Exploring Social Studies in the Early Childhood and Elementary Grades

By Kathryn Bauman-Hill, Early Childhood and Elementary Head

This past December, I had the privilege of hearing Supreme Court Justice Jackson speak at the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) Annual Conference. The conference focused on what is happening in the world and how Social Studies helps create a path to make sense and move forward. Inspiration came from the speakers and educators who shared how teachers can be both democracy builders and defenders. 

At the conference, teachers shared many creative ideas from their classrooms, specifically how certain skills can broaden students' civic awareness. One key aspect of that process is perspective taking. Students gain perspective as they study historical moments and engage with literature. Perspective taking can also be introduced by exploring civic issues and societal injustices, such as public safety, economic disparity, and family structures.

Building critical thinking is another essential skill when exploring historical topics or justice movements, particularly as it teaches children how to think rather than what to think. Students become history detectives, using observations to interpret, connect, inquire, and investigate various topics. The following questions are valuable in examining historical moments as well as larger community interactions at school. 

• Where are examples of resilience?
• Where do you see change? 
• What is the lasting impact? 

By studying the past and building on its knowledge, students can design a path for the future. Doing so takes courage. Children now witness activism, commitment to a cause, and standing up for what you believe in each day. Bishop Budde from the National Cathedral spoke at the conference about the importance of five types of courage and their power in people’s lives. As we celebrate Black History Month, we see the same types of courage summoned today as in the Civil Rights Movement.

The courage to go — Historically, the Freedom Riders left the comfort of their homes to go and put their lives on the line protesting bus segregation. Recently, Buddhist Monks left their temple in Fort Worth, Texas to lead a 2,300 mile walking journey of peace to Washington DC. Their Walk for Peace finished this past week after 110 days.

The courage to stay — Within the Children’s Crusade of 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, children stayed at a march in a city park despite arrests and other dangers. Today, non-violent protestors in Minneapolis have shown the power of staying in their community to protest together.

The courage to start — When the Montgomery bus boycott started, it was supported by a full community for 381 days. A powerful part of this movement was the creation of mutual aid opportunities. These same ideas are replicated today in many communities that have created aid programs in response to challenges in accessing food and other necessities.

The courage to accept — Martin Luther King, Jr. started the Poor People’s Campaign in 1967 based on the principle that rights gained during the Civil Rights Movement left out those affected by economic inequality. Using coalition building as a starting point, a movement began that transcended race and recognized that poverty impacted all groups of people. After MLK’s death in 1968, the campaign disbanded. Within the past seven years, a revitalized Poor People’s Campaign accepts the same vision as MLK’s initiative. 

The courage to step up — The March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama shows how everyday people stepped up to march for voting rights. Today, people in communities across the United States are mobilizing to protest issues and support people in their communities. 

At Capitol Hill Day School, students use perspective taking and critical thinking to examine issues of power, cultural identity, and civic responsibility. We plant seeds of possibility and courage in students. In her talk to educators at the conference, author and civil rights activist Kimberlé Crenshaw reminded us that we need to “have faith in what is not yet seen,” recognizing that we may never witness some of the powerful and courageous steps our students will take beyond Capitol Hill Day School.

Exploring Social Studies in the Early Childhood and Elementary Grades

Join Early Childhood and Elementary teachers on February 26 as they share more about how we introduce these foundational concepts of Social Studies in our classrooms.