Running Head: Content Literacy
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Immersing Literacy into Social Studies Curriculums
Nicole D. Yorgensen
Marist College
Spring 2013
Content Literacy
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Introduction:
Integrating literacy rich activities into academics has been a longstanding challenge for
many educators. Countless social studies teachers are often required to teach courses outside of
their areas of comfort and expertise. Each and every social studies teacher is confronted with
new and unfamiliar material at some time and must become acquainted with it before instruction.
Social studies teachers, like other teachers must regularly update their knowledge domain by
incorporating literacy and textual rich lessons. This paper will dispense possible social studies
and literacy connected lessons along with assessments.
Defining Content Literacy:
Content area reading along with writing have long existed within the outer walls of
academic curriculums; the importance of connecting literacy into all academic syllabi has not
until recently become a major consideration. According to Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz (2011),
content literacy includes the abilities to use reading, writing, talking, listening, and viewing to
learn subject matter in a given discipline. Additionally, content literacy implants the uses of
research based cognitive learning strategies designed to assist reading, writing, thinking, and
learning within a text. With a focus on social studies, textual sources can be found in countless
places: textbooks, maps, charts, stories, narratives, along with primary and secondary source
documents. When desiring to analyze textual pieces, a social studies teacher must generate and
encourage critical thinking amongst his or her students. Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz (2011) explain
that history teachers are encouraged to engage in questioning routines around five themes which
are considered crucial to thinking and learning within an historical text:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Cause and effect: “What happened and why?”
Change and continuity: “What changed and or remained the same?”
Turning Points: “How did events in the past affect or influence the future?”
Through their eyes: “How did people in the past view their lives and worlds?”
Utilizing the past: “How does studying the past help us understand our lives and world”?
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Bringing Literacy into Social Studies:
Developing content literacy for social studies teachers requires both skillfulness and
dedication. Oftentimes, social studies teachers may be reluctant or unsure as to how to
include literacy based activities; after all aren’t literacy rich activities reserved for ELA and
reading classes? The greatening emphasis towards literacy ensues that it should become a
main staple in all academic classrooms: Reidel & Draper (2011) claim that despite wideranging efforts at the national, state, and, local levels to encourage literacy instruction across
curricula, many content area teachers choose to not incorporate reading instruction into
their practice either because they do not have the time nor feel it is their responsibility. Some
content area instructors decline to utilize literacy strategies and practices learned in professional
development or pre-service teacher courses because those strategies and practices are not aligned
with the values and structures of the disciplines they teach (Reidel & Draper, 2011). Possible
suggestions of social studies content literacy could include current events, researching strategies,
map analysis, graphic organizers, and vocabulary oriented discussions along with guest speakers.
Numerous research has been conducted regarding social studies instruction and its
connection to content literacy. Macphee & Whitecotton (2011) published research through
exploring literacy strategies that engage young learners in actively and socially constructing a
knowledge of history, self, and others. In order to affix attention towards necessary literacy
skills and not high stakes testing performance, historical fiction texts were implemented in order
to extrapolate the development and critical thinking and literal discourse. Discussion is a literacy
based activity that augments learning. Discussions situated in social studies classrooms may take
on several directions; such as big idea discourse, current events, questions, debates, rationales,
along with compare and contrast. By engaging in strong discussion and making connections
between textual pieces and historical facts, students’ transcend beyond remembering facts to
engaging in narratives of history (Macphee & Whitecotton, 2011). When students are able to
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enmesh connections between textual pieces and historical information, they invigorate life-long
learning. According to Peterson & Taylor (2012), once students have been given an opportunity
to think and write about historical and textual themes; they can move together and discuss their
varying viewpoints and perspectives.
Engaging Social Studies Teacher into Critical Literacy:
Efforts to prepare content- area instructors for their role as literary educators often
occur during pre-service teacher education. According to Reidel & Draper (2011), research
suggests that content area literacy courses can alter pre-service teachers’ attitudes about teaching
reading, but this does not often materialize in their classroom practice. Disciplinary based
literacy is conducive to the acquisition of content-specific, sophisticated skills, and interpretive
practices. Social studies educators who strive to promote a democratic educational environment
must prepare their students to understand the values of reading. Although reading skills and
strategies gravitate towards English and language arts conventions, they are applicable and
necessary in alternate disciplines. Social studies instructors must assist their students in
acquiring the skills and dispositions to question what they read and to creatively and actively
respond to all types of written and visual texts (Reidel & Draper 2011).
