Social studies in elementary education / Walter C. Parker.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Orientation to Social Studies Education -- Social studies education: what and why? -- Knowing the children we teach -- The Social Studies Curriculum -- Democratic citizenship education -- History, geography, and the social sciences -- Powerful tools: maps, globes, charts, and graphics -- Current events and public issues -- Planning and Teaching Social Studies -- Assessing student learning -- Planning units, lessons, and activities -- Three great teaching strategies -- Four great resources -- Cooperative learning in social studies -- The literacy-social studies connection -- Social studies as the integrating core.

"The purpose of this book is to introduce new teachers to the world of social studies teaching and learning in elementary and middle schools. Geography, history, government and the other social sciences are delivered into the palm of the new teacher's hand along with a suite of tools for bringing social studies to life in the classroom. The book is organized into three sections-the first orients the reader to the mission of social studies education to the increasingly diverse children we teach, the second concentrates on the curriculum, and the third deals with instruction, how we plan and teach this curriculum. Three central themes continue to pervade the book-democratic citizenship, diversity, and the social sciences-to ultimately encourage teachers to excite their students about closing the gap between social realities and democratic ideals. An exceptionally strong chapter on multicultural issues (Chapter 2) helps future teachers truly understand the changing demographics of the American classroom."--Publisher's description.