Synopsis

The announcement that "It's social studies time" often elicits dread from students who mistakenly view the subject as a near-death experience. And who can blame them when this fascinating subject has been stripped of the heartbreak, adventure, conflict, treachery, strategic brilliance, and spectacular foibles-in short, the humanity-that it's supposed to explain? Student apathy and rock-bottom test scores scream that it's time for a change-for unforgettable, not regrettable, social studies. It's time for Social Studies That Sticks.

In Social Studies That Sticks Laurel Schmidt introduces a brain-compatible approach to integrated, standards-based instruction, using the four elements of the human learning cycle: awareness, exploration, inquiry, and action. This dynamic approach brings content and concepts to life, while sharpening skills in questioning, thinking, reading, writing, and the visual and performing arts. It promotes academic achievement, models the habits of active citizenship, tunes students' ethical antennae to social problems, and teaches tools students can use to advocate for change.

Biography

Laurel Schmidt is the author of three Heiemann titles: Social Studies That Sticks (2007), Classroom Confidential (2004), and Gardening in the Minefield: A Survival Guide for School Administrators (2002). Laurel has worked for thirty years in education as a teacher, principal, curriculum development specialist, consultant, lecturer, and writer. Currently she is the Director of Pupil Services for the Santa Monica-Malibu School District and an adjunct professor at Antioch University. She is also the author of Seven Times Smarter: 50 Ways to Develop the Multiple Intelligences in Your Child (Three Rivers Press, 2001). You can email Laurel at schmidtl@smmusd.org and visit her website at www.laurelschmidt.com.