METHODS 323 — SOCIAL STUDIES

PROFESSOR MARK KRANZ

CLASS SYLLABUS 2009-2010

The Purpose

The world in which we live is a special place--God made it for us. The purpose of this course is to explore a variety of methods we can use to teach Social Studies in our classrooms. In addition, many issues from the past and present will be explored from a Christian point of view to combat any anti-Christian biases found in current textbooks.

The Text

Social Studies for Children by John U. Michaelis, ©1992.

Various papers and articles will also be assigned reading.

The Process

1) Class time involves formal class discussion, lecture, computer programs, sharing web sites, and more.

2) Assignments may include producing modules, constructing lesson plans, presenting semi-weekly nuggets, evaluating (films, web sites, and current events publications), teaching at Messiah, reading portions of the textbook, summarizing conference papers, analyzing social studies series, and more.

3) Projects will include developing how you would use a historical fiction book in your classroom, planning bulletin boards, and constructing a two-week unit.

Attendance

Under Absences and Tardiness on page 16 of the college student handbook it states: "Students are required to attend all classes on their schedules." If you are absent for a class, you alone are responsible for finding out what you missed while you were gone, and to be prepared when class meets again.

Consistent student attendance is a point of emphasis in this course. Ordinarily, the student may be absent from class twice without incurring a penalty. Beyond that, however, the student can expect to see a drop of ⅓ of a grade for each absence over two. Equally important is the fact that an absence is an absence, whether it is "excused" or "unexcused".

In addition, please don't allow tardies to become a problem. Under normal circumstances, three tardies will be treated as one absence.

Grading

Letter grades will be based upon the following formula:

40%	Regular assignments

30%	Participation during formal class discussions

20%	Projects

10%	Classroom participation and positive attitude

Finally

It is my desire to help you become the best teachers you can possibly be. Please feel free to contact me, or to set up a meeting, whenever you have difficulties or questions.

May God bless your work in this course as you prepare yourselves to teach His precious lambs.