Teaching Social Studies - Social Studies Instruction

For which of the following reasons would a teacher use a population pyramid, like the one above?

to show the distribution of population based on age in the United States

Which of the following types of maps shows a detailed and accurate graphic representation of natural features of the ground?

topographic

A map that uses contour lines to show the different elevations of a particular location is what kind of a map?

topographical

A teacher is working to increase engagement and communicate the value of the social sciences. Which TWO of the following are strategies that would further progress toward these goals? Select all answers that apply.

use simulations when appropriate incorporate current events into class instruction

A fourth-grade teacher wants to make the practice of using latitude and longitude more engaging in order to promote retention of the skill. Which of the following class activities best meets the instructional goal?

using latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates as students play a "battleship"-type game on a map of the Pacific Ocean.

A second-grade teacher is planning a unit and wants to address the state standard that "the student understands multiple points of view and how they shaped historical research." Which of the following would best address this standard?

Compare various primary and secondary sources about a single notable event

During a presentation on the branches of government, a group of students state that "the executive branch is responsible for interpreting the laws created by the legislative branch." Based on this statement, which of the following feedback would be most appropriate for the teacher to provide?

Clarify the powers of the executive and judicial branches

As students enter the classroom, the teacher gives 80% of them a note card with a P on it, 15% a note card with an M on it, and 5% a note card with an F on it. Students are then directed to stand next to signs in different parts of the room based on their letter. P students stand next to a "Poorest Developing Nations" sign, M students next to a "Mostly Industrialized Nations" sign, and F students (likely only one or two students) next to a "Fully Industrialized Nations" sign. The teacher gives t

Describe the general distribution of wealth for industrialized and developing countries throughout the world.

Ms. Paulson is introducing the concept of being a responsible member of society to her first-grade students. One example she provides the class is how pollution in other parts of the world is also a problem for us here, emphasizing wind patterns, global debates, and how decisions we make where we live could also impact people very far from us. Why is this not a good way to introduce this topic?

For young students, information should be taught in concrete terms and with context that they can understand.

Mr. Mathers is teaching his class about the Louisiana Purchase. What social science should Mr. Mathers connect to this history lesson in order to best explain the importance of the Louisiana Purchase to the United States?

Geography

Ms. Fullmore intends to use a primary source document to introduce a new unit to her sixth-grade class. The text contains some challenging vocabulary. Which of the following would be the best approach to ensure her sixth-graders are able to comprehend the text?

Introduce and define unfamiliar vocabulary with the students before beginning the text.

Standardized assessment exams for social studies will often require students to interpret multiple viewpoints of a topic from various authors. Which of the following skills should a social studies teacher promote to develop this skill?

The ability to compare and contrast literature excerpts

In a fifth-grade social studies class, the teacher displays a picture of Uncle Sam and reads aloud a passage about the history of the image. She then asks her students to write 3-5 sentences explaining how the idea of Uncle Sam relates to being a patriotic American. Which of the following objectives does this lesson best address?

The student understands how various symbols represent American beliefs and principles.

A fourth-grade teacher wants to check for understanding after a lesson on the various kinds of maps used in geography. They assign each student a paragraph describing the main features of each map. Below is a typical student response: "Physical maps are important if you want to see cool illustrations of landforms or bodies of water. Topographical maps are just like physical maps, but they also show lines of latitude and longitude if you want to understand the elevation of certain landmasses. Fin

Topographical maps include contour lines that show physical details like elevation. Latitude and longitude are used for absolute location.

If a student were trying to learn general geographic and economic information about a particular country, which of the following would be the most efficient and reliable tool?

a digital encyclopedia

Mr. Stevens has just completed a unit on analyzing native Florida cultures with his sixth-grade class. Which activity should he use as a final assessment to gauge the students' understanding of how cultures are created?

a project where students "create" their own new culture

Which of the following is an example of an informal assessment?

a quick discussion with a student about the difference between supply and demand in an economics unit

A history teacher wants students to understand the similarities and differences between Loyalist and Patriot motives during the American Revolution. Which of the following activities best accomplishes the instructional goal?

asking students to write two separate journal entries illustrating each viewpoint

To introduce a lesson about migration and settlement patterns, a teacher asks students to write a journal entry in response to the following prompt: Describe the most crowded place you have even been. Then explain why you think so many people were pushed from other locations and pulled to that one. The purpose of this activity is likely to:

activate student interest through their own experiences.

