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Locating Intersections Between Middle-Grades
Science and Social Studies Curricula Through
Provocative Storytelling
Editors: Margery Gardner, Randa Elbih, and Anita Bright
As part of Shirley Steinberg’s edited series, Counterpoints, published by Peter Lang, we invite chapter proposals for inclusion in a forthcoming text, with an anticipated publication date of December, 2025.
Science and social studies curricula possess inextricable interconnections, with aspects of each informing the other. Since the onset of formalized public schooling, disciplinary structures have offered little opportunity to explore intersections in content areas. This siloing effect contributes to a loss of texture and contextual situatedness for both subjects. This book focuses on reintegrating the two intersectional content areas, focused on the middle grades. The middle-grade band is an area with an urgent need to present compelling and meaningful content in order to spark and maintain ongoing student engagement. We engage the construct of provocative storytelling to center the controversial nature of this integration and to further foster the critical thinking of young adolescent learners—our world makers of tomorrow. Provocative storytelling aims to emotionally connect learners to the content and context, and to promote conversations about socially contested topics such as climate change, disease/medicine, and global conflict, as well as countless other ethical dilemmas. For example, Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells extracted without her consent have led to major advances in science. It was only until 2023 that her family received a legal settlement for their commercialization and the public exposure of her genetic information. Another example is the impact of climate change on Tangier Island, Virginia, which is currently impacted by the effects of climate change. Although the island is on track to disappear in the next 50 years due to rising sea levels, many local residents remain skeptical of the extant science related to this issue, which will continue to have a profound impact on their social lives.
We invite a cross-section of voices to share stories to expand educational possibilities. Through provocative stories, this critical work addresses a gap in the interlocking contextualization of science and social studies in the existing literature focused on adolescent education. This text offers commentary that can be generative to middle grades science and social studies teachers, and the education community writ large, pushing the fields of science and social studies education to new horizons.
Submissions will demonstrate an explicit connection between middle grade science and social studies disciplines. Provocative storytelling must also be an integral part of the chapter.
Chapter Proposal Guidelines:
Each chapter will begin with a provocative story, followed by ethical questions, leading to a dissection of the different facets of the dilemma. Finally, the chapters offer implications and/or steps to ground educators and students in the middle grades science and social studies classrooms. Authors should acknowledge the tensions around meeting disciplinary standards while fully addressing the curiosities and needs of the students in the classroom.
Please send a proposal of about 1000 words (excluding references) by November 30, 2024, along with a short biography (approx. 200 words).
Acceptance decisions will be made by December 31, 2024.
The final chapters should be approximately 7,000-9,000 words.
The first complete chapter drafts are due on March 31, 2025.
Final chapter submissions are due on August 31, 2025.
Please submit proposals to: locatingintersections@gmail.com
If you have an idea that you’re not sure about submitting for review, we invite you to contact us (the editorial team) to have a conversation about your ideas before you create your proposal. We seek to include a broad range of voices and topics, and invite you to share and still-developing or emergent ideas for chapters. We are happy to think with you!
