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Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12

Professional Development > Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12 > 30. Issues in Social Studies: Unity and Diversity

Social Studies & History

K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Issues in Social Studies: Unity and Diversity

This program examines how social studies teachers in any grade level can embrace both unity and diversity in their classrooms. Topics range from exploring democratic values to building awareness of student diversity. Through examples of students connecting with one another and embracing the different cultures within their community, teachers can reflect on how to best address issues of unity and diversity in their classroom.

What does it mean to teach about unity and diversity in social studies?

Not all educators answer this question in the same way.

Some argue that issues of unity and diversity are subjective, contingent on the demographics of each class or community, and best expressed through individual characteristics and common goals. Other educators believe that a major role of social studies is to highlight the historical backdrop of different races, religions, classes, and cultures that make up a pluralistic, democratic society.

As the American classroom grows increasingly diverse, everyone can agree that issues of unity and diversity present both opportunities and challenges for social studies teachers. The cultural and ethnic diversity found in many classrooms provides teachers with an opportunity to develop habits of mutual respect and appreciation of differences. That same diversity also allows teachers to explore themes of unity by examining the things we have in common. Appreciating one another in the classroom is the first step toward connecting with others in the larger community.

If one of the purposes of social studies is to help students see themselves as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society, then exploring concepts of unity and diversity is a powerful means of attaining that goal.

Overview
Even classes that appear to be homogenous contain diversity — in terms of gender, personality, and ability. Social studies provides a natural forum for teaching students to recognize and respect differences within the classroom and beyond. In the video, “Unity and Diversity,” teachers help students understand differences by:

  • assigning group work that requires consensus about different values,
  • examining artifacts to explore other cultures,
  • integrating other languages in studying a culture or region, and
  • drawing on personal experiences that reveal the prevalence of stereotypes.

NCSS Themes in This Lesson

Each video lesson in the library is keyed to standards and performance expectations. Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies defines what students should know and be able to do in social studies at each educational level.

Issues of unity and diversity relate to the following NCSS themes:

  • Culture
  • Time, Continuity, and Change
  • People, Places, and Environments
  • Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
  • Power, Authority, and Governance
  • Global Connections
  • Civic Ideals and Practices

Exploring the Issues

Notes


As you reflect on these questions, write down your responses or discuss them as a group.

Unity in the Classroom

“Students learn what they live. A classroom organized along democratic principles is the best way of teaching democracy. Students should also understand that the outside world is diverse, even if their classroom is not. And given the mobility of modern life, they’re probably going to encounter diversity wherever they go, so it’s important to develop the skills to relate to people who are different.”
— Cherry McGee Banks, Professor of Education, University of Washington, Bothell

Wrestling with the Issue

  • How can classroom set-up and visual aids promote unity and diversity?
  • How do you ensure that students connect democratic practices in the classroom with those in the community?
  • How do you teach the skills and knowledge needed to relate to different people?

Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

“I want students to realize that the world is much bigger than their neighborhood and much more diverse and interesting than they could ever imagine…. That knowledge will foster the desire to learn more about other cultures.”
— Gwen Larsen, Sixth-Grade Social Studies Teacher, Dorchester, Massachusetts

Wrestling with the Issue

  • Why is it important to teach students about the world beyond their community?
  • How do you foster the concept of unity in a classroom where diversity is the primary focus?
  • How would you introduce students to cultures that are represented or not represented in their classroom?

Linguistic and Learning Diversity

“Students learn in different ways. But if you are familiar with different ways of delivering the curriculum, you will be more likely to reach the full range of students.”
— Cherry McGee Banks, Professor of Education, University of Washington, Bothell

Wrestling with the Issue

  • What strategies do you use to accommodate linguistic and learning diversity?
  • How can instruction be designed to benefit students at all skill levels?
  • What are the risks and rewards of highlighting learning differences?

Applying What You've Learned

As you reflect on the classroom activities from the video, think about how you might adapt and extend these ideas to your own teaching.

