Social Education articles from October 2006

Social Education archives from October 2006

Editor's notebook.
October 1, 2006... This issue of Social Education sparkles with contributions on both contemporary and historical topics. The current issues it covers include upcoming Supreme Court cases and November's congressional elections. Side by side with this contemporary...

Identifying and teaching against misconceptions: six common mistakes about the Supreme Court.
October 1, 2006... My colleagues in science and math tell me that discussing students' preconceptions and misconceptions is a typical part of the discourse about teaching in their fields. By contrast, I rarely hear social studies teachers talk about this--perhaps...

Supreme Court Preview.
October 1, 2006... As the 2005 term neared its June 30 end date, the Supreme Court, still adjusting to its first membership change in 11 years, had yet to decide dozens of cases that had defied quick resolution throughout the term. The end of the term seemed...

Analyzing the arguments in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, No. 05-184.
October 1, 2006... Background Briefs are written arguments filed with a court by the parties in a case, usually with the help of a lawyer. In the U.S. Supreme Court, the parties must first file briefs explaining why the Court should or should not review a...

Letter in support of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
October 1, 2006... On July 31, 1966, David F. Rogers, a citizen of Lincoln, Mass., wrote to Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall, chairman of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. In his single-page, typed letter (p. 352), Rogers voiced his concern over...

Academic freedom: a teacher's struggle to include "other" voices in history.(Viewpoint essay)
October 1, 2006... This past semester, I taught three advanced American history classes at a rural school in north Alabama. I had envisioned the class based on the writings of contemporary social studies theorists: multiple points of view, allowing multiple...

Picturing women: gender, images, and representation in social studies.
October 1, 2006... More than two decades ago, a well-known study pointed out that despite the marked increase in images of women in secondary history textbooks, the narrative emphasis on political, diplomatic, and military history had not changed.' While this...

Examining the seven-flag Chieu Hoi pass: a primary document from the American war in Viet Nam.
October 1, 2006... I served as an air force sergeant in Viet Nam from March 1968 to March 1969. During that time, U.S. military aircraft dropped Chieu Hoi (safe conduct) passes over suspected enemy locations to encourage enemy soldiers to surrender. Great...

Becoming critical public historians: students study diversity and access in post Brown v. Board Los Angeles.
October 1, 2006... Anniversaries of major historical events, such as the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education, provide social studies teachers with the opportunity to connect their classroom study to broader public...

Teaching about the 2006 elections with the internet.
October 1, 2006... In 2004, I wrote a column on the primary elections and another column focusing on American values and their role in the general election that year. One of my favorite columns to research and write was on presidential elections in song, verse,...

Mid-term elections: the impact of local and national issues: background, activities and critical analysis.
October 1, 2006... Subject areas: secondary civics, current events, social studies, political science, communication arts, and journalism Estimated Time: Three 90-minute class periods or 5 to 6 45-minute class periods LESSON OBJECTIVES: Students...

Congressional elections: a political turning point?
October 1, 2006... Social Education Staff The Democrats have their best chance in 10 years to make major gains in the congressional elections on November 7, while Republicans are striving to retain control of both the House and the Senate. For Republicans to...

Twenty-four House races to watch.
October 1, 2006... The Democrats need a net gain of 15 seats in order to gain control of the House of Representatives. These 24 races will be particularly important in determining the character of the next House. ARIZONA [] Giffords (D) [] Graf(R)...

Eight Senate races to watch.
October 1, 2006... The Republicans will retain control of the Senate if Democrats fail to achieve a net gain of six seats. A net gain of five seats for the Democrats would leave the Senate divided equally between the two parties, with the Republicans benefiting...