Making Connections, Making Meaning: Teaching World History at Multiple Scales for Preparation of Social Studies Teachers

This paper discusses insights from a capstone course for prospective elementary and secondary teachers built on the premise that social studies teachers can become more effective and help students gain a deeper understanding of history by considering connections across temporal and spatial scales and, thus, connections across the school curriculum. Teacher candidates are introduced to the idea that big picture frameworks and shifting temporal and spatial scales might help students make connections between seemingly disparate information as well as see connections between cultures, local and global events, and past and present. Using historical and geographic content as the basis for discussion, teacher candidates move across large expanses of time and space while helping students see patterns and processes that will give meaning and significance to all the “stuff” represented in standards and curricula.