The building of historical thinking skills has historically been a lonely endeavor for AP U.S. history teachers. Many often generate their own pedagogy, perhaps modified from an AP workshop or generally gleaned from released exam essay questions. However, as currently scheduled, in 2014, the AP U.S. history exam will undergo a redesign that will…

The purpose of this study is to explore students' understanding levels and misconceptions about temperature and factors affecting it. The concept of the study was chosen from Geography National Curriculum. In this study, a questionnaire was developed after a pilot study with an aim to ascertain the students' understanding levels of temperature and…

A strong, recent movement in tertiary education is the development of conceptual, or "big idea" teaching. The emphasis in course design is now on promoting key understandings, core competencies, and an understanding of connections between different fields. In biochemistry teaching, this radical shift from the content-based tradition is…

The incidence of basic concepts in early childhood educational standards is explored across all 50 US states. Concept inclusion in state standards is described in terms of the representation of the universe of basic concepts, representation of concept categories, the depth and breadth of individual concept inclusion, and unique examples.…

This guide for program planners and curriculum developers identifies and describes the basic concepts in consumer education. Consumer education is defined as the process of gaining the knowledge and skills needed in managing consumer resources and taking actions to influence the factors which affect consumer decisions. The primary focus of…

Throughout this article the author uses the concept of line to demonstrate an awareness of the elements of art. His intention was to increase the child's perceptual involvement. (Author/RK)

Discusses making integrated instruction at the middle school level more potent by focusing on key concepts rather than on topics (e.g., systems, interdependence, change). Describes differences in curricula based on concepts and topics; defines concepts and principles for integrated instruction and what makes them effective. Compares integrated…

The author presents a general framework of social studies concepts and inquiry processes to be developed in the middle years, which correlates to primary and secondary offerings and which are appropriate to the developmental stages of students aged 8-13. (SJL)

This article describes how teachers can develop an array of learning experiences that address varied interests and abilities of gifted students by integrating basic social studies concepts and universal themes that provide a structure for in-depth learning. It provides a social studies concept web, a thematic web, and sample lesson. (Contains 4…

Examines the economics course description in California's History-Social Science Framework (1988), discussing each of its five sections: fundamental economic concepts; comparative economic systems; microeconomics; macroeconomics; and international economics. Identifies economic skills students must learn and presents a game that teaches about…

Major topics presented for teaching an 11th grade U.S. history course are: the American people; government and politics; American economic life; American civilization in historical perspective; and the United States in world affairs. Major concepts, understandings, and generalizations are listed. For example, one of the concepts students should…

One means to bridge the gap between theory and practice of industrial arts education is a system for curriculum development, course construction, and instructional material development using a conceptual-based approach. An essential task in this continuum is the identification of the instructional content base. Since industrial arts is the study…

For a student to acquire the conceptual systems of a discipline, the designer must reflect that structure or analytic network in his curriculum. The four networks identified for music and used in the development of the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) Music Program are the variable-value, the whole-part, the process-stage, and the class-member…

These selections were chosen to give practical, understandable answers to several questions concerning concept teaching. What are concepts? Why teach them? How can concepts be taught? What are the implications of teaching? Here concept teaching implies: 1) developing the learners ability to conceptualize; 2) evolving more complex…

The goal of this booklet is to identify and present essential concepts and generalizations within the structure of knowledge of the social studies. The basic rationale rests upon the following assumptions: 1) the development of concepts and generalizations should be given primary emphasis over retention of facts in teaching the social sciences; 2)…