Liberty Bells, Flags, and Monuments, Oh My: Teaching American Symbols With TeachersPayTeachers (Poster 21)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Evaluating Social Studies Teaching and Learning (San Diego)

Abstract

This presentation shares a critical content analysis of 40 highly-rated curricular units found on TeachersPayTeachers.com (TpT) focused on the teaching of American Symbols. Lessons focused on American symbols, such as the American Flag, Statue of Liberty, and Liberty Bell, remain prominent in the primary grades curriculum. Often, these lessons exclude and further marginalize groups that have been historically excluded in the United States (Collins, 2009). Findings indicate that the symbols chosen to represent the United States fail to capture the expansive history of the nation, exclude historically excluded groups, and promote a whitewashed, monocultural, exclusively positive vision of the United States. We conclude with implications and recommendations for practice.

Authors

• Abigail Stebbins, Pennsylvania State University

• Stephanie Schroeder, Pennsylvania State University

• Seunghoon Han, Pennsylvania State University