What I think of social studies...

What comes to mind when you think of social studies?
I think of maps, California missions, and a lot of reading (I really don't remember) about ancient civilizations. Most teachers gave just textbook assignments. Not to degrade textbooks--they have their wonderful purpose--but I remember almost nothing about what I read. What I do remember are the fun projects that I did, like an eighth-grade project called "China-in-a-box." I also remember an extra-curricular team I joined called the Current Events team. We read the newspaper everyday for three months, then competed with other schools about our knowledge. To this day I still enjoy reading the paper, looking for important news and information. Finally, when I think of social studies I think of inspiration--I always enjoy learning about great people that have changed our society or other societies. Social studies was a subject where I was introduced to heroes.