Creating Effective Citizens: Unique Opportunities for Gifted Education Through the Social Studies

Abstract

Social studies is dedicated to creating the next generation of effective citizens. To this aim, social studies educators embrace curricular goals that include civic competence, higher-order thinking, discipline integration, real-world applications, leadership skills, cooperative learning, research skills, content knowledge, and an understanding of the changing world. An ideal way to meet these curricular goals is through the implementation of service learning within the social studies curriculum. Service learning is particularly appropriate for the gifted student, as it meets both the students' cognitive and affective needs.