Pop Culture in the Social Studies Classroom: Using Comic Books, Trading Cards and Action Figures to Engage Students

Quinn Rollins 2013

BIG IDEAS

Use your passions to find ways to teach students. “Teach Like a Pirate”

– Dave Burgess (buy it, live it, be it)

• Sports, Music, Television, Fashion, Cars, Movies, Books, Architecture, Food, Travel

Be willing to leave your comfort zone and use your students’ interests to teach them.

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES

Rollins 2013

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES

A Core Democratic Principle is an ideal, moral, or theme found in the Constitution, Bill of Rights, or Declaration of Independence.

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLESThese are ideas and goals that the United

States has said we should use to make choices. Government, Schools, and Individuals can use these Principles in their daily activities.

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLESThere are seven of these principles. As

we go, think about what you know about History, your own life, your family and friends. Are you “good at” these principles? What needs some work?

PRINCIPLE 1The Common Good: Seeking and promoting

what’s best for everyone, not just one individual.

PRINCIPLE 1: COMMON GOOD Examples of Common Good: Paying Taxes Speed Limits Public Education

PRINCIPLE 1: COMMON GOODWhat happens when we don’t follow the

principle of the common good?

PRINCIPLE 2

Truth: Being completely and actively honest. (Government and Citizens)

PRINCIPLE 2: TRUTHHow many of you have told a lie in the

last…

Year? Six Months? Month? Week? Today?

PRINCIPLE 2: TRUTHWhy do we lie so much?

Is it ever okay to tell a lie?

Is it ever easier to lie?

How would our lives be different if everyone told the truth?

PRINCIPLE 3

Justice: All people should be treated fairly and given “due process of law.”

PRINCIPLE 3: JUSTICEJustice is sometimes

represented with this image…

Why is the woman blindfolded?

What’s the signifance of the objects she holds?

PRINCIPLE 3: JUSTICEWhat are some reasons we’re treated

unjustly?

Are you treated differently than adults? Than people of another race? Another religion? Another size? Another gender?

How do we promote justice?

PRINCIPLE 4

Patriotism: A feeling of love, pride, and devotion to the country.

PRINCIPLE 4: PATRIOTISMWhat are some ways we display our

patriotism?

PRINCIPLE 4: PATRIOTISMIs patriotism important?

Is it possible to be patriotic to more than one country?

PRINCIPLE 5

Equal Opportunity: Legal, political, social, and economic equality

of opportunity. No matter who you are, or what your background is, you should have the same chance as everyone else.

PRINCIPLE 5: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

The United States used to deny opportunities to large groups of people.

Does it still?

PRINCIPLE 5: EQUAL OPPORTUNITYWhat are ways that some people have

more opportunities than others?

Are there ways to promote the principle of Equal Opportunity?

PRINCIPLE 6

Individual Rights: Each person is born with the rights of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.

PRINCIPLE 6: INDIVIDUAL RIGHTSHow do we know what rights we have as

citizens of the United States?

What are some of the rights we have?

PRINCIPLE 6: INDIVIDUAL RIGHTSAre those rights important?

How would our lives be different without those rights?

PRINCIPLE 7

Diversity: Variety in cultural and ethnic background is permissible, desirable, and good for the community

and the nation.

PRINCIPLE 7: DIVERSITY

What are some ways the United States is diverse?

What’s good about that?

Is there anything bad about it?

PRINCIPLE 7: DIVERSITYWhat does “tolerance” mean in regards to

diversity?

What are ways that we could promote tolerance in our school?

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLESDo we do all these things well?

If yes, how did we learn to do them?

If no, why do we talk about them?

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLESWhich one is most important?

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLESAre there any that we could get rid of

without hurting our country?

CORE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLESBe thinking about which one you think is

most important, and how that influences your life…