social studies concepts

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Home : 2002 : March : 29

social studies concepts
By CEB

Shannon,
I also think the landform map suggestion is a good teaching idea. I actually plan to do something similar with my third graders soon. Just make sure that it fits in with the definition of a "concept" that your
professor is using. When I took social studies methods as a junior in college, my professor based everything around concept teaching and used the very specific definition of what would constitute a "concept." We all tend to use the word all the time, and I don't think it makes a difference, aside from you making sure you do your assignment the way your prof. is looking for, so you

get a good grade.
For example, in this case the concept would be MAP-- you show 3-4 archetypical examples and non-examples of a map and kids deduce what attributes make a map to make a class definition, then test different examples to decide whether or not they are maps. For example, revolution and country are concepts, while the American Revolutionary War and the United States of America are subjects/topics to learn about, and which serve as examples of that concept. I taught a unit on the Middle Ages as part of my practicum (grade5-6)for that class. For my assignment, I had to start with a lesson in which I first taught a concept. My concept was "hierarchy," so they could understood it as a concept, through a variety of examples, before trying to explain the hierarchy of the feudal system. Once they "got it," I presented that example and asked "Is this a hierarchy?" They went throught the list of attributes we had created and decided yes. From there, we were able to continue learning about the Middle Ages.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then probably don't worry about it, this may not be what your assignment is about. I just know that my professor acted as though this was the end all and be all of social studies instruction and it was the #1 overarching thing he wanted us to gain from his course. He acted as though EVERYTHING should be taught this way (I really don't agree with this belief, and HATED it at the time. Now that I'm teaching, I will give him credit that it can be a very good appproach for some concepts, just not forced and all the time, like he wanted us to do). I am a second year teacher, so this wasn't too long ago, and have heard from friends and colleagues who attend/attended other colleges that they were taught the same thing, so I'm wondering if your classs is defining concept in the same way. Good luck and let me know if you need more help.