I want to imagine that you are an elementary school teacher, and you just found a magic lamp with a genie. The genie says, “I can grant you one wish.” What would you wish for?
Many educators across this nation would wish for more time. It often feels like there are not enough minutes in the day to accomplish what needs to be done. This might be especially true regarding social studies instruction in the elementary grades.
As educators, we know that time is limited – especially for social studies instruction. In this blog, I will explore the challenges related to elementary social studies and ways to make every minute count at the organizational and classroom level.
Limited Instructional Time
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the teaching of elementary social studies is less instructional time. In 2018, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) created an infographic titled “The Marginalization of Social Studies.” According to the CCSSO, Social Studies only gets 10.6% of instructional time in elementary grades.
This finding was backed up with a study done by RAND titled “The Missing Infrastructure for Elementary (K-5) Social Studies Instruction” (2023). According to this study, only 3 hours a week is dedicated to social studies in grades K-5. Conversely, 9 hours are dedicated to ELA and 7 hours is dedicated to math. The study goes on to assert that the absence of social studies from states’ accountability “sends a signal to educators that developing students’ knowledge in this area is not a priority.”
The Value of Elementary Social Studies
Although time is often limited, social studies should be a priority in elementary school. Social studies in grades K-5 has value beyond the content itself. According to findings from a 2020 Fordham Institute study, increased instructional time in social studies is associated with improved reading ability. This study also found that:
- More instructional time devoted to social studies is correlated with greater reading growth from first through fifth grade.
- The students who benefit the most from additional social studies time are girls and those from lower-income and/or non-English-speaking homes.
Possible Solutions
We know that elementary social studies is important but afforded limited instructional time. So what can we do about it? At the organizational level, a shift needs to take place to affirm the value of social studies in the lower grades. This could include the adoption of rigorous standards, providing more professional learning to teachers, and determining how to hold schools accountable for student achievement in social studies. Districts and campuses can also leverage high-quality resources that allow students to interact with a variety of texts and geographic tools (such as maps, charts, and graphs).
At the classroom level, teachers need to make every minute count by making social studies purposeful – and not “one more thing.” According to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) position statement, “powerful and purposeful elementary social studies” is:
- Meaningful: Social studies instruction should connect with students’ diverse backgrounds and interests. Teachers must design learning experiences that build on students’ skills and encourage them to expand their knowledge and perspectives. Effective teaching requires planning around key social studies concepts, avoiding a fragmented approach to the curriculum.
- Integrative: Social studies should cross disciplinary boundaries, integrating knowledge and skills from various subjects. Teachers should use everyday activities to introduce social studies concepts, ensuring these experiences are coherent and meaningful, not just loosely connected to a theme.
- Value-Based: Social studies education should foster democratic values by involving students in discussions and decision-making processes. This helps them practice critical thinking and understand the principles of democracy, moving beyond simple character education.
- Challenging: Teachers should engage students in deep, thought-provoking inquiries, encouraging them to question, evaluate, and analyze information. Challenging activities include research, debates, and simulations that promote critical thinking.
- Active: Social studies learning should be dynamic, using a variety of strategies like problem-solving, debates, and project-based learning. Teachers guide students in exploring new ideas and perspectives, fostering leadership and active engagement in the learning process.
If we are considering limited instructional time, I believe the most important aspect from NCSS’s position statement is for elementary social studies to be “integrative.” If we know time is limited, then educators can integrate social studies into other content areas that are allotted more instructional time. If educators focus on this aspect, then we can make every minute count. For example, educators might consider how to maximize a larger “literacy block” to integrate social studies skills and concepts. And since research supports the idea that social studies instruction can improve reading scores, then why not provide opportunities to read social studies content? Instead of thinking of social studies instruction as a collection of facts or bits of trivia, educators can focus on the disciplinary literacy skills of social studies to help make connections between content areas.
Social studies instruction should offer students the opportunity to read a variety of texts, communicate with their peers, and apply or demonstrate their learning in some way, ideally in writing. If this is done, students will not only learn content but also deepen foundational literacy skills. By leveraging high quality resources, educators can maximize instructional time by focusing on literacy-rich and flexible social studies instruction.
I began this blog by asking readers to consider what wish they might ask of a genie. While the wish for more time may not be granted, educators can make wise decisions to maximize time dedicated to social studies in elementary school.
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Jamie Filipow is a Partnerships and Instruction Coordinator for Social Studies School Service. She began her career in education in 2007 as a middle school social studies teacher. She went on the be an instructional coach and curriculum developer before coming the Director of Secondary Social Studies for the Houston Independent School District. Jamie also served are the Executive Secretary and Vice President for the Texas Social Studies Supervisors Association. She holds a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston.