Covering history, geography, and sociology, these sample lessons and units show how to use the Parallel Curriculum Model to provide rigorous learning opportunities for students in social studies.Covering history, geography, and sociology, these sample lessons and units show how to use the Parallel Curriculum Model to provide rigorous learning opportunities for students in social studies. There is a freshness to Purcell and Leppien's approach transforming the curriculum into a platform for active investigation of our rapidly changing world. Your learners become 21st-century social scientists as they engage in probing timely issues and problems. All teachers want to provide high-quality curriculum for their students, but this goal is often not easily accomplished. The four social studies units in this book provide a clear view of what high-quality curriculum based on the Parallel Curriculum Model should look like and how it should be implemented. The units include high-end achievement targets; highly engaging lessons; innovative instructional strategies; activities that stimulate high-level thinking; and pre-, formative, and summative assessments. After reading these units, teachers will have a clear understanding of what makes high-quality curriculum. About the Editors About the Contributors Introduction: A Brief History of the Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) 1. Becoming a Geographer (Grade 6) - Heather Burke Background Information Content Framework Unit Assessments Overview of the Unit Lesson 1: Climate and Seasons Lesson 2: Investigating World Populations Lesson 3: Shop Around the Globe Lesson 4: The Culture of Geography 2. Through the Looking Glass: A Unit for Reading/Writing/Social Studies Intervention Classes (Middle School) - Dawn Vier, Lisa L. Ward Inlóú