  • Darlene Jones-Inge’s fourth-grade class studies problems in the community, nation, and world. Ms. Jones-Inge fosters a democratic model to teach students how to work together for the common good. Students work in groups to plan a community service project for people in Chile to develop an understanding of the civic importance of their service, beyond their own personal satisfaction.
  • Gwen Larsen’s sixth-grade students examine historical and family artifacts. Students thus encounter the past in a hands-on, personal way before they begin studying world history. By examining artifacts, students understand both the differences and similarities between people.
  • Libby Sinclair asks her fifth-grade students to define and identify examples of stereotyping. She extends their thinking by asking why it is important to examine stereotypes at all. Students draw examples of stereotypes from their own experience as well as literature to see how people sometimes impose the concept of “unity” on a group by ignoring individual diversity.

Notes


As you reflect on these questions, write down your responses or discuss them as a group.

Consider your own classroom as you answer the following questions.

  • What strategies do you employ in each situation to teach students about different cultures or to debunk common stereotypes?
  • What topics in your curriculum lend themselves to teaching students about issues of unity and diversity?
  • How do you cultivate a classroom climate that allows students to speak candidly but respectfully about the range of differences among them? Among different cultures?
  • How do you handle popular misconceptions or stereotypes about different races, classes, genders, religions, and student abilities?
  • How do you foster ideas of unity in teaching about different cultures or historical periods?

Links to the Lessons
“Unity and Diversity” features the following teachers and lessons from the Social Studies in Action library:

Darlene Jones-Inge: Making a Difference Through Giving
Eileen Mesmer: Celebrations of Light
Tim Rockey: Gender-Based Distinctions
Gwen Larsen: Explorations in Archeology and History
Libby Sinclair: Understanding Stereotypes
Gary Fisher: The Amistad Case
David Kitts: Historical Change
Diane Kerr: State Government and the Role of the Citizen
Wendell Brooks: Competing Ideologies

and the Teaching Reading: K-2 library:

Cindy Wilson: Building Oral Language

Resources

Print Resources

For Teachers

Cole, Robert W., ed. More Strategies for Educating Everybody’s Children. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.

Parker, W. C., ed. Education for Democracy, Contexts, Curricula, Assessments. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, 2002.

Soder, R., J. I. Goodlad, and T. J. McMannon, eds. Developing Democratic Character in the Young. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc., 2001.

Tomlinson, C. A. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1999.

Web Sites

For Teachers

National Council for the Social Studies
The NCSS Themes identify standards-based themes in the classroom.

Teaching Controversy
Streetlaw.org offers tips for teaching controversial issues.

Multicultural Education Activities and Research
This site contains research projects, activities, and resources for those interested in equity, inter-group relations, and the success of students of color.

Multicultural Education Links and Events
This site provides position papers, links, and a listing of events related to multicultural education.

Series Directory

Social Studies in Action: A Teaching Practices Library, K-12

Credits

Produced by WGBH Educational Foundation. 2003.
  • Closed Captioning
  • ISBN: 1-57680-635-9

Sections

Supplementary: Unity and Diversity

Unity and Diversity

Programs

Program 1 Introduction to the Video Library

This program presents the purpose of the Social Studies in Action video library. It introduces all the components of the library, explains the goals of NCSS, and presents examples of classroom lessons throughout the library. This program also addresses a variety of ways in which the library can be used for enhancing the curriculum, teacher reflection, and best practices for teaching.

Program 2 A Standards Overview, K-5

This program includes K–5 classroom examples from across the country that define and illustrate the 10 NCSS thematic strands and present a variety of ways that they can be integrated into the K–5 curriculum. The primary grades begin to lay the foundation and groundwork for big ideas and concepts in social studies, such as a sense of place, time, community, and justice.

Program 3 Historical Change

David Kitts is a first–grade teacher on the Santo Domingo Indian Reservation in New Mexico. In his bilingual classroom, Native American students are studying the history of farming through a lesson that compares farming in eighteenth–century New England to current–day practices in the Midwest. The lesson uses literature and the study of various farming tools and products to illuminate the changes that have taken place in the industry over time and in different parts of the country. The lesson includes group activity and discussion.

Program 4 China Through Mapping

Mimi Norton teaches second grade at Solano Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona. In this lesson, students learn about China's position on the globe and the location of important landmarks within the country. As a class, students create a giant map of China on the floor. Working in teams, students complete mapping tasks at classroom stations, focusing on the five themes of geography. As a culminating activity, students solve an interactive detective mystery created by Ms. Norton and work in small groups to solve problems based on their mastery of the map of China.