Literacy educators impose that it may be difficult for content area teachers to cultivate
critical literacy strategies if they have not been mentored nor given opportunities to expand their
knowledge base. Surrounding one’s self with strong teachers in a department, team, or content
area may help to usher in elevated competence with content literacy integration. Also,
accessibility to informative and professional development may assist with literacy and content
area lesson incorporation. According to Macphee & Whitecotton (2011), social studies is a
content area that is easily accentuated through discussion, but discussion is becoming a less
popular style of instruction due to constraints of high stakes testing. Numerous educational
Content Literacy
experts suggest that it is essential for content area educators to model reading strategies and
provide students with ample opportunities to explore wide variations of text. Generating higher
order questions might be difficult for students, so teachers’ will need to provide coaching and
support for students as they work to make their questions more challenging and thought
provoking (Peterson & Taylor, 2012). In order for teachers to strengthen and further develop
content area literacy integration, collaboration and reflection are needed.
Conclusion:
The direction of literacy has expanded and now emphasizes that all content area teachers
incorporate literacy rich activities into their teaching. Content or disciplinary literacy involves
students being shown how to think and learn within a text so they are able to develop wider
understandings of concepts and themes. Successful integration of literacy activities can only be
achieved if social studies educators are devoted, equipped, and prepared. An authentic social
studies experience must prepare youths to question critically, think creatively, and be assertive:
these skills can only develop if literacy is welcomed and explored in the classroom.
*Attached are possible lessons and assessments designed to integrate literacy and social studies.
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Social Studies and Science Inter-Disciplinary Project
Introduction: This project will be completed in both your science and social studies classes. Your
inter-disciplinary project will include multiple types of writing which will connect back to your
chosen theme and questions.
Some writing will be your own creative work, some will be analyses of other work, and some will
be reflections on what you have read.
Topic: The impacts of technology throughout history
Essential Question: In what ways has technology been both beneficial and harmful?
Student Task: Choose three (3) pieces of technology and discuss how each piece has impacted
human civilization in one of the four categories in a negative or positive way. The four categories
are communication, transportation, medicine, and weaponry.
Visual Piece or Item:
Original Writing:
Choose one (1) from this box:
Choose one (1) from this box:
-----------Advertisement
______Interview with inventor
----------Video
------------Letter
-----------News Article
------------Warning
-----------Instruction Manual
------------News Article
----------Propaganda
------------Prediction
---------- Artistic or political cartoon
------------Instruction Manual
Media Piece:
Choose one (1) from this box:
-------------Interview
------------Advertisement
------------Song
-----------Poem
-----------Video
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*The final portion of this project will be an essay! You will be writing a persuasive essay answering
the following questions: Which piece of technology has had the biggest impact on the country?
Explain and provide evidence to support your response.
Specifications:
-You may only choose each option at one time. Ex: you can NOT choose an advertisement for
the media and visual piece.
-If you choose to complete an interview, it must be a legitimate and notable historical figure.
-Be sure to include both the benefits and the negative effects of technology.
-Be specific about what type of technology you will be researching – Do not just pick the category
of medicine. If you choose medicine, be sure to choose something specific such as vaccine or
antibiotic development.
-Remember-first you MUST make 3 original writing /media pieces.
-Finally, you will WRITE your persuasive essay.
Possible options of technology to write about: You are not limited to these possibilities!
Communication
Telegraph
Telephone
Cell Phone
Internet
Transportation
Aircraft
Railroad
Steamship
Automobile
Subway
Medicine
Anti-biotic
Anesthesia
Facemasks
Amputations
Surgeries
Stem Cell
Prosthetics
Weaponry
Bullets
Repeating Rifle
GunpowderAutomatic
Cannons
Atomic Bomb
Aircraft Carriers
Chemical
Warfare
Biological
Warfare
Alternate
Phonograph
Camera
Light Bulb
Vacuum
Washer & Dryer
Television
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British Imperialism in Africa Lesson Plan and Assessment Activity
Essential Questions:
What does it mean to imperialize?
