K-4 Social Studies - Every Books a Social Studies Book

- 2015 Textbook Adoption

Agenda and Goals:• Social Studies Integration

• Every Book is a Social Studies Book

• Tips, Tools, Resources, and Lesson Starters

• Sharing with your campus teams

• K-4 Social Studies Textbook Adoption

• Process / Campus Leader Roles

• Time frame

• Top Three Publishers for consideration in PISD

• Questions

Elementary Social Studies ,-)

• There is so much to cover

• There is not enough time

• Didn’t you hear me – There’s not enough time

• Be creative

Why focus on integration?• K-4 Social Studies Initiative

• has now become K-12 Initiative

• TIME

• Greater Gains

• “Literary works provide students with a more complete grasp of a wider range of topics than do a traditional social studies text. Picture books offer young readers visual images that make social studies concepts more concrete. Literature-based accounts presented from multiple perspectives allow students to extend their understanding of the personalities and events that have shaped our world.”

Highlights from research include

• “… more and better children’s books have been published that address the themes in SS in a relevant meaningful manner.”

• “… benefits of using trade books include –

1) give children an insider’s view to the emotion of a human event

2) offer a more holistic view of events than a survey-type perspective often found in textbooks

3) offer a better balance between the facts of an event and human characteristics

4) provide students with a chance to relate to characters and make connections to current events of their own personal experiences.

5) trade book authors have more flexibility then textbook authors

6) formatting of the trade book allows for greater visualization and more natural cause and effect relationships

“Linking children’s literature with social studies in elementary curriculum”

Don’t let the Social Studies get lost….

Questions to ask yourself when considering a book to include:

• What SS TEKS does this align with and support?

• Will this allow the students to develop a meaningful understanding of the SS TEKS?

• Will this support or lend itself to authentic application of SS Skills?

• Will the students be able to explain the SS connection?

Thinking Thematically about Social Studies• TEKS Strands

• History

• Geography

• Economics

• Government

• Citizenship

• Culture

• Science, technology and society

• Social Studies Skills

• Consider the TEKS strands as “themes” and then consider how each book can (or can not) help students develop an understanding of the concepts related to each theme.

It is all about the TEKS –

1) SS Theme(s)

2) SS grade level content TEKS

3) SS Skills TEKS

4) Specifically how does THIS book support THAT TEKS?

5) Integration (Reading, Math, Science)?

For Example -

A few more examples -

Now it’s your turn - • In groups of 3-4, review three more books (we may have to share).

• Scan the books

• Think thematically first

• Decide on a grade level (or two) that you feel like the book best supports

• reference grade level snapshots

• What SS TEKS support your decision

• Possible activity / lesson using the trade book

• Be prepared to share out whole group

Every book TRUE / FALSE

• You will have time to read aloud a social studies related book every day

• Every TEKS has a matching book for explicitly teaching it

• If you really understand your TEKS, it’s easier to know how to choose books for read aloud that can foster social studies learning

• K-4 SS Scope and Sequence includes suggested trade books for some units

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Resources• Your School Library

• Every Book is Social Studies Book

• Children’s Book Council

• NCSS List – Notable Social Studies Trade books - http://www.socialstudies.org/notable

• Journal of Instructional Pedagogies: “Linking Children’s Literature” by, Gina M. Almerico (University of Tampa)

2015 Textbook Adoption

K-4 Textbook Adoption

• Process / Campus Leader Roles

• Time frame

• Top Three Publishers for consideration in PISD

Questions

Very BIG “Thank You” Sheri