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EDUC 459

I. Course Title: Methods for Social Studies Instruction Grades 6-12

II. Course Number: EDUC 459

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: Admission into the Teacher Education Program for licensure in middle school or secondary Social Studies teaching.
     Corequisites: EDUC 449 

V. Course Description:

This course is designed to help teacher candidates become inquiring, analytical, and reflective middle/secondary social studies educators. It provides a foundation for instructional design and teaching methods at the middle school and high school levels. The course will highlight an interactive, inquiry-based approach to teaching social studies content to adolescents that is based on current theory and research in social studies education. Participation in this course will help candidates design and successfully implement developmentally appropriate social studies instruction and prepare them to be skillful teachers of the social studies content in middle/high school settings.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

Methods for Social Studies Instruction Grades 6-12 supports the following shared principles: (1) social studies prepares the nation鈥檚 young people for college, careers, and civic life; (2) inquiry is at the heart of social studies; (3) social studies involves interdisciplinary applications; (4) social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and  skills from the disciplines; and (5) social studies emphasizes skills and practices for democratic decision-making. Through these guiding principles and an understanding of the Virginia Standards of Learning, students learn how to develop lesson and unit plans, create an engaging equitable learning environment, develop assessments, and reflect on their products and processes. The content of this course provides a foundation for instructional design and teaching methods at the middle school and high school levels, highlighted by an interactive, inquiry-based approach to teaching social studies content to adolescents that is based on current theory and research. Participation in this course will help candidates be skillful teachers of the social studies content in middle/high school settings. Specifically, candidates will

  1. Learn how the knowledge, skills, and processes of history and social science disciplines apply to design, instruction, and assessment.
  2. Develop learning plans that leverage social studies knowledge and literacies, technology, and theory and research to support the civic competence of learners.
  3. Design and implement effective instructional and assessment practices.
  4. Use knowledge of diverse learners to plan and implement relevant and responsive pedagogy, create collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environment, and prepare diverse learners to be informed advocates for an inclusive and equitable society.
  5. Reflect and expand upon social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic dispositions to advance social justice and promote human rights through informed action in schools and/or communities.

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

The course format includes but is not limited to large and small group discussion, individual and group presentations, journal article and textbook reading, demonstration lessons, simulations, and practical applications. Because the course is taught as a co-requisite with EDUC 449, students will also develop, implement, and evaluate a multi-day, sequential instructional plan specifically for their early field experience placement.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

Goals, objectives, and assignments address the Virginia Department of Education regulations for preparing middle/secondary (grades 6-12) social studies educators. Candidates successfully completing this course will be able to demonstrate developing knowledge, skills, and dispositions of the following:

Goal 1: Demonstrate how the knowledge, skills, and processes of history and social science disciplines as defined by the Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning apply to design, instruction, and assessment.

Teacher candidates will be able to鈥�

  • Describe and demonstrate different types of instruction (explicit, direct instruction, teacher-centered, student-centered, constructivist, problem-based, inquiry), including the benefits and challenges associated with each as related to developing knowledge, skills, and sustained intellectual curiosity in social studies learning.
  • Describe and demonstrate fundamental components of disciplinary inquiry within social studies disciplines including questioning, gathering and evaluating sources, developing claims and using evidence, communicating conclusions, and taking informed action.
  • Explain how the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework, Virginia History and Social Sciences Standards of Learning, and theory and research in the field impact lesson design and instruction, student engagement, student academic progress, civic competence, and effective preparation for assessments.

Goal 2: Develop learning plans that leverage social studies knowledge and literacies, technology, and theory and research to support the civic competence of learners.

Teacher candidates will be able to鈥�

  • Develop learning plans using the content and processes of history and social sciences instruction by incorporating theory and research in the field, Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning, and the NCSS C3 Framework.
  • Develop cohesive and accessible unit plans containing big ideas, compelling questions, measurable goals and objectives, inquiry and project-based lesson plans, authentic assessments, and accommodations and modifications for diverse learning needs.
  • Incorporate appropriate media and contemporary technologies, online instructional strategies, and digital literacy skills into social science instructional plans.
  • Incorporate literacy in the History and Social Science content area through an understanding of vocabulary development, comprehension skills, research skills, and the integration of writing and communication as instructional and assessment tools.

Goal 3: Design and implement effective instructional and assessment practices.

Teacher candidates will be able to鈥�

  • Use the backward design process of instructional planning to organize key social science content, skills, and practices into meaningful units of instruction based on historical thinking skills that actively engage students using a variety of instructional techniques including the presentation of ideas in writing.
  • Design and implement instruction reflecting learner achievement of the goals of the Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning, including measurable objectives, appropriate teaching activities and assessments. 
  • Describe the relationship among assessment, instruction, and monitoring student progress to include student performance measures in grading practices.

Goal 4: Use knowledge of diverse learners to plan and implement relevant and responsive pedagogy, create collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environment, and prepare diverse learners to be informed advocates for an inclusive and equitable society.

Teacher candidates will be able to鈥�

  • Evaluate and incorporate instructional materials, technologies, online instructional strategies, manipulatives, and activities for the purpose of engaging all learners across ability and achievement levels and enhancing student performance.
  • Design instruction and modify learning experiences to meet the individual needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities, gifted students, students with limited proficiency in English, and children with diverse cultural needs.
  • Implement instructional practices that are sensitive to culturally and linguistically diverse learners including students with limited proficiency in English, gifted and talented students, and students with disabilities.
  • Use a variety of methods including Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction, flexible grouping, and other techniques tailored to promote student academic progress.
  • Describe how to develop an inclusive classroom climate using collaboration and communication skills that positively impact student motivation, academic performance, and social and emotional learning.

Goal 5: Reflect and expand upon social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic dispositions to advance social justice and promote human rights through informed action in schools and/or communities.

Teacher candidates will be able to鈥�

  • Describe how adolescent development, school culture, and community intersect with the social science instructional methods occurring in field placement sites.
  • Identify ways to engage in communication between schools and families as a way to increase family engagement in student learning at home and in school.
  • Examine instructional practices and student data to reflect upon ways to improve instruction, increase access to learning, and support student engagement in the school and community.
  • Describe how to use theory and research to continually improve social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic dispositions to adapt practice and meet the needs of each learner.

VIII. Assessment Measures:

A variety of assessments may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Lesson plans that reflect an inquiry focus, as well as considerations for diverse learners
  2. An implementation-ready sequence of instructional plans aligned to appropriate curriculum standards to be used in the candidate鈥檚 field placement (as appropriate).
  3. Journal entries, lesson observations, reading annotations, and/or other informal writings
  4. Project-based assignments
  5. Presentations or micro-teaching exercises
  6. Quizzes, tests, or formal writing assignments

Review and Approval

August 2020

March 01, 2021

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