How do we determine if a nation or people undergo imperialism?
What are the advantages in imperializing another country?
Could there be advantages in becoming an imperialized nation?
Rationale:
It is important for students to understand both African and British perspectives about
foreign conquest and imperialism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Often
times, foreign imperialism is interpreted through European perspective and not from perspectives
of native Africans. The different perspectives of imperialism are found in primary source
document diary entries by Cecil Rhodes and Chief Kabongo. The differing attitudes of
imperialism are also found through music: “Rule Britannia”, and through poems: “The White
Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling and “The Brown Man’s Burden” by Henry Labouchere.
Objectives:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Students will recognize and define imperialism.
Students will identify and explain the major causes of British imperialism in Africa.
Students will explore and analyze British imperialism with primary source documents.
Students will evaluate intended desires and actual results of imperialism.
Students will construct journal entries that support or negate imperialism.
Aligning Standards:
World History Intermediate NYS Standards:
III. Study the major social, political, cultural, and religious developments in world history.
IV. Investigate the roles and contributions of individuals and groups in relation to key
social, political, cultural, and religious practices.
Lesson Outline:
Do-Now: Political Cartoon “Cecil Rhodes Stands aside the Whole of Africa, 1892.”
A. Describe the image.
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B.
C.
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What is the cartoon trying to demonstrate?
Does the pose and stance of Cecil Rhodes have significance?
Brief Discussion:
-Review Do-Now questions.
-Discuss and answer questions: Who is Cecil Rhodes and what are his feelings about
imperializing Africa?
-Make connections between “Cecil Rhodes Stands aside the Whole of Africa, 1892” and
“The Colossus of Rhodes.”
Group Activity: Primary Source Document Analysis:
-Students will be divided in groups to view and analyze primary source documents.
-Students will examine primary source diary entries written by Cecil Rhodes and Chief
Kabongo, British song: “Rule Britannia”, and poems: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard
Kipling and “The Brown Man’s Burden” by Henry Labouchere.
- Students will be able to answer these essential questions:
1. What are the advantages in imperializing another country?
2. Could there be advantages in becoming an imperialized nation?
Closure: Carving up Africa
-Looking at a map of Africa in 1914, this is what Africa would look by 1914!
-Students will draw conclusions based on the map:
1. By looking at the map, what can be said about Africa’s structure?
2. Was Africa successful in resisting foreign imperialism?
3. Why do you think that by 1900, more than 90% of Africa was colonized?
Assessment: Student Editorial Assignment - 30 points.
Students will elect to take the side of pro or anti-imperialist. Whichever side a student
chooses to write about, they will be required to thoroughly explain their position by utilizing course
material, key terms, and primary source documents. The editorial article must be persuasive and
should instill creativity: actually imagine you are experiencing imperialism firsthand! Feel free to
include pictures, drawings, quotations and more. Ideas and opinions from these editorial articles
will be presented and shared with the class during a future discussion debate.
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*Please use the following questions to help write your editorial:
A)
Decide whether you are pro or anti- imperialist, indicate why.
B)
If you had been involved in making the decision to imperialize Africa, what factors would
be important to you and why?
C)
How would these factors conflict with African natives and other Europeans?
D)
As a result of imperialism, what problems might your country experience?
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References:
Macphee, D.A. & Whitecotton, E.J. (2011). Bringing the “social” back to social studies: literacy
strategies as tools for understanding history. The Social Studies: Vol. 102, 263-267.
Peterson, D.S. & Taylor, B.M. (2012). Using higher order questioning to accelerate students’
growth in reading. The Reading Teacher: Vol. 65(6), 295-304.
Reidel, M. & Draper, C.A. (2011). Reading for democracy: preparing middle-grades social
studies teachers to teach critical literacy. The Social Studies: Vol. 102, 124-131.
Vacca, R.T., Vacca, J.L., & Mraz, M. (2011). Content area reading: literacy and learning across
the curriculum. Pearson Education Inc.: Boston, MA.