How to Ensure Inclusion in Secondary Social Studies Literature

Many of us think back to grade school and remember story time fondly.

In an era where it seems that every day comes with a “breaking news” headline, and where there is increasing scrutiny regarding what we talk about in our classes, it may seem like a challenge not worth accepting to work current events and controversial topics into our lessons.

As a geography teacher, I often started the year with a lesson about how to lie with maps.

The diffusion of writing systems or materials was often determined by religion, politics, or economics.

When I ask students to read in my social studies classes, I always assign a customized reading guide created especially for the assigned text.

In the primary grades, maps are useful tools to help the young reader put stories into perspective and develop a sense of place.

Writing has become an integral part of the social studies curriculum.

Teaching all sides of history and utilizing resources that aim to showcase diverse peoples is essential in the modern social studies classroom.

Urban legends, referred to by folklorists as contemporary legends, are fictional stories claimed to be true.