start thinking about why cartographers might include some marks on a map of things that are imaginary? Is there any information might help students better understand what you hope they will learn? [Q1 Model Response] Examine your sequence to see if you provided a sense of purpose for your students that extends beyond school or that appeals to their desire to be learning real things. Compare the way you staged the question to ours. 1. Ask student why it might be helpful to have an accurate map of the playground. 2. Ask students to explain what an accurate map might help them do. 3. Explain the term cartographer and tell students that they will be doing the work of cartographers as they map the playground. Notice how we start by asking the students to generate reasons they might want an accurate map of the playground. We imagine they might suggest they could use the map to introduce new students to the playground, or schedule a place for friends to meet during recess. These are purposes relevant to their lives today. Our second question introduces the idea that maps aren’t only accurate, they are also useful—it helps us do something. Our third question is designed to communicate that students will be engaging in an activity that isn’t busy work—adults get paid to do this. We think this will lend the activity credibility and a sense of purpose. [Q2] Teaching about maps and globes can lead to misunderstandings. Teachers work to teach students that symbols on a map represent real things. And yet, some things (e.g., lines of latitude and longitude and the equator) are imaginary. For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher just about to embark on teaching latitude and longitude. You realize as you begin your unit that most of your students think that lines of latitude and longitude are real. After all, they’ve been taught that symbols on a map represent real things. You tell them this isn’t true, but they don’t seem to understand why cartographers would include the lines if they aren’t real—this is an idea you will need to teach. You decide to create a lesson to help students understand that lines of latitude and longitude (including the equator) are imaginary lines that geographers use for a wide variety of important purposes. You’ve decided to engage the supportive question, “Why do some maps include intersecting lines?” You understand that students learn and remember more when they experience a meaningful and logical sequence of instruction. This exercise asks you to use Lesson 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Plan 6 as a model for creating a clear lesson sequence. As you return to Lesson Plan 6, focus on how each activity builds upon the last and moves the students towards learning a specific objective. Your objective here is to help students understand that grid lines and lines of latitude and longitude do not represent actual things (they aren’t map symbols) but they are quite useful for finding our way around maps (and often around the earth as well). You worked to create a purpose for the lesson by asking student how an accurate map might be useful and by talking about the work of cartographers—adults to focus on accurate and useful maps. Question: Design a numbered lesson sequence that will engage students in making a rough map of the playground. Remember, this is your initial sequence for making the map that does not include using grid lines. Go no further than creating rough maps. [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, think about the extent to which you helped students gain basic information they needed to accomplish the project. Do you provide enough information about the playground and about creating maps? Have you thought about behavioral issues that might come up? Is there a way to support students as they learn to make a map of the playground? [Items 1 and 2 are designed to build knowledge of the playground and to build excitement about the project.] 1. Talk about what students know about the playground from their experiences there. Using the board, can they identify different spaces? 2. Type in the name and address of your school to Google Earth and zoom in on the playground. Are there any areas of the playground that students had not mentioned? Does Google Earth’s view obscure what is actually there? [Items 3, 4, & 5 are designed to provide students with support for including the shapes and symbols on their maps—to scaffold what we’re asking them to do.] 3. Have students use the Google Earth image to create the basic shape of the playground on large pieces of paper. 4. Discuss different symbols they might use in their mapping process. 5. Decide if everyone will map the entire playground or if students will divide responsibilities. [Item 6 anticipates and provides what students will need to know to meet our behavioral expectations.] 6. Establish a signal for when students should return (finished or not) and rules for how to conduct themselves in what is usually a play space. [Items 7, 8, & 9 engage students in the activity and plans for what they will do to improve their maps when their drafts are finished.] 7. Take the class outside and give them time to begin the process of mapping the playground. 18 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
8. Move around the playground. As students start to finish, give the signal and have students return to the classroom. 9. Share maps in small groups, allowing students to improve their maps based on what they see on the maps of others. [Q3] Teaching about maps and globes can lead to misunderstandings. Teachers work to teach students that symbols on a map represent real things. And yet, some things (e.g., lines of latitude and longitude and the equator) are imaginary. For the purposes of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher just about to embark on teaching latitude and longitude. You realize as you begin your unit that most of your students think that lines of latitude and longitude are real. After all, they’ve been taught that symbols on a map represent real things. You tell them this isn’t true, but they don’t seem to understand—this is an idea you will need to teach. You decide to create a lesson to help students understand that lines of latitude and longitude (including the equator) are imaginary lines that geographers use for a wide variety of important purposes. You’ve decided to engage the supportive question, “Why do some maps include intersecting lines?” Your objective is to help students understand that grid lines and lines of latitude and longitude do not represent actual things (they aren’t map symbols) but they are quite useful for finding our way around maps (and often around the earth as well). For the purpose of this exercise, your students have already created rough maps of the playground, complete with a legend. Their maps do not attend to scale at this point. Question: Using the Teaching Maps, Mapping, and the Globe section of the text and Lesson Plan 6 as a model, create and briefly describe (one or two paragraphs) an activity that uses the maps they have created of the playground to help students understand that 1) grid lines and lines of latitude and longitude are not symbols (they do not represent an actual thing, they are imaginary) and that 2) imaginary lines on maps are useful both for finding our way around a map and for finding our way around that which the map represents. [Q3 Model Response] Designing activities to meet specific learning goals requires a clear focus on what you want to teach and it requires that we are constantly asking, “Does this teach what I’m trying to teach?” As you look at our response, notice our focus on the two ideas: the purpose of the lines and the fact that, unlike symbols, they don’t actually represent something real. Compare your activity to ours. Our Activity. We will have students begin by assigning a student a particular place on their map. They must use their map and their words to describe to another student how they might find it. We will purposefully choose locations that can be difficult to locate with typical descriptions (places like a third of the way into the playfield). Students will engage with this activity on the maps and on the playground itself. We think this will help them see how an accurate map might need more in order to be useful. 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
We will talk with students about what was involved in the above activity and why they found the exercise frustrating. From there we will introduce grid lines and model for students how they might add and label grid lines on their maps. We will repeat the first activity with students using the gridlines. We anticipate that the second activity will be much quicker and more satisfying. We will then discuss the role of grid lines and note that the lines can exist on the map without existing on the playground because they are not symbols. We will ask students to use grid lines on an actual map to move more quickly and efficiently around the map. Application Exercise 6.3: Using Charts and Graphs to Bring Math and Social Studies Together Learning Outcome: 6.4: Teach children to read and interpret the data in graphs and charts. [Q1] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a first-grade teacher interested in addressing both your math standards and the goals of your social studies unit. Many math standards include something like we found in the first-grade math standards of the common core: “Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.” http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/1/MD/C/4/ Taking your cue from Chapter 1, your first-grade social studies curriculum is focused on “The individual in primary social groups: Understanding school and family life.” You are starting your school year with the unit, “Who we are and where we live.” Question: What areas of connection do you see between the math standard and your social studies unit? How might you use social studies content to teach this math standard? Write a brief description of the connections you see and how you imagine bringing math and social studies together. Keep your emphasis on charts and graphs. [Q1 Model Response]
There are many ways a teacher might connect these two subjects. It is unlikely that the exact methods you used are identical to ours. As you compare your response to ours, consider the extent to which the connections are authentic and not forced. To what extent did you focus on the skills listed in the math standards using social studies content? Exploring who we are and where we live lends itself beautifully to comparisons. And charts and graphs are ideal ways to help students see similarities and differences. We imagine gathering data about the students themselves—gender, ancestry, languages, etc. Each area becomes a chart or a graph. We would start by building charts and graphs together as students talk about themselves. Eventually, we ask students to organize and create the data, analyzing the charts and graphs using language that compares the different categories.
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We would follow the same process as students explore where we live. Here we might even sneak in some mapping skills as we use a mapping program to place pins on the map before we use the locations of those pins to create a graph. [Q2]
For the purpose of this exercise, you are a first-grade teacher interested in addressing both your math standards and the goals of your social studies unit. Many math standards include something like we found in the first grade math standards of the common core: “Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.” http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/1/MD/C/4/ Taking your cue from Chapter 1, your first-grade social studies curriculum is focused on “The individual in primary social groups: Understanding school and family life.” You are starting your school year with the unit, “Who we are and where we live.” You’re planning a lesson where students are asked to organize and represent data about their ages. Working with you, the class decided to group students into the following three categories: 6, 6½, and 7. You have 20 students in your class. Question: Selecting appropriate content is critical to the success of this lesson. Not all charts and graphs lend themselves equally well to making comparisons. Using the Teaching Charts and Graphs section of the text, answer these questions: Would you support your students’ work by directing them to charts or graphs? Which specific charts or graphs presented in the text would you use for this activity? Why? Are there any specific charts or graphs presented in the text that you would rule out for use with students in this lesson? Why are those options unacceptable? [Q2 Model Response]
There are a wide variety of charts or graphs that would be good choices for this activity. Among them are: Tabulation charts Classification charts Paper-Chain graphs Bar graphs Line graphs We think a graph will help students make comparisons more easily than a chart with the same data. We chose paper-chain graphs because a paper-chain graph (as illustrated in Figure 6.13) is simple to create (each first-grade student can create their own link on the chain) and it provides a vivid representation of the three age groups represented in our data. The paper-chain graph lends itself well to three categories (as required by the math standard). Options we would not consider are: Organization charts—organization charts are designed to illustrate an organizational structure, not represent and compare data. 21 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Flow charts—Flow charts illustrate a process; however, that isn’t what we are doing. Pie charts—Pie charts can be useful. We have ruled them out for our first-grade students, because we think that students just starting first grade would struggle with reading a pie graph including three groups. We plan to use movable paper pie graphs later in the year as our students become more adept at creating and reading charts and graphs.
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Chapter 6 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. Which of the following expresses the two key aspects of geography? a) Writing and the Earth b) Maps and climate c) The physical and the human d) People and directionality 2. According to the authors, which of the following should teacher be continually working to increase students’ understanding about? a) Maps and what they represent b) Maps and globes c) Globes and Geography’s themes d) Geography’s themes and maps 3. Which of the following do the authors identify as an important reason students should learn geography? a) Using “smart” technology without understanding what it means can create problems. b) Geography teaches important thinking skills. c) Geography helps people understand the world. d) Our world is increasingly impacted by maps and graphic representations. 4. Which of the following is NOT a theme of geography? a) Place b) Location c) Maps d) Regions 5. Which of the following is key to understanding both maps and symbols a) Both are needed for finding your way around. b) Both represent real things. c) Both come in a variety of forms. d) Both are unfamiliar to young children. 6. What do map symbols allow readers to do? a) Understand the map’s message. b) Imagine what the symbols represent. c) Place objects in their correct location. 23 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) Extrapolate key information. 7. Which of the following is the instructional sequence the authors recommend for teaching symbols? a) Move from maps children make to maps adults make. b) Move from legends on the map to legends next to the map. c) Move from pictorial to semi-pictorial to abstract symbols. d) Move from large maps to smaller maps. 8. Which of the following is an example of relative location? a) 65 East Rosa Parks Ave b) East 35th Street and M LK Way c) 160° East d) East of the park 9. Which of the following best describes what maps and globes allow us to do? a) Find our way around b) See the relative locations of places c) Represent space and place symbolically d) Know how far away places are 10. Why do the authors suggest graphic scales when working with younger children? a) Representative fractions are usually considered more appropriate for middle school. b) Verbal scales are inaccurate if the map size is changed on a copier. c) Graphic scales are easiest to use. d) All of the above 11. What are the two ways of expressing location? a) Relative and specific b) Coordinates and meridians c) Absolute and relative d) General and absolute 12. What is the chief value of using globes in elementary grades one, two, and three? a) To familiarize students with the basic roundness of the Earth b) To begin to develop a global perspective c) To see that the Earth is mostly covered with water d) Both A and B 13. When teaching mapping skills to young children, where should teachers begin? a) Start by reading simple maps. 24 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
b) Start by mapping big maps of small places. c) Start by tracing maps. d) None of the above 14. Which of the following map skill is it NOT usually necessary to teach children? a) How to have mental maps of places we know well b) Symbols represent real things c) How to note and read cardinal directions d) Using legends and scales 15. To comprehend map scale, students must understand that a) maps can be representative of many different places and landmarks. b) maps are smaller than the area they represent and everything on them is smaller in the same amount. c) maps are small enough to be carried in a backpack or put in a car’s glove compartment. d) maps enable us to comprehend relative distance between places. 16. What do cartographers call the process of transferring information from a round globe to a flat map? a) Map making b) The Mercator map c) Projection d) Leveling 17. What can the skillful comparison of the Peters Map, the Mercator map, and the Fuller map teach children? a) We create different maps for different purposes. b) There is no one right way to create a map. c) Flat maps always distort the world. d) All of the above e) A and C 18. Why do the authors claim that should children be taught to construct charts and graphs? a) Students learn more about reading charts and graphs when they make their own. b) Student-created graphs and charts make excellent visual aids. c) Students enjoy making charts and graphs. d) A and B
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II.
DATA ORGANIZATION CHART: Complete this data-organization chart with information about how to teach each sub-skill in the primary and intermediate-upper grades. The first row is completed to provide a sample response. Map and Globe Skills In Elementary School Topic
Primary Grades
Intermediate and Upper Grades
1. Map Symbols
Use pictures for symbols then invent matching symbols.
Work toward use of conventional map symbols.
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
2. Locating places 3. Using map scales 4. Use of the globe 5. Student-constructed maps 6. Making trip maps
III.
SHORT ANSWER Explain why it is important to give children experience with making maps, graphs, charts and time lines of their own. Why is it not enough only to use these items in the textbook, trade books, and other sources?
IV.
EXTENDED RESPONSE Your elementary school’s budget committee has announced that there is some money available for supplies. Teachers are invited to submit proposals suggesting the best use of the money. Write a proposal for spending the money on supplies that you need for map and globe activities in your grade level. Explain the specific map and globe reading skills that your students need to develop. This should be in memo form, and the objective is to persuade the budget committee to purchase these supplies for your classroom.
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V.
DISCUSSION Have students take a stand on Issues and Challenges 6.1, “Capital Punishment.” Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation.
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Chapter 6 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 6 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. C 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. B 6. A 7. C 8. D 9. C 10. D 11. C 12. D 13. B 14. A 15. B 16. C 17. E 18. D
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Table of Contents Chapter 7: History Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
7
Test Items
16
Test Answer Key
20
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Chapter 7: History Chapter 7 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 7.1 Select content for historical study designed to meet the goals of history education. [Q1] Teaching history provides students multiple opportunities to do which of the following two things? 1. Write biographies about prominent historical figures and sequence important events into timelines. 2. Be exposed to primary and secondary sources and utilize them in research. 3. Reason historically and gain historical knowledge. [correct] 4. Recite names and dates of historically important people and events and use them to answer multiple-choice questions. [Response to Answer Choice 1] These are both opportunities to accomplish larger goals. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Students should see and use both secondary and primary sources. Yet, they are not what we are trying to teach them to do when we study history. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Historical knowledge is important. And we want students to be able to reason historically. This is why we ask students to both absorb and do history. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Students might engage in these activities, but they are not what we are trying to teach them to do when we study history. [Q2] Which of the following is not one of the reasons to teach history that the authors list? 1. Imagination 2. Agency 3. Judgment 4. Patriotism [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] Imagination is one of the reasons the authors give to teach history. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Agency is one of the reasons the authors give to teach history. 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] Judgment is one of the reasons the authors give to teach history. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Patriotism is an important goal in the social studies classroom. Yet, it is not one of the reasons the authors give to teach history. [Q3] Which of the following do the authors give as a synonym for historical reasoning? 1. Interpretive reasoning [correct] 2. Chronological reasoning 3. Sequential reasoning 4. Long-view reasoning [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Interpretive reasoning is the synonym the authors provide. The past is over with and must be interpreted. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Chronological reasoning is a form of historical reasoning. It does not, however, capture the whole of historical reasoning. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors do not use the term “sequential reasoning.” Instead they use the more accurate term “chronological reasoning.” [Response to Answer Choice 4] One of the reasons we teach history is to help students take the long view. This is not, however, synonymous with historical reasoning. [Q4] Which of the following do the authors give as a reason for having students examine multiple perspectives of a historical event? 1. Students understand that U.S. history is largely one of progress. 2. Students understand how perspectives are shaped where people stand. [correct] 3. Students understand how people come to have different perspectives. 4. Students understand the reasons why historical events happened. [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors suggest that the narrative that U.S. history is one of freedom and progress can hide many of the perspectives about a historical event.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors write, “Students start to understand how people’s perspectives are shaped by what is happening and where they stand.” This is one reason the authors give for introducing multiple perspectives of a historical event. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Student might come to understand how people come to have different perspectives. However, this isn’t a reason the authors give. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Studying different perspectives can help students understand the reasons historical events happened. However, that isn’t a reason the authors give. [Q5] Which of the following best describes the authors’ recommendation for using primary sources? 1. Primary sources are preferable to secondary sources. 2. Primary sources can confuse young readers. 3. Not all primary sources are worthy of using as evidence. [correct] 4. Not all primary sources are unbiased. [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors contend that primary sources should be used in conjunction with secondary sources. They serve different purposes. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Primary sources can be confusing to everyone, not just young readers. This does not describe the authors’ recommendations however. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] The authors note that primary sources should be “interesting, as accessible as possible, and directly related to the questions you and your students are asking.” Not all sources meet these criteria. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors might suggest that all primary sources bring a bias (a perspective) to an event. The goal is to help students see the perspective, not to find unbiased sources. Learning Outcome 7.2 Understand how to engage students in both absorbing and doing history. [Q1] According to the text, how much should students be engaged absorbing versus doing history? 1. 25% of class time should be given to absorbing history. 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2. 50% of class time should be devoted to absorbing history. [correct] 3. 60% of class time should be devoted to absorbing history. 4. 80% of class time should be spent absorbing history. [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors use the analogy of an airplane to illustrate the relationship between absorbing and doing history. Giving 25% of class time to absorbing history won’t work well with this analogy. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The authors use the analogy of an airplane to illustrate the relationship between absorbing and doing history. They write, “The key to teaching history to children is to do two things, not one.… These work together and neither works alone.” While the percentage of time you spend engaging students in absorbing history will change from day to day and topic to topic, striving for a balance between doing and absorbing history will promote greater historical reasoning and the retaining of facts. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors use the analogy of an airplane to illustrate the relationship between absorbing and doing history. Giving 60% of class time to absorbing history won’t work well with this analogy. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors use the analogy of an airplane to illustrate the relationship between absorbing and doing history. Giving 80% of class time to absorbing history won’t work well with this analogy. [Q2] According to the authors, which is the following is not an example of absorbing history? 1. Reading historical fiction 2. Discussing possible interpretations of a section of the textbook 3. Using artifacts and primary sources to compose the story of a current event in the local community [correct] 4. Dramatizing an event that students read about in their textbook [Response to Answer Choice 1] When students read historical fiction, they are absorbing history. [Response to Answer Choice 2] When students discuss possible meaning of a secondary source (the textbook), they are usually absorbing history. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] When deciding if you are asking students to absorb history or do history, focus on the author of the document or text. If the students are reading, discussing, or communicating a story composed by others, they are absorbing history. If the students 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
are using artifacts or texts to compose their own product, they are doing history. The students in this answer are composing their own story using historian’s tools (artifacts, primary and secondary sources); they are doing history. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Students here are simply acting out an event that historians have described. That is absorbing history. [Q3] What is an historical inquiry or investigation according to the text? 1. Giving students the opportunity to choose their own historical course of study 2. Having students read about famous investigations in history 3. Having students investigate their own family history 4. A question-driven search for evidence and answers [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] Choosing your own course of study is motivating, but it isn’t necessarily inquiry, according to the text. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Reading about famous investigations in history is reading about inquiry—it isn’t engaging students in the historical inquiry—in doing history. [Response to Answer Choice 3] This could be inquiry if certain conditions are met. However, on its own, we can’t say it is historical inquiry. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] An inquiry involves a question (a mystery or problem to be solved), collecting and evaluating information and drawing conclusions. [Q4] Which of the following describes Bruce Lesh’s idea of examining context? 1. Working to translate the text into modern language 2. Working to understand who wrote the text and what was happening [correct] 3. Working to understand what the text tells us about the times 4. Working to understand why the text is important to a historical question [Response to Answer Choice 1] Working to understand what the text says in words we can understand today describes Lesh’s idea of “text.” [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Working to understand the times and the author of the text is context. Nice work!
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[Response to Answer Choice 3] Working to understand what the text tells us about the times describes Lesh’s idea of “subtext.” [Response to Answer Choice 4] Working to understand why the text is important to a historical question does not neatly fall into Lesh’s system of text, context, and subtext. [Q5] What do the authors suggest should happen after students have examined primary and secondary sources of a historical event? 1. Students should create a timeline to present to an authentic audience. 2. Students should create a time machine to simulate time travel. 3. Students should create their own account of the event. [correct] 4. Students should dramatize the event. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Creating a timeline is a valuable activity. However, it often does not engage students in doing history. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Creating a time machine is a great way to engage students in historical study. Yet, it is not what the authors suggest should happen when students right after students have conducted their examination of primary and secondary sources. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Creating their own account of the events is what students should do after examining sources. This can take many forms. But, it is doing history. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors are great fans of dramatizing an event. However, this might not require students to do history.
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Chapter 7 Application Exercises Chapter 7: History Application Exercise 7.1: Engaging Students in Historical Reasoning Learning Outcome 7.1: Select content for historical study designed to meet the goals of history education. [Q1] In this exercise, you are a fifth-grade teacher developing a U.S. history unit for your students on the Revolutionary War. In your textbook (page 182) is a print of Revere’s engraving as it might appear in your fifth-grade social studies text. Study the engraving (or visit the online at the web reference given adjacent to it). Reread the description of the engraving found in the text. Notice that the engraving includes the art depicting the event, a title at the top, and a poem under the art. The title at the top says: “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in KingStreet.” The poem written at the bottom that may have been written by Revere. It reads: Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore Thy hallow’d walks besmear’d with guiltless gore While faithless P---n* and his savage bands With murd’rour rancour stretch their bloody hands Like fierce barbarians gr inning o’re their prey Approve the carnage and enjoy the day. If scalding drops from rage, from anguish wrung If speechless sorrow, lab’yring for a tongue Or a weeping world can ought appease The plaintive ghosts of victims such as these The patriot’s copious tears for each are shed A glorious tribute which embalms the dead. *Thomas Preston was the Captain of the British soldiers involved in the shooting. Question: Based on the advice offered in the text and what you know about fifth-grade students (approximately 10 and 11 years old), you begin exploring this source by using the drawing or the words? Justify your response. Remember, the authors’ advice that 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
you choose sources that are interesting, accessible, and directly related to the questions you and your students are asking. [Q1 Model Response] Evaluate your response based on the extent to which the students are likely to find the section you selected interesting and accessible. We are less concerned about the relationship to the questions because we envision this source as a tool we might use to engage students in asking questions. While some would introduce the source by talking about the title and by giving students some information about the event the source depicts, we would begin immediately with the art. What do students notice? What do they think might be going on here? What does the artwork suggest about when this happened? Here’s our rationale: 1. The art is accessible to our fifth-grade students in ways that title and the poem are not. The title notes that the massacre was “perpetrated on King-Street.” It is the rare fifth-grade student who could make sense of the title without help. The poem is full of old language (e.g., “hallow’d walks”) and the language is structured in a way that we struggle to follow (and we are not in fifth grade) that we think is inaccessible. With the art, all fifth-grade students can notice what’s in the drawing. The picture is accessible. Students might point out the dog, the woman, and the two signs in the background. These things are easily recognized if students are looking carefully. 2. We think that the drawing is a terrific way to build interest. When we look at it closely, it is interesting. As students observe the soldiers’ faces and the traumatized townspeople, they can start to build theories about the event—to ask questions. [Q2] In this exercise, you are a fifth-grade teacher developing a U.S. history unit for your students on the Revolutionary War. In your textbook (page 182) is a print of Revere’s engraving as it might appear in your fifth-grade social studies text. Study the text (or visit the text at the online reference given adjacent to it). Reread the description of the engraving found in the text. You want to help your students understand that there are multiple perspectives to any historical event. Notice that the engraving includes the art depicting the event, a title at the top, and a poem under the art. The title at the top says: “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in KingStreet.” The poem written at the bottom that may have been written by Revere. It reads: Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore Thy hallow’d walks besmear’d with guiltless gore While faithless P---n* and his savage bands 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
With murd’rour rancour stretch their bloody hands Like fierce barbarians gr inning o’re their prey Approve the carnage and enjoy the day. If scalding drops from rage, from anguish wrung If speechless sorrow, lab’yring for a tongue Or a weeping world can ought appease The plaintive ghosts of victims such as these The patriot’s copious tears for each are shed A glorious tribute which embalms the dead. *Thomas Preston was the Captain of the British soldiers involved in the shooting. The authors contend that historical thinking requires that students engage with multiple perspectives about an event and they list testimony of eye witnesses and British soldiers as a source of a perspective different than Revere’s. Question: Once you have engaged students in examining Revere’s engraving closely, asking students to notice what they see, what are two questions you might ask push students to cause them to consider how this source assumes or ignores other perspectives? Briefly explain what you hope your questions will accomplish. Work to create questions that can help students: 1) realize that the engraving doesn’t tell the entire story; and 2) become open to other explanations about what happened. [Q2 Model Response] There are almost endless possibilities of questions that would help students begin to question the perspective of Revere’s engraving. As you compare your questions to ours look for the way your questions help students see what’s missing in this perspective. Our questions: 1) Do you think there actually was a small dog at the shooting (a dog who doesn’t seem frightened by the exploding guns)? Why do you think Revere included the dog in the engraving? This question asks students to consider the parts of the engraving that are probably not factual. It introduces the idea that the engraving might have been created to serve a purpose and that it can’t necessarily be taken as truth. 2) How might the soldiers explain why they were shooting? This question is designed to introduce the British perspective. If students say that they were following orders, we might ask why the British Captain might have told them to shoot. 3) Other than the dog, is there anything else in the engraving that makes you wonder if it is fake news? This question continues with the idea that Revere was trying to 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
communicate a point of view—that he wanted his engraving to accomplish something. This question also reminds students that they should always be on the lookout in case they are being manipulated. Application Exercise 7.2: Teaching Students to Absorbing Primary Sources Learning Outcome 7.2: Understand how to engage students in both absorbing and doing history. [Q1] In this exercise, you will consider ways to help students make meaning from visual primary sources. We often use visual sources because students find them interesting and they are often accessible. Learning to read a visual source improves as your students gain experience. For this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher. You have located either a photo you like that someone has taken of you or a selfie you’ve taken that you are willing to share publicly. You took your photo to class and you shared it with your students—making sure it was possible for all students to examine the details of the photo. For the purposes of this exercise, it can be helpful to have an actual photo in mind. Question: Consider how you might involve your students in locating the meaning of your photo. What questions will you ask to help students first observe and then interpret your photo? Keep in mind Bruce Lesh’s advice to help students explore text, context, and subtext (in the Discussing the Meaning of Primary Document section). [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your questions to ours, think about the extent to which you captured each of Lesh’s categories (text, context, and subtext). Consider the extent to which your questions begin with noticing details and then move to interpreting what the location, objects, and other details say about you. What do you see in this photo? What am I doing? What places or objects do you recognize? Where do you think this photo was taken? Our first question engages students in looking over the details—in noticing what is present in the image (text and some context, in the language of Lesh). Observation and knowing what the text “says” is the first key step to making meaning from a primary source. What does this photo tell you about me? We chose this question because it asks students to interpret the photo (to engage in examining subtext). The selfie we’re imagining shows one of us camping. We’re dressed in casual, rugged clothing. Students are likely to say that the photo communicates a love of the outdoors. [Q2] 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In this exercise, you will consider ways to help students make meaning from visual primary sources. We often use visual sources because students find them interesting and they are often more accessible than text. Learning to read a visual source improves as your students gain experience. For this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher. You have introduced your students to the idea of “reading” visual primary sources by having them interpret a photo or selfie of you. Now you want to move them to interpreting historical primary sources. Locate the “I sell the shadow to support the substance” photograph of Sojourner Truth. This can be readily found on the National Portrait Gallery’s website https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.79.209 or by doing an Internet search. As you look at this photograph, you remember that Sojourner Truth was a tall woman (6 feet tall) who had once been enslaved and was a fierce advocate for abolishing slavery and for women’s rights. Notice that Truth is seated in this photograph. She holds what could be a knitting project. There are flowers on the table and what looks like the outline of the Eastern United States is displayed in yarn on her dress. She wears glasses, a shawl, and a bonnet. Question: Create a list of at least three questions to help your third-grade students absorb the photo of Sojourner Truth. Keep in mind Bruce Lesh’s ideas of text, context, and subject create questions that help your students think historically about this source. [Q2 Model Response] There are dozens of questions that might help students observe the photo (text), contextualize the photo (context), and interpret the photo (subtext). To what extent do your questions guide students through these three tasks? 1. What do you see in this photo? 2. When do you think this photo was taken? 3. [If students don’t notice] Can you see the shape yarn creates on the woman’s dress? Do you think that the yarn naturally dropped in that shape or did someone arrange it? Why do you say that? 4. What is this woman like? What do you think is this woman’s job? We chose our first question to help students “read” this text. “What do you see” is where we usually begin with images because it helps students notice details. And details are interesting. We chose our second question to help students contextualize the photo. We suspect that third-grade students would answer something like, “A long time ago” or “In the olden days.” We are ready to accept those answers because the students might not yet have the background knowledge to say more. We want them to see the photo as coming from another time. 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
We chose our third question to push the student toward looking at the photo’s subtext— to consider that photographs might be designed to send messages. We chose our fourth question to engage the students in interpreting the photo (subtext). What is the photo trying to communicate about Sojourner Truth? We might use this exercise as an introduction to our cooperative biography assignment (See Chapter 12) on Sojourner Truth. This question sets up the question, “Who was Sojourner Truth?” [Q3] In this exercise we will practice adapting primary sources so that students can understand them. You are engaging your third-grade students in writing collaborative biographies about Sojourner Truth. You want them to absorb and understand Truth’s famous “Ain’t I a Woman” speech (this speech is found starting on page 327 of the textbook). You realize that the language in this speech will be overly difficult for your third-grade students. Reread the advice of Sam Wineberg and Daisy Martin in the “Discussing the Meanings of a Primary Document” section. Question: Revise the first two paragraphs of Truth’s speech (it begins with, “Well children, where there is so much racket…” and ends with the second “And ain’t I a woman?”). Rewrite these paragraphs, as Wineberg and Martin suggest, in a way that preserves the meaning and allows the students to engage with them. [Q3 Model Response] We began our revision by noting words or phrases that students would find unfamiliar and perhaps discouraging. We identified the words or phrases, “racket,” “out of kilter,” “carriages,” “ploughed and planted,” “gathered into barns,” “no man could get ahead of me.” We next ask which of these words or phrases might be “close enough” so that students could understand them given the context. We left those “close enough” words and phrases in place. We worked to preserve the ideas. As Wineberg and Martin suggest, we would include the original text alongside our revision.
Our Revision Well, children, there’s a lot of noise here. And when a machine makes a lot of noise, it tells you there’s something wrong with it. That man over there says women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches—and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages or over mud-puddles—or give me the best place at the table. And
Original Language Well, children, where there is so much racket, there must be something out of kilter. That man over there says women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches—and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages or over mud-puddles—or give me the best place at the table. And ain’t I a woman? 12
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Our Revision ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arms? I have broken up hard ground with a plough, planted crops, and gathered those crops into barns, and no man could work harder than me! And ain’t I a woman?
Original Language Look at me! Look at my arms? I have ploughed and planted and gathered into barns, and no man could get ahead of me! And ain’t I a woman?
We changed the first line significantly because the Truth uses a metaphor that we don’t think our third-grade students could recognize. For the rest of the speech, we left many of the words as written because we think words like carriages can be easily understood with some help. We changed the language around plowing because we assumed an urban audience who would be unfamiliar with “ploughed, planted, and gathered.” In a different context, we would not change those words. Throughout our changes, we worked to keep the main idea while making the source accessible to our students. Application Exercise 7.3: Engaging Students in Doing History Learning Outcome 7.2: Understand how to engage students in both absorbing and doing history. [Q1] For the purpose of this exercise you are a second-grade teacher working under the broad theme of “How Neighborhoods Change.” Over the course of several weeks, you have invited seniors who have lived in the neighborhood for many years to talk about how things have changed in the neighborhood. You helped the students write questions that were sent to the seniors in advance. Students created a large map of the neighborhood on the bulletin board that speakers could use to talk about how things used to be. Working with the librarian, you located two local histories that you have made available to the students. Question: Drawing on the “Doing History” section in the text, create two final product choices you would give to engage your second-grade students in interpreting what they have heard. For example, would you choose a dramatic re-enactment? Traveling in time? Justify your choices. [Q1 Model Response] Your choices should consider the topic and the ages and interests of your students. Second-grade students are smart, and they can lack some of the academic skills we might equate with doing history. We went with ideas that don’t stress writing. We chose to offer our student the following two choices: 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. Make a historical model of our town. The model should show what the town was like in the 1970s (or another time period the student deem most relevant). The model must be accompanied by descriptions that illustrate how students used the evidence from their books and interviews to create the model. We know that many second graders love to build. The map on the bulletin board serves as a nice reference students might use and it can help keep their models from getting too big. The descriptions push students to interpret history, not to simply report factual information they gathered. Finally, we asked the question, “What was the town like?” This question pushes students to think beyond mere geography. 2. Write and draw a snapshot biography of our town. This project can be accomplished by individuals or by a small group of children. The snapshot biography forces students to consider what is most important in the history of the town. We think this will appeal to the interests and skill level of our students and it will push them to interpret the history of the town. [Q2] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher working with the theme, “History and People of our State.” You decide you want to begin your unit by asking students to take a historical perspective on their own families’ history within the state. Working with your students, you have agreed to limit the study to two time periods within which they might work (1997–2002 and 2012–2020). Students have assured you that their families were all in the state during at least one of those time periods. Additionally, both of these time periods include significant national events that impacted your state. Working with the librarian, you have collected secondary sources recounting both national events (e.g., the 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City and the global pandemic of 2020 and beyond) and local events (e.g., a nearby fire that forced evacuations). Students have interviewed family members and, if appropriate, recorded their own recollections of the time. Question: Drawing on the “Creating an Account of an Event Drawing on Primary and Secondary Sources” section of the text, describe how you might help students begin to engage in interpretation—in doing history—rather than simply recounting the events as they happened. In other words, what might you do to support their understanding that interpretations will differ and that they must be based on evidence? [Q2 Model Response] The beauty of this project is that students start to see that they are among the people of the state and their people are part of the history. And we want our students to understand that interpretations can differ from each other and they must be based in evidence. To what extent does your response support students? We would engage students in many of the options listed in “Creating an Account of an Event Drawing on Primary and Secondary Sources.” We would let students write stories, write letters to distant relatives, or write journal entries about some event in their 14 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
family’s history. To the extent that histories will overlap, we would ask our students to compare their interpretations with those studying a similar time period. We would create a timeline in the classroom and have students attach their interpretative documents on the appropriate year. We would discuss as a class how the accounts are similar (how they rely on the best evidence available), and how they differ. This is just how we would support students’ understanding of the nature of doing history. We have not explored here the many options we might offer students to create for the presentations they will make to their families.
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Chapter 7 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. What are the two essential parts of teaching history? a) Gaining judgment and self-knowledge b) Absorbing and doing history c) Developing students’ imaginations and agency d) Excellent lectures and motivating PowerPoints 2. Which of the following is NOT a priority when teaching time and chronology in social studies? a) Technical concepts of time (e.g., century, score) b) How to tell time c) Time spans that separate historical events d) References to indefinite units (e.g., many years ago) 3. Which of the following is NOT an aspect of historical reasoning? a) Describing an event b) Chronological reasoning c) Recognizing multiple perspectives d) Drawing conclusions about causes and effects 4. History teaching teaches students to investigate what has happened in the past by teaching them to a) orally communicate the chronological order of events. b) create research reports about their favorite event in history. c) interpret evidence and produce a credible account. d) All of the above 5. What recommendation do the authors make about the historical study of Indigenous people? a) The authors recommend using tribal identifications whenever possible. b) The authors recommend also studying Indigenous people today. c) The authors recommend emphasizing the freedom and progress narrative. d) The authors recommend extensive use of timelines. 6. Which of the following is NOT an opportunity history provides, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards? a) Take the long view. b) Explore narratives of the past. 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c) Examine the lives of groups and individuals. d) Take part in ongoing interpretation of the historical record. 7. How might students from minoritized groups see the freedom and progress narrative emphasis in history? a) A way to explore how oppressed groups gained freedom. b) A way to understand the many events in our history. c) A way of whitewashing the past. d) A way of seeing how the arc of history bends toward justice. 8. How do the authors define secondary sources? a) Sources best introduced after primary sources. b) Sources that emphasize an outsiders’ perspective. c) Sources that conflict with others describing the same event. d) Sources that are interpretations of primary sources. 9. Why do the authors argue that history cannot be a matter of teaching children what happened? a) Interpretations of events always vary. b) Students need to be able to think about history. c) Both secondary and primary sources need to be consulted. d) Primary sources take different perspectives. 10. What do the “two wings” of teaching history involve? a) Keeping students moving in the right direction as they construct historical accounts. b) Understanding a historical account and creating a historical account. c) Maintaining interest while remaining factual. d) Avoiding the focus on a single perspective. 11. What do the authors say is the result of a focus on a single story? a) Students understand history more easily. b) Students find history more relevant and relatable. c) Students develop simplistic understandings of history. d) Students can go in greater depth about history. 12. Which of the following best describes doing history, according to the authors? a) Reading b) Composing c) Discussing d) Listening 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
13. Which of the following is NOT included in the guidelines for selecting historical narratives? a) It must tell a good story. b) It must be accurate. c) It must avoid confirming stereotypes. d) It must include all voices. 14. What do the authors claim is a key advantage of a snapshot autobiography for young children? a) It relies on drawings and brief descriptions. b) It follows a format young children understand. c) It doesn’t try to cover too much. d) It includes materials that are readily available in most schools. 15. What do the authors list as a key reason for engaging students in historical roleplaying? a) Role playing generates interest. b) Role playing evokes vivid descriptions. c) Role playing develops historical empathy. d) Role playing gets closer to the real story. 16. What to the authors suggest teachers do if primary sources are difficult to read? a) Teachers should teach difficult vocabulary. b) Teachers should find simpler sources such as photographs. c) Teachers should do what they can to motivate students to persist. d) Teachers should rewrite and shorten sources. 17. In an inquiry, what is the purpose of primary and secondary sources? a) Sources are used to answer the compelling and supporting questions. b) Sources are used to learn to understand the text, context, and subtext. c) Sources are used to interpret the historical event. d) Sources are used to engage students in absorbing history.
II.
SHORT ANSWER Identify two themes of history you think are most important for students to explore in the elementary school based on the guidelines in your text. Explain why they are important and give an example of how you would emphasize each theme at a grade level of your choosing.
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III.
EXTENDED RESPONSE You are a teacher in an elementary school where the social studies curriculum is being revised. There is a debate among the teachers in the school about how much emphasis should be given to history and geography relative to language arts, especially because the latter is so intensely tested. Some teachers feel that the social studies should be featured because it has the content, while language arts offers the skills. Others believe social studies and language arts represent distinct academic disciplines and ways of knowing and should be kept separate. Other views are expressed, too. Where would you place yourself in this discussion? Write a letter to your colleagues in which you take and defend a position on this idea that social studies supplies the content, while language arts supplies the skills.
IV.
DISCUSSION A parent of one of your students is concerned that his/her child is not learning enough “facts” about history. At the recent parent night the parent complained that children used to learn many more facts about history. You promised to call the parent to discuss this. What is the best response to the parent’s complaint? Discuss this issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation.
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Chapter 7 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 7 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. B 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. B 6. A 7. C 8. D 9. A 10. B 11. C 12. B 13. D 14. A 15. C 16. D 17. A
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Table of Contents Chapter 8: Assessing Student Learning Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
9
Test Items
18
Test Answer Key
22
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Chapter 8: Assessing Student Learning Chapter 8 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 8.1 Compare the purposes of assessment and how they can work together as well as how, why, and when they conflict with one another. [Q1] According to the text which of the following is a definition of assessment? 1. Finding out what students know and are able to do [correct] 2. Finding out how students are likely to do on a test 3. Finding out how to challenge students 4. Finding out what the objectives will be for a unit [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Assessment is focused on what students know and are able to do. Teachers use this information to consider what to teach next, based on what students still need. [Response to Answer Choice 2] How students might do is one form of assessment. It isn’t a definition of assessment. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Finding out how to challenge students is a purpose of assessment. However, it isn’t a definition of assessment. [Response to Answer Choice 4] We use assessments to measure our objective, not to determine them. [Q2] When teachers engage in evaluation, teachers compare a student’s present understanding with which of the following? 1. A student’s present understanding with the other students in the class. 2. A student’s present understanding with their technological skills. 3. A student’s present understanding with the unit goals in a textbook program. 4. A student’s present understanding with the desired outcome of instruction. [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] Some teachers compare students to one another. However, that isn’t how evaluation should be done. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Comparing a student’s understanding with their technological skills is only appropriate if those skills were what the teacher was teaching.
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[Response to Answer Choice 3] Comparing a student’s understanding with the unit goals only makes sense if the teacher has taught to those goals. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Evaluation means determining if students learned what teachers taught. In other words, if students understand what you hoped they would. Nice work! [Q3] What is the primary purpose of assessment for the teacher? 1. Ensuring that students can retain accurate facts and dates 2. Planning effective instruction [correct] 3. Planning a global curriculum for students 4. Ensuring that students can present oral, written, and digital presentations at the end of each unit [Response to Answer Choice 1] Assessment might tell the teacher if students can retain facts. But that isn’t its primary purpose. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] While the primary purpose of assessment is instructional planning, the other two key purposes are public accountability and program evaluation, and placement of students in specific programs and schools. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Assessment can help planning a global curriculum. However, that isn’t the primary purpose for the teacher. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Assessment can tell the teacher about students’ presentations skills. But, that isn’t its primary purpose. [Q4] According to the text, when students are first learning a skill, which of the following can be detrimental? 1. Specific feedback about what students are doing well 2. Specific feedback about what students still need to learn 3. Grades that emphasize how much they don’t know [correct] 4. Students failing to perform the skill correctly [Response to Answer Choice 1] Specific feedback is usually beneficial to students.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2] Specific feedback is usually beneficial to students. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Grades are a form of evaluation. Evaluation while students are in the initial steps of learning new skills can be detrimental. Students might quit trying or become focused on their performance to the exclusion of their learning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Failing to perform a skill correctly can be a powerful way to learn the skill if the teacher and the student see the failure as a chance to get better. Learning Outcome 8.2 Explain the seven principles of assessment and how they can be used to assess content and skills. [Q1] Which of the following is conducted after instruction is completed? 1. Summative assessment [correct] 2. Diagnostic assessment 3. Norm-referenced assessment 4. Formative assessment [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Summative assessment “sum up” what students have learned after instruction is complete. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Diagnostic assessment usually happens before instruction begins. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Norm-reference assessments are tests that bear little connection to instruction. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Formative assessments happen while students are learning—during instruction. [Q2] How does the text define performance standards? 1. Documents that state what students should learn 2. Documents that define levels of achievement from high to low [correct] 3. Documents that determine if a student should move on to the next lesson 4. Documents that give the answers [Response to Answer Choice 1] The text generally refers to documents that state what students should learn as standards, but not performance standards. 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Yes! Performance standards define levels of achievement from high to low. [Response to Answer Choice 3] These documents are related to performance standards. But, this isn’t how the text defines performance standards. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Answer sheets give the answers. This isn’t how the text defines performance standards. [Q3] Which of the following best describes what makes an assessment authentic? 1. Assessments that provide tips to help students recall answers 2. Assessments that ask students to recognize relevant facts 3. Assessments that students enjoy and learn from 4. Assessments that apply knowledge and skills to meaningful tasks [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] Good assessments often suggest how students might go about doing the task. However, tips do not make an assessment authentic. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Recognizing relevant facts can be a part of an authentic assessment. But, it isn’t what makes an assessment authentic. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Authentic assessment can be enjoyable and help students learn. This isn’t what makes the assessment authentic. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes! We call assessments authentic because they ask students to apply knowledge and skills to meaningful tasks. [Q4] Why is backward design considered backward? 1. Teachers begin planning by planning the summative assessment 2. Teachers begin planning by planning what students will know at the end. [correct] 3. Teachers begin planning by planning activities students will engage in. 4. Teachers begin planning by planning the formative assessments they will use [Response to Answer Choice 1] Planning the summative assessment is the second step of backward design—not the beginning.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] You’re right. Teachers begin by planning what students will know at the end. This drives all other planning. For many teachers, this can feel backward as they might be tempted to start by thinking about the activities and then move to what they want students to know and be able to do. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Beginning with activities is the way many teachers begin. Backward design claims this isn’t a good idea. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Planning formative assessments happens early in backward design, but not at the very beginning. [Q5] What type of C3 question usually focuses on essential content and skills? 1. Enduring questions 2. Perennial questions 3. Supporting questions 4. Compelling questions [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] Enduring questions sounds right. But, it isn’t a C3 question type. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Perennial questions are those that a society constantly faces. These are a part of the formal framework of the C3. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Supporting questions are C3 questions that focus on knowledge and skills students need to have to answer the compelling questions. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] That’s right! Compelling questions are those that focus on the essential content and skills teachers want their student to learn. Learning Outcome 8.3 Discuss a variety of methods of assessment, and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different methods based on the intended purpose. [Q1] What do the authors claim is the most common social studies assessment technique? 1. Multiple-choice tests 2. End-of-chapter questions 3. Portfolios 4. Informal observations [correct] 5 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Social studies teachers often use multiple-choice tests. However, the authors suggest this isn’t the most common assessment technique. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Social studies teachers often use end-of-chapter tests. However, the authors suggest this isn’t the most common assessment technique. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Social studies teachers often use portfolios. However, the authors suggest this isn’t the most common assessment technique. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes! Social studies teachers are constantly observing students informally and drawing conclusions about what students know and can do. [Q2] Which of the following assessment techniques do the authors claim is one of the best to learn about children, appraise their progress, and determine areas for improvement? 1. Asking classifying questions 2. Conferences 3. Observation [correct] 4. Short essays [Response to Answer Choice 1] Clarifying questions are helpful and should be used often. Yet, this isn’t what the authors identify as one of the best places to learn about children, appraise their progress, and determine areas for improvement. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Conferences are helpful for assessment and should be used often. Yet, this isn’t what the authors identify as one of the best places to learn about children, appraise their progress, and determine areas for improvement. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Yes! Observations are one of the best to learn about children, appraise their progress, and determine areas for improvement. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Short essays can be helpful ways to learn what students know. Yet, this isn’t what the authors identify as one of the best places to learn about children, appraise their progress, and determine areas for improvement. [Q3] Why do the authors argue that performance criteria are necessary to help students aim high in their responses? 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. Performance criteria tell students the objectives they are working to meet. 2. Performance criteria tell students what it looks like to meet a high standard. [correct] 3. Performance criteria tell students the criteria used to grade them. 4. Performance criteria tell can help students assess their own work. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Performance criteria often suggest the objectives they are working to meet. However, this isn’t what helps students aim high. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Yes! Performance criteria gives students critical information about what it looks like to meet a high standard. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Performance criteria tell students about the criteria about what it means to grade them. However, this is not the reason the authors say it helps students aim high. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Performance criteria can help students assess their own work. However, this is not the reason the authors say it helps students aim high. [Q4] According to the text, which of the following paper-and-pencil tests require higher-order thinking. 1. Short essay responses and multiple-choice with justification [correct] 2. Multiple-choice with justification and portfolio assessment 3. Multiple-choice questions and classifying tests 4. Short essay responses and classifying tests [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Nice work. Short essay responses and multiple-choice with justification require that students engage higher-order thinking. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Multiple-choice with justification pushes students to engage in higher-order thinking. Portfolio assessments don’t necessarily require higher-order thinking. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Multiple-choice with justification pushes students to engage in higher-order thinking. Classifying tests don’t require higher-order thinking. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Short essay responses push students to engage in higher-order thinking. Classifying tests don’t require higher-order thinking.
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[Q5] Which of the following is not an advantage of portfolio assessment? 1. They assess a student’s progress over time. 2. They are especially useful during parent conferences. 3. They require very little time to set up. [correct] 4. They allow the students to reflect on their growth. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Assessing a student’s progress over time is a key advantage of portfolio assessment. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Portfolios are incredibly useful during parent conferences. This is an important advantage of this form of assessment. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Portfolios take time to set up. This isn’t one of their advantages. [Response to Answer Choice 4] A key advantage of portfolio assessment is the way they encourage students to reflect on their growth over time.
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Chapter 8 Application Exercises Chapter 8: Assessing Student Learning Application Exercise 8.1: Listening to Students’ Reasons to Understand What They Know Learning Outcome 8.1: Compare the purposes of assessment and how they can work together as well as how, why, and when they conflict with one another. [Q1] This exercise brings together the introduction of the chapter with the purposes of assessment. You should be familiar with the opening vignette in Chapter 8 featuring fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Rivera. You should also be familiar with Figure 8.1, “Assessing map skills.” This exercise ask you to place Ms. Rivera between the day she administered her map assessment (Figure 8.1) and the day she asked students to explain the reasons for their choices. Recall that the text reports that none of Ms. Rivera’s students got question ten correct (see Figure 8.1). Knowing what to do with this information requires that you first understand what it means. Our experience in classrooms warns against jumping too quickly to conclusions about what students’ answers mean. For example, two students can get the same answer wrong for two different reasons. A reliable conclusion is easier if you remain open to more than one possible reason behind students’ responses. Question: Look carefully at the map in Figure 8.1 and at question ten. What are two possible explanations for why no one got the answer correct? [Q1 Model Response] One reason that some students missed question 10 could be that they do not understand the idea of cardinal directions (north, south, east, west—see Chapter 6). A clear possibility for this result is that no student understands the idea of due north. This could be one of those ideas that you will need to teach all students. A third possibility is that students understand due north, but do not understand how to read a map (like this one) where due north is not straight up from a starting location (notice the angle of the direction arrow). A fourth possibility we’ve considered is a combination of all of the above (and more). We realize that students can (and often do) select the same answer for very different reasons. Some students might not understand cardinal directions. Some students might not understand the idea of “due north.” Others might not know how to read due north on a map like this one. Still others might have misunderstood the question. And other might simply have been guessing on all the answers without getting this one right. 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2] This exercise brings together the introduction of the chapter with the purposes of assessment. You should be familiar with the opening vignette in Chapter 8 featuring fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Rivera. You should also be familiar with Figure 8.1, “Assessing map skills.” This exercise ask you to place Ms. Rivera between the day she administered her map assessment (Figure 8.1) and the day she asked students to explain the reasons for their choices. Recall that the text reports that none of Ms. Rivera’s students got question 10 correct (see Figure 8.1). You decided that the fact that all students missed question 10 could mean any one of the following:
They do not understand the idea of north, south, east, and west (cardinal directions). They do not understand the idea of due north. They understand due north but do not understand how to read the direction arrow on a map. They assumed they know what due north means so they did not bother to look at the direction indicator on the map.
Question: Clues to how students understand ideas can be found in the reasons students give. As Ms. Rivera listens to students explaining their reasoning for their answers on questions 1, 4, 9, and 10, what should she be listening for? Give at least one piece of evidence Ms. Rivera should be listening for in the reasons students give that might help her understand which of the bulleted explanations above is accurate? [Q2 Model Response] Which of the following possibilities did you identify as what Ms. Rivera might listen for? Did you identify any that we missed? We would have Ms. Rivera listen for students’ use of the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west). Do they use them at all and, if they use them, do they use them correctly as they describe their reasons to her. If they do not use the terms at all, it might suggest that they are unfamiliar with cardinal directions. If they use these terms in inaccurate ways, it suggests they don’t understand cardinal directions. She could listen to how different students answer questions 1, 4, 9, and 10 because all of these questions deal with cardinal directions. She could listen to see if students seem to understand some directions (“just to the north of” in question 9) but not others (e.g., “due north” in question 10 or “northeast” in question 4). The reasons they give as they explain their answers to different questions can indicate how they understand cardinal directions. How they explain the difference between “just to the north” and “due north” can indicate if they understand the idea of due north. Ms. Rivera could listen for whether or not students refer to the direction symbol on the map that points north. If they do not refer to it, it might indicate that they assume they 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
know what north means and don’t see a reason to check. If they do refer to it, it might indicate that they know it is important but are not sure about how to use it. [Q3] This exercise brings together the introduction of the chapter with the purposes of assessment. You should be familiar with the opening vignette in Chapter 8 featuring fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Rivera. You should also be familiar with figure 8.1, “Assessing map skills.” This exercise asks you to place Ms. Rivera after she administered her map assessment (Figure 8.1) and after she asked students to explain the reasons for their choices. Recall that the text reports that none of Ms. Rivera’s students got question 10 correct (see Figure 8.1). When Ms. Rivera asked students to explain their reasoning for their choices, half of her students agreed that letter G is due north of letter B because letter G sits directly above letter B on the map. The other half of the students are unable to provide a reason for their choice (and, Ms. Rivera noted, these same students also missed questions 1, 4, and 9). As Ms. Rivera listens to students’ responses, she realizes that her students’ understanding of how to read a map vary widely. Listening to the reasons students give for their answers (in Figure 8.1) she realizes that a few of her students have little to no understanding of the cardinal directions (east, west, north, sough). She hypothesizes that other students understand the idea of due north (using their logic, G is due north of B). Question: Consider the purposes of assessing student learning (Figure 8.2). Using what you know about how your students’ understanding of maps and their abilities to read them, identify if Ms. Rivera should use this assessment for each of the three major purposes identified by the authors. Provide a brief justification of why using this assessment for each purpose is appropriate or not. For example, should Ms. Rivera use what she’s learned for instructional planning? Why or why not? [Q3 Model Response] Instructional Planning. We hope you gave a resounding “yes” to using these results to plan her instruction. Ms. Rivera has already used the result to diagnose students’ understanding. At this point in her process, Ms. Rivera should use what she learned to decide how to modify her unit plan. Public Accountability. We would not recommend that Ms. Rivera report these result beyond the classroom. Once they have finished the unit and students have completed their summative assessment, Ms. Rivera might use what she learned about her students to show parents or guardians how much their children have learned. At this point, however, these results are primarily for diagnostic and planning purposes and should remain private. Student Placement. Students in Ms. Rivera’s class have demonstrated a wide range of understanding about maps. Ms. Rivera should use these results as she considers 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
forming cooperative pairs or groups and as she thinks about providing specific instruction on map skills to students who need it. Ms. Rivera might, for example, temporarily form a group of students who don’t seem to understand cardinal directions. If she fails to do this, this small group of students might be lost throughout the unit. Application Exercise 8.2: Learning to Craft Learning Objectives for a Unit Learning Outcome 8.2: Explain the seven principles of assessment and how they can be used to assess content and skills. [Q1] For this exercise you should review Principle 2: Devote Time to Essential Learnings. In this section, the authors provide an example of a unit on “democracies” and Figure 8.4 outlines how what students are being asked to learn might be conceptualized. This exercise asks you to create your own learning objectives for the first-grade unit topic, “Families Around the World.” This unit takes place after your students have studied their own families and the families of their classmates. You can assume students have a good understanding of the variety of families we might find in the United States. As you consider your learning objectives, it can be helpful to review what the authors have written about families throughout Chapter 5. You are a teacher in Michigan. A first-grade standard you’re working with comes from geography. It says: Use components of culture to describe diversity in family life. Examples may include but are not limited to foods, language, religion, traditions. https://www.michigan.gov/ Working with your grade-level team, you brainstormed the following list of what you want students to know and be able to do by the end of the unit:
Understand that families are organized differently in different parts of the world.
