Drawing on a three-year multimethod study of civic engagement within "Dewey Elementary," this article identifies the contextual supports of civic efficacy. In particular, it works to map the role of the teacher in supporting the civic action and efficacy of six fifth-grade girls who requested changes to the school's existing lunch plan.…

Explains how philosophical thinking can be integrated into the teaching of reading and writing. Resulting skills in critical reading and critical writing will enable students to act intelligently within a social context. (Author/AV)

Explores ways to organize skills which aid in developing the reasoning process. Suggests a social studies curriculum which focuses on a skill network composed of facilitating skills (observation, classification, spatial relationships), processes (inferring, predicting, hypothesizing), and operations (communications, interpretation, social…

Discusses the revision of the curriculum for college-bound students. States three apparent needs: conceptual knowledge, note- and test-taking skills, and critical thinking skills. Provides suggestions for developing these areas, devoting much attention to critical thinking. (GEA)

Presented is a lesson plan to be used in middle school social studies courses to help students assess whether a statement made by an alleged authority is credible. The plan also shows how teachers can use information processing strategies to design lessons to promote learning of other critical thinking skills. (RM)

Reports a study reviewing the status of social studies education within selected special education programs. Identifies factors effecting social studies programs in special education and argues the importance of social studies instruction for handicapped students. (AEM)

Reviews economics teaching methods in England in light of curriculum reform there. Explains economics' cross-curricular status in England's national curriculum. Stresses students' experiential learning in simulations, interview projects, and a minienterprise approach in which students produce and market goods. Describes one elementary school's…