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Curating a Culture of Empathy

Libraries at the Heart of

Diversity and Accurate Representations

in Social Studies Education

Tiny URL: https://tinyurl.com/OASLcurating

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Land Acknowledgement

Vancouver Public Schools stands on the lands and waters of the Cowlitz Tribe, whose ancestors have resided here since time immemorial. Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place – alive and strong.

Through this acknowledgement, we commit to continually improving our practice of teaching an accurate and diverse history of this place.

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When You Hear Social Studies…

Scan the QR code to use our Mentimeter

or go to:

https://www.menti.com/aloaki7bm44p

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Presented by

Mary-Catherine McElroy

26437@vansd.org

Sacajawea Elementary School

Vancouver Public Schools

Shana Ferguson

18874@vansd.org

Columbia River High School

Vancouver Public Schools

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Vancouver Public Schools

PreK-12 urban school district in southern Washington State.

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Who else is in the room?

Elementary school?

Middle school?

High school?

Others?

Image from Unsplash

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How would you describe

the social studies curriculum in your school(s)?

Haystack Rock:

Majestic views but each teacher stands alone. Planning is in isolation.

No collaboration.

The Oregon Coast

Curriculum with access for all. Some folks stay on the sand, fly kites or take to the surf.

Teachers support each group to reach their full potential.

Marsh’s Free Museum:

Out of date. Never changing.

Resources & lessons feel like they are from a prehistoric era.

Sport fishing:

Teachers improvise, teach survival skills & help reel in the big fish.

No set curriculum but lots of excitement.

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How would you describe

your current role in supporting social studies?

The Oasis: We may not have all the social studies resources we want, but teachers rely on me to provide high quality options in the middle of a funding desert.

The Oregon Historical Society:

I am an essential member of the social studies team and work closely with teachers and students so they have what they need throughout the year’s journey.

The Lost Coast: I used to be really busy until 1:1 devices or portable laptop labs. Now, I have no idea what is happening with social studies.

The Quickie Mart: I never know ahead of time what people will need but can drop everything for a last minute social studies request. I am able to find the funds and resources to provide a little bit of everything.

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The problem with Social Studies

01 Old curriculum

02 Old thinking

04 Poor education

05 Poor valuation

03 Old blind spots

06 Poor support

Our textbooks are on average 20 years old.

The textbooks do not reflect current understanding about history.

Many teachers do not receive social studies PD after they leave college so they rely on what they learned in school.

Social studies instruction has been traditionally undervalued nationally as it is not a tested subject.

So many important stakeholders not represented.

Social studies is often funded last, if at all.

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For many school libraries…

District resources are old, out of date or nonexistent.
Units of study are the old chestnuts and students are asked to fill in the blank or given packets of articles, etc.
School libraries are understaffed and/or focus mainly on tech support.
School library collections and databases are ignored by teachers who rely on Google searches, OER, Chatgpt and TpT to enrich their units.

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Easy wins with your community

Advertise your skills & collection.

Evaluate fiction and non fiction to ensure the collection includes diverse perspectives and groups. Weed old, dated and/or offensive material.

Evaluate your collection to identify groups that are under or misrepresented.

Partner with public libraries, historical societies and museums to extend your collection.

Curate text sets and online resources to include high quality resources that every student and class can access.

Create book baskets based on a theme or unit for classrooms.

Help with the approval and adoption of new materials.

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Take an Old Chestnut and Plant a Tree

Elementary Old Chestnut:

Little House on the Prairie

Explore its roots and grow some branches

Tribal history and land displacement
Analyze propaganda about settling west
Alternative accounts of westward expansion
Secret co-author: Rose Wilder Lane

BONUS: Listen to the Wilder podcast if you want to know more (all the way to the end).

Image from Unsplash

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Secondary Updates to Tribal History & Current Events:

Curating contemporary tribal news and biographical resources.
Supporting cross curricular projects that rely on research and accurate representation.
Examining historical treaties and how they impact current tribes.
Evaluating fiction and nonfiction purchases to update collection.
Supporting the approval of new materials

Image from Unsplash

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Sample support:

Tribal History &

Westward Expansion

Elementary:

Curating lit sets that support your state’s history standards (example: Western Expansion) and reflect a diversity of experience.

Since Time Immemorial curriculum (WA)/Tribal History/Shared History (OR)

Tribal Specific Curriculum (OR)

Oregon Historical Society units/field trips/traveling trunks

Make sure your collection is up-to-date and accurate.

Bring in books that reflect the experience of many Native Americans, past, present, and future.

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Secondary Old Chestnut

World War 2:

Battles
Maps
Major generals: Patton!
Pearl Harbor
Women working in factories / home front

Old textbooks from 2001:

1 paragraph on the Holocaust vs 3 on Guadalcanal

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Secondary Old Chestnut: World War II

A Deeper Dive:

US propaganda connected to race / eugenics compared to Nazi propaganda.
Immigration policies that restricted the ability of people to escape persecution.
LGBTQ+ and other persecuted groups during the Holocaust.
The role of Code Talkers
No-No Boys, Pacific Islanders, Asian American Experiences
African Americans & Kaiser shipyards

Eugenics Movement Primary Source Set
PBS resource on teaching Eugenics
Ken Burns documentary The US and the Holocaust
Teaching Materials and Bibliography - US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Japanese Internment Primary Source Set
Asian American & Pacific Islanders in WWII
“Jim Crow” Shipyards

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What are the tried and true social studies units at your school(s)?

Post on our Workshop Planner and Resources

The Journey Begins

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ChatGPT

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AI & Research

Helping teachers and students use high quality resources leads to more authentic work.

AI will make up sources.
AI may quote a source that you can never look at.
AI may curate resources that aren’t screened with an inclusive / accuracy lens.

AI can’t replace a librarian!

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Example from ChatGPT

How does BLM build on Civil Rights Movement with quotes and sources:

"The Civil Rights Movement didn't begin in Montgomery and it didn't end in the 1960s. It continues on to this very minute." - civil rights activist and congressman, John Lewis (Source: National Public Radio)

Lewis, John. "Civil Rights Icon John Lewis Discusses His Life, Legacy, and Activism." National Public Radio, 24 July 2019, www.npr.org/2019/07/24/744007679/civil-rights-icon-john-lewis-discusses-his-life-legacy-and-activism.

This is a quote from Julian Bond of the NAACP

Not on the NPR site. There is a John Lewis transcript from January 19, 2009

This is a BIG opportunity to team with classroom teachers

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Public libraries & community partners are essential

Digital library cards for every student to access online materials, including databases

Hosting joint events and/or sharing funds to provide resources, guest speakers, etc.

Sharing collections / archives:

Traveling Trunk Program
Lit circle sets
Archives & Primary Sources

Photo by Shana Ferguson.

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Tell your elbow partners what perspectives/resources /voices could you add to one of your tried and true social studies units.

Add it to your planner!

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Revitalizing your unit planning

Start with social studies standards.

Develop compelling questions to drive inquiry.

Evaluate & identify high quality resources.

Design activities that support all learners.

Develop assessments that encourage student voice & choice.

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Compelling q uestions support a habit of inquiry that is open to multiple perspectives.

Sample questions:

When does the government have the right to remove children from their family’s custody?
What basic benefits or protections should every employee have?
Which New Deal Programs would be worth adopting today to help the economy?

Craft at least 1 question.