Includes bibliographical references (pages 375-383) and index.

Elementary social studies: what is it? What might it become? -- How can I building a learning community in my classroom? Strategies for including all children -- How do I select powerful goals and powerful content? -- What social studies planning tools are available? -- How can I teach history powerfully? -- How can I teach geography and anthropology power, embedding a global perspective where appropriate? -- How can I teach the other social sciences powerfully? -- How can I use discourse powerfully? -- How can I assess student learning? -- What can I design, implement and evaluate instructional activities? -- What is the role of curricular integration? -- How can the curriculum be expanded and made more powerful through homework? -- What is the research base that informs powerful social studies teaching?

This book outlines ways to select content and teach history, geography, and social sciences meaningfully. It combines theory and research with examples from classroom practice. The fourth edition emphasizes the importance of using developmentally appropriate content and methods when helping students to develop social understanding and prepare for civic life. It also includes a solid research base, uses additional visuals to display content, provides examples of curriculum and design, and reflects principles emphasized in the new College, Career, and Civic Life Framework for Social Studies State Standards.