Education - Children's and young adult's literature

The NCSS (National Council for the Social Studies) lists several reasons as to why literature is essential for social studies.

Children's literature, both fiction and nonfiction can fit into social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of --

      *culture and cultural diversity (p.33)

      *the ways human beings view themselves in and over time (p.43)

      *people, places and environments (p.53)

       *individual development and identity (p.61)

      *interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions (p.71)

      *how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance (p.83)

      *how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services (p.93)

      *relationships among science, technology, and society (p.101)

      *global connections and interdependence (p.111)

      *the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic (p.119)

from: Linking Literature with Life by Alexa Sandmann and John Ahern (300.7 SaL 2002)

"But wht does reading literature have to do with primary source texts? Plenty. Research shows that kids learn information more readily and retain it longer if it is embedded in a narrative format that connects factual information to particular people in a specific place.  So reading literature is a companion activity that multiplies the effect of your work with primary sources.

"Another reason great teachers use literature to delve into social studies is that some periods, cultures, or groups of people will not be well represented using visual arts, artifacts or primary source texts as investigative tools.

"Well-chosen literature--either class sets or read-aloud selections--reinforces what students uncover in their own research and introduces additional content."  (from: Social Studies that Stick by Laurel Schmidt, pp.66-67. (300. ScSo 2007)