The authors describe how second- and third-grade students at Fox Valley Elementary School in Cantril, Iowa learn first-hand about local government and economics by creating the town Cantril D.C. where the bean replaces the dollar and elected officials and civil service employees need only a second- or third-grade education to qualify for office.
The author suggests the integration of cartoons into the social studies curriculum to teach political awareness and critical thinking skills. Specficially, she identifies how the cartoonist’s message and technique in caricaturing are keys to understanding the meaning of a given cartoon.
The author identifies several techniques which social studies educators should use to intergrate a “global” perspective into the study of the Presidential election. “Basic” to effective citizenship, the numerous political activities associated with an election year become a backdrop for teaching a global perspective.
The authors outline six secondary strategies for teaching economic thinking while investigating political issues and positions. They suggest these strategies epitomize the required critical thinking and inquiry processes which form the fundamental core of social studies education.