Teaching Elementary Social Studies and Language Arts in the Inclusive Classroom

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Teaching Elementary Social Studies and Language
Arts in the Inclusive Classroom

• Edu 341

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A Scriptural Foundation

• The God who made the world and everything in
  it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not
  live in temples built by hands. . . From one man
  he made every nation of men, that they should
  inhabit the whole earth and he determined the
  times set for them and the exact places where
  they should live. God did this so that men would
  seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find
  him, though he is not far from each one of us.
  For in him we live and move and have our being .
  . .
• Acts 17 24, 25-28a

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Three essential questions

• What are the social studies?
• What are the language arts?
• How do these curricular areas relate to each
  other?

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A definition of Social Studies

• Social Studies is the study of human beings. The
  purpose of social studies in the elementary
  school curriculum is to introduce children to the
  world of people.
• Arthur Ellis, 1998

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How do the language arts fit in?

• Language is uniquely human and the key to all
  human activities. It is the vehicle through
  which the world can be understood and
  appreciated. Without language people are isolated
  and helpless.
• Gertrude Boyd, 1973

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Three Aspects of Social Studies

• Content What is learned?
• (information)
• Processes How do I learn it?
• (learning strategies)
• Values What really matters?
• (beliefs attitudes)

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A Definition from the NCSS

• Social studies is the integrated study of the
  social sciences and humanities to promote civic
  competence . . . The primary purpose of social
  studies is to help young people develop the
  ability to make informed and reasoned decisions .
  . .

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Another definitions of SS

• Social studies is the interdisciplinary
  integration of social science and humanities
  concepts for the purpose of practicing problem
  solving and decision making for developing
  citizenship skills on critical social issues.
• - Barth, 1993

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What kinds of decision making and problem solving
are needed?
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You decide whats right . . .
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What further insights are gained from the NY
state standards?

• Content
• Processes
• Values