Obenchain, Purcell’s new book shows how to make social studies developmentally appropriate

Publication Title

Early Childhood Social Studies: Purpose, Content, and Methods from a Developmental Perspective

Author

Kathryn M. Obenchain (College of Education), Megan L. Purcell (College of Health and Human Sciences)

Publisher

Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

Publication Date

May 1, 2026

About the Book

Early Childhood Social Studies builds on theory and research to provide practical guidance and concrete examples for teaching social studies content, skills, and dispositions to young children. Attending to both formal and informal educational settings, this accessible textbook shows how to make social studies developmentally appropriate for teaching and learning experiences with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and in the primary grades. Examining the social studies content areas of civics, economics, geography, and history, as well as the concepts of democratic citizenship, perspectives, and historical time and chronology, the text includes a range of practical tools for pre-service and in-service educators. Readers will find lesson plans, inquiry unit outlines, reflection questions, activity ideas, essential concepts and skills, strategies and resources for educators and caregivers to guide social studies learning, including specific attention to developmentally appropriate assessment for young children. Combining theory and research with practice, this engaging text is an essential early childhood social studies methods course book for those enrolled in early childhood and elementary educator preparation programs. 

About the Author

The scholarship of Kathryn M. Obenchain, professor of Social Studies Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, centers on two lines of inquiry: social studies as a vehicle for citizenship education and democratic citizenship education in emerging democracies. Obenchain’s social studies scholarship includes studies of how social studies operates as a vehicle for citizenship education in the K-12 social studies classroom, as well as how teachers and students develop their civic identities. This work provides essential content and context for U.S. education in an increasingly complex and diverse world.

Megan Purcell is a clinical professor in the College of Health and Human Sciences’ Department of Human Development and Family Science and the coordinator of the Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs Program. Her scholarship focuses on the preparation of professionals for early childhood education and early intervention/early childhood special education. Her work centers on developing reflective, practice-based educators who support positive outcomes for young children and families through evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive practices. She also examines effective approaches to educator preparation, including integrated field experiences, reflective practice, and collaborative cohort models that strengthen professional learning and workforce development. Purcell’s work bridges research, teaching, and clinical practice to support high-quality early childhood education.