Project-Based Learning in Social Studies

Following the stock market crash of 1929, the United States plummeted into the Great Depression and unemployment soared. But when Franklin D. Roosevelt took office the following year, he enacted federal programs, financial regulations, and public works projects to boost the economy and put America back together. In this instructive volume, students will discover fascinating facts and little-known details about this series of reforms, called the New Deal. They'll also be able to choose from a variety of hands-on projects, from map-making to writing and performing a speech to designing and creating a brochure, in order to both broaden and deepen their learning experience and share what they know with their peers.

The varied projects in this volume present readers with more than a dozen lenses through which to learn about the progress and impact of the Industrial Revolution, and the tide of industrialization it unleashed, in the United States. Broad questions prompt readers to engage with major themes in civics, geography, economics, and history. A wealth of background information helps readers understand how these themes play out in the context of the profound shifts in the American economy and society that took place in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The idea of the Roaring '20s conjures up images of speakeasies, women with short, saucy hairdos, and hot jazz. Readers will learn about the historical events that define this decade, including the devastating war that preceded it. An explanation about project-based learning will help readers understand how it can help them research their topic in unique and interesting ways. Constructive suggestions offer ideas for projects, while encouraging readers to take their studies in new and interesting directions.

Students will gain a deeper understanding of the Cold War by delving into major social studies topics in this project-based examination. The volume presents a series of broad questions touching on major themes in the social studies curriculum. Each question is accompanied by several paragraphs examining that question in the context of the Cold War, as well as a detailed project that prompts readers to think critically and present their findings or opinions in a particular format, such as a poster with side-by-side comparisons, a persuasive essay, or a class presentation.

This project-based examination of World War II explores the topic through answering major questions that define this period in history. Learners will tackle challenges and questions through an extended process of investigation and contextualization, guided by historical facts and events that help students refine their research and focus their projects. Placing WWII in a real-world context will lend authenticity to their understanding of the war's depth and significance. Students will retain autonomy over their process, reflect on what they've learned, and share their process with peers and teachers. The result of each project is an actual product students will present to their peers.

The Civil Rights Movement changed the face of America when it commenced back in the 1950s, but racism is still a contentious reality in the twenty-first century. Readers will get a thorough review of the movement, its major players, and the lasting effects it had on the country. They'll also learn what project-based learning entails, and how they can put it to use. Hands-on project suggestions encourage readers to think creatively as well as analytically about the Civil Rights Movement, while allowing them more flexibility in how they approach it.