Teachers' instruction is influenced by a multitude of factors, such as state standards, curriculum materials, student needs, world events, and district or school policies. Since spring 2021, some teachers have had to consider a new factor: state policies that limit instruction about social and political topics, such as those related to race,…

One of the most urgent contemporary challenges is to ensure a sustainable planet for future generations. The analysis of environmental problems and the best strategies for dealing with them should be an integral component of social studies education. This e-book offers essential information and recommends exemplary methods for teaching about…

Civics education in America is in crisis, and Americans should recommit themselves to the teaching of civics in the classroom and at home. As students understand how the past connects to the present, they will come to safeguard the sanctity of the American idea and appreciate the validity and relevance of its ideals to all Americans, especially to…

This article is a reflection on the teaching of black history after the Obama presidency and at the dawn of the Trump era. It is both an analysis of the state of the academic field and a primer on how to integrate the past few decades of scholarship in black history broadly across standard K-12 curriculum. It demonstrates the importance of…

In 1995, California officially adopted standards-based reforms for public education when the Governor signed the Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act into law. The legislation called for a new state system of standards-based tests and created the Academic Standards Commission to develop content and performance standards…

What are the key contents related to democratic life in the curricula of civic and citizenship education in Latin American countries? What values and dimensions are most emphasized? This document summarizes the results of a comparative analysis of civic/citizenship curricula for primary and secondary education in six Latin American countries…

Examines new aspects of the post-Cold War international situation that need to be reflected in the K-12 curriculum: integrating studies of cooperation as well as conflict; emphasizing the importance of economic issues; and noting the changed role of international organization, the increased concern with democracy, and changing concepts of…

Presents a series of questions designed to provoke students to think about their location in the world, the effect of global connections on their local culture, and current global problems and their implications. Includes Internet contact information for some United Nations agencies that provide information useful to students. (DSK)

The stories we tell in history are often stories about ourselves. This can lead to tremendous distortion. Rupert Gaze was shocked when a young black student told him that there was no point in his studying the Second World War because it had nothing to do with him or his family. While Gaze has worked for the Imperial War Museum (IWM) North, it has…

In the 1990s the debate over what and whose history should be taught in U.S. schools resonated through the halls of the U.S. Congress, the national press, and the nation's schools. Some politicians and pundits denounced the findings of the National Standards for History, which subsequently became a major battleground in the nation's ongoing…

Highlights the Cable News Network's (CNN) documentary series "The Cold War." Interviews executive producer Jeremy Issacs and producer Martin Smith about the series and its usefulness for educators. Includes a broadcast schedule for the 24 episodes. Notes that the series is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies. (DSK)

Asserts that teachers and students are ready to go beyond traditional coverage of the interactions of political science and history to applying economic analysis to historical and contemporary social issues. Provides three lesson plans illustrating the use of public choice theory in U.S. history. (CFR)

Asserts that peace activism should be integrated into U.S. history. Traces the history of the peace movement and peace activism from the American Revolution to the 1980s. Concludes that the peace movement, although diverse and constantly changing, has made an appreciable difference in national attitudes toward war and civil violence. (CFR)

International education is central to Soviet education because of the many different nationalities in the USSR. Students learn about the history and cultures of the Soviet Union, as well as about the history of other nations. