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NCSS Notebook
Crossing Borders, Building Bridges
Gayle Y. Thieman
Through collaboration and involvement, we can meet the five critical challenges facing social studies educators today.
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The Keys to the White House: Prediction for 2008
Allan Lichtman
Students will comprehend the many factors that influence an election when they analyze why this successful prediction system forecasts a popular vote victory for the Democrats in 2008.
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Teaching with Documents
“Summer Schedule” and “The Fishin’ Season”: Cartoons by Clifford Berryman
Christine Blackerby
The two featured political cartoons will stir classroom debate on how presidential election campaigns are planned.
A Special Section: Natural Disasters
Edited by Valerie Ooka Pang
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Addressing Student Trauma in the Wake of California Wildfires
Valerie Ooka Pang, Marcelina Madueño, Miriam Atlas, Tamiko Stratton, Jennifer Oliger, and Cindy Page
Although natural disasters occur with alarming frequency, most citizens are unprepared. The authors outline strategies for handling unexpected catastrophes and facilitating student healing.
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How Schools Can Help: California Teachers Recall the Wildfires
Dana Riggs, Marcelina Madueño, and Miriam Atlas
Three San Diego teachers describe how sharing stories and volunteer work helped students recover from the wildfires and gain a greater sense of community.
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Weathering Natural Disasters with a Net of Safety
Ilene R. Berson and Michael J. Berson
With the right resources, teachers can foster safe and supportive environments for children coping with the trauma of natural disasters.
31
Surfing the Net
Teaching Historical Analysis and Thinking Using the Internet
C. Frederick Risinger
The websites highlighted in this column offer lesson plans, activities, and resources for teaching students to analyze the past and make better decisions about the future.
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Research and Practice
High Quality Civic Education: What Is It and Who Gets It?
Joseph Kahne and Ellen Middaugh
If our democracy is to fulfill its promise of enabling citizens to participate fully and equally, we must do more to address why schools often fail to provide equal access to civic learning opportunities.
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Looking at the Law
Across the Color Line: Diversity, Public Education, and the Supreme Court
Michelle Parrini
This review of key Supreme Court cases dealing with school integration can foster class discussion on racial progress and the role of the courts in determining educational policy.
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Lessons from History: Defining Moments in the American Presidency and Foreign Policy
Ann Claunch
A close look at two critical presidential moments of the twentieth century will help students grasp the significance of foreign policy in an election contest.