Provides a response to the April 2001 "Social Education" article, "A Critique of the NCSS Curriculum Standards," (Anna Ochoa-Becker). Focuses on the critiques offered by Ochoa-Becker that address the lack of time given to certain issues. (CMK)

A sex education program in Kentucky's Jefferson County schools, although mandated by the state, was challenged by a small group of parents and virtually disappeared. Later, helped by newspaper articles and recognized organizations, the program is gradually being reinstated. (MLF)

A five-step curriculum adaptation model to meet learning and behavior needs is presented, involving (1) determine need for curricular adaptations, (2) identify elements requiring adaptation, (3) select teaching and behavior management techniques, (4) implement curricular adaptations, and (5) monitor progress of adaptations. (JDD)

A $140,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities has allowed Heritage College (Washington) to develop a set of courses that incorporate literature and philosophy from Hispanic and American Indian traditions, as well as from Western and non-Western cultures in a thematic approach to the humanities. (DB)

A teacher describes a master's level course, "The Changing American Elementary School," which has students stage theatrical productions, read literature as history, and engage in art criticism. He discusses the importance of incorporating arts and humanities into the teaching of curriculum to help students integrate their master's…

Describes the origins, design, and content of a Japanese course offered by the University of Queensland (Australia) for staff in the tourist industry. A breakdown of skills to be learned in each lesson, a sample lesson plan, and sample exercises are included. (MSE)

The topic of organ transplantation adds interest and perspective to the basic health law curriculum. It can be used well to integrate a variety of topics by focusing on the policy and law of organ rationing. (MSE)

The University of Florida's efforts to include aspects of genetically engineered drugs into undergraduate teaching and develop a graduate program focusing on the pharmaceutical aspects of technology are outlined, including constituent contributions, attendance, and evaluation. The program's current status and plans for a lab course are discussed.…

Discusses the use of quantitative methods in historical research. Maintains that numbers are essential to understanding certain historical phenomena and contends that statistical sources must be approached with a critical stance. Describes the integration of quantitative methods into the history curriculum, and the establishment of an…

Provides the recommended scope and sequence for social studies from the National Council for the Social Studies Task Force on Scope and Sequence. Outlines the knowledge base and skills which undergird social studies education, and gives grade level examples of the substantive content from K-12. Offers a chart which gives optional sequences for…

Reviews four approaches to the integration of ethnic content into the curriculum. The contribution and additive approaches add ethnic heroes and courses to the curriculum. The transformation approach changes the basic assumptions of the curriculum while the social action approach requires students to use the information gained in transformative…

Explores subject matter of law-related undergraduate courses which arose from social and political upheavals of the 1960s. Emphasizes course content and organization in both conventional and alternative approaches to studying the role of law in society. Examines alternatives based upon varying theoretical perspectives and those organized around…

A study investigated the degree to which changes made in a traditional introductory computer course addressed student expectations. The revised curriculum focused on computer literacy and computer awareness rather than programming skills. Evaluation suggests that, although neither course realized student expectations fully, the revised course…

Content analysis of 13 textbooks and 2 Department of Education documents was conducted to ascertain common word processing, database, and spreadsheet software skills in order to determine which specific skills should be taught in a high school computer literacy course. Aspects of a basic computer course, created from this analysis, are described.…

Syllabus Builder is a hypertext resource that brings together scholarly, critical, and pedagogical information for literature teachers to use in curriculum development and classroom instruction. Application of the program to enhance a specific American literature anthology is described, illustrated with computer screens. (MSE)