The roles and procedures for holding a mock trial based on actual events that took place during the Canadian Cariboo gold rush are described. Intended for use with secondary history students, the trial can be conducted in one classroom period. (RM)

Presents three simulations in which participants must make decisions based on a limited number of choices among a defined set of alternatives. Students (1) decide which English convicts will be transported to the colonies; (2) place individuals in one of two retirement homes; and (3) choose which children will help their mother draw up her will.…

Designed for a ninth grade gifted history class, this interdisciplinary unit of study includes critical examination of two interpretations of the character of Shakespeare's Richard III. (RM)

Discusses the concept of writing across the curriculum and how it is used in a university level geography class. Suggests that writing as a resource for learning benefits students by encouraging critical thinking, the organization of bodies of information, and increased memory. Includes specific reading and writing assignments. (DK)

Points out current inadequacies in art teaching and shows some ways of getting to know more about the artistic qualities of things. Art education can sharpen the aesthetic response powers if the art teacher can effectively diversify learning activities. (Author/RK)

Harold Herber's self-paced, self-teaching book, "Teaching Reading in the Content Area," can be used by social studies teachers to develop lessons that help students read, write, and think. A sample U.S. history lesson which uses techniques from Herber's book to help students learn about the Declaration of Independence is presented. (RM)

Discusses how the issues of African hunger may be taught. Notes that this topic crosses disciplinary boundaries and provides background information relative to the hunger situation in Africa. Describes the perspectives on African hunger as being externalist, internalist, or environmental. Suggests strategies for teaching about African hunger. (KO)

A major goal of the social studies teacher should be to nurture independent reading-thinking habits, including inquisitiveness, critical thinking, and evaluation of ideas presented in information. How this can be done through skillful question planning is discussed. (RM)

A problem-solving model uses social studies content to teach reading and writing skills to middle school students. The model helps students understand a social studies question, determine topics to be researched, gather relevant information to answer the question, and produce a piece of expository writing. (SR)

This paper presents a study using "Facing History and Ourselves," an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge development that focuses on the period of Nazi totalitarianism as a powerful case study through which teachers can stimulate moral reasoning and develop critical thinking skills in their students. The program encourages teenage…

This paper provides a rationale for including an interdisciplinary course in the university undergraduate or graduate curriculum that explores the interconnection between communication and gender. It also provides the framework for a semester-long course by which gender as a communicative accomplishment can be revealed. The course described in the…

Suggests a process for incorporating critical thinking into social science courses. Explains preparatory steps (e.g., learning how to teach thinking and redesigning courses to include discipline-specific and core thinking skills). Recommends ways of reworking lectures, demonstrations, discussions, experiential learning, and assignments to address…

Describes an interdisciplinary unit in the history and literature of the United States that focuses on ethnic pluralism. Writing assignments combine research and critical analysis, using literary works and historical texts. Topics include the question of individual and moral responsibility, American Indians, slavery, Judaism, and the South. (DF)

Exploring what it means for teachers to generate curriculum with their students and to share the responsibility and joys of deciding what and how students learn, this book describes teachers' own experiences in generating curriculum that integrates social studies, literacy, and whole language. The book presents practical ideas that teachers across…

The need for colleges to develop critical thinking skills in mainstream courses is emerging as an issue of national significance. Students benefit from clearly articulated and pedagogically sound courses that directly and explicitly teach thinking skills, as well as from efforts to reinforce these abilities across the curriculum. At LaGuardia…