Texas Social Studies Framework - Department of Geography ...

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Inquiry Teaching
Inquiry teaching is a process of asking and answering
key social studies questions. (See Teaching Generalizations,
Inductive Approach). It is the scientific method
applied to social studies and in many cases mirrors the
ways social scientists (economists, historians, geographers,
political scientists) conduct research. Students do
the following:
• identify and clarify questions, issues, or problems;
• propose a hypothesis;
• collect and organize data and evidence related to
the questions;
• evaluate, interpret, and analyze the data; and
• draw inferences or conclusions to answer the
initial questions.
In a variation of inquiry teaching, a topic such as the
Civil War or the Great Depression is presented in the
context of an inquiry question. Students research the
question in order to learn about the topic. For example,
as part of a study of the Great Depression, this inquiry
question might be posed: What were the short and long
term causes and effects of the Great Depression? In order
to answer this open-ended question, students study
history, economics, culture, government, geography, and
science, technology and society in an integrated fashion.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Each process involves a series of steps in which students
use facts, concepts, and generalizations to reach a
conclusion or solution. There are a number of approaches
to problem solving. Figure 24 illustrates a systematic
approach to problem solving and decision making.
Visual Strategies
Most students learn through both hearing and seeing.
Presenting new material using visuals such as pictures,
slides, overhead transparencies, maps, demonstrations,
and objects is a good teaching strategy. This is especially
true if students are involved and interactivity is built into
the presentation. Students need to develop their skills of
observation and visual analysis. Another powerful
instructional strategy is for students to construct and
prepare their own visual presentations. PowerPoint,
Hyperstudio, Inspiration, KidPix, and other software
offer students exciting venues for their creativity and
opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned.
Chapter 5: The Teaching-Learning System: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Students choose the images; develop the story and
narration based on interpretation of events, data, and
information; and make a presentation or produce a visual
product.
Community-Based Instruction
Community-based instruction is a new name for an old
idea, namely, using real life situations and settings to
enrich classroom instruction. Traditionally, such techniques
have included community volunteer work,
switching positions with town officials for a day, observing
court cases, and doing field work. Community-based
instruction should have clear educational goals, high
expectations for student performance, and be well
integrated with the TEKS and other curriculum to be
successful. In service learning, a type of communitybased
instruction, students have the opportunity to serve
the community and to learn and apply significant life and
social studies skills.
Role Play and Simulations
Students love playing roles. They enjoy assuming a
different identity. In the process, they learn valuable
social skills such as developing empathy and seeing
situations from multiple perspectives. Simulations, or
reenactments of events, are also effective at helping
students engage in problem solving in real world
contexts. Simulations and role plays are wonderful ways
to make events from the past or present come alive.
Role playing takes place in five stages:
• Initiation and Direction: The teacher identifies a
topic. Good topics require students to look at
many sides of an issue, develop an opinion, and
play interesting people.
• Describing the Context: The teacher sets the
context and makes sure students do not fall into
the trap of presentism (role playing with hindsight).
• Roles. Every student must have a role, even if
that of “juror,” “interested citizen,” or “newspaper
reporter.” Once assigned, time is needed for
students to understand their roles, to practice,
and try on their new identities.
• Enactment: This is the time when the students
actually play the roles. They do not recreate an
event.