Theme Immersion Compendium for Social Studies Teaching. This item is unavailable.Theme Immersion Compendium for Social Studies Teaching

Teachers committed to the theme approach to social studies have discovered that the most successful curriculums are those generated from the interests of their students. But they've also discovered that implementing those themes is not always an easy task.The Theme Immersion Compendium remedies this issue with both specific ideas for focusing students' inquiries and practical, clearly organized steps for exploring them.

Four broad categories are suggested as starting points: Conflict, Settlements of the United States, Global Awareness, and Cultural Diversity in the United States. Then, twenty-two specific subtopics are further suggested for theme immersion. These areas represent subjects widely studied in grades K-8 and cover ideas recommended in the National Council of Social Studies standards.

Once students identify the themes that most interest them, teachers can consultThe Theme Immersion Compendium for explicit guidelines for implementation. Included features such as fiction and trade book references, activities for expression of knowledge, media and technological resources, assessment and evaluation forms, and camera-ready appendixes serve as valuable time-savers as the process moves forward.

Intended not as a prescriptive but as a support, The Theme Immersion Compendium will be invaluable to inservice social studies teachers, curriculum developers, and graduate and undergraduate students in social studies, language arts, and curriculum.

GARY MANNING has been at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for more than twenty years, studying the literacy development of children. Gary is also Teaching Editor of Teaching K-8.MARYANN MANNING was an elementary classroom teacher for 12 years and has been at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for more than 20, specializing in the literacy development of children. She is also a Teaching Editor of Teaching K-8. An advocate of child-centered learning, Maryann believes there is no time in educational history when the cause of classroom autonomy has been more threatened. She urges individuals and literacy organizations to protect children and teachers from scripted single cueing system programs and unconstitutional governmental intervention in the teaching of reading.