Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Methods of Social Studies (Face-to-Face)

ELED 3490-01

Course: ELED 3490-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: TED
CRN: 30529

Course Description

Designed to analyze social understandings and responsibilities inherent in life and to plan and teach desirable experiences in social studies for elementary school children. The ability to live in a changing democratic society and in a world marked by increasing interdependence among societies requires the manifestation of the highest possible levels of civic and social competence. Students will learn how the following pedagogies complement the social studies curriculum and instruction: Culturally Responsive Teaching, Experiential Learning, Place-Based Education, Community Based Education, Inquiry Based Learning, Social Justice in Education, and Community Engaged Learning-Service Learning. They will also work with the National Council for the Social Studies Curriculum Themes. This course includes a service learning practicum experience, as well as supports students in their ability to implement a Community Engaged Learning-Service Learning experience based on the NCSS Curriculum Themes, and the state standards for the elementary students in the practicum classes in which they work and teach. (Elementary Block) (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Admission to Education Department required

Required Texts

There are no required texts. All reading and sources will be provided in class.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Create social studies lesson plans based on state and national standards.
  2. Create integrated lessons plans using social studies standards and other content area standards.
  3. Differentiate between the various strands of social studies standards.
  4. Identify connections between the social studies strands.
  5. Develop instructional activities that enable students to develop competency with social studies forms of inquiry and representation.
  6. Apply knowledge about social studies to make sense of the world through questioning, seeking out, and analyzing information.
  7. Prepare and implement social studies lessons to children in a service-learning/practicum experience to develop hands-on teaching experience and to provide a valuable service to our public school partners.

Course Requirements

3490-Specific Assignments

  • Content Knowledge Quizzes: You’ll take a series of quizzes in history, geography, civics/government, and economics. These quizzes will be based on study guides based on the teaching standards.
  • Content Teach-Ins: During the semester, you’ll help classmates prepare for the content knowledge quizzes by conducting a “teach-in” based on a particular social studies discipline and grade-level. You’ll write a simplified lesson plan and teach out the plan in class or online.
  • Social Studies Integrated Lesson w/ Written Task: You will plan a lesson that integrates social studies standards with standards from a different content area, mostly like ELA. Your integrated lesson will need to include a developmentally appropriate written task for students.
  • Inquiry Activity: The Inquiry Activity asks you to develop an activity using an aspect of the “Inquiry Arc.” Your inquiry can be tied to history, geography, civics/government, or economics. You will provide a one-page resource describing your activity. You’ll also teach a portion of this activity in class.
  • Social Studies Journal: The journal will be a place where we do a few things this semester. One aspect of the journal will be to document engagement strategies that are discussed in class. Practicum reflections will also be used here. You’ll also be required to capture an identified number of social studies and teaching resources.
  • Classwork/Homework This category will capture in-class or weekly assignments. There will be approximately 30 points of classwork/homework per week.

Key Block Assignments: Students also complete the "Key Block" assignments as part of ELED 3490. The "Key Block" assignments are assignments that are shared across the block classes, including Weekly Lesson Plans, dispositions assignments, and others.

Course Outline

Week 0 = Introductions
Week 1 = History I
Week 2 = History II
Week 3 = No Class
Week 4 = Civics & Government I
Week 5 = Civics & Government II
Week 6 = Geography I
Week 7 = Weeklong Practicum
Week 8 = Geography II
Week 9 = Economics I
Week 10 = Economics II
Week 11 = Weeklong Practicum
Week 12 = Inquiry Arc

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Assignments are due on the assigned day, and possibly at a particular time if specified. Generally, the default due date and time in Canvas will be utilized. Canvas will be used to determine if assignments are on-time or late. If assignments are not submitted, Canvas will automatically place a “0” grade in the grade book.

Late work will be accepted for up to 10 days. All late assignments will be penalized automatically by Canvas. Assignments more than 5 days late will receive a “0” grade in the gradebook.

IF YOU SUBMIT ANYTHING—A BLANK ASSIGNMENT, EVEN—YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO BUT CAN RESUBMIT ANY TIME WITHOUT PENALTY BEFORE THE “AVAILABLE UNTIL” DATE, WHICH WILL BE 10 DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL DEADLINE.
What you are telling me by submitted a blank assignment is that something is going on or you are behind, and you know this assignment is due and will work to submit it. If the assignment is not turned in by the “available until” date in Canvas, the grade will be changed to a zero.

Attendance Policy

Attendance in this class is required. Students are permitted one absence without penalty. For each additional absence, the final letter grade will be reduced by a full letter. For example, if a student misses two classes, the highest possible grade will be a B.

Course Fees

$7.50, according to the university catalog

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.