ERIC ED364455: Connections, Challenges, Choices: Report of the Florida Commission on Social Studies Education.

191 Pages·1991·3.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RE -ilME
ED 364 455
SO 023 465
TITLE
Connections, Challenges, Choices: Report of the
Florida Commission on Social Studies Education.
INSTITUTION
Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee.
PUB DATE
91
NOTE
195p.
PUB TYPE
Classroom Use
Guides
Teaching Guides (For
Teacher) (052) -- Viewpoints (Opinion/Position
Papers, Essays, etc.) (120)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC08 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Course Content; *Curriculum Development; Curriculum
Evaluation; Curriculum Research; Elementary School
Students; Elementary Secondary Education; Secondary
School Students; *Social Studies; *Teaching
Methods
IDENTIFIERS
*Florida; Florida Commission on Social Studies
Education
ABSTRACT
This report of the Florida Commission on Social
Studies Education reviews the status of social studies education in
Florida public schools and makes recommendations for improving
instruction to meet the needs of Florida students in grades K-12. In
reviewing the status of social studies in Florida, the Commission
concluded that there was no single, unifying vision that
characterized the aims of social studies educators and other
interested groups. The Commission found no program of study that
gives cohesion to social studies courses. The Commission determined
that primary focus should be placed on academics. Part 1 of this
document contains three recommendations that the Commission believes
will improve social studies education in Florida: (1) social studies
educators adopt a unifying vision that will guide their teaching as
they seek to develop well educated people; (2) school districts adopt
a "best practices" comprehensive K-12 social studies program of
study, guided by the vision, and emphasizing history and geography;
and (3) academics become central to and paramount in schooling. The
second part of the report describes the Florida social studies
program of study. The program is divided into individual or clusters
of grades from K-12. A chart lists each program and relates to a
theme, the overall vision, and connections to various aspects of
social studies including sociology, history, geography, economics,
political science, ethics, and humanities. Each section includes
areas for study, instructional strategies, and correlations between
grades and areas. ONO
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CONNECTIONS
CHALLENGES
CHOICES
Report of
the
Social Studies Education
on
Florida Commission
A Commitment to the Students of Florida
Copyright, State of Florida, Department of State, 1991
These materials may be reproduced for educational purposes.
by the Florida Commission on Social Studies
A Curriculum Development and Renewal Project developed
of Education, Division of Public Schools.
Education and Marion County Schools for the Florida Department
AVAILABLE
BEST COPY
2
FLORIDA COMMISSION ON SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION
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Esther deVarona
Doyle Casteel, Ph.D.
Dade County Public Schools
University of Florida
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Lisa Engelhardt
Tom Dunthorn
Monroe County Public Schools
Department of Education
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Flossie Gautier
Nancy Galante
Bay County Public Schools
Broward County Public Schools
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Linda Green
Virginia Geiger
Escambia County Public Schools
Pasco County Public Schools
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Louise Hollins
Gail Hawks, Ph.D.
Lee County Public Schools
Miami Dade Community College
Daniel Preston
Sheila Keller
Lake County Public Schools
Pinellas County Public Schools
Harry Schaleman, Ph.D.
Clinton Rouse
University of South Florida
Volusia County Public Schools
Warren Tracy
Edward Schindeler, Ed.D.
Duval County Public Schools
Broward Community College
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Mary Lou Van Note
Eldon Turner, Ph.D.
Marion County Public Schools
University of Florida
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Ann Lynn Woods
Palm Beach County Public Schools
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CONNECTIONS
CHALLENGES
CHOICES
Report of the
Florida Commission on Social Studies Education
A Commitment to the Students of Florida
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Florida Commission on Social Studies Education wishes to thank the following people
for their significant contributions to this report.
The guidance of J. Doyle Casteel, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the
University of Florida, provided the foundation for the Vision for the Social Studies and
the K-12 Program of Study.
Research assistance was provided to Dr. Casteel by Dr. Eugene Todd, a colleague, and Mr.
Dennis Banks, an advanced degree student at the University of Florida who performed the
analysis of the teacher questionnaire.
The Florida K-12 Program of Study took its final shape from the recommendations of
professional social studiez teachers and district social studies supervisors across the
state. They continually reminded us of the realities of schooling.
