By: Howard Blumenthal

In the U.S., and in many other nations, K-12 education is defined by a short list of school subjects. Mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies occupy more than half of instructional time. From there, we can make some reasonable assumptions and ask some reasonable questions. For example, we know that mathematics runs the cycle from Kindergarten through high school, and  Social Studies begins, in earnest, around fifth or sixth grade. And so, it’s reasonable to assign less than 10 percent of instructional time to  Social Studies, or about 1,000 hours of in-classroom learning. Roughly, the same is true for Science.

Howard Blumenthal created and produced the PBS series, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? He is currently a Senior Scholar at The University of Pennsylvania where his projects include Kids on Earth, Reinventing School, and extensive work on the future of learning and school for 21st-century students. Learn more: www.hblumenthal.com.

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