ABSTRACT
Social studies is a much more abstract subject for elementary-school-aged students than is math, reading, or science, and so the “big picture” of what social studies actually is often gets overlooked when introducing topics to children, as it encapsulates many different areas of learning. As teachers face increased pressure to achieve never-ending higher test scores in math and reading, foundational topics in history, geography, civics, and economics are easily lost in a crowded field. Those factors combined, plus the drastically increased need for students to be more civically aware due to the complexity and intensity of the pressing global and national issues they face at this point in time in history, should provide schools with a sense of urgency to find new pathways to integrating social studies more seamlessly into their school curriculums.
