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Document Type

Article

Abstract

Social studies methods coursework at two Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) emphasizes providing access to rigorous social science education for all. Teacher candidates (TCs) learn to design equitable opportunities for students in the elementary and middle level classrooms to engage in inquiry–to do social studies. One tool social scientists use to “do” their work is artifact investigation. Artifacts, such as historical photographs and primary sources, help students connect with cultural and historical contexts. Using digital artifacts from the Library of Congress (LOC), TCs create opportunities for students to explore social dynamics, identity formation, power structures, and community development through cultural realia. Artifacts serve both as subjects of study and tools for fostering informed questioning and investigative inquiry. Aligned with the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)C3 Framework (2013), which promotes inquiry-based learning, we demonstrate how to integrate digital artifacts into interdisciplinary social studies lessons with TCs, equipping them to apply the same approach with their future students. Drawing from Harvard's Project Zero’s Thinking Routine Toolbox, TCs design activities to help students develop deep, reflective thinking. By selecting images meaningful to their communities, TCs create learning experiences that leverage students' voices and assets, using artifacts that align with grade-level curricula. TCs integrate artifact investigation into learning segments, guiding students to examine past events, contexts, and figures, with an emphasis on student inquiry. We showcase work samples from two TCs demonstrating how they plan to implement these strategies in classrooms with students of color. Equitable access to “doing” social studies fosters content knowledge, skills, and processes to empower all learners.

References:

Harvard Graduate School of Education. (n.d.). Project Zero’s Thinking Routine Toolbox. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines

Library of Congress. (n.d.). Digital artifacts. In Library of Congress.gov. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://www.loc.gov/

National Council for the Social Studies. (2013). The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3): Framework for Social Studies State Standards: Guidance for Enhancing the Rigor of K-12 Civics, Economics, Geography, and History. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://www.socialstudies.org/system/files/2022/c3-framework-for-social-studies-rev0617.2.pdf

AI Statement

Adhering to the guidelines of original research and scholarly work, the work submitted here is representative of the authors’ original thinking with case studies generated through original research per IRB guidelines. Generative AI was not used in the research, images, or data collected and exemplified in this article submission. AI was used, at times, to check grammar and redundancy.

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