WOC 323
Page 323
Writing in Social Studies
Once upon a time, when citizens were upset, they would “write a strongly worded letter.” These days, they more likely write a strongly worded email or social media post. In any of these forms, writing is powerful. It can help you think through your own ideas about a historic or current event. It can also help you express your ideas to others.
This chapter will help you write a current events report and also a response to a document-based question. At the end of the chapter, you’ll discover other social studies forms and subjects for your writing.
What’s Ahead
WOC 324
Page 324
Current-Events Report
A current-events report explains an occurrence that is important locally, nationally, or internationally. In this essay, Lupita Ruiz describes a major decision that the city council must make.
Current-Events Report
Will Green Lake Become Green River?
Beginning:
The writer introduces the matter before the city council. At the Rochester Council of the Whole meeting Tuesday, Mayor Kretchmer reported that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has indicated that the Green Lake Dam must be removed or replaced in the next five years. According to the DNR report, the dam “could not withstand a 100-year flood event,” and so must be addressed.
Middle:
Answers to the 5 W’s and H appear with quotations from those involved. Kretchmer outlined two options. The dam could be removed, draining Green Lake and making the Green River the focal point of downtown. Instead, the dam could be replaced and Green Lake dredged to restore its depth.
The council members discussed the two options. Alderman Johnson, in favor of removal, indicated that the dam was “unnatural” and “inhibited the free movement of fish up and down Green River.” Those in favor of keeping the dam spoke of the importance of Green Lake as the center of the city for more than 175 years. They also said the dam created diverse habitats for many creatures.
Mayor Kretchmer recommended hiring a consulting firm to present competing plans for dam removal or restoration. She indicated that voters need to understand each proposal, including costs and environmental impact.
The Council of the Whole voted unanimously to approve the search for a consulting firm. Some members also expressed concern about a transparent process.
Ending:
The ending focuses on next steps for the plan. Kretchmer asked Council Secretary Robin Spence to create an informational post about the DNR finding and next steps. Once approved by the mayor, the post will appear on the city web page and be sent to local media.
WOC 325
Page 325
Writing Guidelines
To find a topic for your current-events report, check newspapers and Web sites for articles about politics, economics, history, and culture.
Prewriting ■ Research a Current Event
Select a current event and read articles about it or, if possible, attend the event. Answer the 5 W’s and H about your topic. (Download a 5 W's and H chart.)
Writing ■ Developing the First Draft
Beginning ■ Name the current event and tell why it impacts the reader.
Middle ■ Provide your answers to the 5 W’s and H questions, fully explaining the event to your audience.
Ending ■ Thoughtfully wrap up your report of the event.
Revising ■ and Editing ■ Improving Your Writing
Add, cut, rearrange, and rework your writing to make it the best it can be. Then check your report to get rid of any errors. (Download a checklist.)
_____ Does my beginning hook the reader and introduce the event?
_____ Have I answered the 5 W’s and H?
_____ Do quotations help explain the ideas?
_____ Has a classmate read my report and helped me improve it?
_____ Are all of my sentences clear and correct?
_____ Have I checked the punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar in my report?
WOC 326
Page 326
Document-Based Question (DBQ)
Some social studies tests ask you to read documents and write a response that draws evidence from them. Read the three sample documents and prompt on these pages. Then review the student’s response to the document-based question.
WOC 327
Page 327
WOC 328
Page 328
Document-Based Question Response
After reading Documents A, B, and C, Darla Davidson answered the question using evidence from the sources.
DBQ Response
Goldilocks Screen Time
Beginning:
The writer hooks the reader and states a position. I admit it: I spend too much time on screens, like most eighth graders. But some people spend too little. My grandma has a cell phone but doesn’t know how to use it. She brags that she never turns on her TV, but if I do, grandma is hypnotized. Too much screen time and too little both are problems. We need screen time that is “just right.”
Middle:
This paragraph focuses on AACAP recommended times. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) recommends less than one hour of non-educational screen time per day for children 2–5. That sounds about right. But for older students, the line between educational and noneducational is blurry. The time I spend on my computer researching, writing, and doing homework is educational, but obsessive. The time I spend connecting with others on social media has been a real education.
This paragraph suggest an alternative solution—looking at symptoms. Instead of dictating a specific number of hours per day on screens, we should judge based on symptoms of screen overuse. The AACAP lists many symptoms to watch for: isolation, depression, poor self-image, lowering grades, less exercise, and weight gain. If a person experiences symptoms like these, it’s time to shut off screens. As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicate, screen time shouldn’t take away from exercise and friends.
In “The Algorithm Made Me Do It,” Jeffrey Baker indicates that social sites are set up to be addictive. They present material to keep us hooked. They also herd us into tribes and distance us from others. Anyone who recognizes an addiction to social media needs to put on the brakes and reconnect with the real people in their lives.
Ending
The writer ends with a provocative question. Screens are tools. They can teach us, and they can torment us. Parents should limit screen time in young children, but we teens need to regulate our own lives. The question is, are screens making my life better or worse?
WOC 329
Page 329
Writing Guidelines
Prewriting ■ Closely Reading the Documents
To answer a DBQ, start by closely reviewing the documents using the SQ3R strategy:
Survey the source, looking at headings, the first line of each paragraph, illustrations, and other key features.
Question the source, asking what it is about and what it is intended to do (its purpose). Turn headings into questions that you will answer when reading.
Read the source carefully, answering your questions.
Recite the main points of the text.
Review what you have learned, writing down any key details.
Analyzing the Prompt
Then closely read the document-based question. Use the PAST questions to analyze it (see page 473).
Purpose Why am I writing (to explain, to persuade, to argue)?
Audience Who is my reader (graders, other students, citizens)?
Subject What is my topic (an event, a place, a political stance)?
Type What form should I write (an essay, a letter, an editorial)?
Writing ■ Creating the First Draft
Beginning ■ Introduce the topic and focus.
Middle ■ Support your focus with evidence from the sources. Give the name and author of each source.
Ending ■ Revisit your focus.
Revising ■ and Editing ■ Improving Your Writing
Save 5–10 minutes at the end of your writing time to quickly revise and edit your work. (Download this brief checklist.)
_____ Does my response answer the prompt? (Check the PAST questions.)
_____ Have I checked my punctuation, spelling, grammar, and usage?
WOC 330
Page 330
Other Social Studies Forms
Your handbook can help you create these other forms of writing in social studies and history.
- Classroom notes (pages 463–468): Write down information you learn in social studies class.
- Learning log (pages 135–137): Reflect on things you learn in social studies and relate them to other parts of your life.
- News story (pages 249–254): Attend a cultural or political event and report on what you experience.
- Research report (pages 301–315): Research a topic in history or social studies and write a report that shares what you discover.
- Argument essay (pages 199–208): Pick a topic that people debate in politics or current events and write to convince your readers.
- Response to literature (pages 223–234): Read a book that shaped history or culture and write a review of it.
Social Studies Subjects
When you need to write a formal paper in social studies, think about these broad subject areas. Choose one and find a specific, interesting topic in it.
