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Teaching Data Literacy in Social Studies: An Interactive Professional Development Tool Why teach data literacy in social studies? Not only is data literacy required by state standards and included in standardized assessments, it is important for understanding core social studies disciplines. This module addresses the role that data visualizations play in social studies standards, assessments, and texts. It also provides links to resources that can be used to support data literacy as a component of disciplinary literacy. What kinds of data visualizations will students encounter in social studies? Information can be visualized in multiple ways, from bar graphs to scatterplots, choropleth maps to distribution maps, timelines to time series. Designers can choose from an array of graphical elements such as points, lines, or icons used to represent data, and multiple aesthetic attributes such as color, shape, and size. Furthermore, designers can apply multiple combinations of titles, legends, and explanatory text to provide context for a data visualization. Given the almost dizzying array of data visualizations students may encounter in social studies, it is helpful to place them in categories related to the types of questions they will help us answer. How do students learn with data visualizations? Reading data visualizations in print and online social studies texts can improve students' overall comprehension and quality of reasoning. And there is evidence to suggest that reading data visualizations helps students better understand historical and geographic context, multiple causation, and change over time — all important concepts for students to grasp in social studies subject areas. However, students may face significant challenges in trying to make sense of different kinds of data visualizations. This section provides insight into both benefits and challenges of reading timelines, maps, and graphs and charts. How should students analyze data visualizations in social studies? The challenges that data visualizations present, coupled with their prevalence in social studies texts, standardized assessments, in online social studies resources, and as sources of information in society, suggest that teaching with and about data visualizations in social studies is essential. This module provides guidance for how teachers can support students' data literacy for social studies. Index of Lesson Plans This page contains a list of the minimal manuals and lessons found on this website. Minimal manuals are designed to be adapted to different grade levels and do not have a grade designation associated with them. Lesson plans are organized according to the school level for which they are designed. However, many of these lessons can be adapted for different grade levels.

Map of Territory of United States from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean; Ordered by Jeff'n Davis, Secretary of War to Accompany the Reports of the Explanations for a Railroad Route (1858)

Dating back to 1858, this is a map that presents the territory of the United States from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean to help support the explorations for a railroad route. Ordered by Jeff'n Davis--the Secretary of War--the map was made in accordance with the 10th & 11th sections of the Army Appropriation Act of March 3rd, 1853. At the bottom of the map, there is a scale to show the statute miles. This copy was annotated in color to show Indian reservations and military departments. The red and brown flags represent the military establishments. Relief is shown by using hachures and spot heights. The map also shows Indian tribal locations, military posts, routes, and dates of expeditions. The bottom right hand corner includes a list of authorities. This image can be found at https://www.loc.gov.

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