ITSSC

** Integrating Technology into the Social Studies Curriculum ** In the discussion area of this page answer the questions as they are posed. It would be better to answer your questions in a Word Processor and then copy and paste your data into the discussion area. No two people may be editing at the same time and this will keep from overriding and loss of information.

Check out the 10 Standards for Social Studies and NCSS Curriculum standards. A brief description of the standards is located at the very bottom of the web page. Feel free to look around the entire site. If none of this information satisfies your quest to answer the question below, use your personal experiences to guide your answer. [] // 1. Which standard do you feel is easiest to complete in YOUR classroom? Which is hardest? Why? //

__Methods of Addressing Social Studies Instruction Standards__ - //Themes: (1) Culture; (2) Time, Continuity, and Change; (3) People, Places, and Environments; (4) Individual Development and Identity (5) Individuality, Groups, and Institutions; (6) Power, Authority, and Governance (7) Production, Distribution, and Consumption (8) Science, Technology, and Society; (9) Global Connections; (10) Civic Ideals and Practices//. __Dilemmas in Teaching Social Studies Effectively__ - //focus on language arts and math puts social studies on the back burner in most state assessments; the sheer amount of material to cover in many social studies topics is overwhelming; using technology in a constructivist way is very powerful but often time consuming; technology resources are vast and costly in the area of social studies; there are some excellent free sites, however//. __The "History Wars" and Other Debates on the Content and Focus of Social Studies__ - //Social studies has attracted more debate and criticism than any other content area; whose truth about history is the real truth//? __Perils of the Information Explosion__ - //inforamtion on the Internet has created concerns for SS educators; students bringing printed web pages that contradict what the textbooks says or what teacher says; need information literacy or media literacy now more than ever; students need to become more analyitical about information they receive//. //2. Which topic above do YOU find the most controversial? Why? //
 * Issues and Problems in English and Language Arts Instruction**

**Technology Integration Strategies** __Simulated Problem-Solving Environments__ - //Muzzy Lane's Making History; Riverdeep's The Oregon Trail; Tom Snyder's Decisions, Decisions 5.0; GeoThentic; Who Killed William Robinson//? __Graphic Representations__ - [|www.tomsnyder.com] (several good samples) __Virtual Trips__ - [|www.3disrael.com]; [] __Adventure Learning__ - [|www.polarhusky.com]; [|www.jason.org/public/home.aspx] __Digital Storytelling__ - [|www.voicethread.com]; [|www.storycenter.org]; [|www.pbs.org/civilwar]; [|www.archives.gov] __Digital Information Critiques__ - []; [] __Electronic Research__ - []; []; [] __GIS and GPS Lessons__ - Google Earth; ArcExplorer; Virtual Earth 3D; [] __Practice of Factual Information__ - //Classroom Jeopardy social studies games// [] //we have several of these in the Shamokin Area MS/HS;Web Games// [|http://www.sheppardssoftware.com/web_games.htm].

//3. Complete **one** of the following:// **News-2-You -** View the sample paper at the News-2-Your website []. This current events publication is created for young students and students who have reading difficulties. Give examples from the sample issue of activities that would help students learn about cultures, democratic society, and the world. **Geocaching Tutorial** - visit the geocaching website at [] , and learn about using geocaching in the classroom. Come up with a plan for using geocaching in the classroom with your students. What could you "cache"? 
 * Social Studies Webquest** - Select a social studies webquest from []. You could do a curriculum and grade level matrix search. Identify components of the WebQuest that you think are examples of the ten NCSS social studies standard themes. Please identify the WebQuest in your writing.