Essentials of Elementary Social Studies is a teacher friendly text that provides comprehensive treatment of classroom planning, instruction, and strategies. Praised for its dynamic approaches and a writing style that is conversational, personal, and professional, this text enables and encourages teachers to effectively teach elementary social studies using creative and active learning strategies.This sixth edition has been refined with new and relevant topics and strategies needed for effectively teaching elementary social studies. A few of new features include: An expanded chapter on the decision-making process in elementary social studies. This chapter provides additional discussion about the importance of helping young learners better understand the decision-making process and offers strategies for helping teachers make connections between choices, values, character development, and social justice. An updated chapter on technology designed to better prepare elementary teachers to effectively incorporate technology into social studies instruction. Attention is given to virtual teaching and learning, media literacy, teaching with film, and numerous other ways to improve teaching and learning in the digital age. Updated further readings and helpful resources for all chapters to include supplemental digital and video sources related to various topics throughout the chapter. New "Checking for Understanding" section at the end of each chapter that focuses on comprehension, application, and reflection on key concepts throughout the chapters. An updated chapter on lesson plans, in keeping with the book’s emphasis on planning and teaching. This chapter is designed to provide elementary social studies teachers with new classroom-tested lesson plans and includes two classroom-tested lessons for each grade level (K-6).