Understand that where people live can impact their family traditions and customs.
Be able to compare and contrast two families from different parts of the world.
Know that if you ask some children in Kenya who is in their family, they will list (and live with) people we would consider aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Know that families in Kenya often share everything, even things people in the United States might consider personal items.
Compare large families in Malawi with small families in China.
Understand that families are often defined by laws, customs, and biology.
Know and be able to use family words like parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, foster child.
Be able to appreciate that people in different places have different values.
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Know that differences in families exist within cultures (e.g., not all families in Kenya are alike).
Question: Looking over the list we have provided, craft one essential content statement and one essential skill statement in the way the authors suggest. Justify each statement —why should this understanding or skill be considered essential? Remember, to consult the standard you’re working to meet. [Q1 Model Response] One purpose of this exercise is to help you understand that essential content and skills can (and do) vary between teachers. As you compare your answer to ours, focus on what we’ve identified as “essential” to a good response. Don’t worry if you went in a very different direction. Our content statement: Students will understand that families have different foods, languages, customs, traditions, religions, and values. We created this statement because it is a big idea that we think our first graders will find both interesting and challenging. It aligns nicely with the standard we’re trying to meet. Key here is our wording: notice the phrase, “students will understand that…” This phrase forces us to phrase our big idea in a way that is specific and workable. Key things to look for in your response: Does it align with the standard? Is it a big idea that your students will find interesting and challenging? Does your statement begin with the phrase “Students will understand that…?” Our skills statement: Students will be able to identify differences between families using cultural components (e.g. foods, languages, customs, traditions, religions, and values). We created this statement because it is closely aligned with the standard and because it is closely aligned with our content statement. Aligning the content and skill statements will make out unit more consistent and easier to teach. We started our statement with “Students will be able to” not “students will.” Our opening phrase reminds us that this is a statement of what students will learn to do, not what they will do during the unit. Key things to look for in your response: Does it align with the standard? Does it align with your content standard? Is it a skill that your students will be able to learn? Does your skill statement make it clear that this is a skill your students are learning to do, not an activity they are going to engage in? [Q2] For this exercise you should review Principle 2: Devote Time to Essential Learnings. In this section, the authors provide an example of a unit on “democracies” and Figure 8.4 outlines how what students are being asked to learn might be conceptualized. This exercise asks you to create your own learning objectives for the first-grade unit topic, “Families Around the World.” This unit takes place after your students have studied their own families and the families of their classmates. You can assume students have a good understanding of the variety of families we might find in the 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
United States. As you consider your learning objectives, it can be helpful to review what the authors have written about families throughout Chapter 5. You are a teacher in Michigan. A first-grade standard you’re working with comes from geography. It says: Use components of culture to describe diversity in family life. Examples may include but are not limited to: foods, language, religion, traditions. https://www.michigan.gov/ Your grade-level team brainstormed the following list of possible learning goals:
Understand that families are organized differently in different parts of the world.
Understand that where people live can impact their family traditions and customs.
Be able to compare and contrast two families from different parts of the world.
Know that if you ask some children in Kenya who is in their family, they will list (and live with) people we would consider aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Know that families in Kenya often share everything, even things people in the United States might consider personal items.
Compare large families in Malawi with small families in China.
Understand that families are often defined by laws, customs, and biology.
Know and be able to use family words like parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, foster child.
Be able to appreciate that people in different places have different values.
Know that differences in families exist within cultures (e.g., not all families in Kenya are alike).
Working with your grade-level team, you adopted the following essential content and skills statements: Content—Students will understand that families have different foods, languages, customs, traditions, religions, and values. Skill—Students will be able to identify differences between families using cultural components (e.g. foods, languages, customs, traditions, religions, and values). Question: Create a list of two learning objectives that you will include under the heading “What Is Important to Know and Do” and one learning objectives that you would include under the heading “Worth Some Familiarity.” Justify your choices. [Q2 Model Response] In creating our response, we looked for “Important to Know and Do” objectives that would help students understand our essential content and master our essential skill. Compare your answers to ours.
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Know that families in Kenya often live with or very near aunts, uncles, and cousins who are often involved in raising them. Be able to compare a typical family in Kenya with their own family. We chose these “Important to Know and Do” objectives because they provide specific examples of the bigger, essential content and skills we identified above. For our comparison objective, we included students’ own families to help them build up their skill of comparison. In creating our “Worth Some Familiarity” objectives, we looked for knowledge and skills that would be helpful as students worked toward the essential knowledge and skills, but we wouldn’t worry about teaching these ideas thoroughly. Be familiar with a variety of family structures in Kenya. We chose this objective because we want to help our students avoid stereotypes about families in other parts of the world. It isn’t important that they understand the ins and outs of different families in Kenya. But, we think it is worth helping them be familiar with more than one way Kenyans might organize their families. Application Exercise 8.3: Creating Scoring Guides Learning Outcome 8.3: Discuss a variety of methods of assessment, and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different methods based on the intended purpose. [Q1] Formal assessments often benefit from scoring guides. This exercise is designed to provide you with practice in creating a scoring guide. For the purpose of this exercise, you will create a scoring guide for the short essay assignment found in Figure 8.9. You should review the “Steps in Creating a Scoring Guide” that begins on page 216. Step 1 of “Steps in Creating a Scoring Guide” requires you to determine the results of your instruction (your objectives). Your objectives for this task are: 1. Know why the American colonists declared independence from England. 2. Be able to draw cause–effect conclusions based on evidence (historical thesis). Step 2 requires you to determine how students might demonstrate what they’ve learned. For this step, you should use the short essay assignment in Figure 8.9. Step 3 requires you to generate a list of indicators describing what meeting the objectives looks like in this short essay assignment. For the first objective (why the American colonists declared independence), you have determined that mastery means students have selected two events, described those events accurately, and used the 15 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
events to illustrate key reasons for the American Declaration of Independence (e.g., taxation without representation). Question: Create a checklist that communicates how well students demonstrated that they met each of the three indicators we identified above. Note that the example in the text (see Figure 8.10) uses frequency words for its rating scale. On your checklist, use words indicating quality (words like “completely”). [Q1 Model Response] Compare your checklist to ours. To what extent do your indicator words communicate how well students demonstrated their knowledge? Are your indicator words listed in positive terms whenever possible? Rating Scale 3 = Excellent. Response is clear and accurate and complete 2 = Good. Response has two of the three requirements (clarity, accuracy, or completeness) 1 = Fair. Response meets one of the three requirements (clarity, accuracy, or completeness) 0 = Response is missing or does not meet any of the three requirements (clarity, accuracy, or completeness) Two events have been selected. Rating _____ Events are described. Rating _____ Events are used to illustrate a key cause of the American Revolution. Rating _____ [Q2] Formal assessments often require scoring guides. This exercise is designed to provide you with practice in creating elements of a scoring guide. For the purpose of this exercise, you will create a scoring guide for the short essay assignment found in Figure 8.9. You should review the “Steps in Creating a Scoring Guide” that begins on page 216. Step 1 of “Steps in Creating a Scoring Guide” requires you to determine the results of your instruction (your objectives). Your objectives for this task are: 1. Know why the American colonists declared independence from England. 2. Be able to draw cause–effect conclusions based on evidence (historical thesis). Step 2 requires you to determine how students might demonstrate what they’ve learned. For this step, you should use the short essay assignment in Figure 8.9.
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Question: Complete Step 3 in this process for the second objective only (be able to draw cause–effect conclusions based on evidence). Focus on creating indicators and actual descriptions of what mastery at the beginning, approaching, and meeting levels looks like. Hint: it often works best to begin with describing what “meeting” looks like. [Q2 Model Response] This task requires two steps: creating indicators and descriptions of mastery at each level. Make sure you’ve done both. We drafted the following rubric portion focused on being able to draw cause–effect conclusions based on evidence. Compare your rubric to ours.
Indicator Cause–Effect Conclusion
Beginning The writer describes causal events. The events do not seem connected to a key reason for the American Revolution.
Approaching The writer makes a case for why the events caused the American Revolution. That connections are not clearly tied to a key reason for the American Revolution.
Meeting The writer connects the events to a key reason for the American Revolution. There is a clear connection between the cause and the effect.
Based on Evidence
The essay includes a claim and evidence. However, the evidence doesn’t seem to support the claim.
The evidence seems to support the claim. It isn’t easy to see a clear connection between the claim and the evidence.
The evidence directly supports the claim. It is easy to see the connection between the claim and the evidence.
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Chapter 8 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. According to the text, what is evaluation? a) Comparing a student’s understanding with other students b) Comparing a student’s understanding with required answers c) Comparing a student’s understanding with the learning targets d) Comparing a student’s understanding with state guidelines 2. When should formative assessments be conducted? a) During instruction b) At the end of a unit c) Before report cards are sent home d) Before referring a child to special education 3. Which of the following is NOT included in the text as a purpose of assessment? a) Public accountability and program evaluation b) Student placement c) Teacher evaluation d) Instructional planning 4. Which of the following are conducted after instruction is completed? a) Summative assessment b) Diagnostic assessment c) Norm-referenced assessment d) Formative assessment 5. What type of C3 questions usually focus directing on essential content and skills? a) Enduring questions b) Perennial questions c) Supporting questions d) Compelling questions 6. How does the text define performance standards? a) Documents that state what students should learn b) Documents that define levels of achievement from high to low c) Documents that determine if a student should move on d) Answer sheets
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7. Which of the following best describes makes an assessment authentic? a) Assessments that focus on recall b) Assessments that apply knowledge and skills to meaningful tasks c) Assessments that ask students to recognize relevant facts d) Assessments that students enjoy and learn from 8. What do the authors claim is the most common social studies assessment technique? a) Multiple choice tests b) End-of-chapter questions c) Portfolios d) Informal observations 9. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of portfolio assessment? a) They require very little time to set up. b) They assess student’s progress over time. c) They are especially useful during parent conferences. d) They allow the students to reflect on their growth. 10. Which of the following is an example of a scoring guide? a) A portfolio assessment b) A checklist assessment c) A formative assessment d) A performance assessment 11. According to the authors, how often are teachers assessing students? a) Regularly b) Using formative assessments c) Constantly d) When they have time 12. Which of the following should be avoided, according to the authors? a) Seeing assessment as what happens at the end of a lesson b) Seeing assessment as something usually done informally c) Seeing assessment as the same as grading d) Seeing assessment as appropriate at the beginning of a lesson 13. When do the authors identify suggest evaluating a skill is best done? a) When students are first learning the skill b) Along the way so the criteria is clear c) At the beginning, middle, and end of a unit 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) After students have had time to learn the skill 14. According to the authors, how are formative assessments used in the C3 Framework? a) To help students explore key ideas b) To help teachers evaluate student’s skill levels c) To help teachers gauge student understanding. d) A and B e) A and C 15. When to the authors suggest students might engage with learning facts? a) When studying historical chronologies b) When the facts inform essential learnings c) When the facts are on the test d) When the facts inspire student confidence 16. What do the authors suggest is the best way to establish assessment validity? a) Aim for high standards. b) Clearly define success using scoring criteria. c) Collect multiple learning indicators. d) Give plenty of chances to learn. 17. Why do the authors suggest teachers use classifying questions for assessment? a) Classifying questions force students to explain their answers. b) Classifying questions assess how students are understanding a concept. c) Classifying questions help teachers identify differences. d) Classifying questions allow students to demonstrate a skill. 18. Which of the following captures what multiple-choice-with-justification can do that regular multiple-choice questions cannot do? a) Evaluate how well students’ understanding matches that of the authors b) Evaluate how students’ abilities to select the right answer c) Evaluate students’ understanding d) Evaluate students’ answers quickly 19. Which of the following is NOT a reason the authors suggest teachers evaluate textbook questions carefully? a) Textbook questions might not align with a teacher’s goals. b) Textbook questions might not align with what the teacher taught. c) Students might not be prepared to answer pre-designed questions. d) Students might not find textbook questions relevant to their lives. 20 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
20. How do the authors define “criteria?” a) What is most important in order to be successful b) The process of making judgments about performance quality c) A statement that describes what students are expected to learn d) A rating scale that is used to score performances SHORT ANSWER II. 1. Your text states that, “teachers are urged to use extreme caution when using test results for placement purposes.” Why is such caution necessary? Please give more than one reason. 2. Define the concept that is labeled by the popular term “authentic assessment.” Then, demonstrate your understanding of the concept by briefly explaining one way to assess students’ understanding of the Constitution that would be “authentic.” III.
EXTENDED RESPONSE This chapter discussed several methods of assessment in some detail: informal assessment techniques, paper-and-pencil tests, performance assessments, and portfolios. Choose a unit of study for a particular grade level and determine three objectives for the children. Then, develop an assessment plan for the unit that uses these assessment methods and displays your understanding of the principles of assessment explained in this chapter.
IV.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation. Is it fair to evaluate teacher effectiveness on the basis of student achievement?
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Chapter 8 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 8 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. C 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. D 6. B 7. B 8. D 9. A 10. B 11. C 12. A 13. D 14. E 15. B 16. C 17. B 18. C 19. D 20. A
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Table of Contents Chapter 9: Planning Units, Lessons, and Activities Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
12
Test Items
20
Test Answer Key
25
iii
Chapter 9: Planning Units, Lessons, and Activities Chapter 9 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 9.1 Understand the relationship between teacher knowledge and goals when developing curriculum and use that understanding to guide unit development. [Q1] Why do the authors claim it is important for elementary and middle school teachers to develop their own subject matter understanding? 1. So they are accurate when teaching the facts 2. So they are capable of teaching to the broad curriculum goals of social studies (correct) 3. So they will have credibility with student and parents 4. Because they can’t teach what they don’t know [Response to Answer Choice 1] There is certainly truth to this statement. Yet, it does not capture the authors’ argument. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] While the other answers all contain some truth, we suggest that it is the ability to teach to the broad goals of the social studies that demands that teachers know their material. [Response to Answer Choice 3] There is certainly truth to this statement. Yet, it does not capture the authors’ argument. [Response to Answer Choice 4] There is certainly truth to this statement. Yet, it does not capture the authors’ argument. [Q2] Since no human can know all there is to know about the social studies, what should teachers do when they are unsure of some subject knowledge? 1. The teacher should avoid teaching that subject. 2. The teacher should locate a knowledgeable guest speaker. 3. The teacher should find excellent resources to supplement what they know. (correct) 4. The teacher should plan fun activities.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Social studies subjects deserve to be taught even when the teacher feels like they don’t know enough. The authors suggest strategies for dealing with subjects that teachers are unsure how to teach.
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[Response to Answer Choice 1] Knowledgeable guest speakers can be helpful. It is important to remember that there is a difference between knowing about a subject and being able to teach it to elementary and middle school students. The authors would not make this their first choice. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] There are plenty of excellent resources to help the teacher who is unsure of how to teach a subject. The authors recommend that teachers take advantage of these resources. Learning the material means that the next time, the teacher will be better prepared. Well done! [Response to Answer Choice 4] Fun activities should not take the place of excellent, informed teaching about a subject. [Q3] Why do the authors claim that teachers’ goals are more important than their knowledge? 1. Teachers’ goals are more likely to shape what they do in the classroom (correct) 2. Most curricular materials include goals—goals that are easier to find. 3. Trick question: goals and knowledge are equally important! 4. Knowing everything is impossible, but it is possible to know the goals. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Knowing what teachers want to teach is critical in teaching well. Teachers’ knowledge can always be increased. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Just because something is easy does not mean it is the best choice. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Trick answer! The authors do make the claim that goals are more important. Why? [Response to Answer Choice 4] It isn’t possible to know everything. Still, there are excellent reasons to focus first on goals and then worry about knowledge. Learning Outcome 9.2 Plan coherent social studies units, specifying challenging goals, lessons, and activities. [Q1] Which of the following is an initial step in planning a social studies unit? 1. Studying the standards and curricular frameworks/guides (correct) 2. Developing learning activities 3. Reflecting upon personal histories and developing a unit around them 4. Creating a list of all the social studies topics to be studied [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Absolutely. When planning “backwards,” the first step is determining the skills and content you should teach—standards and curricular frameworks/guides contain this information. Sadly, teachers often start with activities. Starting with activities is more likely to result in disjointed and unfocused learning. Hopefully, you won’t make this mistake. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Sadly, activity is where many teachers start. The authors advocate a different approach. [Response to Answer Choice 3] There is a place for teachers to consider their own personal histories and what they know and enjoy teaching as they think about what they might teach. However, such an approach can result in an idiosyncratic curriculum that does not serve students well. [Response to Answer Choice 4] There is no shortage of possible social studies topics to be studied and this text includes several. Making a personal list is probably not the most effective place to begin. [Q2] What do well-stated learning targets allow teachers and students to do? 1. Create a unit of study as it unfolds. 2. Develop units based upon individual interests. 3. Clearly understand how instructional activities relate to the purpose of study. (correct) 4. Create a scope and sequence of learning activities over the elementary grades. [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors advocate for advance planning (even as we understand that things rarely go exactly as planned). Creating as you go is less likely to result in significant learning for students. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Rarely is a unit based on individual interests in the interest of most students. This approach can result in holes in students learning. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Yes. Instructional activities that relate to the purpose of the study make the study coherent—the study hangs together. This helps teachers teach more effectively so that students learn more. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Well-stated learning targets often come from a scope and sequence of learning activities, not the other way around. [Q3] 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The authors contend that learning targets should not describe the activity students will engage in. Instead, what is the key part of a good learning target? 1. The ways in which students will experience the social studies unit 2. What students will learn (correct) 3. The skills students must demonstrate in order to engage in the activity 4. The knowledge students must have in order to complete the activity [Response to Answer Choice 1] Teachers include the ways in which students will experience the social studies unit in the activities. This is not included in the learning target. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Bingo! A learning target is all about what students will learn. That sounds easy, but learning targets often list what students will do, or what students need to know how to do to engage the activity. Including what students will learn gives purpose to the activity. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Learning targets indicate the skills students will learn, not the ones they will use. It is possible to use a skill that you learned previously. While this is valuable, it doesn’t belong in the learning target. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The distinction is subtle here. The learning target articulate the knowledge students will gain at the end of the activity. This can be different from the knowledge they need to have to do the activity. [Q4] According to the authors, what is the most important in deciding if an assessment is a good one? 1. The assessment helps the teacher understand how students are doing relative to the most important learning targets. (correct) 2. The assessment is a performance assessment that engages students in the application of the knowledge and skills. 3. The assessment has a rubric that provides a target for students to shoot for. 4. The assessment provides a grade for the grade book. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Yes. The authors claim that teachers should select assessments that provide information about the knowledge and skills being emphasized by the unit. The teacher can use this information to plan instruction and evaluate student performance more accurately. Assessments that attempt to focus on unimportant information or attempt to trick students have little value for learning or planning. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The authors are advocates of performance assessment. However, this isn’t the most important factor in deciding if the assessment is a good one. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Assessments are better if they provide a clear target for students to reach. However, this isn’t the most important factor in deciding if the assessment is a good one. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers are often glad to have grades for their grade book. However, many assessments will provide this and it isn’t the most important factor in deciding if the assessment is a good one. [Q5] What is the reason the authors provide for using a unit planning form? 1. A planning form helps the teacher see a more complete picture of the unit. 2. A planning form helps the teacher focus on teaching rather than planning. 3. A planning form helps the teacher create a greater variety of assessments. 4. A planning form helps the teacher coordinate objectives, assessments, and activities. [correct] [Response to Answer Choice 1] A planning form can help the teacher see a more complete picture of the unit. However, that isn’t the main benefit the authors suggest. [Response to Answer Choice 2] A planning form is usually focused on planning rather than teaching, not the other way around. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A planning form can help the teacher notice if there is variety in their assessments. That isn’t the main benefit of the form. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] A planning form indeed helps the teacher coordinate objectives, assessments, and activities. As you can see in Figure 9.3, it is easy to look across the form to make sure your plans align. Learning Outcome 9.3 Plan a variety of learning activities for students that consider both the lessons’ goals and the students’ needs. [Q1] Which of the following is not a purpose of the first phase of a unit? 1. Arousing students’ curiosity and interest 2. Assessing students’ current understanding 3. Exploring with students the possibilities studying the topic presents 5 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Covering important curricular ideas (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] The first phase of the unit should be deeply concerned with arousing students’ curiosity and interest. This is a purpose of the first phase of a unit. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The first phase of the unit should be concerned with discovering students’ current understanding. This is a purpose of the first phase of a unit. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The first phase of the unit should be concerned with exploring with students the possibilities studying the topic presents. This will help engage them in the learning, making the unit more successful. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] There is nothing wrong with covering important curricular ideas. But, as you probably noted, covering ideas is an activity, not a purpose. Keeping the purposes of the first phase in mind opens up a wide variety of possibilities for engaging activities. [Q2] Why do the authors suggest it is helpful to have children participate in planning instructional activities? 1. Student participation helps attain and maintain student engagement in the unit. (correct) 2. Student participation is less work for the teacher. 3. Students know what they like to do. 4. Young people are more creative than teachers. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Indeed. As we note, student participation “can do much to overcome the feeling that [students] are only doing assignments for the teacher.” Engaged students are less like to be disruptive and they learn more. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Planning for student participation is often more work for the teacher. However, it pays off in more enjoyable class sessions and more student learning. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Students are usually experts in what they like to do. That isn’t the best reason for including them—teachers consider students’ preferences alongside student learning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Creativity varies between people regardless of age. In fact, some teachers are more creative than students. [Q3] 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What is a primary purpose of the final stage of a study? 1. Helping students get a good grade. 2. Helping students summarize what they have learned. (correct) 3. Helping students complete their portfolio. 4. Helping students complete a culminating performance. [Response to Answer Choice 1] We want students to perform well (resulting in a good grade). However, that isn’t the primary purpose of the final stage of a study. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] While all four answers are things teachers might do with students, the primary purpose is helping students summarize what they have learned. Teaches select activities and assessments that serve this purpose. [Response to Answer Choice 3] If students are maintaining a portfolio, the final stage can help them complete it. However, that is not the primary purpose of the final stage of a study. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The performance is not the purpose, though it might be a component of the final stage of a study. [Q4] Why do the authors believe there needs to be a clear relationship between activities and the learning objective? 1.
2.
3.
4.
Clear relationships help E Ls follow the flow and purpose of the unit. Clear relationships mean that students are better able to get things done. Clear relationships help students engage in the unit of study. Clear relationships help students develop enduring and important ideas. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Clear relationship can help everyone follow the flow and purpose of the unit. This is not limited to E Ls. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Without clear relationships students can get a lot done without learning much. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Clear relationships help students engage because they are more likely to see the purpose to the study. Yet, students can be engaged without a clear relationship between activities and learning objectives. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Exactly! When the activities are clearly aligned with the learning objectives, students are more likely to develop the enduring and important ideas teacher seek to communicate. Learning Outcome 9.4 Judge the adequacy of a lesson plan and suggest ways to improve it. [Q1] According to the authors, what are teachers doing when they are planning a lesson? 1. Mentally rehearsing how the lesson is expected to go, step-by-step (correct) 2. Setting overarching goals and targets 3. Engaging students in planning activities 4. Brushing up on their knowledge of the topic [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Lesson planning is a mental rehearsal that helps teachers be better prepared and plan for what could go wrong. Don’t be discouraged. As teachers gain experience, they are able to engage in this rehearsal much more quickly. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Teachers should set specific goals and targets for a lesson. Overarching goals and targets are usually established with planning units. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors recommend engaging students in planning activities. However, when the teacher is planning, this isn’t what they are doing. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers need a solid understanding of their topic in order to teach it well. However, that isn’t the primary task when planning a lesson. [Q2] While of the following is not one of the instructional movements in most lessons? 1. Getting ready 2. Putting the objective on the board (correct) 3. Summary and assessment 4. Work-study [Response to Answer Choice 1] Getting students ready for the lesson is one of the instructional moments in most lessons. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Teachers often put the objective on the board. However, this isn’t an instructional movement in the lesson. [Response to Answer Choice 3] 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Summary and assessment is one of the instructional moments in most lessons. [Response to Answer Choice 4] A time for work or study is one of the instructional moments in most lessons. [Q3] When does lesson planning end, according to the authors? 1. When the teacher starts to fall asleep 2. When everything is carefully and thoroughly planned 3. When the teacher decides the lesson is good enough given the limits of the teacher’s time, resources, and knowledge (correct) 4. When activities are in place and materials are gathered. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Embarrassingly, falling asleep has caused at least one of the authors to end lesson planning. That should not be the signal that things are ready! [Response to Answer Choice 2] Careful and thorough planning is the ideal. However, sometimes lesson planning needs to end before that is accomplished. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Yes. When the lesson is “good enough” given the resources available to the teacher (time, etc.), the teacher should end the planning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is important to have activities in place and materials gathered. There might be more to do, however. This doesn’t necessarily end lesson planning. Learning Outcome 9.5 List the five approaches to enriching a unit, and use one or more of the approaches appropriately. [Q1] What is a simulation as defined by the text? 1. A teaching strategy that relies on direct instruction 2. A way to organize student thinking about a concept 3. A strategy designed to reconstruct some characteristics of a real situation through experience (correct) 4. A learning theory that relies on limiting student discourse and activity [Response to Answer Choice 1] Simulations are teaching strategies but they do not rely on direct instruction. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Simulations can enhance students’ understanding of a concept but they aren’t typically a way to organize student thinking about a concept. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Yes. Simulations help students understand one or more of the unit’s main ideas through experience. Students simulate a real situation. [Response to Answer Choice 4] This definition aligns more closely with some versions of direct instruction than it does with a simulation. [Q2] What do the authors suggest is one main reason social studies is an ideal place to develop literacy skills? 1. Students need important things to read and write about—social studies provides these. (correct) 2. Students need to learn to preview and summarize anyway—social studies gives an excellent context to provide this. 3. There are many excellent books that explore social studies topics. 4. Social studies is more fun when it integrates reading and writing skills. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The authors provide two main reasons for integrating literature and social studies. The first is that social studies instruction is more effective when students are good readers and writers. The second is that literacy instruction benefits when students read and write about important things. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Social studies is a good location for working on previewing and summarizing. However, that isn’t one of the main reasons the authors suggest for incorporating literacy skills. [Response to Answer Choice 3] There are many wonderful books that can be incorporated into social studies instruction. However, that isn’t one of the main reasons social studies is an ideal place for developing literacy skills. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Social studies doesn’t need to integrate reading and writing skills to be more fun. Yet, social studies remains an ideal place to develop these skills. [Q3] Which of the following is not a source of controversy the authors endorse as a way to create interest and engagement in social studies instruction? 1. A current event or public issue 2. The interpretation of children’s literature 3. The creation of classroom rules or expectations 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. A recent decision by the principal (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors endorse current events or public issues as a way to create interest and engagement. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Interpreting children’s literature is a terrific source of controversy that can be used to create interest and engagement. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Creating classroom rules or expectations can, when done well, be a good source of controversy that can be used to create interest and engagement. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Right. We didn’t include this as a source of controversy. It isn’t that principal’s decisions aren’t often controversial. Rather, the best controversies serve your curricular goals. A principal’s decision might not fall in to that category. [Q4] Which of the following do the authors identify as the primary reason construction activities are powerful additions to any unit? 1. Construction activities build on children’s love of making things. 2. Sensory-motor, kinesthetic play activities are inherently valuable. 3. Construction activities extend and enrich meaning of an aspect of the topic. (correct) 4. Construction activities can improve the quality of the final products. [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors note that children love making things. This isn’t, however, the primary reason they give for including construction activities in a unit. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors write that sensory-motor, kinesthetic play activities are valuable all by themselves. This isn’t, however, the primary reason they give for including construction activities in a unit. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Well done! The authors write that the primary reason for including construction activities is that they extend and enrich meaning of an aspect of the unit. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The quality of the final products is not the primary concern when working with construction activities.
