This article introduces the fifty states project, a year-long study of the United States that uses crowd sourcing to bring authentic materials into the social studies classroom. The project started five years ago, when author Kelly McPherson decided that she wanted to have a care package sent from all 50 states to help students learn about the…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is working together with state and local government and private sector partners to prepare the nation and the nation's schools for emergencies of all kinds. This teaching guide includes lessons, reproducible worksheets, and a classroom poster that can be used to reinforce key curriculum concepts while…

The challenge for today's elementary teachers is not "whether" but rather "how" to use computers to effectively teach students essential skills and concepts. One exciting way of meeting this challenge is to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS), computer software that captures, manipulates, analyzes, and displays data on specialized layered…

The reorganization of the curriculum and the necessary assembling of proper materials of instruction attendant thereto are probably receiving more of the attention of educational leaders at the present moment than any other school problem. The Bureau of Education is endeavoring to be of assistance to those attempting a solution of this important…