Educators+--+American+Studies

American Studies is not a certifiable content major for elementary teachers. I feel that is a shame, because American Studies is a combination of History and English, and very similar to Social Studies. Through my studies I have become aware of stereotyping in literature, advertisements, and in slang. I wish to introduce my students to the messages and underlying themes in all forms of texts and symbols so they can be culturally sensitive individuals. An example of applying advertisement analysis with elementary students using literary skills would be students bringing in their own advertisements to class, and writing who the advertisement's target market is, who is not included in the target market, what is being sold, and why the target market would need this good or service. Further analysis could reveal itself while the students share their written answers and orally responding to, "Should the target market buy this good or service? Why or why not?".

Connecticut State Department of Education [|Social Studies Standards], and [|Social Studies Trace Maps]

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