Considers autobiographical works by African American authors, Gwendolyn Brooks and Ronald Fair. Incorporates these works into an interdisciplinary lesson plan concerning black themes, personal identity, and urban history. Includes teaching suggestions, lesson objectives, discussion questions, and other activities. (MJP)

This supplement offers 10 articles focusing on middle school education. Topics include remembering adolescence, resources and teaching tips, active middle school students, adolescent development, challenges in middle school education, integrated studies, planning middle school special events, a writing-science-consumerism miniunit on popcorn,…

Provides a more in-depth look at selected historical fiction from the "1995 Notable Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies." Includes learning activities for middle school students constructed around several of the books. The historical works address diverse subjects such as the African American experience and World War II. (MJP)

Provides direction for developing appropriate and meaningful social studies instruction for the development of responsible citizenship in adolescents. Suggests that curriculum design should have some relationship to physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. Identifies concerns with the self, right and wrong, others, and the world…

Using reading and writing to learn, inquire, construct, and examine ideas across the curriculum is central to an integrated curriculum. Too many middle school students do not view writing as a communication process that permeates the curriculum, nor reading as an active, constructivist process whereby various perspectives can be examined and…