Studying pop culture is more than simply reading about famous figures and past events. It examines the values, aspirations, lifestyles, personalities, and accomplishments of the people who lived before us, giving students a deeper understanding of the past and essential context for significant historical events. While pop culture may not be taught as frequently as political or social movements or even the daily lives of ordinary people, it delivers important insights into history as it was, helping students to connect the past to the world they live in.
Yes, ABC-CLIO’s Popular Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas is inherently fun for students because it deals with people and events of interest to them, but it’s also an authoritative database that teaches social studies in a fresh and exciting way. It examines moments in time through the prism of books and literature; music; clothing, fashion, and appearance; film; sports; food and drink; transportation and travel; technology and media - all things that students love about today’s culture, in the context of America’s past. It complements any social studies curriculum addressing American life since the 1900s and is a fantastic resource for research and discovery.
Created explicitly for middle and high school students, each database includes:
A comprehensive reference library from more than 230,000 primary sources, including audio, video, photographs, illustrations, maps, and rich media
A standards-based curriculum updated every day by a team of subject matter experts and supported by an exhaustive range of instructional material
An expansive library of model commentaries from noted scholars to help foster critical thinking by exposing students to multiple points of view
An educator support center with helpful, professional development tools plus educational resources like discussion points, activities, and lesson plans
