Maricruz Armenta

Professor Teri Abbott

LBS 400
19 November 2014
History-Social Science Reflection
The History-Social Science Framework document says that the main focus of these
standards is to emphasize continuity and change across time. Students are supposed to
understand that ideas, events, and individuals will produce change over time while there are
conditions that will maintain continuity throughout time in society. Social science encompasses
various disciplines such as history, geography, economics, political science, anthropology,
psychology, sociology, and humanities. The framework also emphasizes that students are
suppose to understand individual and social ethics through the history and social science
standards. The framework points out three major goals which are: knowledge and cultural
understanding; democratic understanding and civic values; and skills attainment and social
participation.
After reading the history-social science framework, I found that in order to teach those
standards efficiently in an elementary classroom, teachers need to understand the importance of
events that happened in the past. History is not only about retelling things that happened in the
past, it is also about helping students understand and interpret what they read about so that they
can link it to the present.
This semester I am taking HIS 301 and it has helped me because I am learning about the
community where I live in, Carson. This has helped me gain an appreciation for our local history
that I did not know about before. Now I see that this is going to be helpful when I am trying to

help students understand their own local history. Also, I have taken HIS 101 which is United
States history. It was the first time that I took a history class in which we were not just told what
happened. We were supposed to interpret history ourselves by analyzing evidence. We also
looked at the people's historical accounts rather than someone's else's interpretation of what
happened. The course, POL 101, was helpful in understanding the U.S. government.
I feel well prepared about teaching community history. I also feel prepared in helping
students understand who are some people who make a difference in their own lives as well as
historical figures. I am also excited about teaching California history, I just need to review some
facts, but I think our state has a very interesting past. I feel less prepared for teaching U.S.
history. I am intrigued about the stories and history about the nation but I think I need to better
understand the politics and constitution before I am able to teach it to 5th grade students.
For this area of my portfolio, I plan to use this history-social science reflection. I am also
thinking about including the community project essay that I will write about Carson's history.
My community project essay would show that I am able to analyze primary sources in history to
interpret the past. My reflection shows that I am aware of the history-social science standards
and goals. These are things that teachers have to keep in mind while teaching their students about
the past and present.