Program 5 Leaders, Community, and Citizens

Cynthia Vaughn teaches first grade at the Rooftop Alternative School in San Francisco, California. The objective of Ms. Vaughn's lesson is to help her students differentiate between the titles and roles of elected officials at city, state, and country levels. After a class discussion outlining the various roles of these elected officials, students work in pairs to complete a chart, matching specific names with job titles and buildings, and then discuss their work with the whole class. Then, the students build their own fictitious community and explore and present the issues facing the town.

Program 6 Making Bread Together

Meylin Gonzalez is a kindergarten teacher in Tampa, Florida. Ms. Gonzalez uses this lesson to introduce her students to several economic concepts, including production and cooperation. Using a children's book as a guide, Ms. Gonzalez reviews with her students how people work cooperatively on an assembly line to make a product. The students then experience the concepts of production and distribution through an activity in which they create an assembly line in the classroom and prepare hand–made bread.

Program 7 Caring for the Community

Debbie Lerner teaches grades 1–3 at Red Bridge Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri. Red Bridge incorporates a personalized learning curriculum in which students stay in the same classroom for all three grade levels. Ms. Lerner's lesson focuses on the concept of community and explores how her students can help make a difference in each other's lives. Students review the concept of resources and interview their superintendent to understand how decisions are made that affect the school budget. Students then work in groups to brainstorm and create flyers to help prepare for their school's upcoming remodeling.

Program 8 Celebrations of Light

Eileen Mesmer teaches a combined kindergarten and first–grade class in Salem, Massachusetts, a diverse community outside Boston. Ms. Mesmer asks her students to explore the many ways the holidays are celebrated and to find commonalities among the various celebrations. Ms. Mesmer reads to the students from "The Winter Solstice," using it to help students understand the greater theme of community. Through math, writing, and drawing stations located throughout the classroom, students interact with the content in a variety of ways and through diverse learning styles.

Program 9 Explorers in North America

Rob Cuddi, a fifth–grade teacher at Winthrop Middle School in Winthrop, Massachusetts, has been teaching for almost 30 years and has recently taken an active role in restructuring the social studies curriculum to accommodate both state and national standards. Mr. Cuddi's lesson introduces the theme of exploration in North America, posing three essential questions: How have people in history affected our lives today?; How do the human and physical systems of the Earth interact?; and What role do economies play in the foundation of our history?

Program 10 California Missions

Osvaldo Rubio is a bilingual fourth–grade social studies teacher at Sherman Oaks Community Charter School in San Jose, California. Mr. Rubio's geography lesson focuses on the location and movement of California missions. In groups, students create artistic, oral, written, and other more sophisticated audio–visual presentations. Some students use the Internet to download images, while others use a digital camera and editing software to create their own presentations in the form of an I–Movie.

Program 11 State Government and the Role of the Citizen

Diane Kerr is a fourth–grade teacher at Butcher Greene Elementary School in the ethnically diverse community of Grandview, Missouri, a few miles outside Kansas City. Ms. Kerr presents a lesson on the state of Missouri and its three branches of government. Students work in groups and create posters that represent the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. The students also voice their concerns about what can be done to improve their lives. As a class, they then work to understand the process of how a bill becomes a law.

Program 12 Using Primary Sources

Kathleen Waffle teaches fifth grade at John Muir Elementary School in San Bruno, California, a working–class suburb of San Francisco. In a unit on Colonial America, students examine an eighteenth–century business through a case study of a successful silversmith who lived in Colonial Williamsburg. In small groups, students use primary source documents (advertisements) and artifacts to identify the business strategies used by the silversmith. They then translate a historic contract between a master and an apprentice and examine how colonial apprenticeships compare with present–day job pursuits.

Program 13 Making a Difference Through Giving

Darlene Jones–Inge is a fourth–grade teacher at O'Hearn Elementary School located in Boston's inner city. Ms. Jones–Inge, a teacher for 10 years, presents a complex lesson that focuses on the theme of giving. Ms. Jones–Inge has students work in teams to determine a meaningful service project addressing the needs within their school, community, country, or world. Through thoughtful voting and collaborative decision making, students must determine the goal and scale of their project.

