ERIC ED465677: Linking Literature with Life: The NCSS Standards and Children's Literature for the Middle Grades. NCSS Bulletin.

138 Pages·2002·2.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 465 677 SO 033 873
AUTHOR
Sandmann, Alexa L.; Ahern, John F.
Linking Literature with Life: The NCSS Standards and
TITLE
Children's Literature for the Middle Grades. NCSS Bulletin.
National Council for the Social Studies, Washington, DC.
INSTITUTION
REPORT NO
NCSS-Bull-98
ISBN
ISBN-0-87986-090-1
PUB DATE
2002-00-00
NOTE
137p.
AVAILABLE FROM
National Council for the Social Studies, 8555 Sixteenth
Street, Suite 500, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Tel:
301-588-1800; Fax: [phone]; Web site:
http:www.socialstudies.org/.
PUB TYPE
Guides - Classroom
Reference. Materials
Teacher (052)
Bibliographies (131)
MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Annotated Bibliographies; *Childrens Literature; Content
DESCRIPTORS
Area Reading; *Fiction; Learning Activities; Middle Schools;
*Nonfiction; *Picture Books; Reading Comprehension; *Social
Studies; *Thematic Approach
National Social Studies Standards; Response to Literature;
IDENTIFIERS
*Trade Books
ABSTRACT
Three significant changes have impacted the teaching of
social studies to young adolescents in the past decade:
(1) development of
the curriculum standards for social studies by the National Council for the
(2) growth in the number of middle schools, which are
Social Studies (NCSS);
premised on the integration of content; and (3) expansive use of children's
literature in social studies. This book is in response to those innovations
which are explained in two parts:
(1) provides a rationale for using trade
books in social studies and details strategies for nurturing students'
reading comprehension; and (2) provides annotations for more than 250 trade
books, along with ideas for classroom use, and recommends 150+ additional
titles. An index by title and an index by subject are also included.
(BT)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Linking Literature with Life: The NCSS
Standards and Children's Literature for the
Middle Grades. NCSS Bulletin
,o
Alexa L. Sandmann
John F. Ahern
National Council for the Social Studies,
Washington, D.C.
00
Cr)
Cr)
0
ci)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
CENTER (ERIC)
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
6 This document has been reproduced
as
BEEN GRANTED BY
received from the person or organization
originating it.
o Minor changes have heen made to
tea.
improve reproduction quality.
° Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
official OERI position or policy.
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
_©1
Couot,
alln
0 0
4IL
r
§
E
The NCSS Standards
and Children's Literature
for the Middle Grades
ALEXA L. SANDMANN
JOHN F. AHERN
ott
NFSS
C.
soci
21Adcz
mod.,
Gh®REL,
0
The NCSS Standards
and Children's literature
for the Middle Grades
ALEXA L. SANDMANN
JOHN F. AHERN
BULLETIN
NCSS
99
;A
W
NCSS
National Council for the Social Studies
8555 SIXTEENTH STREET Pl. SUITE 500 SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND 20910
301 588-1800 FAX [phone] WWW.SOCIALSTUDIES.ORG
Ex Officio
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Ed Pfeifer
Adrian Davis
House of Delegates, Steering Committee Chair
President
Stephen Johnson
PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR 2001-2002
President-Elect
Robert Nimtz
Benton Consolidated High School, Benton, IL
Denee Mattioli
Vice President
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Susan Griffin
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Susan Adler
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS
Peggy Altoff
Administration Timothy Daly
William Amburn
Communications and Government Relations Al Frascella
Phyllis Bowie
Finance Arthur Ganta
Susie Burroughs
Meetings Robin Hayes
L. Jill Eh len
Membership Processing Cassandra Roberts
Betsy Fitzgerald
Publications Michael Simpson
Debbie Gallagher
Kay Knowles
Ken Mareski
Carol Marquis
Merry Merryfield
Sally Jo Michalko
Leo Radakovich
Kathryn Robinson
Paul Robinson
Richard Theisen
Gayle Thieman
Bruce Wendt
Michael M. Yell
EDITORIAL STAFF ON THIS PUBLICATION: Terri Ackerman, Steve Lapham, Michael Simpson
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Kami Renee Price
ART DIRECTOR: Gene CON/aD
Library of Congress Control Number: 2002101429
ISBN 0-87986-090-1
Copyright CD 2002 National Council for the Social Studies
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or othervise, without the prior written permission of the
copyright holder.
Printed in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1
Dw DEDOCATOON
To MY PARENTS, WHOSE BELIEF IN ME
STARTED ME ON THIS JOURNEY,
TO MY HUSBAND, WHOSE LOVE FOR ME
SUPPORTED ME IN THIS JOURNEY,
AND TO MY CHILDREN, WHO GAVE ME A
REASON FOR THIS JOURNEY.
ALS
To MY WIFE, ANNE.
JFA
6
3
D TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART ONE:Using Literature to Teach Sodas Studies
Introduction
1.
