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Parallel Curriculum Units for Social Studies, Grades 6-12
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Parallel Curriculum Units for Social Studies, Grades 6-12



December 2009 | 240 pages | Corwin
The Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM), as described in the best-selling book The Parallel Curriculum, is a framework for developing a dynamic curriculum that helps students acquire expertise in specific subject areas. This resource deepens teachers' understanding of how to use the PCM to provide rigorous learning opportunities for students in social studies.

In Parallel Curriculum Units for Social Studies, Grades 6–12, experienced teachers contribute sample social studies units that demonstrate what high-quality curriculum looks like within a PCM framework. Covering history, geography, sociology, and interdisciplinary studies, these field-tested units each contain:

- Teacher explanations of the unit design

- Connections to concepts, skills, and standards

- Step-by-step directions for delivering the lessons and units

- Modification strategies and methods for assessment

Use these examples to design your own units and enhance your ability to provide challenging curriculum tailored to the abilities, interests, and learning preferences of each learner.

 
About the Editors
 
About the Contributors
 
Introduction: A Brief History of the Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM)
Heather Burke
1. Becoming a Geographer (Grade 6)
Background Information

 
Content Framework

 
Unit Assessments

 
Overview of the Unit

 
Lesson 1: Climate and Seasons

 
Lesson 2: Investigating World Populations

 
Lesson 3: Shop Around the Globe

 
Lesson 4: The Culture of Geography

 
Dawn Vier, Lisa L. Ward
2. Through the Looking Glass: A Unit for Reading/Writing/Social Studies Intervention Classes (Middle School)
Introduction to the Unit

 
Content Framework

 
Unit Assessments

 
Background Information

 
Unit Sequence, Description, and Teacher Reflections

 
Lesson 1: Introduction?"Who Am I?"

 
Lesson 2: The Pursuit of Happiness

 
Lesson 3: Authentic Authors

 
Lesson 4: Sociocentrism

 
Lesson 5: The City

 
Lesson 6: The Great Depression

 
Lesson 7: A Sign of the Times

 
Lesson 8: Persuade Me!

 
Lesson 9: Planet Earth

 
Kelly M. Dausel
3. Subversion and Controversy: Sociological Considerations of Humor, a Cross-Curricular Unit in Sociology and Literature (Grades 7 and 8)
Background Information

 
Content Framework

 
Guiding Questions for Each Parallel

 
Unit Assessments

 
Overview of the Unit

 
Unit Sequence, Description, and Teacher Reflections

 
Lesson 1: Introduction to Sociology and How Sociologists Think

 
Lesson 2: Humor in Society

 
Lesson 3: Humor in Communication

 
Lesson 4: Sociological Research

 
Lesson 5: Curriculum of Identity Creative Extension

 
Catherine Little
4. True Story-Telling: How Historians Construct the Past, Grade 10
Background Information

 
Content Framework

 
Unit Assessments

 
Overview of Key Lesson Ideas/Purposes

 
Lesson 1: Selective Memory

 
Lesson 2: Constructing History

 
Lesson 3: The Past Through Many Eyes

 
Lesson 4: Who Writes History?

 
Lesson 5: What Makes the History Books?

 
 
Resources
 
Index

"There is a freshness to Purcell and Leppien's approach transforming the curriculum into a platform for active investigation of our rapidly changing world. Your learners become 21st-century social scientists as they engage in probing timely issues and problems."

Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Curriculum Expert and Author
President, Curriculum Designers, Inc.

"All teachers want to provide high-quality curriculum for their students, but this goal is often not easily accomplished. The four social studies units in this book provide a clear view of what high-quality curriculum based on the Parallel Curriculum Model should look like and how it should be implemented. The units include high-end achievement targets; highly engaging lessons; innovative instructional strategies; activities that stimulate high-level thinking; and pre-, formative, and summative assessments. After reading these units, teachers will have a clear understanding of what makes high-quality curriculum."

Karen L. Westberg, Associate Professor of Education
University of St. Thomas

Sample Materials & Chapters

Introduction

Chapter 1: Becoming a Geographer


For instructors

Please contact your Academic Consultant to check inspection copy availability for your course.

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