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Chapter 9 Application Exercises Chapter 9: Planning Units, Lessons, and Activities Application Exercise 9.1: Creating Objectives and Formative Assessments Learning Outcome 9.2: Plan coherent social studies units, specifying challenging goals, lessons, and activities. [Q1] The “Planning the Unit” section provides an extended example of how a sixth-grade unit on Canada might be developed. This example is a model for what you will do in this exercise. For the purpose of this exercise, you will develop the third-grade example mentioned at the beginning of the “Planning the Unit” section (Communities Near and Far, Now and Then). You will develop parts of the unit called, “Washington, D.C.: Our Capital.” Use the Washington, D.C., third-grade social studies standards. These standards read, in part, “Compare and contrast the differences between a contemporary map of Washington, D.C., and maps of this area at the end of the 18th and19th centuries” and “Emphasizing the most significant differences, students describe Washington, D.C., at the end of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.” https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DCPS-horizsoc_studies.pdf Question: Focus on the advice given in the “Writing Objectives” and “Skills” sections of the text. Use the above two standards to help you write a skill-based learning objective to address each of the standards. The skill-based learning objectives (what students will learn to do) are not contingent on your knowledge of Washington, D.C. It can be helpful to notice that the first standard is a geography standard and the second standard is a history standard. [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your objectives to ours, consider the extent to which the objectives articulate what students will learn to do during the unit. Are your objectives narrow, something that might be taught in a few lessons? Can your objectives be measured? In other words, could you examine student work and know the extent to which they met your objectives? 1. Broad Geography Standard: Compare and contrast the differences between a contemporary map of Washington, D.C., and maps of this area at the end of the 18th and19th centuries. Our narrow and measurable skill-based learning objective: Students will be able to identify specific areas of Washington, D.C. as they appear on a contemporary map and on maps of the 18th and 19th centuries. 12 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2. Broad History Standard: Emphasizing the most significant differences, students describe Washington, D.C., at the end of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Our narrow and measurable skill-based learning objective: Students will be able to create a timeline tracking the movement toward home rule in Washington, D.C. (https://dccouncil.us/dc-home-rule/). [Q2] The “Planning the Unit” section provides an extended example of how a sixth-grade unit on Canada might be developed. This example is a model for what you will do in this exercise. For the purpose of this exercise, you will develop the third-grade example mentioned at the beginning of the “Planning the Unit” section (Communities Near and Far, Now and Then). You will develop parts of the unit called, “Washington, D.C.: Our Capital.” Use the Washington, D.C. third-grade social studies standards. One of these standards reads in part, “Compare and contrast the differences between a contemporary map of Washington, D.C., and maps of this area at the end of the 18th and19th centuries.” https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/DCPS-horizsoc_studies.pdf As the teacher, you created several objectives based on this standard. One of those objectives is: Students will be able to identify specific areas of Washington, D.C. as they appear on a contemporary map and on maps of the 18th and 19th centuries. Question: Drawing on the information in “Determine Assessments,” create a formative assessment that will allow you to know how well your students have mastered your objective. [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, consider the extent to which your answer is designed to happen during the unit (it is formative) and how closely it addresses the specific skill you’re working to teach your students (in this case, the ability to compare maps from different eras, locating the same area on each map). The beauty of this objective is it suggests a formative assessment. Notice how our formative assessment gets progressively more difficult (the computer does the work at first and the final map has very little detail—we save that for last). If students are able to complete this task correctly on their own, we have strong evidence that they have mastered the skill we are teaching. The Formative Assessment We tell students that they are going to try out their skills we’ve been practicing of locating the same places on maps created in different times. We begin with the easy 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
part. We have them use a computer mapping program to locate the Dupont Circle, the Foggy Bottom area, and Georgetown. The computer does this for them. We give students a modern paper map of Washington, D.C., and ask them to locate these three places on the paper map. We have printed out and copied old maps we located in the Library of Congress (we would provide 1) A stranger’s guide to Washington, D.C.,—1892 https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/socialstudies/standards/OSPI_SocStudie s_Standards_2019.pdf and 2) Plan of the city of Washington in the territory of Columbia—1792 https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/socialstudies/standards/OSPI_SocStudie s_Standards_2019.pdf). Starting with the 1892 map, we ask students to label Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and Georgetown on the older maps. From there we move to the much less detailed 1792 map, asking students to locate our three places. Application Exercise 9.2: Creating Learning Activities to Meet Learning Goals Learning Outcome 9.3: Plan a variety of learning activities for students that consider both the lessons’ goals and the students’ needs. [Q1] This exercise is designed to give you practice with designing Phase 1 learning activities based on your unit goals. Use the “Planning to Teach the Unit” section of the text to help you with this task. The text illustrates how Vivian Paley used dramatic play to engage her kindergarten students’ interest in the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. You are a fifth-grade teacher beginning a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. Two of the objectives your grade-level team have selected are:
Students will be able to compare and contrast the experiences of Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin had on Montgomery City buses. Students will use what they’ve learned about Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin to make claims about Black resistance the discriminatory system in Montgomery.
You begin your unit by reading students’ first-hand accounts of Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin. Claudette Colvin was 15 years old when she boarded the bus on March 2, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama (several months before Rosa Parks’ arrest). Ms. Colvin begins the description of her experience this way: “The motorman looked up in his mirror and said, ‘I need those seats…’ The other three girls in my row got up and moved back, but I didn’t. I just couldn’t. Rebellion was on my mind that day. All during February we’d been talking about people who had taken stands.… I hadn’t planned it out, but my decision was built on a
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lifetime of nasty experiences” (from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose, 2009, pg. 30). Question: Describe how you might use dramatization to engage your students following your reading of books about one or both of these important women. Create a short list of questions (no more than four) that you might use when talking about the dramatizations. Explain the purpose of each question. [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, consider how your design allows for maximum participation of students in the dramatization. How aligned is your dramatization to the objectives you’ve identified (above) for the unit? We divide the class in half—giving one half of the class Claudette Colvin’s experience and the other half of the class Rosa Parks’. Our dramatization asks students to identify who was involved in each of these events before creating, rehearsing, and performing their dramatization. Each group dramatizes the experience to the other half of the class. This structure provides a role for every student in the class, even if it is simply as an observer on the bus. By dramatizing each experience, we start students thinking about how the experiences are similar and different (foreshadowing our first objective). As you compare your questions to ours, consider how your questions allow you to assess students’ understanding and to promote your students’ interest in the topic. Our questions are: 1. Why do you think (Rosa Parks/Claudette Colvin) refused to give up her seat? [We are assessing students’ understanding of the event and of the times.] 2. These two events are remarkably similar and Claudette Colvin was arrested months before Rosa Parks? Why do you think Rosa Parks became the face of the civil rights movement while many people have never heard of Claudette Colvin? [We are working to increase students’ interest in the topic, particularly as it relates to our second objective—Black resistance to a discriminatory system.] [Q2] This exercise is designed to give you practice with designing Phase 2 learning activities based on your unit goals. Use the “Planning to Teach the Unit” section of the text to help you with this task. You are a fifth-grade teacher beginning a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. Two of the objectives your grade-level team have selected are:
Students will be able to compare and contrast the experiences of Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin had on Montgomery City buses.
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Students will use what they’ve learned about Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin to make claims about Black resistance the discriminatory system in Montgomery.
You began your unit by reading and dramatizing first-hand accounts of Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin. Claudette Colvin was 15 years old when she boarded the bus on March 2, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama (several months before Rosa Parks’ arrest). Ms. Colvin begins the description of her experience this way: “The motorman looked up in his mirror and said, ‘I need those seats…’ The other three girls in my row got up and moved back, but I didn’t. I just couldn’t. Rebellion was on my mind that day. All during February we’d been talking about people who had taken stands.… I hadn’t planned it out, but my decision was built on a lifetime of nasty experiences” (from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose, 2009, pg. 30). Question: Using Figure 9.4 as a model, create a graphic organizer to help students compare and contrast the experiences of Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks. Adapt this chart to your study of these two important women. [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your chart to ours, notice how well your items of comparison push students to meet both of the objectives we’ve identified. In other words, does the chart both facilitate comparing and contrasting the important aspects of the two experiences and does it facilitate pushing students to think beyond Mrs. Parks’ and Ms. Colvin’s experiences to the efforts the Black community made to resist a discriminatory system. Resisting an Unfair System Two Civil Right’s Icons Our Class Plan
All of us will learn about the experiences of both Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin
Half of the class will specialize in either Rosa Parks or Claudette Colvin
We will organize our finding in a chart like this:
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Who was this person (age, experiences, etc.) The decision not to move (when, what happened?) What happened during the confrontation
Rosa Parks
Claudette Colvin
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What happened immediately after the confrontation How the Black community responded What reasons did Black leaders give for their responses?
Rosa Parks
Claudette Colvin
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Rosa Parks Resources: Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks Claudette Colvin: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose Application Exercise 9.3: Creating Learning Activities to Meet Learning Goals Learning Outcome 9.5: List the five approaches to enriching a unit, and use one or more of the approaches appropriately. [Q1] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher in Washington State planning a social studies unit addressing the following state standards: Civics 1.3.2 Recognize and apply the key ideals of unity and diversity within the context of the community. History 2.3.1 Demonstrate how contributions made by various cultural and ethnic groups have shaped the history of the community and world. History 3.3.1 Recognize and explain that there are multiple cultural perspectives through a study of important individual or major events. (https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/socialstudies/standards/OSPI_SocStudi es_Standards_2019.pdf) To address these standards, your grade-level team has agreed to create a unit around the ideals of unity and diversity (taken from the civics standard) while studying historical events around desegregation, locally and nationally. Taking the authors’ advice, you decide to incorporate literacy instruction into your unit. The team has selected the book Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh as a core text. This picture book chronicles the fight for desegregated schooling by Mexican Americans in California in the 1940s. Among other things, the book recounts the efforts of the Mendez family to enroll their children in their neighborhood school and courtroom testimony where school officials claimed that Mexican American children and families are inferior to White Americans in several ways. Ultimately, Judge McCormick ruled that “public education must be open to all children by unified school association regardless of lineage.” This ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeals in 1947. 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
One team member wants to introduce a little controversy by engaging students in a simulation of the trial. Draw on the “Incorporating simulations, role-playing and music” and the “Introducing a Little Controversy” sections of the chapter. Pay particular attention to Issues and Challenges: Simulations and Difficult Historical Times. Questions: Map out what you want to communicate to your colleague? Specifically list 1) What are the strengths of this idea? 2) What are difficulties that might arise (for students or for teachers)? 3) How might the ideas be modified to mitigate the possible problems? [Q1 Model Response] 1) We want to communicate to our fellow teacher that her instincts are good ones. Ourthird grade students would love to be involved in simulating the events in the book and this could motivate them to learn more and to think more deeply about unity and diversity in the United States. A simulation can also be a powerful tool in increasing their enjoyment and comprehension of this text. This idea also seems to address the standard where we help students to recognize multiple cultural perspectives in the desegregation battle. 2) We see problems with simulating the events in the book. A simulation would ask students to take on the role of white staff members and administrators who said and did some very demeaning things to the Mexican American plaintiffs. We don’t want to ask any child to give voice to the idea that some people are inferior to others (even though these ideas are repudiated by the court’s verdict). In other words, we don’t want to make the notion that everyone is created equal a source of controversy. 3) We’d suggest two adaptations to the teacher’s suggestion. First, we’d dramatize (see Chapter 8) the first part of the book rather than simulate the entire text. A dramatization pushes students to stick more closely to the text as they understand it. Dramatizing the first part of the text highlights the difficulties the Mendez family suffered without voicing explicitly racist ideas. Second, before finishing the book, we would engage the students in strategizing arguments they might make to Judge McCormick to convince him to rule in favor of the Mendez family. This maintains some controversy (around how we might advocate for the Mendez family) without the problems we’ve identified in our second answer. We’d engage the class in deciding to which American ideals should we appeal? What might we say to the judge about the ideals of unity and diversity? How might we answer the arguments of the White school officials? Different ideas are sure to come up and we will debate the strengths and weaknesses of each. After students have strategized arguments in favor of equal treatment for everyone, we would read the remainder of the book and discuss the attorney’s strategy and the judge’s ruling. [Q2] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher in Washington State planning a social studies unit addressing the following state standards: Civics 1.3.2 Recognize and apply the key ideals of unity and diversity within the context of the community. 18 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
History 2.3.1 Demonstrate how contributions made by various cultural and ethnic groups have shaped the history of the community and world. History 3.3.1 Recognize and explain that there are multiple cultural perspectives through a study of important individual or major events. (https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/socialstudies/standards/OSPI_SocStudi es_Standards_2019.pdf) To address these standards, your grade-level team has agreed to create a unit around the ideals of unity and diversity (taken from the civics standard) while studying historical events around desegregation, locally and nationally. Taking the authors’ advice, you decide to incorporate literacy instruction into your unit. The team has selected the book Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh as a core text. This picture book chronicles the fight for desegregated schooling by Mexican Americans in California in the 1940s. Among other things, the book recounts the efforts of the Mendez family to enroll their children in their neighborhood school and courtroom testimony where school officials claimed that Mexican American children and families are inferior to White Americans in several ways. Ultimately, Judge McCormick ruled that “public education must be open to all children by unified school association regardless of lineage.” This ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeals in 1947. Draw on “Incorporating Higher-Order Thinking Skills (H OTS)” section in this chapter. Use the italicized examples that follow each category as a model for your own answers. Keep the standards in mind as you address the following question. Question: Think about how you might increase the quality of the intellectual work in this unit. List at least one suggestion for deliberation, concept formation, inquiry, and interpretation. [Q2 Model Response] Compare your responses to ours. To what extent are your responses clear examples of each category? To what extent might your responses increase the quality of the intellectual work in which students will be engaged? Deliberation: How should the Mendez family answer the arguments that would force their children to attend separate schools? Concept Formation: Unity and Diversity. Inquiry: Why did people fight for their children to attend integrated schools? Interpretation: Why did the author title this book Separate in Never Equal?
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Chapter 9 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. Planning for social studies instruction asks teachers to take on which roles? a) Curriculum planner b) Activity planner and resource planner c) Assessment planner d) All of the above 2. Which of the following is an initial step in planning a social studies unit? a) Studying the curriculum guide b) Developing learning activities c) Reflecting upon personal histories and developing a unit around them d) Creating a list of all the social studies topics to be studied 3. Which of the following claims do the authors make regarding teachers’ knowledge and goals? a) There is too much content to know; teachers should focus on good resources. b) Goals are more likely than knowledge to shape what teachers do in the classroom. c) Strong background knowledge makes teachers’ goals better. d) Background knowledge makes teachers powerful storytellers. 4. In addition to deciding on the focus of the study, which of the following is a part of organizing subject matter? a) Integration with other content areas b) Determining the particular ideas and skills that have priority c) Creating a corresponding theme d) Providing a rationale for the study 5. What should the “scope” of an objective be? a) Neither too small nor too great b) Unmeasurably small c) Unmeasurably large d) Large enough to include everything you plan to teach 6. According to the text, when should formative assessments be planned? a) At the beginning of a unit b) During the middle of a unit c) At the end of a unit 20 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) Once the unit is completed 7. Which of the following is a learning target? a) Students will create a map. b) Students will learn the capitols of the Canadian provinces. c) Students will read a primary source. d) All of the above 8. When planning a unit, which of the following assessments should be decided on first? a) Diagnostic assessments b) Formative assessments c) Summative assessments d) Criterion-referenced assessments 9. Which of the following is a reason for planning a unit’s launch carefully? a) Spark students’ interest in the topic b) Activate students’ prior knowledge c) Set purposes for the unit d) All of the above e) A and B 10. According to the authors, which of the following is most important when deciding the strength of an assessment? a) The assessment is defensible to students, parents, and administrators. b) The assessment has clear criteria for success. c) The assessment helps everyone understand how the students are meeting learning targets. d) The assessment moves beyond “academic” ideas to application. 11. What do the authors claim is the main reason for using a unit planning form? a) Planning forms focus teachers more clearly on objectives. b) Planning forms help teachers coordinate objectives, assessment, and activities. c) Planning forms help teachers spot redundancies and omissions. d) Planning forms help teachers see blind spots and source problems. 12. What do the authors claim is the main benefit of a clear relationship between activities and learning objectives in a unit? a) Clear relationships makes it easier for students to develop big ideas. b) Clear relationships give a purpose to the activities. c) Clear relationships bring greater relevance to the unit. d) Clear relationships make it much easier to create appropriate assessments. 21 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
13. Which of the following best describes what the authors claim teachers do when they are planning lessons? a) Balancing competing goals and deciding which are most important b) Creating engaging learning activities c) Focusing on objectives and making sure the activities match with those objectives d) Mentally rehearing how the lesson will go, step-by-step 14. Which of the following describes what the authors suggest teachers assess when students are engaging in historical dramatization? a) The motivations of the historical characters b) Students’ speaking skills and imaginations c) Students’ progress toward the unit’s objectives d) Students’ sense of history and ability to empathize 15. Which of the following is NOT a criteria for selecting activities suggested by the authors? a) It is within the capabilities of the students. b) It is fun for students. c) It is useful in achieving an objective. d) It is an accurate and truthful representation. 16. Which of the following is NOT a step the authors list for teaching higher-orderthinking skills? a) Allow these skills to develop spontaneously as students in engage. b) Teach students the skills. c) Help students use the skills well. d) Create activities that requires the skills. 17. Which of the following do the authors suggest is the best value of a simulation? a) Students are focused on learning b) Students interact socially c) Students can engage their imaginations d) Students become completely involved 18. Which of the following best represents the warning the authors give about using simulations about difficult historical times? a) It is best to avoid such simulations. b) Students should be positioned as members of the oppressed group. c) Students should never “become” a person expressing opinions that denigrate a group of people. 22 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) Students should be taught about language use at the time and how it differs from our usage today. 19. Which of the following is NOT a reason the authors give for introducing controversy to a unit? a) Controversy can make social studies more memorable. b) Controversy can provide a chance for students to deliberate. c) Controversy is an opportunity to engage parents. d) Controversy can keep the civic competence aspect of social studies alive. 20. Which of the following do the authors suggest teachers use when writing an objective for virtues? a) Students will learn that … b) Students will learn how to … c) Students will routinely … d) Students will understand …
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II.
DATA ORGANIZATION CHART Complete the chart below with information drawn from the chapter. Units, lessons, and activities: What’s the difference? Blank
Definition
Example
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Unit Plan Lesson Plan Learning Activity
III.
SHORT ANSWER The author of the text states that when used by good social studies teachers, a learning activity is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Explain what this statement means and then give two examples of activities and the ends (purposes; objectives) they could help students achieve.
IV.
EXTENDED RESPONSE Assume that you are in the middle of an interview for a teaching position in an elementary school. The principal has asked you to describe and justify your approach to planning units in the social studies. Outline your response. Then, to exemplify, describe a unit plan you might use at the grade level for which you are interviewing. Articulate your reasons for any significant changes you make from the approach detailed in the chapter.
V.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation. Or, dramatize a school meeting that includes several members of this parent group and several teachers discussing the issue below. The teachers in your elementary school have been asked by a group of concerned parents to justify the use of construction activities in social studies units. These parents worry that such activities are enjoyable but inefficient. Instructional time is limited, they are right to point out. They believe that building models of villages and 24 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
cities or churning butter waste that time, time that could more profitably be spent on reading and math instruction.
