California has embarked on a major new wave of curriculum reform with the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the new English Language Development (ELD) standards, and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The adoption of the CCSS builds a legacy of standards-based education reform in California that began with the…

A model for designing a social studies unit for able (gifted) students that has no national boundaries or time, event, and cultural limitations is explained and illustrated by a diagram. The conceptual model provides an example built around the concept of leadership styles. (SEW)

Describes a student-directed computer system revival project in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at California State Polytechnic University, which originated when an obsolete computer was donated to the department. Discusses resulting effects in undergraduate course offerings, in student extracurricular activities, and in…

Describes an undergraduate physical science course in which students choose the topics to be studied and areas of student interest can be pursued by individual projects. (CP)

A rationale is presented for developing gifted education projects that are differentiated from the regular curriculum. A specific activity, called "Let's Build a Sailboat," is described to illustrate guiding principles for success in student project development. The project taught planning and management skills to junior high school gifted…

Maintains that group activities in the classroom can be beneficial both socially and academically for students. Presents a six-step plan for helping students develop social skills while working in cooperative groups. Discusses classroom management, grading, and lesson structure issues related to cooperative learning. (CFR)

This book introduces and guides upper elementary and middle school teachers through the process of using major classroom projects to enable integration of the curriculum through social studies. The book describes the excitement of a classroom when the students are working on Washington, D.C. and Latin America projects. Not only do the students…

For years, criticism of education in the United States has focused on the nation as ethnocentric. Schools can maximize their students' multicultural experiences by developing curricula that heighten global consciousness and responsibility. This book is intended as a guide for unlocking the treasures of the world. The book offers current resources…

This book describes ways to help teachers teach using technology and project-based instruction. It opens with a theoretical 3-year school-improvement plan that outlines a framework for developing curricula that address real-world applications. The second chapter describes how schools can write a sound technology plan of action, which includes…

Presented are two visual aids, the Lesson Plan Tree and the Interdisciplinary Planning Wheel, which can serve as a framework and reference for student and teacher cooperative planning of an interdisciplinary studies unit. Both planning aids are illustrated with sample learning activities on pioneer life in Ohio. (SJL)

This unit uses a learning center approach to helping elementary students learn about Israel. Following a rationale for implementing an interdisciplinary approach to global education, the unit discusses methodology and management of the program, which consists of seven independent learning centers and one library research center through which…

Unlike teacher directed experiences that often do not provide children opportunities to take initiative and responsibility for the work undertaken, the project approach allows in-depth investigation of a topic worth learning more about. Projects are undertaken by a child, a small group of children within a class, or sometimes by the whole class,…

In a sixth grade science classroom for able students, major grades are broken down into four categories: lab reports, projects, creative writing, and written tests. These four components of assessment structure how the curriculum content is presented. (JDD)

Asserts that international economics textbooks pay too little attention to the complexity of issues and problems facing individual nations. Describes a country report project included as part of a college-level international or development economics course. Provides two student instruction sheets and a sample country report. (CFR)

Contends that a college-level capstone course in sociology should synthesize prior knowledge and foster continuing affilation with the discipline. Discusses six pedagogical principles that promote a continuing relationship with sociology. Describes content and instructional procedures used in a senior seminar at Rider College (New Jersey). (CFR)