9
The Rationale for Using Literature to Teach Social Studies in the Middle Grades
9
Organization of the Book
11
Selection Criteria for Trade Books
12
Reading Comprehension and Trade Books for Social Studies
2.
15
A Little Background on Reading
15
Basics of Reading Comprehension
15
Preparational Strategies
16
Motivation and Interest
16
Activating Background Knowledge
18
Building Background Knowledge
20
Organizational Strategies
21
Elaborational Strategies
25
Strategies Combine Different Approaches
26
Specific Suggestions for Using the Annotated Bibliography
28
Ways of Obtaining Multiple Copies of Trade Books
28
Assessment
29
Suggested Professional Texts for Additional Reading
29
PART TWO:Suitable
Books for Standards-Based Teaching
J CULTURE
3.
33
Picture Books
33
Non-Fiction
35
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
37
Poetry
41
CI) TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE
4.
43
Picture Books
43
Non-Fiction
44
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
48
Poetry
51
PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS
5.
53
Picture Books
53
Non-Fiction
54
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
58
Poetry
60
5
7
0 INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTITY
61
6.
Picture Books
61
Non-Fiction
62
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
63
Poetry
70
0 INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS
71
7.
Picture Books
71
Non-Fiction
72
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
75
Poetry
80
0 POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE
83
8.
Picture Books
83
84
Non-Fiction
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
87
0 PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSUMPTION
93
9.
Picture Books
93
Non Fiction
95
98
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
yin SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY
101
10.
Picture Books
101
Non-Fiction
103
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
106
11. 0 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
111
Picture Books
111
Non-Fiction
112
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
114
Poetry
117
12. 0 CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES
119
Picture Books
119
Non-Fiction
120
Novels, Stories and Folk Tales
123
Poetry
127
Index by Title
129
Index by Subject
135
6
P RT ONE
terature to
in
ocial
T
ac
ies
CHAPTER ONE
c".
krotroducOon
Three significant changes have had an impact on the
The NCSS Standards, as they have come to be called,
teaching of social studies to the young adolescent in
identify ten themes:
the last decade: (1) the development of the Curricu-
CULTURE
lum Standards for Social Studies' by the National Coun-
TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE
cil for the Social Studies (NCSS), (2) the growth in the
PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS
number of middle schools, which are premised on the
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTITY
integration of content, and (3) the expansion of the use
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS
of children's literature in social studies.
POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE
This book is a response to these innovations. We seek
PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSUMPTION
to answer, in a practical way, three questions:
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY
1. Why should literature be used to teach social stud-
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
ies in the middle grades?
CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES
2. What are some general reading comprehension strat-
Each theme is introduced by a statement that pro-
egies that can readily be used when teaching social
vides "a guiding vision of content and purpose." Per-
studies through literature?
formance expectations for these goals or purposes are
3. What are some recommended trade books and ways
then identified at three levels: the early grades, middle
to use them?
grades, and high school.
Consequently, in Part One, we answer the first ques-
A recurring concept in the standards is integration
tion by providing a rationale for using trade books in
that is appropriate and predictable. The definition of
social studies, and address the second question, detail-
social studies, as adopted by NCSS and cited in Expecta-
ing strategies for nurturing students' reading compre-
tions of Excellence, begins, "Social studies is the inte-
grated study of the social sciences and humanities to
hension. In Part Two, we provide annotations for more
than 250 trade books, along with ideas for classroom
promote civic competence. .
In an extended defi-
."
.
use; we recommend at least 150 more titles.
nition of social studies, the authors note: "[Social stud-
ies] is designed to promote civic competence; and it is
The Rationale for Using Literature to
integrative, incorporating many fields of endeavor."'
Teach Social Studies in the Middle Grades
Their further elaboration provides additional support
for the concept of integration:
1. Social studies programs have as a major purpose the
NCSS Commits to Creating National Standards for
promotion of civic competence, which is the knowl-
Social Studies
In 1990, the National Governors Association recom-
edge, skills, and attitudes that enable students to be
mended the creation of national education goals. Two
able to assume "the office of citizen"...
years later, with the support of President George H.W
2. K-12 social studies programs integrate knowledge,
Bush, Congress passed "Goals 2000," whose intent was
skills, and attitudes within and across disciplines.
to result in national standards. Although social studies
3. Social studies programs help students construct a
was not included in the original list of disciplines, NCSS
knowledge base and attitudes drawn from academic
made a commitment to create social studies standards.
disciplines as specialized ways of viewing reality.
This initiative focused on curriculum design and stu-
4. Social studies programs reflect the changing nature
dent performance with the assumption that each disci-
of knowledge, fostering entirely new and highly in-
tegrated approaches to resolving issues of signifi-
pline, such as civics, geography, economics, and history,
would have specific expectations about content details.
cance to humanity.'
The result was the publication of Expectations of Excel-
They conclude: "This characteristic is the nature and
strength of social studies: recognizing the importance
lence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies.'
of the disciplines and their specific perspectives in un-
derstanding topics, issues, and problems, but also
9
1 0