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Chapter 9 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 9 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. D 2. A 3. B 4. B 5. A 6. B 7. B 8. C 9. D 10. C 11. B 12. A 13. D 14. D 15. B 16. A 17. A 18. C 19. C 20. C
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Table of Contents Chapter 10: Five Great Teaching Strategies Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
12
Test Items
19
Test Answer Key
24
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Chapter 10: Five Great Teaching Strategies Chapter 10 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 10.1 Demonstrate an understanding of how concepts are best learned and taught by accurately planning concept formation units and lessons. [Q1] What is another word for concepts? 1. Facts 2. Ideas (correct) 3. Illustrations 4. Examples
[Response to Answer Choice 1] We might use facts to teach concepts but they are not the same thing. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Yes! Concepts are ideas that are taught through well-selected examples and nonexamples. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Illustrations can include concepts. They are not concepts themselves. [Response to Answer Choice 4] We use examples to help students form concepts. They are not concepts themselves. [Q2] How would the authors characterize classifying as a part of the concept formation procedure? 1. A way for students to develop an initial understanding of the critical attributes of a
concept 2. A way to test students’ understanding of a concept 3. A creative way for students to organize their materials 4. A method for students to apply the concept they have formed (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Classification isn’t typically used when developing an initial understanding of a concept. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors recommend other means for testing students’ understanding of concepts. Classification has a different purpose. 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] There can be creativity involved in classifying. Yet, that isn’t how the authors use the term. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Once students have a good idea of the concept, teachers ask students to apply the concept using four different types of classifying. [Q3] What is concept formation? 1. Studying examples of a concept and grasping the critical similarities among them (correct) 2. Deciding whether something is an example or a nonexample 3. A teaching strategy that relies upon forming cooperative learning groups 4. Providing experiences for students in which they must discern the common aspects of examples and nonexamples by themselves
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Concept formation is a teaching strategy where teachers guide students through a process focused on well-selected examples of a concept. Understanding the key similarities of a concept is crucial to knowing the concept. [Response to Answer Choice 2] During a concept formation lesson, students are asked to decide if something is an example or a nonexample. This isn’t, by itself, concept formation. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Concept formation can be done in groups. However, it isn’t dependent on cooperative learning groups. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Discerning the common aspects (attributes) or examples and nonexamples is a key part of concept formation. It is not concept formation itself. [Q4] What is the connection between Pluto’s demotion from planetary status and the teaching strategies called concept formation and classifying? What does the case of Pluto demonstrate? 1. Pluto’s demotion demonstrates that concepts are facts. 2. Pluto’s demotion demonstrates that concepts are social agreements. (correct) 3. Pluto’s demotion demonstrates that physical concepts like planet are stable while social concepts like democracy change. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Pluto’s demotion demonstrates that classifying is more relevant to the social sciences than to the natural sciences.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] We might use facts to teach concepts but they are not the same thing. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The majority of scientists agreed that Pluto is no longer a planet because it did not possess the attributes required of the new definition. Like all concepts, planet is a social agreement. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Pluto’s demotion demonstrates that concepts like planet are unstable. Like democracy they can change. [Response to Answer Choice 4] All science relies on classifying. Learning Outcome 10.2 Demonstrate a clear understanding of the inquiry process by planning inquiry units and lessons that are likely to achieve inquiry’s objectives. [Q1] Which of the following best describes how historians and scientists use inquiry? 1. Inquiry is used to develop new knowledge and correct mistaken knowledge. (correct) 2. Inquiry is used to understand concepts. 3. Inquiry is used to organize existing information. 4. Inquiry is used to create scaffolds for learning.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Whether it is the scientific method or historical interpretation, the larger term for developing new knowledge and correcting existing knowledge is called inquiry. When students engage in inquiry they are not only learning about the subject, they are doing the subject. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Students often come to understand concepts through inquiry. But, that isn’t how historians and scientist primarily use inquiry. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Organizing existing information is not generally how historians and scientists would describe how they use inquiry. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers create scaffolds for learning through inquiry. This does not describe how historians and scientists use inquiry. [Q2] 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
According to the authors, what can students who have developed inquiry skills able to do? 1. Read texts and write summaries 2. Answer questions completely using their own words 3. Judge the connection between conclusions and evidence (correct) 4. Search databases successfully and efficiently
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Teaching students to read texts and write summaries can be developed outside of inquiry. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Following an inquiry, students might be better able to use their own words to answer questions because they understand the answer in greater depth. However, that isn’t linked closely to inquiry skills. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] In inquiry, our conclusions are only as strong as the evidence on which they are based. With well-developed inquiry skills, students learn to evaluate how well evidence supports conclusions—both their own conclusions and the conclusions of others. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Inquiry doesn’t necessarily involve searching databases. This is a skill that can be developed, but it isn’t a direct result of well-developed inquiry skills. [Q3] Which of the following do the authors identify as a key task for teachers who are using inquiry in the classroom? 1. Teachers must locate appropriate materials. 2. Teachers must generate students’ interest in the problem being studied. (correct) 3. Teachers must organize and interpret information. 4. Teachers must come to an informed conclusion about the problem.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Locating appropriate materials is important. The authors do not identify it as a key task for the inquiry classroom. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] The first step in the inquiry process is engaging students’ interest in the problem being studies. This is the job of the teacher. The success of an inquiry hangs largely upon doing this well. [Response to Answer Choice 3]
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Teachers should always be organized. However, the authors do not identify it as a key task for the inquiry classroom.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] It is the job of the students to come to an informed conclusion about the problem. This is not a key task of the teacher. [Q4] During an inquiry, your students hold doggedly to their initial hypothesis, refusing to adjust it in light of the evidence. Which of the following best corresponds with the recommendations of the authors? 1. Present a mini-lesson on the connection between evidence and conclusions 2. Present a mini-lesson on how to evaluate evidence and question sources 3. Present a mini-lesson on finding relevant evidence 4. Present a mini-lesson on the importance of finding the best answer rather than to win the argument (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Students need to understand how evidence connects to conclusions. This is not the suggestion the authors make in Figure 10.2. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Evaluating evidence and questioning sources is important. However, it is unlikely to persuade students to give up their initial hypotheses. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Finding relevant evidence is important. However, it is unlikely to persuade students to give up their initial hypotheses. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] The authors suggest in Figure 10.2 that emphasizing the cooperative search for the best answer can help students begin to see the need to change their hypotheses. Learning Outcome 10.3 Plan units and lessons that effectively teach academic and intellectual social studies skills. [Q1] According to the authors, which of the following is most important to ensure the development of social studies skills? 1. Identifying the skills to be taught 2. Systematic instruction (correct) 3. Assessing the skills students possess 5 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Teaching strategies
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Identifying the skills to be taught is a part of ensuring the development of social studies skills. It is not the most important. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Approaching the teaching of social studies skills systematically is the best way to achieve a well-balanced program. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Teachers should assess students’ skills. This is not, however, the most important way to ensure the development of social studies skills. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Good teaching strategies are a key. However, they are not the most important way to ensure the development of social studies skills. [Q2] According to the authors, which of the following is the key to skill proficiency? 1. The teacher tells the students what they will be learning to do. 2. The teacher explains how to do a skill. 3. The student watches as the skill is modeled. 4. The student uses the skill purposefully and intermittently in various settings. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Always a good idea, but not the key to proficiency. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Explanations can be helpful, but are rarely sufficient. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A good model is incredibly helpful, but it is rarely the key to skill proficiency. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Skill proficiency is gained through repeated application of the skill in what the authors call functional settings. That is, students must use the skill where it is appropriately used if they are to become proficient. This is the key. [Q3] Which of the following is not identified by the authors as an intellectual skill? 1. Hypothesizing 2. Gathering relevant data 3. Functioning well in small groups (correct) 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
4. Reading maps
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Hypothesizing is an important intellectual skill. The question asks you to identify a skill that is not primarily intellectual. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Gathering relevant data is an important intellectual skill. The question asks you to identify a skill that is not primarily intellectual. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Functioning well in small groups is a social skill. Certainly there are intellectual aspects of success in a small group. But, the authors identify this as primarily social in nature. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Reading maps is an important intellectual skill. The question asks you to identify a skill that is not primarily intellectual. Learning Outcome 10.4 Apply appropriate teacher questioning strategies in social studies instruction in ways that support students’ abilities to ask their own productive questions. [Q1] Why do the authors suggest teachers’ questions are so powerful? 1. They direct the intellectual work of students. (correct) 2. They are recommended by teachers’ manuals. 3. They are a form of instructional objectives. 4. They are a skill students need to learn.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Different questions invite particular types of intellectual work, in a particular order. Thus, teachers’ questions help direct the intellectual work student do. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It’s true that asking questions is often recommended by teachers’ manuals. Yet, this does not explain why the manuals recommend them. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Questions, when used well, can push students to care about instructional objectives. This is not the reason the authors state. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Students do need to learn the skill of questioning. That isn’t what makes teachers’ questions so powerful. 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2] Which of the following is not a purpose of asking questions, according to the authors? 1. Assessment 2. Giving directions (correct) 3. Guiding thinking 4. Facilitating participation
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Asking questions is a key way teachers assess how students understand. The question asks you to identify an answer that is not a purpose of questioning. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Asking questions is, in fact, a poor way of giving directions. Students can miss the subtle direction embedded in a question and seem to ignore it (this can especially be a problem for students who are just learning English or who come from cultural backgrounds where directions are never embedded in questions). [Response to Answer Choice 3] Asking questions is often used to guide students’ thinking. The question asks you to identify an answer that is not a purpose of questioning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Asking questions is useful for facilitating participation. The question asks you to identify an answer that is not a purpose of questioning. [Q3] Which of the following makes compelling questions different from supporting questions? 1. A compelling question helps us define what we’re talking about. 2. A compelling question focuses on issues that have been resolved. 3. A compelling question requires an extended response. (correct) 4. A compelling question provides students with important background information.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] This response can be a characteristic of a compelling question. However, it is also a characteristic of a supporting question. Thus, it is [Response to Answer Choice 2] This response is more often associated with supporting questions. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] A compelling question requires an extended response. Supportive questions help students develop those responses. [Response to Answer Choice 4] 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This response is more characteristic of supporting questions. [Q4] Which of the following best explains why teachers’ attitudes are critical when it comes to teaching students to ask productive questions? 1. When teachers value questions, they can learn more about students’ theories and
conceptions about the world. 2. When teachers value questions, they are better able to identify open-ended
questions. 3. When teachers value questions, they can use them to address interesting topics. 4. When teachers value questions, students are more likely to ask them. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Questions help teachers learn about students’ theories and conceptions of the world. That is not, however, what explains why teachers’ attitudes are critical. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Identifying open-ended questions is important. That is not, however, what explains why teachers’ attitudes are critical. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Questions can help teachers engage students with interesting topics. That is not, however, what explains why teachers’ attitudes are critical. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Asking productive questions requires asking a lot of questions. When teachers value questions, they are more likely to welcome and engage with these questions. This encourages students to ask more questions. Learning Outcome 10.5 Implement procedures for starting, managing, and teaching cooperative group work in a classroom. [Q1] According to the text, what are the two main ingredients of cooperative learning? 1. Student independence and group accountability 2. General tasks and open directions 3. Positive interdependence and individual accountability (correct) 4. Reading and listening skills
[Response to Answer Choice 1] These ideas are close but not quite what is involved. [Response to Answer Choice 2]
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Directions and tasks are important. But, they aren’t the two main ingredients of cooperative learning. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Positive interdependence encourages group members to work together because the group members need each other to succeed. Individual student accountability encourages every student to do his/her part because individuals are held accountable for their learning. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Reading and listening skills are important. But, they aren’t the two main ingredients of cooperative learning. [Q2] Which of the following would the authors suggest is an ideal cooperative learning group? 1. Groups of four or five students working together because their skill levels are similar 2. Heterogeneously mixed groups with group members competing with one another for grades 3. A heterogeneously mixed group taught to work within well-established cooperative norms (correct) 4. Groups who have chosen their own members and are thus more likely to be emotionally supportive of one another
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Students with similar skill levels should be groups for some types of instruction. But, this isn’t the ideal way to group students for cooperative learning. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Cooperative learning requires cooperation, not competition. Competition within the group can undermine the group’s efforts. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Groupwork is most successful when groups are heterogeneously mixed, emotionally supportive, and have been taught the skills and norms of cooperation. This answer best captures those characteristics. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It’s possible for groups who choose each other to be more emotionally supportive. However, this won’t be the case for every group. Students need to be taught how to offer support within a diverse group. [Q3]
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Which of the following is an example of debriefing groupwork that is most likely to help students improve their groupwork skills? 1. Students reflect on how often and how effectively a cooperative skill was used and what skills need more attention. (correct) 2. Students talk about what they learned about the topic during their time in a group. 3. Student comments on if they thought the group worked well together or not. 4. The teacher points out groups that weren’t working well together and tells them how they could do better.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Debriefing groupwork helps students identify what good cooperative skills look like and consider how they are improving in their ability to work as a group. They should reflect on the use of the skill and any skills that need more attention. This specific reflection by the students is more likely to help them improve. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Talking about learning is important. Yet, it is unlikely to result in improved cooperative skills. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Commenting on what worked well or not is a key aspect of debriefing. It is not, by itself, enough. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teachers telling students how to improve their groups has power, but that power can be limited. [Q4] In a Jigsaw, what is the role of the home group? 1. The home group is where students work together to develop expertise on their portion of the task. 2. The home group is where students work together to divide up a difficult task. 3. The home group is where students learn their part of the task more efficiently. 4. The home group is where students teach each other the part of the task they studied in-depth. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Developing expertise typically happens in the expert group, not the home group. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The teacher is typically the one who divides up the difficult task. This does not usually happen in the home group. 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] Students learn their part of the task efficiently in the expert group, not the home group. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Good work! The home group is where students come together to teach each other the parts of the task they mastered in their expert group.
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Chapter 10 Application Exercises Chapter 10: Five Great Teaching Strategies Application Exercise 10.1: Concept Formation: Examples and Their Attributes Learning Outcome 10.1: Demonstrate an understanding of how concepts are best learned and taught by accurately planning concept formation units and lessons. [Q1] Helping students form concepts begins with the teacher identifying a concept worth teaching and then locating good examples and nonexamples. The “Concepts Are Ideas” section provides an explanation and examples of how examples and nonexamples function in concept formation. Review this section. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher engaging your students in the unit, “Deserts and Forests of the World.” You decide you will begin with the concept of deserts. From your curriculum materials, you learn that most deserts fall into five main categories: sub-tropical deserts, rain-shadow deserts, coastal deserts, interior deserts, and polar deserts. Your curriculum materials use the National Geographic Society’s definition of a desert. That is, “A desert is an area of land that receives no more than …10 inches of precipitation a year. The amount of evaporation in a desert often greatly exceeds the annual rainfall. In deserts, there is little water available for plants and other organisms.” https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/desert/#:~:text=Most%20experts %20agree%20that%20a,greatly%20exceeds%20the%20annual%20rainfall Question: Use the technology available to you (including the link above) to locate deserts of the world. Create a list of at least four examples of deserts. Include one or two well-chosen nonexample(s). Remember, your examples must be varied enough so that students to not form a unnecessarily limited idea of desert. Include a brief rationale for your list of examples and for why your nonexample(s) is helpful to understanding the concept of deserts. [Q1 Model Response] Compare your examples to ours. To what extent do your examples cover the variety of types of deserts found around the world? To what extent do your examples allow you to expand students’ understanding of the concept deserts? How does your nonexample foster students’ understanding of deserts as a concept? Examples: Sahara Desert Death Valley Antarctica Tabernas Desert 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Nonexamples: High Plains of the United States Pacific Ocean We selected these four examples because they are all on different continents and they all are examples of different kinds of deserts (Sahara is a sub-tropical in Africa, Death Valley is a rain-shadow desert in North America, Antarctica is a polar, and Tabernas is an interior in Europe). These examples communicate to students that deserts are everywhere and that they are not all the same (even though they share certain characteristics). We selected the High Plains of the United States as our nonexample. We did this because it was once known as the Great American desert for its lack of trees, relative lack of water, and inhospitality to agriculture. The High Plains is almost a desert but not a desert according to the definition we’re using. We selected a second nonexample (the Pacific Ocean) because we wanted to highlight for students the fact that deserts are areas of land—by definition, a body of water does not qualify as a desert. [Q2] The “Concepts Are Ideas” section of the text provides an explanation and examples of what concepts are and ways to use concepts in lesson planning. Review this section. Note particularly the role of qualities or attributes of concepts. Critical attributes, as this section notes, are what makes a concept unique. Attributes draw a boundary around what is an example of a concept and what is not. Attributes define concepts. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a fourth-grade teacher engaging your students in the unit, “Deserts and Forests of the World.” You decide you will begin with the concept of deserts. From your curriculum materials, you learn that most deserts fall into five main categories: sub-tropical deserts, rain-shadow deserts, coastal deserts, interior deserts, and polar deserts. Your curriculum materials use the National Geographic Society’s definition of a desert. That is: “A desert is an area of land that receives no more than …10 inches of precipitation a year. The amount of evaporation in a desert often greatly exceeds the annual rainfall. In deserts, there is little water available for plants and other organisms.” https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/desert/#:~:text=Most%20experts %20agree%20that%20a,greatly%20exceeds%20the%20annual%20rainfall As you explore the materials, you notice that Antarctica is classified as a desert despite the fact that the cold temperatures mean there is almost no evaporation (Antarctica does completely match this definition). The materials tell you that most of the precipitation in Antarctica is lost to freezing. It is the combination of low precipitation and very little available fresh water due to freezing that makes Antarctica a desert.
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Question: Use the information in the paragraph above to decide on the critical attributes of a desert you will use with your class. Use these attributes and the examples of Sahara Desert, Death Valley, Tabernas, and Antarctica to create a dataretrieval chart. Model your data retrieval chart on the example in Lesson Plan 11. [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, notice the way the chart is organized (the examples are in the first column, etc.). Pay particular attention to the critical attributes you created from the definition. Have you stated these attributes in ways that are true to the definition and accessible to fourth-grade students? We decided to adapt the evaporation attribute to include freezing. You might have decided to leave that attribute out completely. Leaving evaporation out is also a sensible response to the difficulties the definition of desert creates.
Examples
Sahara Death Valley Tabernas Antarctica
Is this an area of land?
Does the area get no more than 10 inches of rain or snow a year?
Is most of the participation lost to evaporation or freezing?
Is there very little fresh water available for plants or animals?
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Application Exercise 10.2: Planning for Inquiry: Building from a compelling question Learning Outcome 10.2: Demonstrate a clear understanding of the inquiry process by planning inquiry units and lessons that are likely to achieve inquiry’s objectives. [Q1] Reading the inquiry section of the text, you will have noticed that much of the teacher’s work in an inquiry is in the design. In this exercise, you will practice designing supporting questions based on a compelling question. You are a sixth-grade teacher. Your state standards call for you to teach citizenship rights and responsibilities. Your grade-level team has decided to teach this topic through an inquiry with the question, “Why do so few adults vote in the United States?” Review the first inquiry example (Who Benefits from Advertising?). Notice how the supporting questions come from possible answers (hypotheses) to the compelling question. 15 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Question: Generate at least three possible hypotheses in response to the question, “Why do so few adults vote in the United States?” Use your hypotheses to create at least three supporting questions. Model your response on the chart in the middle of the “Who Benefits from Advertising” example. [Hint: Teachers often use the power of the Internet to inform the hypotheses they choose.] [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, pay attention to the reasonableness of each hypothesis and to the extent to which there are likely to be sources you can use with students to support each hypothesis. Also, look carefully at the relationship of each supporting question to the related hypothesis. There should be a clear relationship between the two. Supporting Question How does voter apathy impact people’s willingness to vote? How do voting laws impact voting patterns? How has Australia’s mandatory voting law impacted voter turnout?
Possible Hypothesis People think their votes won’t matter. Too many barriers exist to voting. It’s hard to register and to vote. People aren’t required to vote in the United States.
[Q2] Reading the inquiry section of the text, you will have noticed that much of the teacher’s work in an inquiry is in the design. In this exercise, you will design the staging of the question portion of the inquiry. Staging the question is critical because it is one key place where students come to see the problem as interesting and worth investing time and thought. You are a sixth-grade teacher. Your state standards call for you to teach citizenship rights and responsibilities. Your grade-level team has decided to teach this topic through an inquiry with the question, “Why do so few adults vote in the United States?” Review what the text has to say about staging the question in the first step of the general inquiry procedure. Notice the authors’ examples of staging the question in the two examples in the text (Who Benefits from Advertising? and What Caused the Titanic Tragedy?). Notice how these examples all engage students with some artifact (examples of advertising or a clip of the Titanic movie) to provide them with enough background information to think about the question. If you need additional inspiration, look to any of the lesson plans for ideas of how to inspire students to engage with the question. Question: Design an introduction to your “Why do so few adults vote in the United States?” inquiry. In other words, describe a way you would stage the question for your sixth-grade students. 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, consider the extent to which you 1) provided enough background information for students to think about the question and 2) appealed to your sixth-grade class. We have gathered a series of graphs showing voting patterns in recent elections and we located several very close elections that were decided by a small percentage of voters in recent state elections. We located charts that compare the different rates of voter turnout by state. We also located a chart comparing voting patterns in Australia and the United States. We begin by showing the graphs to students and engaging them by asking what they notice. We guide them to seeing that the United States has low voter turnout rates. We engaged students with the chart comparing voter turnout rates by state. We then introduced the chart comparing voter turnout in Australia and the United States. After students examine each graph of chart, we push them to wonder why things are the way they are. We write their ideas (hypotheses) on the board. Application Exercise 10.3: Planning for Cooperation Learning Outcome 10.5: Implement procedures for starting, managing, and teaching cooperative group work in a classroom. [Q1] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a first-grade teacher who is introducing your students to cooperative groups. To complete this exercise successfully, you will need information found in the sections, “Getting Started with Cooperative Groups” and “Identifying and Teaching Group Work Skills.” The authors recommend that primary teachers begin by engaging their students in “committee work,” being responsible for housekeeping duties in the classroom. You have taken this advice to heart and have established committees to do things like keeping the library table neat, managing the game shelf, and caring for the aquarium. You realize that simply placing students on committees isn’t enough. You must also manage the group work. Question: Refer to the lists of required skills the authors provide under “Identifying and Teaching Group Work Skills.” Identify the two “getting started” skills you believe are most important for your committee members to learn to accomplish these tasks. Identify the three “functioning in small groups” skills you believe are best suited to the tasks your committees will engage. Briefly justify each skill. [Q1 Model Response] We identified “Stay with the group during group time,” and “Make everyone feel welcome” as our two priorities in the “getting started” category. We want our committee
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members to learn to work together to accomplish their duties. If some students wander off or are made to feel unwelcomed, the group is unlikely to function well. Our second-tier list includes “Move into groups efficiently, and “Use quiet voices” because these skills can improve the functioning of the entire class during group time. We identified “Plan how best to proceed,” “Encourage others to participate,” and “Ask for help when you need it” as our top three skills for functioning on these committees. We focused on these skills because our students are faced with tasks that can be accomplished in many ways and we want everyone to have a role in deciding how the work gets done. We don’t want one student to end up doing all the work. These three skills are all designed to help students learn the value of working together to accomplish a task. Our second-tier list includes “Talk openly about disagreements,” “Criticize ideas, not people,” and “Be a good sport” because these skills can help the group deal with the inevitable issues that will come along. [Q2] For the purpose of this exercise, you are a first-grade teacher who is introducing your students to cooperative groups. To complete this exercise successfully, you will need information found in the sections, “Getting Started with Cooperative Groups” and “Managing Cooperative Group Work.” Pay particular attention to the Cooperative Learning’s critical attributes of positive interdependence, individual accountability, and face-to-face discussion. The authors recommend that primary teachers begin by engaging their students in “committee work,” being responsible for housekeeping duties in the classroom. You have taken this advice to heart and have established committees to do things like keeping the library table neat, managing the game shelf, and caring for the aquarium. You realize that simply placing students on committees isn’t enough. You must also manage the group work. You have taught students some of the most important skills in getting started and functioning in small groups. Yet, in all of your groups, one student does most of the work while the others are left to think of other things to do. You return to your social studies text to consider the extent to which you have structured the task in a way that makes successful cooperation more likely. Question: Using the advice from the text, consider how you will structure the tasks to create positive interdependence, individual accountability, and face-to-face discussion in your groups. Describe how your action contributes to creating these three critical attributes.
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[Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, look closely at how the task structure creates a sense of positive interdependence, individual accountability, and face-to-face discussions. Positive interdependence: We worked to create the sense that the success of the group requires that everyone does their part. We asked the groups to work together to create a checklist of what successfully completing the task would look like (e.g., at the library table, books are put back where they belong on the shelves, and pencils and paper are in the organizers) and to think about how the contributions of everyone might make their task more pleasant and efficient. To encourage sharing of responsibilities, we limited the amount of time committees are given to complete their work. We ask groups to use these checklists to examine and evaluate how well they completed their own task and to give feedback to another group about how well they did their job. We included a space on the checklist to write compliments. Groups who get positive reports receive a verbal commendation at the end of the day. This system is intended to help students work together to do the job well in a short amount of time. Individual Accountability: We modified the checklists students created to include a space to record who did which job. We file the checklists in a folder that we use to talk with individuals who seem to be taking over or who don’t seem to be doing their part. As a part of our regular conferences with students, we use these reports to talk about how they are doing. Face-to-face Discussion: We ask the teams to consult with one another as they complete their checklists. We set aside time each week for committees to meet and talk about how the team is functioning. As a part of this process, committees set goals for the following week—goals like “encouraging others to participate,” and “being a good sport.” If we notice that a committee is not functioning well, we call a special committee meeting to work through the issues. In these meetings, we ask that students talk to each other and not “tattle” to the teacher.
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Chapter 10 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. What are concepts? a) Words b) Ideas c) Abstract social constructs d) All of the above e) B and C 2. What does teaching concepts require the teacher to do? a) Provide kid-friendly definitions. b) Help students see similarities across examples. c) Engage students in dramatic play. d) None of the above 3. What educational principle does astronomers’ statement that Pluto is no longer a planet illustrate, according to the text? a) Concepts are social constructs. b) Previous astronomers got it wrong. c) Knowledge changes quickly. d) Facts can change. 4. Which of the following is NOT a type of classifying in concept formation? a) Deciding if a new item is an example b) Writing the definition of the concept c) Producing examples d) Correcting non-examples 5. When faced with curricular standards that emphasize facts, what would the authors recommend that teachers do? a) Teach the facts. b) Ignore the standards. c) Teach concepts to give greater meaning to the facts. d) Avoid teaching social studies. 6. What is usually the first step in the inquiry process? a) Students read about a question in the text. b) The teacher engages students’ interest in a problem. 20 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c) The teacher decides on questions worth exploring. d) The teacher designs activities in which students gather information. 7. Which of the following does participating in inquiry stress for students? a) The importance of strong summaries of texts b) Searching databases is helpful when looking for information. c) School can be fun. d) Conclusions are best when supported by evidence. 8. Which of the following do the authors emphasize as a reason for teaching social studies skills? a) Skills can be motor, intellectual, or social. b) Teachers should engage in the systematic and sequential development of skills. c) Skills should be demonstrated by the teacher. d) Teachers should keep telling students about how to do the skill until they get it right. 9. Why should teachers teach children to ask good questions? a) Trick question: Children are already good question-askers. b) Understanding starts with questions. c) Students are often taught that questioning is the teacher’s job. d) B and C 10. What do the authors suggest is the appropriate response to poorly functioning groups? a) Teach students how to work in groups. b) Abandon group work. c) Use groups for very short and relatively unimportant tasks. d) Tell students why cooperation is important. 11. Which of the following most accurately describes concept formation? a) Testing hypotheses with data and drawing conclusions b) Using examples to grasp common attributes c) Breaking skills into parts and modeling the parts d) Asking good questions 12. Which of the following is a non-example of the concept “holiday?” a) Independence Day b) Canada Day c) Kwanzaa d) Sunday 21 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
13. What is the purpose of classifying type 4—correcting non-examples? a) To allow students to apply the critical attributes of a concept b) To engage students with determining a concept’s critical attributes c) To have students summarize the similarities between examples d) To have students apply a label to the concept. 14. Why do the authors claim it is important to attend to context when asking students to engage in the list, group, label variation of concept formation? a) Students’ reasons reveal their thinking. b) Listing is related to a student’s background knowledge. c) Grouping is a cultural and an individual process. d) None of the above 15. What do the authors suggest teachers do if they notice that student hypothesize using imaginative guessing? a) Stress that changing your mind based on evidence is a smart move. b) Teach students about confirmation bias. c) Constantly ask students for evidence that supports their idea. d) Work with the class to determine good search terms in advance. 16. Which of the following is NOT a purpose of asking questions that the authors identify? a) To facilitate participation b) To evaluate students’ skills c) To guide thinking d) To focus student attention 17. Why do the authors recommend asking a question before calling on a student? a) It requires everyone to form a response. b) It keeps students guessing. c) It reduces the chance the teacher will use questions as discipline. d) It maintains teacher credibility. 18. What is a key principle the authors identify behind helping students to learn to ask productive questions? a) The secret is asking lots of questions. b) Teach students to identify closed-ended questions. c) Teach students the connection between compelling and supporting questions. d) All of the above 19. In a Jigsaw, what is the role of the expert group? a) To divide up a complex task in order to teach it more effectively 22 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
b) To teach the assigned part to others c) To learn to know their assigned part well d) To prepare a report on their assigned part of the study 20. What is the primary task of students in a Structured Academic Controversy (S AC)? a) To work with their small group to agree on what they should do b) To work see the controversy in social studies topics c) To present their opinions to others d) To engage in an intellectual debate
II.
DATA-ORGANIZATION CHART Compare and contrast Concept Formation with its two variations. All are concept learning strategies.
Strategy
Purpose
Procedure
Advantages
Disadvantages
Concept Formation
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Concept Attainment List, Group, & Label
SHORT ANSWER III. 1. Review the five purposes of questions. Then, decide whether it is possible to rank order them by importance. You may decide that they are equally important, depending on the purpose at hand, or you may decide that the attention-focusing purpose of questions is all-important, or…. 2. A colleague in your school is impressed that you systematically introduce your students to cooperative group work and that you are adept at teaching concepts. She asks for your advice on how to combine the two. Relying on these two sections of the chapter, explain to her how you would do it.
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IV.
EXTENDED RESPONSE The key to successful group work is identifying and teaching group work skills. Some teachers complain that group work doesn’t work, but you are different. You make sure it works by teaching children how to do it. Write a brief article on cooperative learning for the parents’ newsletter. Your audience is parents, but also your colleagues who complain that it doesn’t work. Help them understand how to make it work.
V.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following claim with a group of classmates. Do you agree with it? Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation. The five teaching strategies in Chapter 10 are so powerful and so widely applicable that a teacher could get by very well without a sixth strategy in his or her repertoire.
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Chapter 10 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 10 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. D 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. D 8. B 9. D 10. A 11. B 12. D 13. A 14. C 15. C 16. B 17. A 18. A 19. C 20. D
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Table of Contents Chapter 11: The Literacy–Social Studies Connection Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
10
Test Items
19
Test Answer Key
23
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Chapter 11: The Literacy–Social Studies Connection Chapter 11 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 11.1 Identify and explain the ways that literacy education and social studies content learning are interdependent. [Q1] What is information literacy? 1. Reading or writing texts in order to function in everyday life 2. Reading or writing texts to gather data about the world (correct) 3. Reading or writing texts for pleasure 4. Reading or writing texts to gain self-understanding [Response to Answer Choice 1] We need reading and writing skills to function in everyday life. But, this is not information literacy. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Gathering information (also known as data) about the world is what is usually called informational literacy. It might seem strange that we included both reading and writing with the phrase “gather data about the world.” We have included writing because we see reading and writing working together to gather data. When we write, we organize data and learn what we need to know to get our points across. [Response to Answer Choice 3] We hope students will come to read and write texts for pleasure. This is not, however, information literacy. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Gaining self-understanding is a legitimate goal of reading and writing. However, it is not information literacy. [Q2] Which of the following is true of the relationship between social studies and reading? 1. Children must be readers of nonfiction before they begin the social studies curriculum. 2. Children first learn to read in basic reading programs and then read to learn in the social studies program. 3. Children learn to read in basic reading programs and they simultaneously read to learn in the social studies program. (correct) 4. Children are limited by what they learn in their basic reading programs. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Social studies curriculum can be an excellent introduction to nonfiction texts. 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2] Social studies is an excellent place for students to learn to read for real purposes. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] One way social studies and literacy connect is social students can provide an important purpose to the use of literacy skills. By learning to read in their basic reading programs while they are reading to learn in social studies, children’s ability to read improves. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Any program must leave out something. However, this fact does not describe the relationship between social studies and reading. [Q3] Which of the following is not a skill the authors suggest teachers teach to optimize students comprehension of social studies texts and materials? 1. How to make use of the parts of a book (title page, etc.) to improve comprehension 2. How to read flexibly 3. How to preview selections 4. How to read with accuracy and fluency (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] The authors include making use of the parts of a book to improve comprehension. The question asks you to identify a skill the authors do not include. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors include teaching students to read flexibly in order to improve comprehension. The question asks you to identify a skill the authors do not include. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The authors include teaching students how to preview selections in order to improve comprehension. The question asks you to identify a skill the authors do not include. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Well done. Accuracy and fluency are important to reading comprehension. However, the authors do not include these skills in their list of social studies reading skills. [Q4] Which of the following do the authors identify as helpful when helping students develop social studies vocabulary? 1. Having students look up a list of words prior to reading a selection 2. Encouraging students to use specialized social studies words in their discussions and writing (correct) 3. Teaching students to identify sophisticated words 4. Creating crossword puzzles or spelling bees 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Looking up words prior to reading a selection is a common strategy. It is not, however, particularly effective for helping students develop social studies vocabulary. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Yes. Students come to understand words by repeated exposure to them and from trying out words for themselves. As students use specialized words in their own writing and talk, they come to understand more completely the meanings and connotations of these words—they can use the words more flexibly. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Identifying sophisticated words can be fun. But, it isn’t especially helpful for helping students to develop social studies vocabulary. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Creating crossword puzzles and spelling bees is an ineffective way of developing social studies vocabulary. Learning Outcome 11.2 Plan and implement lessons that improve students’ abilities to comprehend complex informational texts. [Q1] Which of the following is not a purpose for graphic organizers? 1. Activating prior knowledge prior to reading 2. Understanding the structure of a text 3. Visually illustrating the main idea of a text (correct) 4. Representing key concepts in the reading
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Graphic organizers are often used to activate prior knowledge prior to reading. The question asks you to identify an answer that is not a purpose for graphic organizers. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Graphic organizers are often used to help students understand the structure of a text. The question asks you to identify an answer that is not a purpose for graphic organizers. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Graphic organizers are best used for activating prior knowledge, understanding the text’s structure, and providing a graphic representation of the key concepts in the reading. Graphic organizers can be helpful in helping students to identify the main idea. However, illustrating the main idea is not a particular strength of graphic organizers according to the text.