Program 14 Understanding Stereotypes

Libby Sinclair is a fourth– and fifth–grade teacher at Alternative Elementary School #2 in Seattle, Washington. In her lesson, Ms. Sinclair asks her students to define the term "stereotype" from a variety of perspectives. At the beginning of the lesson, Ms. Sinclair has students brainstorm individually and in groups to understand how stereotypes have affected their lives and their learning. After recognizing that the contribution of Negro baseball leagues has been omitted from the history of baseball, students thoughtfully plan and execute a letter campaign to contact text publishers.

Program 15 A Standards Overview, 6-8

Lessons from grade 6–8 classrooms illustrate how the NCSS standards and themes can be integrated into the middle school curriculum. Middle school teachers explore a number of expectations and outcomes in their lessons and build on the fundamentals established in the elementary grades. Themes of civics, political science, and history begin to take on more meaning as the content in these lessons connects to students' lives.

Program 16 Explorations in Archeology and History

Gwen Larsen teaches sixth–grade social studies at Harbor School in Boston, Massachusetts. In her introductory lesson, Ms. Larsen guides students through an exploration of their family histories, leading to their place in the larger human family and the development of civilizations. Ms. Larsen's students work in groups to differentiate between fossils and artifacts. The lesson concludes with student presentations of their own family heirlooms.

Program 17 Exploring Geography Through African History

Lisa Farrow is a seventh–grade world cultures teacher at Shiloh Middle School in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Farrow's lesson provides her students with an understanding of African history and geography. After creating a personal timeline, the students create a historical timeline of Africa, focusing on the Bantu migrations, the rise of Islam, the West African trading empires, the Turkish empire, the slave trade, and European colonialism. Students take an active role in group work as they create maps and captions that define each period. Ms. Farrow concentrates on the importance of the trading empires and their connection to Africa's history as a whole.

Program 18 The Amistad Case

Gary Fisher is a teacher at Timilty Middle School in the urban community of Roxbury, Massachusetts, part of the greater Boston area. In his eighth–grade U.S. history class, Mr. Fisher examines the history of African American slavery through a dramatic mock trial based on the Amistad case in 1839. Serving as the defense, prosecution, judges, and other historical characters in the trial, students develop their cases and present them in a formal court setting created in their classroom. In his class, Mr. Fisher collaborates with the Spanish teacher who provides special support for second–language learners.

Program 19 Population and Resource Distribution

Becky Forristal teaches seventh–grade economics at Rockwood Valley Middle School, 20 miles outside St. Louis, Missouri. Her lesson focuses on a population simulation that explores world economics, demonstrating the inequalities in land, food, energy, and wealth distribution in the world today. Using a global map on the classroom floor, students are able to visualize how resources are distributed in both wealthy and under–developed nations of the world.

Program 20 Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Wendy Ewbank teaches seventh and eighth grade at Madrona School in Bellevue, Washington. In a civics lesson on landmark Supreme Court cases, the students focus on the tension between the rights of the individual and the good of society. In the lesson, students work in groups, presenting various cases to the class in the form of a press conference. Key issues include the right to privacy, equal protection, and the First Amendment. On day two, students hold a town meeting to discuss whether the burning of the American flag is protected under the right to freedom of speech. Ms. Ewbank provides clear rubrics, which help students understand the expectations and goals for the lesson.

Program 21 The Middle East Conflict

Justin Zimmerman is a sixth-grade teacher at Magnolia School in Joppa, Maryland, about 30 miles north of Baltimore. Mr. Zimmerman explores the claims to land in the Middle East from three major religions — Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. After learning about the geography of the area, the students begin to explore the region's political unrest and discuss the controversy over control of the land of Israel. Through this lesson, the students begin to make connections that relate their own lives to the political and religious struggle.

Program 22 A Standards Overview, 9-12

This program shows a variety of complex topics from high school lessons, illustrating how the NCSS standards and themes can be integrated into teaching in grades 9–12. Teachers will be able to see how the curriculum can be expanded to address complex issues and content in meaningful ways and become much more sophisticated in exploring all areas of social studies.

