This text is designed for courses in Social Studies Methods in Elementary School, found in Education programs at universities. The emphasis of Elementary Social Studies is on the procedures and standards of critical thinking as they pertain in the areas of intellectual standards and personal and social values in the Social Studies. The philosophy behind this text is that students of all ages should be actively engaged in finding, applying, interpreting, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information in order to make rational decisions. The text will challenge you to think critically about what you teach and how you teach it, in addition to providing you with many practical ideas. This book is based on the assumption that if you are actively involved in Social Studies activities, you are more likely to be able to understand and implement these activities in your classroom. Students are encouraged to “learn by doing” and to reflect critically on what they are doing.