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[Response to Answer Choice 4] Graphic organizers are often used to represent key concepts in a text. The question asks you to identify an answer that is not a purpose for graphic organizers. [Q2] Why do the authors suggest that previewing is one of the most important comprehension strategies good readers can use? 1. Previewing helps activate prior knowledge. 2. Previewing gives readers “the lay of the land.” 3. Previewing makes subsequent reading easier. 4. Previewing builds prior knowledge on the spot. (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Previewing helps prior knowledge. However, previewing does more. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Previewing gives readers an idea of what is coming. That is not the reason the authors claim it is one of the most important comprehension strategies. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Previewing helps readers decide what needs to be read carefully and when skimming might be appropriate. But, it doesn’t necessarily make reading easier. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Previewing builds prior knowledge, making understanding of the text more likely. [Q3] What is a semantic map? 1. A semantic map is a graphic representation of a key concept. (correct) 2. A semantic map is a web that activates prior knowledge. 3. A semantic map is a graphic organizer used for vocabulary development. 4. A semantic map is a chart that looks at subtle differences between concepts. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] The authors define a semantic map as a graphic representation of a key concept. Both webs and charts were used as examples. [Response to Answer Choice 2] It’s true that a semantic map can activate prior knowledge. But, that is not what a semantic map is. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Semantic maps deal in concepts and as such; they are useful to help develop vocabulary. However, this is a purpose of a semantic map. The question asks what a semantic map is. 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 4] Semantic maps can be charts or webs. Their purpose is to represent a concept. [Q4] What do the authors identify as a key characteristic of summarizing? 1. Summarizing involves including the details. 2. Summarizing is a shortened version of retelling. 3. Summarizing includes the ability to ask questions of a text. 4. Summarizing involves leaving out unnecessary details. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Retelling needs the details. Summarizing does not. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Summaries are shorter than retellings. Yet, that fails to capture the qualitative difference between the two. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Asking questions of a text is a skill that is different from summarizing. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes. A summary involves including key details and leaving those that are unnecessary or distracting. Learning Outcome 11.3 Understand the role of interpretive discussion in improving comprehension, and plan for engaging students in interpretive discussions of complex texts. [Q1] How do Socratic Seminars deepen students’ comprehension of texts? 1. By having students make semantic maps of the text’s main idea 2. By involving students in interpretation and discussion (correct) 3. By teaching students to preview and skim 4. By teaching students to summarize [Response to Answer Choice 1] Semantic maps are helpful to understand a text’s main idea. However, this isn’t how Socratic Seminars deepen students’ comprehension of texts. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] All the strategies included in this question can help students’ comprehension; however, Socratic Seminars are particularly helpful when students need to understand a complex text because of the ways students are involved in interpretation and discussion.
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[Response to Answer Choice 3] Teaching students to preview and skill is helpful to understand a text. However, this isn’t how Socratic Seminars deepen students’ comprehension of texts. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Teaching students to summarize is helpful to understand a text’s main idea. However, it isn’t how Socratic Seminars deepen students’ comprehension of texts. [Q2] What makes a text worthy of including in a seminar? 1. The text is popular among students. 2. The text raises questions in the mind of the teacher. 3. The text helps activate students’ prior knowledge. 4. The text is rich in vocabulary, ideas, and social values. (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] A popular text makes engaging the students easier. However, popularity does not make a text worthy of including in a seminar. [Response to Answer Choice 2] A text that raises questions in the teacher’s mind can make framing a question easier. However, it can also signal that the text is too difficult for young children. This does not make a text worthy of including in a seminar. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Activating prior knowledge is helpful for understanding a text. It does not make a text worthy of including in a seminar. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Ideas such as justice and equality make great discussions because such ideas are contested and interesting to students. These ideas are also important to the goals of a good social studies program. Thus, a worthy text includes important ideas, issues, or values that students will want to talk about. [Q3] Which of the following is an interpretative question? 1. What did Jack steal on his final trip up the beanstalk? 2. Why was the giant’s wife nice to Jack? (correct) 3. What would you do if you were in Jack’s place? 4. What does this reading make you think about? [Response to Answer Choice 1] This question is a factual/recall question.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] This question requires the student to use information in the text to infer the motivation of the giant’s wife. It is an interpretative question. [Response to Answer Choice 3] This question asks the student to become a character in the story. This does not ask them to interpret the text. [Response to Answer Choice 4] This question asks students to report their thinking. It does not ask them to interpret the text based on evidence from the text. [Q4] Which of the following do the authors suggest teachers give to students as the purpose of Socratic Seminars? 1. Socratic Seminars encourage students to be courteous to one another. 2. Socratic Seminars help students decide what the group should do. 3. Socratic Seminars deepen students’ understanding of the text’s ideas. (correct) 4. Socratic Seminars teach students to ask good questions of a text. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Socratic Seminars should encourage courteous conversation. That is not what the authors suggest teachers communicate to their students about the purpose. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Many discussions ask students to decide what the group should do. The authors call this form of discussion deliberation. Seminars have a different purpose. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Socratic seminars are designed to deepen students’ understanding of the ideas, issues, and values in a text. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Socratic Seminars can model asking good questions of a text. That is not what the authors suggest teachers communicate to their students about the purpose. Learning Outcome 11.4 Plan for improving students’ understandings of events through the multiple perspectives provided by carefully chosen children’s and young adult trade books. [Q1] The authors recommend that multiple perspectives be routinely examined in the social studies classroom. What teaching strategy becomes a routine part of this? 1. Direct instruction 2. Classifying 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3. Compare and contrast (correct) 4. Storyboards [Response to Answer Choice 1] Direct instruction can be used, but is not routine in the way another choice is. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Classifying can happen. However, it is unlikely to become routine in the way another choice is. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Compare and contrast is a teaching strategy that can be used throughout social studies instruction. When teachers ask students to compare and contrast, students can begin to recognize that events have multiple perspectives that are interesting and worth examining. Students develop the habit of considering other points of view. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Storyboards can be used to represent various perspectives. However, they are unlikely to become routine in the way another choice is. [Q2] Which of the following is not a reason the authors give that a teacher might use a trade book to launch a unit? 1. To increase students’ interest in the unit’s topic 2. To introduce perspectives that might otherwise be ignored 3. To motivate students to learn the facts about an event 4. To replace dull informational texts (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Trade books are likely to increase students’ interest in the topic. The question asks you to select a reason the authors do not give. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Trade books are likely to introduce perspectives that might otherwise be ignored. The question asks you to select a reason the authors do not give. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Trade books are likely to motivate students to learn the facts about an event. The question asks you to select a reason the authors do not give. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Trade books can enhance a unit by motivating students to engage with the topic and introducing perspectives the student might not otherwise consider. Trade books can also motivate student to master the facts of an event or topic. Teachers need to be careful that they don’t communicate that historical fiction is always trustworthy—there is
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still a place for informational texts and informational texts are often engaging and fun to read all as well! [Q3] Which of the following is an important advantage the authors give of offering multiple perspectives on a topic? 1. Multiple perspectives allow children to deepen their perspective through creative activities such as role-playing. 2. Multiple perspectives prevent any single perspective from being seen as neutral. (correct) 3. Multiple perspectives can expose children to multiple viewpoints. 4. Multiple perspectives introduce greater interest to social studies. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Deepening perspectives through creative activities is incredibly important. Creative activities can be used with a single perspective. This isn’t a key advantage of multiple perspectives. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Single perspectives can easily be seen by students as neutral. Multiple perspectives help students see that all perspectives present unique versions of what happened. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Multiple perspectives do, in fact, expose children to multiple viewpoints. But, this begs the question of why multiple perspectives are an advantage. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Multiple perspectives can make social studies more interesting—more like life itself. Yet, this isn’t an advantage the authors give.
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Chapter 11 Application Exercises Chapter 11: The Literacy–Social Studies Connection Application Exercise 11.1: Using Text Structure to Increase Comprehension Learning Outcome 11.1: Identify and explain the ways that literacy education and social studies content learning are interdependent. [Q1] Review the section “Using the Structure of the Book” to remind yourself about the idea of text structure and why it is important for helping students make sense of a text. Pay particular attention to the types of text structure and the examples the authors provide. Question: Examine the section “Using Textbooks as Study Aids” and figure out the text structure of this section. Include a rationale that justifies your choice. [Q1 Model Response] Text structure: Problem–solution. It is relatively easy to eliminate chronology and comparison structures from the list of choices—the text is organized by topic not chronology and there are no obvious comparisons. Cause–effect is a possibility because the text argues that certain approaches to using textbooks (a cause) result in better comprehension (an effect). We see that reasoning, but we think that problem–solution is the stronger choice. We chose problem–solutions as the answer to this question (we gave “textbooks that advocate a particular approach to teaching” as the example) because we think this section is designed to help the reader solve a problem. Identifying the problem can often cause readers trouble because the problem is often unstated. In this case, we believe the section is trying to help the reader solve the problem of how to help students learn from textbooks—how to use textbooks as study aids. The entire section is designed to address that problem. [Q2] Review the section “Using the Structure of the Book” to remind yourself about the idea of text structure and why it is important for helping students make sense of a text. Pay particular attention to the types of text structure and the examples the authors provide. Look over the section “Using Textbooks as Study Aids” with an eye toward understanding its text structure. For the purpose of this exercise, assume that “Using Textbooks as Study Aids” is based in a problem–solution structure. The problem is implied and not stated directly, but we believe that it is there.
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Question: Create a graphic organizer for the “Using Textbooks as Study Aids” section of your textbook (draw on Figure 11.2 for a model). Be sure to include directions to students to help them complete the graphic organizer. Fill in the graphic organizer as a way of checking your work. [Q2 Model Response] Compare your graphic organizer to ours. To what extent does your graphic organizer reflect the organization of the section? Are your directions clear? Did the completed chart help you understand this section more completely? Directions: Use the section “Using Textbooks as Study Aids” to complete this chart. In this section, the authors do not explicitly give a problem they are trying to solve. If the problem isn’t clear to you, try completing the solutions first and then return to the problem.
Application Exercise 11.2: Teaching Summarizing in Social Studies Learning Outcome 11.2: Plan and implement lessons that improve students’ abilities to comprehend complex informational texts. [Q1] Summarizing a text is challenging. Teaching students to summarize is more challenging still. Yet, as the authors note, teaching summarizing is worth it because students who can summarize are able to identify what is most important about a text and, as a result, they are better able to remember it. For this exercise, review the “Summarize” section of the chapter. Notice what makes a good summary, particularly the difference between summarizing and retelling. Teaching students to summarize begin with being able to create a good summary—it’s difficult to teach students to do something you’re not skilled at doing. This exercise works on helping you improve your own ability to summary a text.
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In 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address to commemorate the battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War. Read the transcript of Lincoln’s speech below that was provided by the National Archives. : https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=36&page=transcript “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow, this ground—The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here. It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Question: Use the Gettysburg Address to complete the four tasks below. 1. What is this speech about? 2. What idea does Lincoln mention several times? 3. What is Lincoln message about the Battle of Gettysburg? 4. Use your first three answers to write a one- or two-sentence summary of the Gettysburg Address. [Q1 Model Response] 1. Topic: The speech is about the Battle of Gettysburg. 2. What gets repeated: Lincoln mentions several times that we should keep our focus on the sacrifice those who struggled and died at Gettysburg—why they were willing to die. He starts with “conceived in liberty” and ends with “new birth of freedom.” 3. The message about the Battle of Gettysburg: People were wounded and died so that the United States’ unique form of government (based in freedom) can continue. 4. Our summary: Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address to help people make sense of the Battle of Gettysburg and to inspire the north to keep fighting. He argues that the 12 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
many deaths demand that the people of the north persist in the fight to maintain a nation that values freedom for all its people. As you look at your summary, to what extent does your summary leave out unnecessary or distracting details? To what extent does your summary capture the big idea or message of Lincoln’s speech? [Q2] Summarizing a text is challenging. Teaching students to summarize is more challenging still. Yet, as the authors note, teaching summarizing is worth it because students who can summarize are able to identify what is most important about a text and, as a result, they are better able to remember it. For this exercise, review the “Summarize” section of the chapter. Notice what makes a good summary and how the authors suggest teachers formally teach summaries. You are a fifth-grade teachers working with your students on an American Civil War unit. Your grade-level team has selected Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address as a key text your student will study. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address to commemorate the battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War. Read the transcript of Lincoln’s speech below that was provided by the National Archives. https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=36&page=transcript “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow, this ground—The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here. It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us —that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
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After reading the Gettysburg Address two times with your students, you are confident that they understand the vocabulary. A colleague suggests that you increase students’ comprehension of the Address by using it to teach them to summarize (an objective in your upcoming literacy unit). Question: This question has two parts. First, consider the authors’ advice about formally teaching summaries. What is at least one advantage and one disadvantages of using the Gettysburg Address as a text to teach summary? Second, after creating your list of advantage(s) and disadvantage(s), decide if you will argue for or against using the Gettysburg Address to teach your fifth-grade students to summarize. Provide a rationale for your decision. [Q2 Model Response] Advantages of using the Gettysburg Address to teach summarizing to fifthgrade students The text is relatively short. The Civil War unit can provide a context that will make understanding the Gettysburg Address easier.
The topic of the text is relatively easy to identify.
Disadvantages of using the Gettysburg Address to teach summarizing to fifth-grade students The language is difficult and in a register that students won’t find familiar—it’s not an easy kind of text. Figuring out the message of the text is difficult because of the old language and how the sentences are constructed. “We can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground” is an example of the difficult language. The repeated ideas are hard to identify for children. There are several ideas here that can make summarizing difficult. For example, ideas of liberty and freedom are important but get dwarfed by the government of the people phrase.
Our decision: We would not use the Gettysburg Address as a text for teaching summarizing to fifth-grade students. While the text is short, it is a difficult text. Learning to summarize is hard enough without introducing such a complicated text. However, if our students are experienced summarizers, we would work with them to create a summary statement of the Gettysburg Address or we might ask them to practice their summarizing skills by seeing if they can summarize it. The important thing to remember is to match the difficulty of the text with the skill of your students (make sure there is just enough challenge). Frustrated students are unlikely to see the power of summarizing and might start avoiding it. Also, we would use the Gettysburg Address for a Socratic Seminar with fifth-grade students. But, that is a different decision. 14 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Application Exercise 11.3: Preparing for and Facilitating Seminar Discussions Learning Outcome 11.3: Understand the role of interpretive discussion in improving comprehension, and plan for engaging students in interpretive discussions of complex texts. [Q1] When you want to engage students with a complex text, there are few things more powerful than a great question. Review the “Ask an Interpretive, Genuine Question” section of the text, paying particular attention to what makes a question interpretive. The text notes that a good interpretive question can be answered more than one way with evidence from the text. This exercise requires you to be familiar with the story of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Below is a brief retelling of the story. Even if you know the story, you should revisit this retelling as there are many different versions of the “Jack and the Beanstalk” tale.
The story takes place in the distant past before there were computers or cars. It happened “once upon a time.” Jack’s father has died and he lives alone with his mother. They are very poor. Their only asset is a cow that no longer gives milk. Jack agrees to sell the cow and heads off to the market. On the way to the market, Jack meets a man who knows his name and convinces Jack to exchange the cow for five magical beans. When he returns home with the beans, Jack’s mother calls him a fool and tosses the beans out of the window, sending Jack to bed without dinner. Overnight a huge beanstalk grows. Jack wakes up and climbs the stalk into the sky where he finds a road leading him to an ogre’s house. Jack meets the ogre’s wife who gives him breakfast before the ogre appears and smells Jack. The woman helps Jack escape but he steals 2 bags of gold on his way out. Jack returns and a similar scene happens. This time Jack steals a hen that lays golden eggs on demand before he escapes a second time. Jack returns a third time and steals a golden harp. The harp alerts the ogre that it is being stolen and a chase ensues. Jack escapes down the beanstalk with the ogre in pursuit. Jack chops down the beanstalk and the ogre falls and dies. Jack and his mother become rich from showing the harp and selling the eggs. They live happily ever after.
The authors offer the question, “Why did Jack go up the beanstalk a third time?” Using this question successfully in a seminar requires that you, the teacher, have thought about the possible answers to the question.
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Question: Identify at least two answers to the question, “Why did Jack go up the beanstalk a third time?” that can be supported by the story. With each answer, give at least one piece of evidence from the text that could support the interpretation. [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your responses to ours, look to see if the evidence you identified is supported throughout the story rather than being located in a single word or phrase. Answer One: Jack had a strong belief in his own invincibility. Evidence: Everything works out for Jack, but he hasn’t faced the reality that things can go wrong. He takes a chance on the beans and they grow. He escapes the ogre not once, but twice. He goes up a third time because he thinks he is invincible. Answer Two: Jack is basically dishonest—a bit of sociopath—who enjoys taking advantage of others (we wouldn’t expect students to come up with these words, but they might see this idea). Evidence: Jack is always looking for ways to take advantage of others. In his encounter with the man, he takes the beans because he sees the value of the beans and believes he is taking advantage of the man by selling him a dried up cow. Jack takes advantage of the woman’s generosity by stealing from her twice. Jack loves the thrill of almost getting caught. Life with an endless supply of golden eggs isn’t enough. Answer Three: Jack is motivated by a justifiable fear of being poor—of going hungry. Evidence: Jack returns after having stolen the bags of gold because he has known poverty and he knows that the gold will eventually run out. Jack returns even after he has the hen who lays the golden eggs because hens can stop laying at any time, much like cows can go dry. Jack fears poverty and wants to support his mother. [Q2] When you want to engage students in a seminar using a complex text, skillful teacher facilitation is critical. Review the “Introducing the Socratic Seminar” section of the text, paying particular attention to the “Make Facilitation ‘Moves’” segment. This exercise is easier if you are familiar with the story of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Below is a brief retelling of the story. Even if you know the story, you should revisit this retelling as there are many different versions of the “Jack and the Beanstalk tale.”
The story takes place in the distant past before there were computers or cars. It happened “once upon a time.”
Jack’s father has died and he lives alone with his mother. They are very poor. Their only asset is a cow that no longer gives milk. Jack agrees to sell the cow and heads off to the market.
On the way to the market, Jack meets a man who knows his name and convinces Jack to exchange the cow for five magical beans.
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When he returns home with the beans, Jack’s mother calls him a fool and tosses the beans out of the window, sending Jack to bed without dinner.
Overnight a huge beanstalk grows. Jack wakes up and climbs the stalk into the sky where he finds a road leading him to an ogre’s house.
Jack meets the ogre’s wife who gives him breakfast before the ogre appears and smells Jack.
The woman helps Jack escape but he steals 2 bags of gold on his way out.
Jack returns and a similar scene happens. This time Jack steals a hen that lays golden eggs on demand before he escapes a second time.
Jack returns a third time, steals a golden harp. The harp alerts the ogre that it is being stolen and a chase ensues.
Jack escapes down the beanstalk with the ogre in pursuit. Jack chops down the beanstalk and the ogre falls and dies.
Jack and his mother become rich from showing the harp and selling the eggs. They live happily ever after.
The authors offer the question, “Why did Jack go up the beanstalk a third time?” This question is interpretative because there are several possible answers, depending on how the reader interprets the evidence. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher facilitating a seminar using the “Jack in the Beanstalk” story. Question: For each student response given below, identify the follow-up question you would ask to help encourage a robust discussion. Include a brief rationale for why you chose to respond the way you did. Student One’s response: “Jack is greedy.” Student Two’s response: “It says that not much time had passed before Jack went up the beanstalk a third time. I think that shows that Jack was bored.” Student Three’s response: “I disagree with what Juan says. I think Jack knew what he was doing was wrong.” [Q2 Model Responses] There are many ways to respond to student contributions (and remember that responses are not always necessary to keep the discussion going). As you compare your responses to ours, consider the extent to which your responses help develop discussion skills and encourage talk without suggesting that some students’ ideas are better than others. Your reason for selecting a particular response is more important than the response you selected. Student One—“Jack is Greedy.” 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Teacher response: “How do you know that Jack is greedy? Where does it tell you that in the story?” Rationale: A key skill in seminar is the use of evidence, and Student One does not present evidence for this claim. We ask students to verify their claims whether we agree with them or not. Further, when the student tells us where they got the idea that Jack is greedy, other students are more likely to understand the claim and will be better able to respond. Student Two (“I say that not much time had passed…”). Teacher response: “Nice use of evidence, Student Two. What do others think? Does a short time between stealing the hen and going back up the beanstalk suggest to you that Jack was bored? Are there other explanations?” Rationale: We begin by praising Student Two’s use of evidence because this student has used evidence without being prompted. We want all our students to do this. We invited others to comment because focusing on the amount of time that passed is evidence that can be interpreted more than one way. Inviting other ideas and opinions is likely to expand the conversation—to open up the options available for students to consider. Student Three (“I disagree with what Juan says…”). Teacher Response: “What do you mean when you say that Jack knew that what he was doing was wrong?” Rationale: We are inwardly delighted that Student Three mentioned that he disagrees with Juan. We’ve been teaching students to reference other’s opinions when voicing their own. But here, we ask Student Three to clarify their claim because we aren’t sure what the student means. Once we (and the class) understand this claim, we would ask for the evidence in the text that supports it.
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Chapter 11 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE ONE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. Which of the following best represents the relationship between literacy and social studies? a) Students must learn to read in order to acquire knowledge. b) Students need the social studies as a place to use and practice literacy skills. c) Literacy skills are essential when learning social studies curriculum. d) All of the above e) B and C 2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of literacy apprenticeships? a) Learners enter into a new task “on their own.” b) Learners are coached by a more capable person. c) Practice occurs as learners accomplish all or part of a task with assistance. d) Coaching decreases as the learner’s capability increases. 3. Which of the following do the authors argue is heavily dependent on the school curriculum? a) Practical literacy b) Informational literacy c) Pleasure from literary experience d) None of the above 4. How should the special reading skills unique to the social studies be taught? a) In relation to the subject matter under study b) Exclusive of content c) Through individualized instruction d) None of the above 5. Why are graphic organizers, such as the data-organization chart emphasized throughout the text, and foldables, semantic maps, etc., especially helpful to E Ls? a) ELs’ learning style is not linguistic. b) Some especially fortunate E Ls are working on their third or fourth language. c) Imagery can capture and simplify a bunch of confusing words. d) ELs tend to be drawers rather than writers. 6. Why should parts of a textbook (text organization) be taught? a) So students can better comprehend what they are reading b) So students can write a textbook themselves 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c) A literate person must know them. d) This is a good way to teach spelling and grammar. 7. Which of the following in NOT an example of text structure? a) Chronological b) Table of contents c) Comparison d) Problem/Solution 8. Which of the following is NOT something a teacher can do to enhance what a student brings to a reading situation? a) Increasing a child’s intellectual aptitude b) Capitalizing on the knowledge and cultural experience children bring to the reading situation c) Building the child’s knowledge of important components of the reading process d) Establishing clear purposes for reading tasks 9. Which of the following best represents the authors’ stance on teaching vocabulary? a) Vocabulary lists should be exhaustive. b) Vocabulary should be addressed as problems arise. c) Vocabulary development should happen in short, fun spurts. d) Vocabulary learning is serious business. 10. Which of the following represents one literacy purpose of Socratic Seminars? a) Learning to read texts that would otherwise be too dull b) Learning to talk without raising hands c) Learning to cite specific textual evidence to support conclusions d) Learning to talk to the teacher about important issues 11. What do the authors call the practice of reading or writing in order to complete a task? a) Formative Assessment b) Informational Literacy c) Literary Experience d) Practical Literacy 12. Which of the following is NOT listed as a social studies reading skill? a) Reading flexibly b) Interpreting data and symbols on maps, charts, etc. c) Talking with classmates about possible meanings d) None of the above 20 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
13. Which type of text structure is often represented by a timeline? a) Chronology b) Comparison c) Problem/Solution d) Cause/Effect 14. “Cold War” is an example of what kind of term? a) Technical term b) Figurative term c) Term particular to a locality d) Term with multiple meanings 15. How do the authors describe the skill of reading flexibly? a) Reading imaginatively b) Previewing c) Varying speed and skills d) Visualizing what is being read 16. What do the authors identify as a critical attribute of an interpretive question? a) The answer can’t be found in the text. b) Students are likely to find it interesting. c) The answer can be found in the text. d) The text supports more than one answer. 17. What is one warning the authors give about providing a single viewpoint? a) Students are less likely to see biases or omissions . b) Students are limited by our own perspective. c) A single text can’t provide rich contextual detail. d) Events impact people differently. 18. Why do the authors argue that teaching about multiple viewpoints is important for a democratic society? a) Achieving liberty and justice for all requires seeing other perspectives. b) Accepting the results of an election requires understanding that well-informed people can disagree. c) The ability to see other perspectives develops as students grow older. d) Defensible conclusions are easier when many perspectives are examined. 19. What is a key strategy the authors suggest for teaching summarizing? a) Have students read a lot of summaries. b) Engage students in summarizing the U.S. Constitution. 21 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c) Preview and skim informational texts. d) Build summarizing into nearly every lesson. 20. What is one important function of a semantic map? a) Semantic maps keeps a key concept in the center. b) Semantic maps help activate students’ prior knowledge. c) Semantic maps identify major categories related to the theme. d) Semantic maps are useful for brainstorming.
II.
SEMANTIC MAP Choose a social studies topic (immigration; rivers of the world; Mexico) and sketch a semantic map that displays your present knowledge of this topic. Then make additions to this map that will indicate the ways you would like your knowledge of this topic to grow in depth and breadth.
III.
SHORT ANSWER What reading skills are particularly essential to social studies learning? Select two, explain why they are essential, and describe at least one method you would use to help students develop the skill.
IV.
EXTENDED RESPONSE You have agreed to give a one hour workshop on using trade books in the elementary social studies program at the state social studies conference. Your presentation is supposed to address three main questions: What are trade books? What are the various rationales for using them? What are some specific ways to use them effectively in social studies? Develop a draft outline for your presentation.
