Recent Test Scores Show Why You Need To Use Our Current Event Lesson Plans To Help Your Student.

At Practical Learning Online we think exposing your student to current events promotes both the development of critical thinking skills as well as provide them with the information to make important decisions in their life. Unfortunately it appears our students are not improving with respect to social studies and civic events. Only about a quarter of eighth graders showed solid performance or better in U.S. history, civics and geography on tests known as the Nation's Report Card.

Among the findings: Less than half — 45 percent — of eighth-grade respondents were able to correctly interpret time differences using an atlas with time zones. Only about a third knew that "the government of the United States should be a democracy" is a political belief shared by most people in the U.S

We agree with Michelle Herzog the President for the National Council of Social Studies when she says said the results "point to a need for immediate action." Tackling issues like terrorism, human rights, race relations and poverty require a deep understanding of the historical and geographic context, she said. "How do we, as a nation, maintain our status in the world if future generations of Americans do not understand our nation's history, world geography or civics principles or practices?"

Source: Don't know much about history? Many 8th graders do poorly on tests focused on social studies

 http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/04/29/study-most-8th-graders-score-low-on-us-history-civics