Discusses a sixth grade teacher's experience in turning a classroom project into a book. Offers advice for teachers on becoming writers. Explores obstacles, benefits, and suggestions on writing, editing, and publishing work. Describes a class project that resulted in the cleanup of a toxic waste site and the publication of "The Kid's Guide to…

Discusses highlights of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child that a student outlines in a letter to Senator William Bradley of New Jersey. Includes children's needs and problems. Describes the health care situation in the United States and its effect on children from poor families. Argues that the convention contains many advantages and…

Describes a class project where New York City second graders worked with the community board of transportation to rename a street for an African American woman. The students succeeded in renaming 134th Street in honor of Mary McLeod Bethune, an African American educator. (MJP)

This book explores the ways in which teachers can use critical literacy as a framework for teaching and learning. The book shares the varied experiences of its authors as they attempt to put a critical edge on students' classroom discussions about books and other texts, and thus create spaces for critical literacy in the K-6 classroom. Each…

Profiles Active Citizenship Today (ACT), a social studies service learning program for middle and high school students. In ACT, students explore their community, identify problems, examine public policy, explore their options, and take action. Includes unit excerpts from the ACT teacher's handbook. (MJP)

Briefly describes a service-learning grant program and provides examples of elementary, middle, and high school projects awarded grants in 1996. Projects included efforts to educate the community about river pollution, multicultural murals, and a school activities news show. Includes application form and general guidelines and suggestions. (MJP)

Noting that young children have a natural sense of what is and is not fair, this guide is intended to help teachers develop an anti-bias curriculum using children's sense of fairness to guide them toward social activism. The book provides stories of children's experiences as activists, coupled with first-person accounts of teachers' experiences…

Describes a seventh-grade class project in which students researched a specific social problem, proposed an action plan, and took steps to implement the plan. Students who chose problems closer to home (the elderly, literacy, dropouts) were able to develop more effective action plans. (MJP)

Describes a middle school curriculum that integrates service learning and civic responsibility skills into the core academic program. The "CityYouth" curriculum consists of 32 multidisciplinary lessons divided into four units of eight lessons each. Examines how schools have incorporated the units into community activities. (MJP)

Discusses the National History Day program and describes the selection of the 1995 theme, "Conflict and Compromise in History." Presents a series of potential project topics divided into 10 categories. Includes an extensive bibliography designed for student research. (CFR)

Discusses the 1996 National History Day program and theme: "Taking a Stand in History: Individuals, Groups, Movements." Presents a list of possible student projects. Includes a bibliography of recommended books. (CFR)