V.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics found in Chapter 3 to assess your participation. In a middle school there is a controversy about who is responsible for teaching children to read. Some teachers believe that teaching reading should be primarily the responsibility of the language arts teachers. Other teachers think that teaching reading is the responsibility of all teachers. Which teachers should be responsible for teaching reading?
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Chapter 11 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 11 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. E 2. A 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. B 8. A 9. B 10. C 11. D 12. D 13. A 14. B 15. C 16. C 17. A 18. A 19. D 20. B
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Table of Contents Chapter 12: Social Studies as the Integrating Core Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
9
Test Items
16
Test Answer Key
21
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Chapter 12: Social Studies as the Integrating Core Chapter 12 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 12.1 Explain the benefits and pitfalls of curricular integration, and evaluate integrated units based on how well the units promote understanding and avoid typical pitfalls. [Q1] What is the greatest pitfall of curriculum integration according to the text? 1. To treat curriculum integration as a goal (correct) 2. To think of curriculum integration as a tool 3. To use curriculum integration as a teaching strategy 4. To use social studies as the only means of curriculum integration [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Yes. Curriculum integration is a strategy teachers use to accomplish instructional goals. Curriculum integration should serve teachers and students, not dictate to teachers what is best for their students. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Curriculum integration should be a tool. This is not a pitfall. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Curriculum integration is a teaching strategy. This is not a pitfall. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Social studies is one means of curriculum integration. However, this is not the greatest pitfall according to the text. [Q2] What is a generalization? 1. A general idea with limited scope 2. A statement that meaningfully links two or more concepts (correct) 3. A new idea that arises out of cooperative group work 4. A concept [Response to Answer Choice 1] A generalization is often broad in scope. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Generalizations combine two or more concepts—generalizations help us understand how the concepts are related. An example used in the text is, “the family is the fundamental social environment in most cultures and the source of the most basic socialization.” Note this generalization links the concepts of “family,” “social 1 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
environment,” and “socialization” together. The generalization does not simply define the concept “family.” [Response to Answer Choice 3] Generalizations are often new to students. However, they are generally well established for people who know the discipline well. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Generalizations include concepts, but are not synonymous with concepts. [Q3] What is the role of scholarly disciplines in an integrated unit? 1. The disciplines mix in a way that creates a third way of looking at the problem. 2. The material is presented in a way that allows students to study a topic without
thinking about disciplines. 3. An integrated unit allows students to do a little bit of lots of disciplines (e.g., a little reading, a little math, a little history). 4. Each discipline informs the study with a specific set of ideas and methods of inquiry. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Disciplines bring different methods and perspectives on a problem. They don’t by themselves create a third way of looking at a problem. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Disciplines are important ways to study topics. Teachers do not hide them. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Integrated units are much more than a little bit of this and a little bit of that. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Teachers do not hide disciplines from students in an integrated unit. Rather, the disciplines are identified and teachers and students draw upon the ideas and methods of each discipline throughout the study. [Q4] Which of the following is an example of curriculum integration that places social studies as “curricular center of gravity?” 1. A unit on explorers where students calculate the distances traveled 2. A journaling unit featuring journals of famous Americans (correct) 3. A unit on how animals adapt to their environment 4. A unit on the branches of government [Response to Answer Choice 1] Asking students to engage in math while doing social studies is integration. But, this is integration focused on a social studies theme or concept. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] This approach makes social studies the “curricular center of gravity” because famous Americans is the subject around which the teaching of journaling revolves. [Response to Answer Choice 3] This unit is an example of integration between biology and social studies centered on common generalizations. Social studies is not the curricular center here. [Response to Answer Choice 4] A unit of the three branches of government deals almost exclusively with social studies content. It is not integration in the sense the authors are using the term in this chapter. Learning Outcome 12.2 Understand the purpose and processes of integrated units, and use this knowledge to design effective units. [Q1] The text provides a detailed example and rationale for students creating an original biography. Which of the following is a key reason the authors give for engaging students in creating biographies? 1. Biographies help to limit their historical confusion through concentrating on only one figure. 2. Creating biographies help students learn about what a biography is. 3. Creating biographies help students read, write, and discuss their way to an in-depth understanding of a historical figure. (correct) 4. Creating biographies help students to have the experience of going through the writing process using social studies content.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Concentrating on a single figure can deepen students’ historical knowledge but historical confusion is not a reason the authors give. [Response to Answer Choice 2] There is no better way to understand what a biography is than creating one. However, that isn’t a key reason the authors give. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Many of the answers given here are benefits of creating biographies. However, key is the fact that cooperative biographies are designed to integrate literacy (reading, writing, and talk) and understanding the life and times of a historical figure. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Creating biographies can help students experience the writing process. However, that isn’t the key reason the authors give for engaging students in this activity.
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[Q2] Which of the following is not a criterion in the selection of subjects for children’s biographies? 1. The person chosen brings students in contact with powerful ideas of the social studies disciplines. 2. Students should have some understanding of the subject’s life prior to beginning the biography. (correct) 3. There is likelihood the children will be captivated by the subject’s life. 4. Materials should be readily available. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Bringing students in contact with powerful ideas is an important criterion for selecting a subject. The question asks you to identify a criterion the authors do not give. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Students might have some familiarity with the subject’s life before the study begins. However, that is not a criterion for selecting the subject. If the study brings students into contact with powerful social studies ideas, has a life likely to captivate students, and there are readily available materials about the subject, the extent to which the students are familiar with the subject matters little. [Response to Answer Choice 3] The likelihood that children will be captivated by the subject’s life is an important criterion for selecting a subject. The question asks you to identify a criterion the authors do not give. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The unit is unlikely to be successful if there are not sufficient materials for students to use. This is an important criterion for selecting a subject. The question asks you to identify a criterion the authors do not give. [Q3] Which of the following do the authors suggest should be infused into original biography writing? 1. Stories with new ideas 2. Broad social understandings into writing 3. Generalizations into subject matter 4. Literacy instruction and practice into social studies curriculum (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Ideas in biographies are often new to young students. That is not that new ideas be infused into original biography writing. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Biographies are focused on individuals and don’t need to infuse broad social understandings into writing. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Biographies don’t typically engage with generalizations the way other curricular integration does. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Original biographies are a way of bringing literacy teaching and practice into the social studies. Reading and writing are essential tools students need to accomplish their social studies goals. [Q4] Which of the following is an example of a fusion unit? 1. Students create an accordion book (art) on a division of labor they decide to study (economics). 2. Use mathematics to understand how flat maps distort the size of landmasses (geography). 3. Students consider their community’s response to climate change (science and civics). (correct) 4. Include photos of dance and fine arts when talking about a county in the news (civics and the arts).
[Response to Answer Choice 1] This example does not fuse together two disciplines. [Response to Answer Choice 2] This example does not fuse together two disciplines. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Nice job! Key here is the way that two or more disciplines are fused together as equals —one discipline does not support the other. When discussing how a community should respond to climate change, students need to be familiar with both science and civics in equal measure. Science informs the recommendations and civics helps students consider the organization of their community and the role of citizen action. [Response to Answer Choice 4] This example does not fuse together two disciplines. Learning Outcome 12.3 Compare and contrast supportive and fusion curriculum integration, and give examples of each. [Q1] What is the supportive approach to curriculum integration? 1. Many disciplines are infused together to create one course of study.
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2. Aspects of one subject are infused into another to enhance the learner’s grasp of the second. (correct) 3. Two disciplines are infused together to create a new discipline. 4. Two or more subjects are joined together for the purposes of instructional planning and assessment. [Response to Answer Choice 1] This is an example of curriculum infusion, not the supportive approach to curriculum integration. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] In the supportive approach, one subject supports the other rather than the two disciplines being used in equal measure. An example is including music in a study of South American countries to better understand the unique history and culture of the area. [Response to Answer Choice 3] This is not an example of the supportive approach to curriculum integration. [Response to Answer Choice 4] This is not a clear example of the supportive approach because of the way the subjects are joined together. [Q2] Which of the following is not a feature of the supportive approach to curriculum integration? 1. Teachers require less time to do their instructional planning. (correct) 2. Skills are used to achieve valued content goals. 3. Skills are strengthened by being engaged with content. 4. The goals of one subject area are achieved thanks to material borrowed from another subject area.
[Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Instructional planning time is unlikely to be less when using the supportive approach. Supportive units are used because they enhance student learning, not because they save the teacher planning time. [Response to Answer Choice 2] The authors note that skills are used to achieve valued content goals in a supportive approach. The question asks you to identify a choice that is not a feature of curriculum integration.
[Response to Answer Choice 3] 6 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The authors note that skills are strengthened by being engaged with content in a supportive approach. The question asks you to identify a choice that is not a feature of curriculum integration. [Response to Answer Choice 4] The authors note that the goals of one subject area are achieved thanks to material borrowed from another subject area in a supportive approach. The question asks you to identify a choice that is not a feature of curriculum integration. [Q3] What is the fusion approach to curriculum integration? 1. Two or more subject matters are synthesized in way that a new, unified idea is
formed 2. One course of study is created through instructional strategies 3. The creation of generalizations for students to learn 4. Two or more subject matters are joined together so that each is studied in depth (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Fusion does not necessarily result in a new idea. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Instructional strategies are used. But, this does not define a fusion approach. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A fusion approach is more that the creation of generalization for students to learn. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] In the fusion approach to curriculum integration, two or more disciplines are fused together. Each discipline is studies in relation to a unifying generalization. [Q4] What do the authors identify as the objective of the fusion approach to curriculum integration? 1. To give students experiences with generalizations 2. To combine two or more subject areas so students are able to create their own curricular connections 3. To provide students with more time to work on specific skills 4. To help students create big ideas that cannot be created without joining two or more subject areas (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] There are a variety of ways to give students experiences with generalizations. This is not the objective of the fusion approach. [Response to Answer Choice 2] 7 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Curricular connections are not the objective of the fusion approach that the authors identify. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Students might gain more time to work on specific skills. This is not, however, the objective of a fusion approach that the authors identify. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] When the generalization includes ideas from more than one discipline, it is often best to fuse those disciplines in to a single study to help students understand these big ideas.
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Chapter 12 Application Exercises Chapter 12: Social Studies as the Integrating Core Application Exercise 12.1: The role of questions in an integrated inquiry unit. Learning Outcome 12.2: Understand the purpose and processes of integrated units, and use this knowledge to design effective units. [Q1] This activity requires a familiarity with Lesson Plan 16. This lesson plan is a lesson sequence with five separate lessons outlined. Reread the two paragraphs preceding Lesson Plan 16 as well as the lesson itself as if you are preparing to teach it. Here we list the questions and their progression: Compelling question: How do people and pollinators depend on each other? Supporting question: What do pollinators do for people? Day one: Staging the question, What do pollinator do for us? What should we do for pollinators? Day two: What is pollination? Why do plants need pollinators? Day three: Why do pollinators need plants? Days four and five: What do pollinators do for people? Teaching this lesson sequence well requires that you (the teacher) understand where the lessons are headed and why they have been placed together as they have. If the sequence does not make sense to you, it won’t make sense to your students. Questions: 1. What is the relationship between the compelling question and the supporting question? 2. Day one seems to move beyond the supporting question for this lesson sequence. Why? How does moving beyond the lesson sequence serve the larger unit? [Q1 Model Response] 1. The compelling question examines the interdependent relationships between people and pollinators. The supporting question looks at the first part of that interdependent formula—what pollinators do for people. It answers the first part of the compelling question. Later supporting questions address the other part of the compelling question. 2. As we note in the lesson plan, the purpose of the first day’s lesson is to assess what students know about people and pollinators and to generate students’ interest in the unit. The first day is designed to help the teacher and the students notice how much 9 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
there is to learn. We aren’t concerned with getting ahead of ourselves because we will return to these questions as the unit progresses. [Q2] This activity requires a familiarity with Lesson Plan 16. This lesson plan is a lesson sequence with five separate lessons outlined. Reread the two paragraphs preceding Lesson Plan 16 as well as the lesson itself and be sure you understand what the lessons seek to accomplish. Here we list the questions and their progression: Compelling question: How do people and pollinators depend on each other? Supporting question: What do pollinators do for people? Day one: Staging the question, What do pollinator do for us? What should we do for pollinators? Day two: What is pollination? Why do plants need pollinators? Day three: Why do pollinators need plants? Days four and five: What do pollinators do for people? Teaching this lesson sequence well requires that you (the teacher) understand where the lessons are headed and why they have been placed together as they have. If the sequence does not make sense to you, it won’t make sense to your students. Questions: Answer the following two questions to help you better understand what you will be teaching. 1. What do students need to know to answer the supporting question? 2. What is the relationship between the questions on days two and beyond? In other words, how do the four questions work together to build students’ understanding and help them answer the supporting question? [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your answers to ours, consider the extent to which you recognized the way the sequence builds toward the larger understanding of what pollinators do for people. 1. Answering the supporting question (What do pollinators do for people?) has multiple parts. It involves what some would call a syllogism: A. plants need pollinators, and B. people need plants, C. therefore people need pollinators. Students need to know each part of the formula above. If one part is missing, they won’t be able to understand the connections. For example, it’s a big leap to say 10 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
plants need pollinators (A) therefore people need pollinators (C). All three parts are important. 2. The question on day two addresses on part A of the syllogism above—helping students understand why plants need pollinators. To understand this, students need to know what pollination is and how it works. The question on day three (Why do pollinators need plants?) addresses part B of the formula. With the first two ideas in mind, students can more readily grasp the connection between pollinators and people (the question for days 4 and 5). People don’t need pollinators directly; we need pollinators because we rely on plants to live. Application Exercise 12.2: Choosing and using sources in a unit. Learning Outcome 12.2: Understand the purpose and processes of integrated units, and use this knowledge to design effective units. [Q1] This activity requires a familiarity with Lesson Plan 17. This lesson plan is a lesson sequence with three separate lessons outlined. Reread the two paragraphs preceding Lesson Plan 17 as well as the lesson itself as if you are preparing to teach it. As you examine the lessons, start with Day One. As you examine the sources and the lesson development, you’ll notice that the first two sources clearly answer the first question (“What animals are considered pollinators”). The second question (“How are pollinators doing in North America”) is harder to answer using the last two sources. The suggested lesson sequence reflects the differing clarity of the sources. For example, little time is spent helping students navigate the first source (it’s very clear), but the teacher takes charge and walks students through the final source (where clarity is an issue). Use this model to consider how you might use the sources listed for days two and three. Log on to the San Diego Zoo’s website website https://stories.sandiegozoo.org/zoonooz/a-pollinator-problem/ This website serves as the source for habitat destruction, pesticides, and disease as answers to the question, “Why are pollinators struggling?” Questions: Critique this source in each of the three areas (habitat destruction, pesticides, and disease). To what extent does the source directly and completely support students in understanding each of the three explanations? Is this source sufficient to help students understand and explain the cause? Can students be expected to create their committee reports without additional support? Will you, as the teacher, need to seek and provide additional source material? [Q1 Model Response] Our critique: 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The San Diego Zoo source has clear headings that mirror each of the three areas. The writing is not overly difficult, but some of the language can be technical and difficult for students to access. We think the pesticides section does the best job of explaining the impact of pesticides on pollinators. In this section, younger students might still need help making sense of the vocabulary and of the argument. The habitat section does a nice job of talking about both bees and butterflies and we think there is enough information for students to understand the general nature of the problem. The disease section is short and so general that we worry that students will be left with little more than an introduction to the problem. This section introduces the idea that disease is a problem, but the specific issues are listed rather than explained. Our suggestions: We think all student committees will need teacher support to complete their tasks. The level of support will vary depending on the age and skill level of the students. We would consider graphic organizers for older students. If students are younger, we might meet with each committee individually, read their section with them, and help them make sense of the material. We would use the San Diego Zoo site for the Disease committee. But, we would look to other sources for help with this section. The Penn State site, for example (referenced in day one), has more detailed information about disease, including a picture of a Varroa mite on an adult bee. [Q2] This activity requires a familiarity with Lesson Plan 17. This lesson plan is a lesson sequence with three separate lessons outlined. Reread the two paragraphs preceding Lesson Plan 17 as well as the lesson itself as if you are preparing to teach it. As you examine the lessons, start with Day One. While examining the sources and the lesson development, you’ll notice that the first two sources clearly answer the first question (“What animals are considered pollinators”). The second question, (“How are pollinators doing in North America”) is harder to answer using the last two sources. In both cases, the sources address the questions. You’ll notice there is focus on intellectual engagement rather than fun activities. This model should highlight for you the challenges of selecting and using the vast array of sources available for an integrated unit such as the Pollinators, Plants, and People unit here. Figure 12.5 features several additional resources you might use. As the teacher preparing to teach this unit, you have explored some of these sources and you’ve noticed curriculum materials on the Pollinator Partnership website. Among the materials 12 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
is a book created by the United States Department of Agriculture called, “Bee Pollen Popular.” https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator.org/assets/generalFiles/PollinatorActivityBook.pdf Access this resource using the link above or by searching “Bee Pollen Popular.” Review the materials. Questions: Is there anything in this packet that might serve as source material to address any of the questions in Lesson Plan 17? For any material rejected, briefly explain why you would not use it. For any material selected, include a brief rationale why you would use it, including how the source addresses the questions, “What animals are considered pollinators” and “How are pollinators doing in North America.” [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, consider the extent to which your answer focuses on the connection of the source to the questions rather than whether or not the activity would keep young students busy. In other words, were you able to separate learning from activity? This packet is typical of many curricular resources available to teachers on the web. There are many activities designed to keep young children busy (word searches, pages to color, etc.). We found surprisingly few parts of this source that might help students answer Lesson Plan 17’s questions. We do not consider the “Where Are the Pollinators” searches as sources worthy of student time. They keep students busy but do not answer a question. The information about pollen, bees, and hives is interesting, but also does not address our questions. And the hives and honey worksheet, complete with word search? We’d give this one a pass as it is unrelated to our questions. The list of pollinators would work well as a source to answer the Day One question, “What animals are considered pollinators?” This source is clear and accessible. And the “Disease that Makes Bees Disappear” section on the last page provides some information that is helpful to answer the questions about how pollinators are doing and why pollinators are experiencing difficulties. We would use this source because it addresses two of our questions. Application Exercise 12.3: Articulating the Relationships between Science and Social Studies Goals in a Fusion Unit. Learning Outcome 12.2: Understand the purpose and processes of integrated units, and use this knowledge to design effective units. [Q1] This activity requires a familiarity with Lesson Plan 18. This lesson plan is a lesson sequence with two separate lessons outlined. And each “day” of the lesson plan is likely to need more than one day to complete. Reread the two paragraphs preceding Lesson Plan 18 as well as the lesson itself. 13 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The authors make the claim that in Lesson Plan 18, science goals serve social studies and social studies goals give meaning to learning the science. Read the Standards, Objectives, Differentiated Instruction, Sources, and Lesson Development of Day One carefully with the authors’ claim in mind. Question: Write a brief description of how science and social studies are fused in Day One. Write a response outlining both 1) how science goals serve social studies goals and 2) how social studies goals give meaning to learning the science here. [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your responses to ours, focus on how clearly you articulate both science and social studies goals and how clearly you state the ways these two goals relate to each other in this fusion unit. 1. In Day One, students are situated as citizens facing the question, “What should we do?” Students are being asked to apply knowledge to making a good decision. In the words of Chapter 3, students are being asked to deliberate. In the words of the C3 Framework (cited in this lesson plan) students are learning to “compare the benefits and costs of individual choices,” and learn “the different strategies and approaches students and others could take in working alone and together.” In short, learning about the natural world (science goals) serves the goals of learning to consider public problems (social studies goals). Science goals of learning about the natural world and the interconnectedness of people and other living things serve the social studies goals of teaching students to make decisions about how we might solve public problems. Making good decisions requires considering the recommendations of experts who have carefully thought through the implications of various choices. 2. Asking students to make decisions based in the best information (a social studies goal) gives meaning to learning science here because the science contains what students need to know to understand the complexity of the problem and to avoid simplistic solutions. The more students grapple with the possible impacts of various solutions, the more valuable the science becomes. [Q2] This activity requires a familiarity with Lesson Plan 18. This lesson plan is a lesson sequence with two separate lessons outlined. And each “day” of the lesson plan is likely to need more than one day to complete. Reread the two paragraphs preceding Lesson Plan 18 as well as the lesson itself. The authors make the claim that in Lesson Plan 18, science goals serve social studies and social studies goals give meaning to learning the science. Read the Standards, Objectives, Sources, Lesson Development, and Assessment of Day Two carefully with the authors’ claim in mind. Question: Write a brief description of how science and social studies are fused in Day Two. Write a response outlining both 1) how science goals serve social studies goals and 2) how social studies goals give meaning to learning the science here. 14 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Q2 Model Response] 1. Day Two asks students to engage in making a Decisions Map of the various options they explore the day before. Students use this map to explore options before coming together to deliberate about what we might do as a community. This is social studies instruction that focuses on citizenship goals. For Day Two, the science becomes a resource that students draw upon to make their decisions. But, knowing the science is essential to completing the task. Thus, there is an important reason to learn the science. 2. Like Day One, Day Two gives meaning to learning the science by asking students to use the science to make an informed decision. Those who know the science are better positioned to make their point and persuade others of what we should do. And knowing the science helps us make decisions that are more likely to be effective at solving a difficult problem.
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Chapter 12 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. What best represents the authors’ stance toward curriculum integration? a) Integration is always the best approach. b) Integration has too many pitfalls to do regularly. c) Integration should be used in the service of achieving important learning goals. d) Integration inevitably trivializes learning. 2. How does a cooperative biography serve both literacy and social studies? a) Students read, write, and discuss their way into an in-depth understanding of a historical figure. b) Students are able to apply reading strategies to informational texts. c) Learning a great deal about a historical figure increases students’ knowledge about a time period. d) None of the above 3. Which of the following is NOT a criterion for selecting the subject of a cooperative biography? a) Studying the person brings students into contact with powerful ideas from the social studies. b) The students are likely to recognize the individual’s name. c) The students are likely to find the person’s life interesting. d) A wide variety of materials about the individual are easily available. 4. Why do the authors recommend that teachers ask students to compare different biographer’s work on the same subject? a) So students won’t plagiarize b) To gain multiple perspectives on the subject c) To avoid using primary sources d) To begin to understand bias 5. Why do the authors label the Pollinators, Plants, and People unit a “fusion” unit? a) The unit combines two subject areas together around a generalization. b) Students bring many sources together to understand a generalization. c) It expects children to use the textbook as a data source. d) The assessments are determined in advance. 6. Which of the following illustrates supportive integration? a) The Pollinators, Plants, and People unit described in the text 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
b) A teacher asks students to create a chart representing the data they have gathered c) Students reading both narrative and informational texts d) A teacher organizes reading instruction around a social studies theme 7. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the supportive approach to curriculum integration? a) Skills are used to achieve valued content goals. b) The goals of one subject area are achieved thanks to material borrowed from another subject area. c) Planning time is less because teachers plan for two subjects at the same time. d) Skills are strengthened by being engaged with content. 8. Why do the authors consider fusion integration to be more ambitious than supportive integration? a) The teacher must be an expert in two subject areas. b) Two subject areas must be combined to help students form a new, unified idea. c) Supportive integration can be done without much effort. d) None of the above 9. Which two subject areas are fused in the Pollinators, Plants, and People unit? a) Biology and civics b) History and biology c) History and political science d) Math and science 10. What is the most common pitfall of curriculum integration, according to the text? a) Teachers think of curriculum integration as a tool. b) Teachers treat curriculum integration as a goal. c) Teachers use integration as a teaching strategy. d) Teacher fail to teach social studies as an integrated subject. 11. Which of the following is the best example of curriculum integration around a generalization? a) A unit about deserts b) A unit on the Lewis and Clark expedition c) A unit on family as the fundamental social environment in most societies d) A unit on how simple machines work 12. What best describes a discipline? a) A rigorous approach to working through problems b) A body of knowledge designed to address and answer important questions 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c) An approach to knowledge that brings together multiple ways of knowing d) A willingness to do the right thing regardless of the consequences 13. What do the authors suggest is lost when teachers focus only on abolitionist heroes? a) Students end up learning only about prominent individuals. b) Students can be traumatized by the brutality of slavery. c) Students can assume that slavery no longer exists. d) Students can be left unprepared to confront the long history of American slavery. 14. What is the first step the authors suggest for introducing a cooperative biography? a) The teacher shares the objectives of the project. b) The teacher helps students create a semantic map. c) The teacher assess what students already know. d) The teacher helps students identify an audience for their biographies. 15. Why do the authors suggest that cooperative biographies include four or five key events? a) A minimum requirement is important to maintain rigor. b) Historians always make selections and set priorities. c) This provides consistency between groups. d) Students need structure. 16. Which of the following is an example of a compelling question? a) What do pollinators do for people? b) Why are pollinators in trouble? c) What can we do to help pollinators thrive? d) How do people and pollinators depend on one another for survival? 17. What do the authors contend is the main purpose of a good source? a) A good source directly addresses the question. b) A good source is accessible to students. c) A good source generates excitement. d) A good source has all the information the students need. 18. When is a fusion approach to curriculum design the best approach? a) When students need a reason to develop reading and writing skills b) When the concept being learned is important and powerful c) When learning a big idea requires two or more subject areas d) When the teacher needs a quick way to engage students in a unit of study
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II.
DATA-ORGANIZATION CHART Complete this data organization chart to compare and contrast the purposes and essential planning procedures of the supportive and fusion models of interdisciplinary curriculum. Two Interdisciplinary Curriculum Models Model
Purpose
Essential Planning Procedures
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
One subject supports another, for example, cooperative biography. Two subjects are fused, for example, Pollinators, Plants, and People Unit.
III.
SHORT ANSWER 1. Select two people from U.S. history and two from world history who would be good subjects for children’s biography writing. Then use the criteria described in the text to evaluate your selections. 2. What are the key similarities and differences between the fusion and supportive approaches to interdisciplinary curricula? Granted, the two overlap and the distinction is a slippery one; still, what is the basic difference?
IV.
EXTENDED RESPONSE Imagine that you are working with a team of elementary social studies teachers serving on a state committee to develop standards for integrated curriculum. As a first step in the process, your committee has been asked to write a checklist of at least five characteristics of exemplary integrated curricula and a rationale for each. Write a draft of the five characteristics, with rationales, to take to the first meeting of the committee.
V.
DISCUSSION Discuss the following issue with a group of your classmates. Then, use one of the rubrics in Chapter 3 to assess your participation in the discussion. 19 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What decisions and plans do people have to make to see to it that living things have what they need to survive and develop? (from Lesson Plan 18) Should children be taught that humans need to sacrifice more of their own comforts so that other living things can thrive?
