1. EECE 545 Professor Lee Bisland
Spring 2013 Monday:4:30 – 7:00, PH 018
Office Phone: 718-997-5310 beverly.bisland@qc.cuny.edu
Office Hours:
Tuesday: 4:00 – 6:00 PM or by appointment
Office: Powdermaker, Rm. 054G
TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
TEXT: Social Studies in the Elementary School: EECE 545, Queens College/CUNY. Pearson Custom
Education: New York, NY, 2009
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Prompt, consistent attendance
2. Readings completed and discussion board completed before class sessions
3. Assignments typewritten and handed in on assigned due dates
4. Class and group participation
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Class Trip as an Instructional Activity 25 points
2. Preparing a Teaching Unit 45 points
3. Electronic Discussion and Online Activities 30 points
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Class Date Topic Reading Assignment Due
1 1/28 Introduction to Social Studies in Elementary
Classrooms
2 2/4 Social Studies Scope and Sequence and
the Learning Standards in Social Studies
Ch. 1 Choices for Class
Trip
3 2/11 Using Main Ideas, Concepts, Skills and Values Ch. 2
4 Wed
2/20
Using Inquiry and Skills Development Ch. 3 Topics for
Teaching Unit
5 2/25 Resources in the Queens College Library Ch .4
p. 89-110
6 3/4 Preparing Teaching Plans: Part I Ch .4,
p.110-127
Teaching Unit
Phase 1
7 3/11 Preparing Teaching Plans: Part II Class Trip A
8 3/18 Integrating Social Studies with other Subjects: Teaching Unit
Phase 2
9 4/8 Technology in Elementary Social Studies and
Interactive Websites for Elementary Students
Class Trip B&C
10 4/15 Teaching Time and Chronology Ch.5 Teaching Unit
Phase 3
11 4/22 Teaching Space Dimensions Class Trip B&C
12 4/29 Teaching Space Dimensions: Part II
13 5/6 Teaching with Current Events: Part I Ch. 6 Teaching Unit
Phase 4
14 5/13 Citizenship Education Class Trip B&C
15 5/20 Final Project Presentations Teaching Unit
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2. Phase 5
 Class meetings in bold type will be online
REQUIREMENTS FOR A HYBRID COURSE
Attendance: Required for all face to face classes (8 of 15). An absence without a written excuse will
result in point deductions from the final grade.
Online Classes: Most online classes are interactive with other class members and have specific deadlines.
No assignments for the online classes will be accepted after the deadlines. Failure to complete the online
classes on time will result in a loss of points for that assignment.
Submissions: All work is to be submitted electronically on Blackboard. Read each assignment carefully.
Some assignments are submitted on the discussion board, others are under submissions
ASSIGNMENTS
1. CLASS TRIP AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY
Each class member will select a class trip destination and take the trip on his or her own.
To avoid duplication of trips in the class, each person will select three different locations listed by
first, second and third choice. The instructor will approve one destination for each person and any
conflict will be resolved with the instructor.
Complete and submit the following three activities:
(A) Instructional Plan Due Date: March 11
Post under submissions an instructional plan for the trip that includes:
 Purpose of the trip
 Three activities to prepare the class
 Activities during the trip (number depends on the type of trip)
 Three follow up and/or enrichment activities
(one set of activities should connect. The set should begin with an activity before the trip and
connect to an activity during the actual trip and with an activity follow up after the trip)
(B) Assessment Due Date: April 8, April 22, OR May 13
Post under submissions a responce to the trip using an elementary child’s perspective. If
possible, take an elementary age child with you or try to observe children at the trip location.
Make suggestions for improvements in the trip instructional plan based on your observations.
(C) Presentation Due Date: April 8, April 22, OR May 13
Prepare a 5 minute power point presentation of the class trip which includes audio. Post the
presentation on discussion board.
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3. Include the website for the trip. If a website is not available prepare an electronic outline. This
outline should contain a time schedule for the trip and important people and telephone numbers to
contact in the planning process.
* Due dates for Class Trips (part B & C) will be based on a schedule for oral presentations.
3. PREPARING A TEACHING UNIT
This is a five-phase progressive planning assignment. The plans in the assignment will be part of a
teaching unit based on one of the topics from the social studies curriculum in the elementary grades.
The unit will integrate social studies with other elementary school curriculum areas. The assignment
will be developed in stages throughout the semester
Each student will work with a partner. Each pair will move to the next phase of the assignment when
the prior phase has been critiqued and approved by the instructor. All materials from previous
phases of the unit are returned to the instructor via submissions in Blackboard each time a new
phase of the assignment is submitted. If a revision of a previous phase is being submitted, include
the original with the instructor’s comments and the revised copy.
Phase 1 – Deciding on the Dimensions of the Teaching Unit: Due Date: March 4
Choose a social studies elementary grade curriculum topic that will be the theme of your teaching
unit. Select a grade level for the unit.
a. Identify the social studies curriculum standard(s) (local, state or national) that support the topic
b. Identify the grade level.
c. Indicate the time span required to teach the topic.
d. Identify 2-4 main ideas that will be developed in the teaching unit to support the topic and the
standard(s).
e. Identify social studies and language arts skills that will be taught.
f. Identify values that will be part of the unit
Phase 2 – Selecting Instructional Resources Due Date: March 18
Select (Choose), annotate (briefly describe) and defend (explain how the resource fits with your topic) the
selection of 10 instructional resources. Included should be one of each of the following, the remaining
four resources may come from any category:
a. textbook
b. recommended children’s trade book
d. computer resource
e. field trip suggestion
f. guest speaker suggestion
g. primary source document
Turn in phase 2 with phase 1 (revised as needed)
Phase 3 – Choosing Appropriate Learning Activities Due Date: April 15
Develop two lesson plans. They must contain social studies skills and language arts skills
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4. Use lesson plan formats provided in your text.
Turn in Phase 3 along with completed Phase 1 and Phase 2, revised as needed.
Phase 4 – Incorporating Related Areas of the Curriculum Due Date: May 6
Develop two lesson plans. Relate the lessons to other areas of the curriculum: science, math, art or music
activities (choose two)
Use same lesson format as in Phase 3
Turn in along with returned completed Phase 1 and 2 and Phase 3, revised as needed.
Phase 5 – Using Teaching Plans with Students Due Date: May 20
Each pair chooses part of one of the four lessons prepared in phase 3 & 4 and shares it with one or more
elementary age children (approximately 45 minutes)
After the lesson is finished, write a reflective response that includes:
How the lesson went
How the students responded
The strengths of the lesson
Ideas for improvement
Gather examples of student responses to the lesson. Submit examples of the responses and your
evaluation of them.
Prepare a powerpoint presentation of your unit that includes the student work
Turn in the completed unit. This includes all materials from phases 1-5 with revisions to phase 4 as
needed.
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