Making Connections in Elementary and Middle School Social Studies » (1st Edition)

Dr. Johnson is a Professor of Holistic Education in the Department of Educational Studies: Special Populations at Minnesota State University, Mankato.  He specializes in literacy education, strategies for the inclusive classroom, social studies education, holistic education, and gifted education.  He worked for 9 years in the public schools as a first, second, and sixth grade teacher and as a gifted education coordinator before moving into higher education.  He is the author of many books and articles related to education, teaching, and learning.  Currently, his areas of interest include action research, thinking skills, spiritual intelligence, mental health and emotional intelligence, and academic and creative writing.  He is available for workshops, teacher professional development, consulting services, and other educational opportunities.

This book revolves around the idea that making personal connections with the material to be learned is what creates powerful learning experiences. Making Connections in Elementary and Middle School Social Studies is a comprehensive, reader-friendly text that demonstrates how personal connections can be incorporated into social studies education while meeting the National Council for the Social Studies' thematic, pedagogical, and disciplinary standards. The book examines a variety of methods both novice and experienced teachers alike can use to make social studies more interesting and to help students make their own personal connections.