A sixth-grade teacher is preparing a unit about the effects of the Second Industrial Revolution. Which of the following would NOT be an appropriate resource to use with this unit?

an essay about the end of slavery in the United States

Which of the following is not one of the 8 essential knowledge and skills identified in the TEKS for social studies instruction?

anthropology

A warm-up question asks students to analyze a past conflict they have had with a peer. Students are instructed to discuss the cause(s) of the conflict as well as the validity of each side's argument, with particular focus on understanding the opposite viewpoint. Next, the teacher assigns each student a case study for a cause of the American Revolution. The class is instructed to use the same line of inquiry from the warmup as they compile their findings on American and British conflict leading u

appealing to student empathy and engagement

Which of the following would be the most beneficial way to assess students' understanding of the similarities and differences between the US Constitution and the Articles of Confederation?

asking students to complete a Venn diagram on the functions of each document

Sociology, psychology, and political science all have which common feature at their core?

the study of individuals and their decisions

A teacher wants to create a classroom activity that would introduce her third-grade students to the economic principles of spending and saving. Which of the following strategies best matches the instructional goal?

creating a game where students can earn stickers to redeem for treats

A fifth-grade teacher is planning a lesson to explore the different dwelling structures used by Indigenous populations throughout history. She begins by reading an informational article that includes images of the structures with the students. Which of the following would best reinforce student understanding of this concept?

creating models of the different structures using craft materials

A history class just finished a unit over the influence of journalism on public perception during World War I. Which of the following extension activities best allows students to showcase deeper understanding?

creating original propaganda posters supporting or criticizing the war

What skill is covered at all levels of social studies instruction, according to the TEKS?

critical thinking

During a lesson on ancient Egyptian beliefs about life after death and burial traditions, a teacher projects a diagram showing the inside structure of a Great Pyramid. The teacher then poses the following question to students: "Based on what you have learned about preparing pharaohs for the afterlife, why do you think pyramids had false tombs and thieves' tunnels?" Posing this question is most likely to provide which academic opportunity for students?

developing critical thinking skills

A geography teacher wants to introduce the concept of culture to a class of third-grade students in a meaningful way. Which of the following activities would be both age-appropriate and engaging in meeting the instructional goal?

having students bring in "a culture box" with items that are important to them like food, toys, and pictures

Students are put in small groups and given two readings. The first is a summary of the Declaration of Independence List of Grievances, which is a list of the colonists' complaints against the king. The second is a summary of the Bill of Rights. Their job is to use both readings to discuss potential reasons the founding fathers chose to incorporate certain rights into the Bill of Rights. Which lesson objective best matches this activity?

identifying cause-and-effect relationships

After students have examined events leading up to the American Revolution, a teacher initiates a brief class discussion about the fact that there is no official start date for the war, and historians have argued that events from as early as 1763 to as late as 1775 could be considered the war's start. Students are then told to use evidence from credible sources to write a paper defending one of the following events as the beginning of the war: The Proclamation of 1763, the 1765 Stamp Act, the 177

interpreting visual sources like maps and diagrams.

After finishing a unit on the American Revolution, a sixth-grade teacher wants students to understand the impact of war and conflict on people today. Which of the following learning experiences best fits the instructional goal?

inviting a military veteran to be a guest speaker

Which of the following terms should a teacher use in a lesson introducing the concept of market economies?

law of supply

Mrs. Sims wants to demonstrate to her students how the price of gasoline has increased over time. Which of the following graphs would best help Mrs. Sims visually demonstrate this concept?

line graph

Which type of map is most likely to show and label mountain ranges as well as bodies of water?

physical

Which of the following types of maps shows borders of countries?

political

During social studies instruction, elementary students will often encounter new, unfamiliar words. There are many ways the teacher can support student vocabulary development. Which of the following is the LEAST effective way to support student understanding of new vocabulary?

provide dictionaries for student use during class

Which of the following activities would best allow the teacher to informally assess students' understanding of the impact of the Civil War on the United States?

providing students with a Venn diagram frame in which they will list and compare aspects of the country before and after the war

Which of the following terms is most likely to be used in an economics lesson about comparative advantage?

specialization

A climate map differs from other maps in that it includes which of the following data?

temperature

A teacher puts students in small groups and asks them to discuss the following questions. "Do you plan to vote when you are of age, and would you vote if it meant facing harassment or violence?" This would best fit as an initiation activity for a lesson about:

the civil rights movement.

A third-grade teacher is planning a lesson to help students understand how the environment impacts human settlement patterns. Which of the following topics would best serve this goal?

the historical and modern use of waterways for transportation