Artifact # 6
Context:
I comparatively evaluated two fourth grade textbooks
in my Social Studies Methods course, at Appalachian State University, during
Fall 2001. I created this textbook analysis using Microsoft Word
by comparing and
considering the two books' strengths and weaknesses, difficulty
level, concept development, organization, readability, and more.
I compared and contrasted the two books to determine which I would find
more beneficial in my classroom.
Impact:
This evaluation allowed me to become more familiar with
the fourth grade social studies curriculum, and it made me aware of the
different types of textbooks that are available for use in the classroom
.
It also made me aware of how poorly or well written a book can be and how
careful you have to be when choosing what textbook to use. I learned
the textbook is not the only source you should have available to your students
because no one source is supplemental for another. This experience
has helped me realize the importance of the textbook evaluations and allowed
me to perform an evaluation my own so that I can make my own educated judgments
when I am making decisions for my
students in my classroom.
Alignment:
The textbook evaluation allowed me to analyze two fourth
grade Social Studies textbooks to determine which would be more appropriate
for teaching and learning according to the NC Standard Course of Study.
I was able to make a conclusion about which of the textbooks I would choose
in my classroom (IIC). The
process of textbook evaluation is valuable to teache
rs because it aids
their instructional planning skills. Analyzing textbooks will help
me, as a teacher, to become more aware of the subject matter contained
in the textbooks. Deciding upon which textbook to use requires knowledge
of the students, the community, and the grade level curriculum. While
deciding on a textbook, teachers must also evaluate the material for support
of diversity. This was an issue that I took into account while examining
this Social Studies Textbook, and I w
as very pleased to find that this
book was very supportive of diversity within its pictures and its text
(VIC). A concrete foundation
in these areas will help me to form a more appropriate decision concerning
which textbooks I will use in my classroom (INTASC
7).