Program 23 Public Opinion and the Vietnam War

Liz Morrison is a ninth–grade American history teacher at Parkway South High School in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. In a lesson on the Vietnam War, Ms. Morrison explores how public opinion was shaped by key events. Students create a timeline and work in groups to discover how public opinion changed from approval to disapproval. The students view television footage from this period and listen to popular music that reflects both sides of public opinion. Ms. Morrison helps her students make connections from the Vietnam War to their world today.

Program 24 Migration From Latin America

Mavis Weir teaches 10th–grade history at Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, California. In this lesson, students explore the various reasons people emigrate from their homeland. The class is broken up into six separate groups, each representing a different Latin American country with its own set of resources. Using both primary and secondary sources, students examine the economic, political, and environmental circumstances that cause people to emigrate. Each group presents their findings through a variety of creative presentations that include theatrical skits, artwork, and music.

Program 25 Competing Ideologies

Wendell Brooks is a teacher at the diverse Berkeley High School in Berkeley, California. Mr. Brooks' ninth–grade history class focuses on a variety of political ideologies present during the period of World War I. His class includes lively discussion on capitalism, communism, totalitarianism, and Nazism, as portrayed by leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini. In his lesson, Mr. Brooks incorporates a Socratic discussion into his lesson, as well as group activities and presentations.

Program 26 Economic Dilemmas and Solutions

Steven Page is a 12th–grade economics teacher at Vivian Gaither Senior High School in Tampa, Florida. In this lesson, students review and interpret the government's role in the economy. Working in groups, students examine economic dilemmas, including the implications of human cloning, year–round schooling, and drug legalization. Students then reach consensus on a "proper" economic decision and present their findings in the form of a skit, followed by a group discussion.

Program 27 Gender-Based Distinctions

Tim Rockey teaches 12th–grade American government and politics at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Rockey reviews the concept of civil rights, with a focus on women's rights. Students evaluate the "reasonableness" standard as set by the court and come to understand where the court has drawn the line for gender–based decisions. They explore the following questions: Can public taverns cater only to men? Can females be excluded from contact sports? And can a state military college exclude women? After examining Supreme Court cases, students render a judgment as to the validity of the standard of equal rights.

Program 28 The Individual in Society

Brian Poon is a teacher at Brookline High School in metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Poon's 12th–grade philosophy lesson focuses on the role of the individual in society. Based on readings by various philosophers, including Reinhold Niebuhr, Thomas Hobbes, Mao Zedong, Martha Nussbaum, and Plato, students apply the philosophers' viewpoints to solve the dilemmas of a fictitious nation called "Fenway." They then participate in a dynamic class discussion about how to integrate the best philosophical ideas to address Fenway's problems.

Program 29 Issues in Social Studies: Groups, Projects, and Presentations

This program examines how social studies teachers in any grade level can use groups, projects, and presentations to help students become actively involved in their learning. Topics range from structuring groups to creating scoring guides and rubrics. Through examples of cooperative learning, decision making, and problem solving, teachers can examine how to use groups, projects, and presentations to promote powerful learning.

Program 30 Issues in Social Studies: Unity and Diversity

This program examines how social studies teachers in any grade level can embrace both unity and diversity in their classrooms. Topics range from exploring democratic values to building awareness of student diversity. Through examples of students connecting with one another and embracing the different cultures within their community, teachers can reflect on how to best address issues of unity and diversity in their classroom.

Program 31 Issues in Social Studies: Dealing With Controversial Issues

This program examines how social studies teachers in any grade level can encourage open and informed discussions with their students while dealing with controversial issues. Topics range from stereotypes and gender–based discrimination to the conflict in the Middle East. Through clearly identifying issues, listening to multiple perspectives, and formulating personal positions, teachers can explore a variety of strategies that can be used to teach challenging issues such as these in their own classrooms.

Program 32 Issues in Social Studies: Creating Effective Citizens

This program explores how social studies teachers in any grade level can help their students develop the democratic values that will make them effective and responsible citizens. Teachers are shown helping students see their community in a broader sense and inspiring them to think about ways they can make a difference. The classroom lessons emphasize how civic processes work, how to discuss issues from multiple perspectives, and how teachers can inspire their students to take social action.

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