We are indebted to all those who provided their expertise, however, the final document is
solely the work of the Commission.
Word processing assistance was provided by P. J. Hamm, a member of the support staff
of Marion District Schools.
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
i
RECOMMENDATIONS
1
6
A Vision for the Social Studies
FLORIDA K-12 SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAM OF STUDY
1 1
Grades K-2
1 9
Grades 3-5
A 7
Grades 6-8
7 7
Grades 9-11
1 1 1
147
Grade 12
163
APPENDIX
165
The Process
166
The Product
Teacher Survey and Results
1 6 7
Guidelines for Addressing Implementation Concerns
1 6 9
Summary of Presentations by Special interest Groups
1 7 2
Criteria for Establishing a K-12 Program of Study
1 7 5
Comparison of Recommended Florida K-12 Social Studies
Program of Study to Selected District Course Offerings .......
.1 7 8
.
.
1 7 9
Scope and Sequences
Comparison of Recommended Florida K-12 Social Studies
Program of Study to Other Models
1 8 0
REFERENCES
1 81
6
r--
,
FOREWORD
In January, 1988, Betty Castor, Commissioner of Education, created the Florida
Sha appointed professional social studies
Commission on Social Studies Education.
educators who represent elementary school, middle school, high school and college
school district curriculum specialists; and professional social studies
teachers;
Her charge to the Commission was to review the status of social studies
organizations.
education in Florida public schools and to make recommendations for improving
instruction to meet the needs of Florida students in grades K-12. Connections. Challenges
and Choices, the Report of the Florida Commission on Social Studies Education, is our
response to the Commissioner.
To address our charge, we continually drew advice, assistance and information from a
variety of sources. Teachers contributed their advice and assistance through a formal
conferences,
survey, interactive presentations at Florida Council for the Social Studies
local social studies council meetings and district staff dAvelopment programs. They also
spoke and corresponded individually with members of the Commission, expressing
materials,
concern regarding access to quality inservice, availability of instructional
suggested implementation schedules, revision to curriculum frameworks, current
elective programs, alternative forms of
legislative requirements, participation
in
assessment, adequate instructional time and access to equal opportunities for all students.
In addition, the Commission beneCited as district social studies supervisors, both
individually and at Florida Association of Social Studie Supervisors meetings, reviewed
We also asked for and received additional assistance from
our preliminary work.
Finally, we
numerous organizations having special interests in social studies education.
The professional responses, thoughtful
reviewed relevant educational literature.
recommendations and sincere interest from all have helped to shape this proposed "best
While the Commission has
practices" program of study for the state of Florida.
developed some guidelines for addressing these implementation concerns, workable
solutions will be the joint responsibility of school, district and state instructional
(See Appendix A for the Commission's Process and Product, Teacher Survey-
leaders.
Review and Analysis, Summary of Presentations by Special Interest Groups, and
Guidelines Associated with Implementation Concerns.)
During our review of the status of social studies in Florida, we discovered there was no
single, unifying vision which characterized the aims of social studies educators and other
interested groups; we articulated such a vision. We found no program of study which
Finally,
gives cohesion to social studies courses; we have prepared a program of study.
academic study often seemed peripheral to schooling; we have determined that primary
focus should be placed on academics.
Accordingly, Connections. Challenges and Choices contains three recommendations that
that social
1)
the Commission believes will improve social studies education in Florida:
studies educators adopt a unifying vision that will guide their teaching as they seek to
that schools districts adopt a best practices,
develop well-educated people;
2)
comprehensive K-12 social studies program of study, guided by the vision, and
8
emphasizing history and geography; and 3)
that academics become central to and
paramount in schooling.
The Florida Commissioner of Education has stated that something dramatic must occur to
improve student performance.
President Bush has now joined the call for change in
the
five disciplines of Engiish, mathematics, science, history and geography. Two of these,
history and geography, are the focus of the Commission's report.
The current
restructuring efforts at both the district and state levels present the opportunity for
social studies educators to use A Vision for the Social Studies and the Florida K-12 Social
Studies Program of Study to contribute to the momentum for change.
PART I
RECOMMENDATIONS