For the past 10 years I have taught social studies methods for students preparing to become elementary teachers. During this period I have developed elements of a multicultural, social reconstructionist approach (Sleeter & Grant, 1999) to teaching social studies, including (1) integrating the perspectives and experiences of women and men from different races and socioeconomic classes; (2) addressing social problems of racism, sexism, and classism; (3) encouraging students to analyze their own experiences for gender, race, and/or class oppression; (4) thinking critically about different points of view; and (5) using social action as a means of addressing inequalities. Not only do I encourage students to question the content we often teach and the limited teaching strategies used in social studies, but also to consider teaching about real-world issues through innovative strategies and resources. Perhaps by addressing such social problems as poverty, hunger, and homelessness, their causes, effects, and possible solutions, teaching can become a means of making a difference in the world.

For the past several years I have searched for children's literature and other teaching resources to use in addressing social problems, which I introduce in the social studies methods course. When I read Finding Solutions to Hunger: Kids Can Make a Difference last summer, I instantly recognized the benefits of the curriculum guide as a wonderful teaching resource. I was especially impressed with the background information provided regarding causes of hunger, the innovative teaching strategies offered to help students understand this problem, and the emphasis on students' contributions to finding solutions to hunger. During the class session in which we focused on the social problem of poverty, homelessness, and hunger, the students read children's literature on poverty and homelessness and shared their books with the class.

We began our focus on hunger by the students brainstorming what they already knew about the social problem of hunger and questions they had. Then we divided into small teams to learn about different groups of people who are hungry in the United States (Lesson 15 from Finding Solutions to Hunger, pages 125-138), including children, the elderly, poor working families, people of color, and single mothers. Each team read the background information sheets to find out why the people in their segment of the population were hungry and possible solutions to report to the rest of the class. I think the focus on reasons why these groups of people were hungry were often eye-opening for the students as most have little or no experience with this social problem. During our class discussion, the students reported learning these ideas from the reading:

• "The elderly get social security, which is not always enough to pay medical bills.

• One out of four children are hungry or undernourished in a classroom. Children have to fend for themselves (prepare their own meals). Their parents may be laid off or most of the money is used for clothes and bills, little left for food.

• Single mothers face many obstacles, they don't get enough money from the fathers, don't have insurance, have low paying jobs, and no time to go back to school.

• Poor families have less income than expenses. They have to be really poor to qualify for food stamps and get stuck in a cycle of poverty.

• Whites have the lowest percentage of hunger. Minorities are discriminated against (such as loans for housing) and attend schools with the least resources. Government funds aren't distributed equally."

At the close of the class discussion, several students recorded their reactions to this activity in their journal. Some concentrated on new insights they gained. One student wrote, "I learned that working families' living expenses and income can really affect how a family pays for essential food. This helped me realize that hunger is a cycle that is hard to get out of. Looking at the reasons people are poor really seemed to help me understand this problem." Another reported, "My reaction to this class session was an eye-opening experience, but it also made me feel like I wasn't doing everything because there are so many problems out there. As a person who volunteers for many things, getting children involved will be a challenge. What I learned in class today was worthwhile and gives me some ideas for a possible social studies unit." One student reported feeling inspired by our discussion, "I found today's class very inspirational. The whole session on hunger and homelessness I really learned a lot through our team work session."

One student especially noticed different perspectives in the group discussion and the value of people working together to address the problem of hunger. "As we discussed the various groups of people who are hungry, I noticed the different perspectives different age groups have about the hungry. I think we become more sympathetic to problems as we approach certain stages. For example, we read about the elderly and I had a little different viewpoint than my younger team members. This may contribute to a lack of community support for the elderly. I liked the way we went through the complete process from learning what people know to learning more about a topic to taking action (which really shows what was learned). Lessons like this show students (of any age) that when people work together, they can make life easier for everyone." Finally, a student not only recognized new knowledge she gained about the social problem of hunger, but what she might do as a teacher to help address this issue. "My group talked about the elderly and hunger. I never really thought about how many hungry people there are in the world. I complain when there is nothing to eat (nothing I'm hungry for that is) when I have a kitchen full of food. When I am a teacher, I'm going to be sure my students are socially aware. I would also like to find funding to make sure kids are being fed. It is hard to function when all you can think about is your growling stomach. The government spits out funding for some not so worthwhile events, but when it comes to the community and real lives, it seems as though they get stingy."

When several of the social studies methods students developed and taught social studies units on families in elementary classrooms this semester, they included families who are poor and may not have the basic needs of food, clothing, and homes. They introduced the children to community resources where families can obtain food, clothes, or assistance with housing. Perhaps the semester's experiences will encourage these future teachers to continue to have the courage to address such social problems as poverty, hunger, and homelessness in their classrooms and realize that such resources as Finding Solutions to Hunger: Kids Can Make a Difference can help.

Resources
Sleeter, C. E. & Grant, C. A. (1999). Making choices for multicultural education: Five approaches to race, class, and gender (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

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