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Textbook Reflection:Civics, Economics,Sociology, & Anthropology
Gracie Frame
School of Education, Liberty University
EDUC 322: Teaching Elementary and Middle School Social Studies
Professor Triggs
October 2, 2023
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Textbook Reflection:Civics, Economics,Sociology, & Anthropology
Part A – Textbook Information
Read each of the three prompts below and respond by writing one solid paragraph of at least five
sentences. Make sure you use your textbook to support your responses.
1. How does the study of civics help your students to learn about citizenship skills, rules/laws
for individual rights, and citizen participation in government? Explain your viewpoint on this
with at least one solid paragraph of five sentences.
The study of civics helps students to learn citizenship skills by instilling them with
knowledge about their rights and responsibilities as citizen and what the government it (Maxim,
2018). It is vital that students learn the values of citizenship because they are the leaders of the
future. Civics helps students learn about rules for individual rights by challenging them dig into
important documents such as the Bill of Rights and Constitution. By looking at these legal
protections, students can see the rules and standards that they are to follow and live up to as
American citizens. Studying civics also helps students learn about participation in the
government. Through studying civics, they learn that they have rights and how important it is
that they continue to exercise their rights. Civics shows students that they can have a voice in
shaping the government and making decisions.
2. Describe a student classroom activity example that incorporates all of the National Council on
Economic Education’s six core principles. Explain how your example also relates to the study of
both sociology and anthropology. Explain your viewpoint on this with at least one solid
paragraph of five sentences.
The role in teaching students the value of economics is providing them with problem-
solving experiences to develop economic understandings (Maxim, 2018). In fifth grade, I did a
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classroom project that required us to create our own mini economy. This would be a great
classroom activity for upper elementary and middle school because students are challenged to
learn about the principles that shape economic decisions that are made by citizens. For instance,
each student gets a role. There are three roles: banker, shopkeeper, consumer. The students are
given play money to work with. During the activity, students learn about the principles such as
scarcity, production, distribution, trade, and the impact that the government has on the economy.
With this information, they create a mini-economy and do the research to see what it takes for
the economy to strive. This activity relates to sociology by helping the students understand the
social economic system and how the money and people impact the economic choices. This
activity incorporates anthropology by having the students study their mini-economy and studying
how human societies have impacted the economic system.
3. Which one of the four approaches to multicultural education (described in the reading for this
week) would you apply to your student activity examples for prompt #2, so that your students
can learn about diverse cultures and shared humanity? Explain your viewpoint on this with at
least one solid paragraph of five sentences.
For this activity, I would use the approach of cultural diversity. Becoming sensitive and
aware of the different ethnic groups is an important part of society (Maxim, 2018). For this
activity, students can choose a different culture to base their mini economy off. This will
challenge the students to learn about the diversity in economies around the world. They will soon
notice that the government plays a larger role in other economies than it does in the United
States. They will also see that some economies are limited and work with what they have and do
their best to make due. This will not only challenge the students to dive deeper into economics
but it will also show them how lucky they are to be a citizen of the United States.
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Part B – Biblical Worldview
Select one of your responses to the prompts above and fully explain your response utilizing a
biblical perspective. Make sure you include a Bible verse and explain how this verse is relevant
to the prompt and supports your biblical perspective. This section should be two solid
paragraphs of five sentences each.
For this part of the assignment, I chose to explain prompt number one utilizing a biblical
perspective. When students study civics, they learn about the qualities of a good citizen and the
value of their voice and decision making. In order for students to voice their opinion and make
decisions, they have to know what they are making a decision about. The same goes for us a
Christians. As Christian’s we should be voicing our opinions and making decisions based off our
beliefs and morals.
2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The Bible should be our foundation for
decision making. Understanding what the Bible has to say about issues going on the world
should help us make decisions that will bring our nation closer to God and not farther way. As
Christians we ought to see the responsibility that we hold to be a follower for Christ and let that
impact our actions. Studying civics from a Biblical worldview should challenge us to develop a
deeper burden for civic participation and the world around us.
