The Importance of Studying Particular Historical Topics for Elementary & Middle School.

History is one of the most essential topics for a child's education. Learning all about History helps students have an idea of what had occurred in previous years and also have an idea of what may be occurring now. Learning about the particular historical events such as the wars that have gone on in the past can also help students learn more about why the wars have occurred and why there is a war occurring now. This is important for elementary and middle school students mostly because they can then have a better idea and learn about all of the important events that have taken place. According to the Sunal readings in Chapter eleven, "The role of the study of history in the schools has been mostly to socialize students in the U.S. democratic tradition and to prepare them to be citizens" (2011, p. 335). A part about becoming a citizen also means knowing what is and what has gone on throughout the world. Learning about the particular topics for elementary and middle schools students is also essential for the few holidays that take place. For example, Columbus day is an important holiday that students would not know about if they did not study or learn it in their Social Studies classes.

History can also be fun for students. Many students in elementary schools are learning about Indians and the types of traditions that occurred then. I remember when I learned about Indians in elementary school we had built tee-pees and dressed as Indians. This helped get all of the students engaged in the learning and also have fun while learning. We had gotten to see the types of artifacts used by Indians, what they wore, and what their living styles were like. Elementary Social Studies classes learn more about what has occurred long, long ago. Teachers use dress-up and other fun activities to teach these events. Along with the Indians, students also learn about pilgrims during this time as well. In Middle School, students are getting prepared to learn about more involved historical topics. What I mean by that is that they learn more about what is occurring now or within the past few years. This helps students get prepared for higher grade levels and also become more clear of the current events. History is very important for young learners and helps prepare them for real-life events and also allows them to have fun and stay engaged while learning.

References:

C.S. Sunal. Social Studies for the Elementary and Middle Grades. 2011. Pearson Education Inc. USA.