Social Studies for Gifted Students
Teaching advanced levels of social studies often is sorely neglected until more complex classes are offered in high school. However, teachers should be aware that there are excellent, research-based curricula available developed by the
Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary and made available by
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. Every teacher I know who has used any of the units has raved about them. They are not only written at a much higher level than regular curriculum, but they really get kids excited about learning.
The units:
- are interdisciplinary;
- use abstract concepts such as systems, cause and effect, and how things change over time;
- place heavy emphasis on higher order reasoning;
- provide historical analysis using primary sources;
- include in-depth study of content; and
- employ the skills of discussion, writing, and research.
There are a couple of cautions. When a grade level is given for a unit, teachers need to understand that it is truly for gifted students at that level. Don’t be fooled into thinking you should get a unit that is at a higher grade level. Also, the units typically provide a list of resources that you will need to purchase elsewhere, so don’t assume that the expense of the curriculum is the entire cost of teaching the unit.
It would be well worth your time to visit the Kendall/Hunt Web site and investigate the units that would be appropriate for your grade level.
Units include
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Grades 2-3:
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Ancient China: The Middle Kingdom
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Grades 4-5:
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Building a New System: Colonial America 1607-1763
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The World Turned Upside Down: The American Revolution
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Grades 5-6:
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A House Divided? The Civil War: Its Causes and Effects
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Grades 6-7:
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The 1920s in America: A Decade of Tensions
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The 1930s in America: Facing Depression
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Grades 6-8:
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The Road to the White House: Electing the American President
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Grades 10-12:
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Defining Nations: Cultural Identity and Political Tensions
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Post-Colonialism in the 20th Century
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Primary Sources and Historical Analysis
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The Renaissance and Reformation in Europe
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