ABSTRACT
Th is lesson or learning activity provides an opportunity for preservice teachers to critically examine their state curriculum requirements against the national curriculum standards. I use this assignment with elementary and early childhood preservice teachers at a midsize state university, but it can be used in secondary and higher education multicultural courses with James Banks or other multicultural curriculum books. In addition, according to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS, 2002), there are fi ve principles all teachers should know and be able to teach that are the “essential characteristics of powerful social studies” (p. 12). Th roughout this chapter, these principles are quoted and referenced.
