Literacy and History in Action

This book offers a solid research and theoretical foundation for combining social studies and literacy instruction. A collaboration among a literacy scholar, two classroom teachers, and a school librarian, this volume also shows teachers how to engage middle and high school students in historical inquiry that incorporates literacy skills like reading complex texts and writing elaborated arguments. The authors present extended simulation activities that immerse students in three eras of U.S. history: European incursions into North America, pre-Revolutionary War colonialism, and the Civil War and Reconstruction. These simulations allow learners to experience these major periods of U.S. history while they discuss, read, and write in ways that align closely with the Common Core State Standards. The final chapter guides teachers in constructing their own classroom simulations and identifies useful resources.

Book Features:

• Guidance for integrating language arts and social studies in ways that align with the Common Core State Standards.
• Simulation activities that show learners actively engaged in inquiry involving collaboration, deliberation, debate, and critical judgments.
• Models for disciplinary literacy that rely on primary source texts and historical fiction.
• Examples of student work, website resources, and an online appendix with rubrics for teachers.

Thomas M. McCann is a professor of English at Northern Illinois University. His books include Transforming Talk into Text. Rebecca D’Angelo teaches 5th grade at Edison Elementary School in Elmhurst, Illinois and serves on various school district curriculum development teams. Nancy Galas supervises student teachers and conducts professional development workshops nationwide. Mary Greska is a school library media specialist at Edison Elementary School, Elmhurst, Illinois.

“This book is a good resource for people in the field of second

language acquisition and education. It clearly demonstrates the fundamental connection between linguistic structures and underlying

meanings.”

—Journal of Language & Literacy Education

" Literacy and History in Social Action is an excellent book for teacher educators and teachers who are looking for an illustrative and detailed example of how social studies teachers can implement creative, innovative, and comprehensive content area literacies in the classroom. McCann, D’Angelo, Galas, and Greska have developed an outstanding resource dedicated to designing instruction that is provocative, stimulating, and purposeful in honing the thinking, reading, writing, and speaking skills secondary students can succeed in."

—Teachers College Record

"This terrific book helps teachers think about how to design instruction to provide an education across the curriculum that is provocative and stimulating, and that helps young people develop both the thinking and writing skills they will need to succeed in their persuasion. I love this book, and wish I were still in the classroom to use both its examples and its principles in my own planning."
—From the foreword by Peter Smagorinsky, distinguished research professor of English Education, College of Education, The University of Georgia

"The Common Core State Standards require increased rigor in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. But rigor without sufficient instructional support is a recipe for disaster. This book provides a powerful model for providing authentically engaging activities that will help prepare students not only for college and career but also for their lives as citizens."
—Michael W. Smith, associate dean, Academic Affairs and Faculty Development,
professor of Literacy Education, Temple University

Appendix