What Is Social Studies

The booklet offers a variety cf suggestions for integrating a study of popular culture into the high school social studies classroom. Popular culture is described as thcse elements im society whiah have the primary function of entertaining or selling and which axe becoming a familiar, recognizable, and identifiable entity for a large number of people. Some reasons far studying popular culture are that it is intimately connected vith the individual's personal and social development; students possess an intimate and detailed knowledge of popular culture; the resources are abundant and inexpensire: and popular culture has lasting social importance and significance. leaching suggestiors include the areas cf popular music, television and movies, social gatherings, printed materials, fads and fashions, mid careeri. Music activities include listing qualities and rating stars, rewriting lyrics to tell of a local incident, and voting on values depicted in selected statements from songs. Television provides a study of propaganda and of distortion of reality through video techniques. An examination of -Social gatherings could lead to simulations and creative writing exercises. Popalar magazines cam be investigated according to audience appeal and a history of clothing fashion show could depict fads and fashions. Finally, strategies for career education include exploratory mini7courses and classifying jobs in terms cf glamour.