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Chapter 12 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 12 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. C 2. A 3. B 4. D 5. A 6. D 7. C 8. B 9. A 10. B 11. C 12. B 13. D 14. C 15. B 16. D 17. A 18. C
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Table of Contents Chapter 13: Finding, Evaluating, and Using Great Resources Learning Outcome Quizzes
1
Application Exercises
8
Test Items
16
Test Answer Key
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Chapter 13: Finding, Evaluating, and Using Great Resources Chapter 13 Learning Outcome Quizzes Learning Outcome 13.1 Identify the school and community resources available to social studies teachers, and use those resources to create successful learning experiences for students. [Q1] What do teachers need to keep uppermost in their minds when selecting an instructional resource? 1. Student learning styles 2. The objectives to be achieved (correct) 3. Utilization of technology 4. Integration with other disciplines [Response to Answer Choice 1] Student learning styles is an idea that has very little support in the research literature. It should not be uppermost in teachers’ minds when selecting an instructional resource. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Instructional resources should serve the learning objectives of the teacher. The resource (whether it is digital or not) should not determine what students are learning. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Technology use is a consideration. However, it should not be uppermost in teachers’ minds when selecting an instructional resource. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Integration is a means toward an end. It should not be uppermost in teachers’ minds when selecting an instructional resource. [Q2] Which of the following is true about elementary textbook programs? 1. The textbook is the primary resource. 2. They are generally boring and should be avoided. 3. They stifle creativity. 4. They are a resource of resources. (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Textbook programs should be used to serve the teacher’s objectives. The textbook sometimes ends up being the primary resource. However, that isn’t ideal.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2] Textbook programs vary widely and can be engaging. Textbook programs should be used to serve the teacher’s objectives, not be avoided. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A good textbook program can inspire creativity and serve as a jumping off point for a busy teacher. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Textbook programs are often maligned. However, they are much more than textbooks. They contain a host of resources that teachers use to promote their students’ learning. [Q3] Teachers use community resources to bring some portion of the community into the classroom. What is another use of community resources advocated by the authors? 1. Solicit funds to help students experiencing financial difficulty 2. Take students on field trips or engage them in “fieldwork” (correct) 3. Provide a break from normal social studies instruction 4. Help students understand the world of work [Response to Answer Choice 1] Students should not be excluded from an experience because of financial difficulty. Soliciting funds from the community is not one of the uses of the community advocated by the authors. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Sometimes there is no substitute for an experience in “the field.” Students gain firsthand knowledge from seeking the answers to their questions through well-designed fieldwork. [Response to Answer Choice 3] While using community resources can add a variety, that is not how community resources are used. [Response to Answer Choice 4] There are many uses for the resources in the community beyond the world of work. [Q4] As a matter of principle, when is it advisable to take elementary students into the community? 1. The field trip is of little or no cost. 2. The field trip is an extension of previous field trips. 3. The field trip provides experiences that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. (correct) 4. The field trip challenges students physically. 2 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
[Response to Answer Choice 1] Cost is always a consideration. However, going into the community should not be done simply because it is cheap. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Extending a previous field trip can be a good learning experience. By itself, this is not a strong reason for traveling into the community. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Field trips are motivating and can be incredibly educational. Yet, limitations of time and money dictate that field trips should be done only if the experience cannot be brought in to the classroom. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Challenging student physically is generally not a sufficient reason for taking a field trip. Learning Outcome 13.2 Design effective experiences to help students understand and evaluate digital sources. [Q1] What is the term that describes the tendency to look for reasons to dismiss claims that conflict with our existing beliefs? 1. Media literacy 2. Sponsored content 3. Lateral reading 4. Confirmation bias (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Media literacy can help students check the tendency to dismiss some claims. Media literacy does not describe the tendency. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Sponsored content can play on people’s willingness to dismiss claims that conflict with their beliefs. However, it does not describe this phenomenon. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Lateral reading is one way of overcoming this tendency. However, it does not describe this phenomenon. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Yes! Confirmation bias describes the tendency to look to dismiss claims that conflict with our beliefs and to fail to scrutinize claims that confirm what we already think. [Q2] Why do the authors argue that students should be taught to watch out for sponsored content? 3 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. Websites might adjust their content to attract advertisers. 2. Websites’ facts can have a bias. 3. Opinions can be disguised as facts. 4. Organizations might be shaping content for their own purposes. (correct) [Response to Answer Choice 1] Websites often want to attract advertisers. This is not the reason the authors suggest teaching students to watch out for sponsored content. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Most sources have a bias, or a point of view. This is important, but not the idea behind sponsored content. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Students need to watch out for opinions disguised as facts. This is important, but not the idea behind sponsored content. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] Sponsored content is content designed to further the sponsors’ point of view. It can be used to deceive the reader. Students need to learn to be wary of it. [Q3] What is lateral reading? 1. Reading deeply within a source to determine if it can be trusted 2. Reading what other sources say about a source (correct) 3. Reading over time to understand how evidence is used in sources 4. Reading to find out who is behind a source [Response to Answer Choice 1] Reading deeply within a source is often called reading vertically. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Reading other sources to find out what they say about the source is lateral reading. [Response to Answer Choice 3] It is important to understand how evidence should be used in a source. This is not lateral reading. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Lateral reading can include efforts to find out who is behind a source. But, lateral reading is more than that. [Q4] Why do the authors argue that it is particularly important to help students read charts, graphs, and statistics critically? 4 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1. Students are more easily swayed by information presented in visual or statistical form. (correct) 2. Charts, graphs, and statistics add additional information to a text that needs to be examined. 3. Social studies books are extraordinary resources for teaching about charts, graphs, and statistics. 4. Modern media makes extensive use of charts, graphs, and statistics. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Students give particular credibility to visual and statistical sources. As a result, they can be easily manipulated if they do not get extra help learning to read these sources critically. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Charts, graphs, and statistics can reinforce information in the text and add information to a text. Using charts, graphs, and statistics well can add to a students’ comprehension. This is not why the authors suggest a critical approach to reading them. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Social studies books are extraordinary resources for teaching about charts, graphs, and statistics. That is not why students need help reading them critically. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It’s true that modern media makes extensive use of charts, graphs, and statistics. That isn’t the reason the authors give for teaching students to read them critically. Learning Outcome 13.3 Review digital resources, and carefully evaluate their instructional values. [Q1] According to the authors, what is the primary challenge facing the teacher when using digital technology in social studies lessons and units? 1. Adapting technology use to the ongoing instructional goals of the classroom (correct) 2. Allowing the technology to dictate the instructional goals of the classroom 3. Locating technology that students find highly interesting 4. Teaching the necessary technology skills. [Response to Answer Choice 1 (correct)] Digital technology is seductive and it can shape the classroom instruction in ways that take time away from the instructional goals of the teacher. Adapting the technology so that it supports the teacher’s instruction goals is the great challenge. [Response to Answer Choice 2] This is closely related to the primary challenge the authors indicate.
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[Response to Answer Choice 3] Highly interesting technology doesn’t tend to be a problem. [Response to Answer Choice 4] It is important to teach the necessary technology skills. This is not, however, the primary challenge technology presents to the teacher. [Q2] Why do the authors consider digital “presentations” to be a potential trap? 1. Creating presentations can eat up instructional time. 2. Creating presentations takes time away from assessment. 3. Presentation software can shift the emphasis away from answering important questions. (correct) 4. Presentation software can be expensive. [Response to Answer Choice 1] It’s true that creating presentations eats up instructional time. This is true whenever presentations are created and not a trap that is unique to digital presentations. [Response to Answer Choice 2] Presentations can be a form of assessment and therefore taking time away from assessment isn’t a big concern. [Response to Answer Choice 3 (correct)] Inquiry is all about answering important questions. If the emphasis is on sharp looking digital, students often sacrifice content for easy downloads that create an attractive presentation. [Response to Answer Choice 4] Presentation software can be expensive. This isn’t the trap the authors identify. [Q3] Which of the following is not a reason the authors give for using a good question when creating a digital search? 1. A good question helps reduce distractions. 2. A good question can focus search terms. 3. A good question makes it easier to identify relevant information. 4. A good question is a critical part of the inquiry process. (correct)
[Response to Answer Choice 1] A good question helps reduce distractions. The question asks you to identify a choice that is not a reason the authors give for using a good question when creating a digital search.
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[Response to Answer Choice 2] A good question can focus search terms. The question asks you to identify a choice that is not a reason the authors give for using a good question when creating a digital search. [Response to Answer Choice 3] A good question makes it easier to identify relevant information. The question asks you to identify a choice that is not a reason the authors give for using a good question when creating a digital search. [Response to Answer Choice 4 (correct)] A good question is a critical part of the inquiry process. However, this isn’t a reason the authors give for why good questions are helpful when creating a digital search. [Q4] Which of the following do the authors identify as the two broad aspects of digital citizenship? 1. Digital citizenship includes respecting copyrighted materials and avoiding unmoderated websites. 2. Digital citizenship includes respecting others and copyrighted materials. (correct) 3. Digital citizenship includes using lateral reading and understanding confirmation bias. 4. Digital citizenship includes respecting others and refusing to share untrustworthy sources. [Response to Answer Choice 1] Digital citizenship can suggest that students avoid unmoderated websites. This is not an aspect of digital citizenship that the authors identify. [Response to Answer Choice 2 (correct)] Digital citizenship includes respecting others and copyrighted materials. These are two broad but important aspects of digital citizenship. [Response to Answer Choice 3] Lateral reading and understanding confirmation bias can help students be better digital citizens. They are not broad aspects of digital citizenship. [Response to Answer Choice 4] As an extension of the authors’ broader outline, digital citizenship can include respecting others and refusing to share untrustworthy sources. But, these two are not the two broad aspects of digital citizenship the authors articulate.
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Chapter 13 Application Exercises Chapter 13: Finding, Evaluating, and Using Great Resources Application Exercise 13.1: Planning for Fieldwork. Learning Outcome 13.1: Identify the school and community resources available to social studies teachers, and use those resources to create successful learning experiences for students. [Q1] The textbook authors note that “on a field trip, students too often visit places… when doing fieldwork students study places.” For this exercise, review the “Field Trips” section of the text. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher. Your grade-level team has agreed to collaborate on teaching a unit called, “Our City’s Government.” Your plans include a visit from the city council member who represents the area around your school. Question: A member of your grade-level team emails everyone suggesting that a field trip to City Hall would be fun. It’s not a long walk and students would enjoy getting out of the classroom for this experience. As you prepare for your next grade-level meeting, list the educational benefits of a field trip to City Hall. Do you think this field trip is a good idea? Why or why not? [Q1 Model Response] As you compare your responses to ours, focus on how clearly you focused on educational goals and benefits. How does your support for the proposed field trip match your stated goals? 1. We identified the following educational benefits of a field trip to City Hall. a. Student interest—a visit to City Hall could help create interest in the topic. b. A visit gives students a chance to observe firsthand the workings of city government. c. Students can talk to city employees engaged in a wide range of city services. d. A visit can give important background for students’ research into the topic. 2. We think there are arguments on both sides of the visit to City Hall question. The school’s close proximity to City Hall means that we could visit quickly and inexpensively. We could also visit more than once during our unit. On the other hand, the close proximity could mean that city employees could visit the school easily, reducing the need for a field trip. We would take our students on this trip because we think the interest it would create, the vivid examples it could provide of city government that goes well 8 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
beyond elected officials, and the questions such a visit might generate could make this worth the time and energy. [Q2] The textbook authors note that “on a field trip, students too often visit places… when doing fieldwork students study places.” For this exercise, review the “Field Trips” section of the text. For the purpose of this exercise, you are a third-grade teacher. Your grade-level team has agreed to collaborate on teaching a unit called, “Our City’s Government.” Your plans include a visit from the city council member who represents the area around your school and, because the school is located within walking distance to City Hall, a field trip. At your grade-level team meeting, the topic is the timing of the field trip—when will you visit City Hall with your students? Question: List the advantages and disadvantages of going to City Hall: 1) at the beginning of the study; 2) in the middle of the study; 3) at the end of the study. [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your response to ours, notice the extent to which you envision students using their visit to learn about city government, rather than gain variety from the classroom. How well does your response reflect students engaging in studying, rather than just visiting, City Hall? 1. Beginning Advantages: The beginning of a study is an ideal time to engage in field work. Starting a study with a well-designed field trip helps create student interest in the topic. Visiting City Hall early on can help students formulate better questions for the study. An early visit can help establish contacts that students might contact during the unit to ask questions or seek resources. Beginning Disadvantages: Visiting a site at the beginning of the study can mean student have less background upon which they can draw to understand the visit. In short, students are less likely to know what they are looking for and it can be harder to make productive connections of the visit to the educational objectives. 2. Middle Advantages: The middle of a study is an ideal time to engage in field work. At this point, students have some background information they can draw upon. They have developed questions that need answering. They know more about what they want to know and they are better able to know when they find an answer. The middle of the study allows students to use what they learn as the study progresses—it provides rich background knowledge that will serve students well. Middle Disadvantages: At the middle of the study student might still be forming ideas and generating questions. They might not have the background necessary to fully appreciate what they are seeing. Students might become interested in questions they had not thought about before, leaving behind the work they’ve done to this point.
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3. End Advantages: The end of the study is an ideal time to engage in field work. Students come to City Hall armed with information and knowledge about how the city government works. They have some questions that they have not been able to answer. This give increased purpose to the visit and increased understanding of what they are seeing. A visit at the end of a unit helps students appreciate all they have learned and see reasons to keep learning. End Disadvantages: Waiting until the end of a study can mean that students encounter critical information that might have changed their thinking if they had known it earlier. Students might see less reason to engage with people at City Hall because they have completed their study. Application Exercise 13.2: Designing Experiences around Recognizing Sponsored Content. Learning Outcome 13.2: Design effective experiences to help students understand and evaluate digital sources. [Q1] Advertising to children has moved beyond television commercials. Digital sources such as YouTube have become sites of selling merchandise to children without seeming to do so. In this exercise, you are a second-grade teacher. You notice that your students are obsessed with products they have seen on Ryan’s Toy Review. After reviewing the “Teaching Media Literacy” section in the text, visit Ryan’s Toy Review on YouTube and, if you are unfamiliar with the site, watch parts of a video featuring a review of toys. Notice how the videos on the site seem to be fun, educational episodes aimed at entertaining children. After visiting Ryan’s Toy Review, engage in some lateral reading about this popular site. You might search with the question, “Who sponsors Ryan’s Toy Review?” Notice how this site makes money (lots of money)—how it contains sponsored content. Based on your investigations, you have decided to engage your students in learning about the risks of sponsored content using this site as an example. You decide to ask the compelling question: Should I trust Ryan’s reviews? Question: Create three kid-friendly supporting questions to help your students evaluate Ryan’s Toy Review (or another child influencer site of your choice). Remember, supporting questions often reflect the possible answers to the compelling question. It is usually best to start with three possible answers to the compelling question and then create supporting questions that help students explore those answers. [Q1 Model Response] We think there are at least three answers to the question, “Should I trust Ryan’s reviews?”
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Ryan’s parents (who make millions of dollars from this site each year) would like us to answer “yes!” Another possible answer would be, “it’s okay to enjoy the information of the site, as long as you’re aware that it is trying to sell things.” In other words, we can trust some of what we see on the site. The third answer we came up with is “this website is trying to manipulate us into buying things so we shouldn’t trust it.” Our three kid-friendly questions mirror these answers. As you compare your responses to ours, focus on the extent to which students will be able to understand the question and how well the question allows students to consider one of the answers. 1) Why are these videos so popular? This question allows students to investigate the fun nature of the videos and consider that they are free (and sometimes educational). What’s the harm? 2) How do Ryan’s parents decide what the videos will be about? This question allows students to explore sponsored content and how people make money from influencing others. It is designed to help students consider who is behind the content of the videos—why some toys are featured and others are not. 3) How does this site make kids want things they might not need? This question can engage students in thinking about the power of advertising when it is disguised as entertainment and how we are all susceptible to it. [Q2] Advertising to children has moved beyond television commercials. Digital sources such as YouTube have become sites of selling merchandise to children without seeming to do so. In this exercise, you are a second-grade teacher. You notice that your students are obsessed with products they have seen on Ryan’s Toy Review. After reviewing the “Teaching Media Literacy” section in the text, visit Ryan’s Toy Review on YouTube and, if you are unfamiliar with the site, watch parts of a video featuring a review of toys. Notice how the videos on the site seem to be fun, educational episodes aimed at entertaining children. After visiting Ryan’s Toy Review, engage in some lateral reading about this popular site. You might search with the question, “Who sponsors Ryan’s Toy Review?” Notice how this site makes money (lots of money)—how it contains sponsored content. Based on your investigations, you have decided to engage your students in learning about the risks of sponsored content using this site as an example. You decide to ask the compelling question: Should I trust Ryan’s reviews? You created supporting questions to help guide students as they consider if Ryan’s reviews can be trusted. Two supporting questions are: 1) “Why are these videos so popular?” This question explores the entertainment value of the videos and how that 11 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
value can cause students to trust the site. 2) How does this site make kids want things they might not need? This question is designed to help students understand about sponsored content and its use. Questions: 1) How will you use the site itself to help answer this question? 2) How will you help students identify the sponsored content on the site? [Q2 Model Response] As you compare your responses to ours, focus on the extent to which you created activities that directly addresses the two questions. Remember, you are working with second-grade students (seven- and eight-year-olds). 1) We would engage students in watching excerpts of these videos that feature both educational ideas and product placements. We would ask students to create lists of what they like about these videos or why they find them interesting. If students don’t like the videos, we would ask them to imagine they are someone who likes the videos. As that person, what would they say about these videos. In short, we would use the students as the focus group for why the site is appealing. 2) We would begin by introducing the idea that some sites engage in tricky advertising. That is, they play up certain products in situations where we don’t expect it. We would engage students in a game to spot the product as we view excerpts of some of the videos. As students spot a product, we stop the video and talk about how the product is portrayed, and why this product is featured and not others. Application Exercise 13.3: Designing Experiences for a Virtual Fieldtrip. Learning Outcome 13.3: Review digital resources, and carefully evaluate their instructional values. [Q1] The authors recommend that teachers consider virtual field trips as alternatives to actual field trips. Review the “Virtual Field Trips” section of the text. Notice that the authors recommend a beginning, middle, and ending approach to the field trip. It can also be helpful to review the section on fieldtrips that appears earlier in this chapter (including Issues and Challenges 13.1: Planning a Field Trip—especially suggestions 1, 4, and 6). You are a second-grade teacher teaching a unit called, “Symbols of our Country.” In the first phase of this inquiry, students used primary sources to explore the symbols found on U.S. coins. The second phase of this inquiry focuses on monuments as symbols of the United States. You discover that a virtual tour of the Statue of Liberty is available through the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/photosmultimedia/virtual-tours.htm). The tour allows students to visit the Statue and look around using 360° technology. Explore this website. Notice the buttons in the lower left-hand corner of the screen that allow you to visit the interior, exterior, and museum of the Statue. Learn to look around and to zoom in and out using your mouse. 12 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Statue is an important symbol of the United States. The Library of Congress website describes it this way: “The Statue of Liberty (its formal title is Liberty Enlightening the World) was a gift to the United States from the people of France. Dedicated in 1886, the statue shows Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. Located in New York Harbor, the statue holds a torch in one hand and a tablet representing the law in the other. The date of the Declaration of Independence is inscribed on the tablet. A broken chain sits at Libertas’s feet. The statue is an iconic symbol of freedom. Protestors around the world have used the image of the statue in their struggles for political freedom; a replica was erected in 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square” (https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/symbols-of-theunited-states/). Question: Is this a site you would use as a virtual fieldtrip with your second-grade students? Create a short advantages/disadvantages list to help you think through how you would answer this question. Remember to consider your answer as it relates to your learning objectives and relative to the age and abilities of your students. [Q1 Model Response] Compare your list of advantages and disadvantages to ours. What did you miss? What did we miss? Advantages of the Statue Site
Disadvantages of the Statue Site
The ability to see inside and outside of the Statue is likely to be interesting and motivating for students.
The symbols relevant to the Statue are difficult to see. The broken chain at Libertas’s feet is hidden by the pedestal. The tablet can be viewed only by knowing how to zoom in. Zooming and navigating the site could be difficult for some second graders who are less skilled at using a computer mouse. Important symbolic aspects of the Statue, specifically the plaque with the “huddled masses” poem, cannot be viewed.
The site allows visitors to visit a variety of spaces and to zoom in to see details The Statue is rich in features that have meaning—from the Roman goddess of freedom, to the tablet, to the torch. Some of these (like the torch and the face) can be viewed up close. The site allows students to notice that the Statue is on an island and a pedestal, not far from Ellis Island (where European immigrants entered the country for many years).
Students could easily get distracted exploring this site and miss what we hope they will learn.
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Based on our exploration of the Statue of Liberty site, we would use the site, but we would use it carefully. We think the site allows students to access enough symbolic features to make a visit worthwhile. We would work with students to help them navigate the site or we would project the site onto a screen so we could navigate with students looking on. We would seek out additional resources to help students access and interpret symbolic features such as the broken chain and the plaque with the Emma Lazarus’ The New Colossus poem (“…give me your tired, your poor…”). [Q2] The authors recommend that teachers consider virtual field trips as alternatives to actual field trips. Review the “Virtual Field Trips” section of the text. Notice that the authors recommend a beginning, middle, and ending approach to the field trip. It can also be helpful to review the section on fieldtrips that appears earlier in this chapter (including Issues and Challenges 13.1: Planning a Field Trip—especially suggestions 1, 4, and 6). You are a second-grade teacher teaching a unit called, “Symbols of our Country.” In the first phase of this inquiry, students used primary sources to explore the symbols found on U.S. coins. The second phase of this inquiry focuses on monuments as symbols of the United States. You discover that a virtual tour of the Statue of Liberty is available through the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/photosmultimedia/virtual-tours.htm). The tour allows students to visit the Statue and look around using 360° technology. Explore this website. Notice the buttons in the lower left-hand corner of the screen that allow you to visit the interior, exterior, and museum of the Statue. The Statue is an important symbol of the United States. The Library of Congress website describes it this way: “The Statue of Liberty (its formal title is Liberty Enlightening the World) was a gift to the United States from the people of France. Dedicated in 1886, the statue shows Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. Located in New York Harbor, the statue holds a torch in one hand and a tablet representing the law in the other. The date of the Declaration of Independence is inscribed on the tablet. A broken chain sits at Libertas’s feet. The statue is an iconic symbol of freedom. Protestors around the world have used the image of the statue in their struggles for political freedom; a replica was erected in 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square” (https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/symbols-of-theunited-states/). You decide that this site offers important educational possibilities to help you achieve your learning objectives. The authors note that it is important to set the purpose for the trip. You decide to use this virtual field trip 1) to motivate your students to think about what the Statue symbolizes and 2) as a way of generating interest in other monuments that serve as
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symbols of our country. After a brief introduction to help students understand how to navigate the site, you hand out laptops and set students free to wander Liberty Island. Question: What supports will you offer to further your instructional goals (discover what the Statue symbolizes and generate interest in other symbols)? In other words, what should students notice? What questions would you have them consider in an initial visit? [Q2 Model Response] From their work with coins, our students are familiar with the fact that artists use various features to symbolize ideas. Most of our students have heard of the Statue before. We want to help them draw on their prior knowledge and generate questions as they explore this site. Our worksheet is a K W L chart we references in suggestion 6 of Issues and Challenges 13.1. As students visit the site, they will be reminded of things they’ve heard about the Statue. They write these in the K (What do you already KNOW?) section. The W (What do you WANT to find out?) section encourages students to notice features of the Statue (it’s located on an island, it sits on a pedestal, it wears old-fashioned robes, it’s holding a book with writing on it); they can see the writing by zooming in from the Fort Wood Day location. Once students have noticed features like these, they are ready to wonder about what the features represent. The L (What did you LEARN?) is a place where students can notice what the tour has to teach them. It might even encourage them to read some of the messages!
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Chapter 13 Test Items I.
MULTIPLE CHOICE (CHOOSE THE BEST RESPONSE.)
1. Which of the following do students need to learn social studies? a) Non-fiction texts b) Access to technology. c) Multiple sources of information. d) Primary resources 2. Which of the following is NOT a reason the authors give for using a multimedia approach? a) Different media appeal to different learners. b) Mediums have different strengths and limitations. c) Computers are expensive and should be utilized. d) Different sources provide different perspectives on a subject. 3. Which of the following best describes the authors’ attitude toward social studies textbooks? a) Textbooks are often uninteresting. b) Textbooks include too much information to cover. c) Following the textbook recommendations is a good idea. d) Textbook programs bring a wealth of resources to the teacher. 4. When you investigate your social studies text for the first time, what should you do? a) Note what in the textbook might help you meet your state and district standards. b) Consider how you might combine your literacy and social studies goals. c) Map out what you think you can accomplish in social studies for the year . d) All of the above 5. What strategy do the authors suggest students and teachers use to become familiar with the school library (resource/multimedia center)? a) Orienteering b) Inquiry c) Concept formation d) Exploration 6. What distinguishes “fieldwork” from traditional ideas of the “fieldtrip?” a) Fieldwork is more intentionally focused on gathering information. b) Fieldtrips generally stay closer to the school. c) Fieldwork can happen in the classroom. 16 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
d) Fieldtrips are more fun. 7. When using technology in social studies lessons and units what is the teacher challenged to do? a) Adapt the use of the technology to the ongoing instructional goals of the classroom. b) Allow the technology to dictate the instructional goals of the classroom. c) Use only technology that students find highly interesting. d) Teach only technology skills. 8. Which of the following makes for more efficient Internet searching? a) A pre-approved list of good websites b) An excellent question you want to answer c) Unlimited time on the computer d) Printers connected to computer stations 9. What is the primary purpose for using presentation software? a) To motivate students b) To look good c) To understand how to use presentation software d) To present learning in clear and inviting ways 10. Which of the following is a part of digital citizenship? a) Respecting copyrighted materials b) Citing sources c) Respecting the rights of others when posting messages d) All of the above 11. Why do the authors argue that students should be taught to watch out for sponsored content? a) The site might be trying to attract advertisers. b) Opinions are likely to be biased. c) Content is often designed to promote a particular point of view. d) Opinions might be presented as facts. 12. Which of the following are students more likely to accept uncritically? a) Opinion pieces b) Visual and statistical information c) Primary sources d) Social media posts 13. What is lateral reading designed to accomplish? 17 Copyright © 2022, 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a) To help students identify their confirmation bias b) To thoroughly understand what a source is saying c) To uncover the bias of a source or a claim d) To understand how evidence is being used in a source 14. Which of the following best describes the authors’ belief about the relationship between teachers and textbooks? a) Teachers use the textbook’s resources to design rich inquiries. b) Teachers should avoid textbooks because they tend to create uninteresting lessons. c) Teachers should not ask students to read the textbook and answer the questions. d) Teachers should assemble their own rich resources in order to be better familiar with them. 15. Why do the authors suggest that students should be taught to consider the intentions of a source? a) Information intended to deceive is not as dangerous. b) Satire is supposed to be funny and not taken seriously. c) Dismissing all inaccurate information can create too much distrust. d) Bias exists within all of us. 16. Which of the following sources do the authors recommend for helping students consider the relationship between evidence and claims in visual representations? a) The Library of Congress b) Textbooks c) Social media posts d) Timelines 17. Which of the following were NOT included in the authors’ recommendations for avoiding plagiarism? a) Model good citation and attribution behaviors. b) Teach students the rules for using other’s ideas. c) Focus student efforts around questions they understand well. d) Notify parents of expectations around copyrighted materials. 18. When is technology use at its best? a) When it enhances student learning b) When students are motivated c) When it creates a sense of fun d) When it allows students to work at their own pace
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Chapter 13 Test Answer Key ANSWER KEY: Chapter 13 Test (Multiple Choice) 1. C 2. C 3. D 4. D 5. A 6. A 7. A 8. B 9. D 10. D 11. C 12. B 13. C 14. A 15. C 16. B 17. D 18. A
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