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Textbook Reflection: Informational, Persuasive, & Narrative Text
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. In your view, how should a social studies teacher integrate texts (including primary and
secondary sources) with other verbal, written, and visual sources? Describe one example of a
classroom activity for this. Explain your viewpoint on this with at least one solid paragraph of
five sentences.
It is very important for a social studies teacher to integrate texts, including primary and
secondary sources, with verbal, written, and visual sources. One way a social studies teacher can
do this is by having students read an autobiography for their primary source, and then compare it
to a biography on the same person as a secondary source. Students would then complete a Venn
Diagram showing their comparisons. There are many ways to integrate literacy and social
studies, but text (any print source from which students derive meaning) appears to be receiving
the greatest attention (Maxim, 2017).
2. How does engaging students with personal narratives enhance their understanding of social
studies content? Explain your viewpoint on this with at least one solid paragraph of five
sentences.
By engaging students with personal narratives in social studies content, you are giving students a
more realistic account of the events for the content you are teaching. For example, if you are
teaching students about the holocaust, you could read The Diary of Anne Frank. Personal
narratives intrigue students because they are real and offer very personal insights into the lives of
the people about whom history is written (Maxim, 2017). Personal narratives can have an impact
on students’ curiosity and have them wanting to learn more. History is such an important part of
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social studies. Giving students accounts of real, personal events can make the content more
relatable.
3. Explain how social studies teachers should help students to learn social studies content
vocabulary with artifacts, primary, and secondary sources. Explain your viewpoint on this with at
least one solid paragraph of five sentences.
Student understanding of content vocabulary is very important for the students to
understand the content that is being taught. The use of artifacts, primary, and secondary sources
gives students contextual examples of words that they may not have heard before. Many students
learn better when they can see and touch something that relates to the topic. When students are
presented with a primary source, they may not know many of the things the source is talking
about. Having artifacts, such as, photos, weapons, jewelry, and hand written letters, can bring a
personable touch, for understanding.
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.
As Christians, we are to see ourselves as Christ sees us and become Christ like. There are
so many personal accounts of how God used people in the Bible. I work at a public school and
there are many times in the classroom, I wish I could share Bible stories with my students. By
sharing Bible stories, you are giving students personal accounts of situation from the Bible,
where God used people for his Glory and to learn important, valuable lessons. Proverbs 22:6
