This section highlights useful, appropriate resources on the web for teachers seeking additional information on specific content areas in the Social Sciences. The material presented is designed to help you meet the following objective.
- Select appropriate resources for instructional delivery of social sciences concepts, including complex informational text.
A good place to begin is the main professional organization for Social Sciences teachers, the National Council for the Social Sciences (http://www.ncss.org). The mission of the NCSS is to provide leadership, service, and support for all Social Sciences educators; its definition of the role of Social Sciences educators is "teaching students the content knowledge, intellectual skills, and civic values necessary for fulfilling the duties of citizenship in a participatory democracy." For a more in-depth look at all the NCSS does, click the following link: http://www.ncss.org/about. Founded in 1921, the NCSS has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to Social Sciences education, with members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 69 foreign countries. Florida's "gold star" affiliate of the NCSS is the Florida Council for Social Sciences: http://www.fcss.org.
The National Archives (http://www.archives.gov) has extensive resources for teachers on the history of the United States. These include "Teaching with Documents" lesson plans (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons) featuring artifacts, cartoons, photos, posters, sound, diaries, and maps. These lesson plans range from the Revolutionary War to the contemporary era.
The Center for Civic Education (http://www.civiced.org) is "a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational corporation dedicated to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy in the United States and other countries." The Center's programs focus "on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights; American political traditions and institutions at the federal, state, and local levels; constitutionalism; civic participation; and the rights and responsibilities of citizens." Free lesson plans at the elementary, middle, and high school levels are available at https://www.civiced.org/more-lesson-plans.
The National Council on Economic Education (http://www.ncee.net) focuses on helping students gain "a real-world understanding of economics and personal finance." This mission is carried out by "by providing professional development to teachers, teaching resources across the curriculum and nationally-normed assessment tools," with a particular focus on online delivery. Learn more about this mission here: http://www.councilforeconed.org/about/ . A four-minute video provides more information about the NCEE and personal clips from educators and students on the benefits of financial education: http://www.youtube.com/embed/2d-dvU9G6eI?autoplay=1 . Search for free lesson plans visiting ncee.net and typing the phrase "free lesson plans" into the search bar.
The National Geographic education page (https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/teaching-resources/) contains teaching resources (ideas, lessons, themed units, professional development, national standards, and interactives), themed collections, a Reference and News section, information on mapping and media, ideas for getting involved with networks and projects, and information on geo-literacy.
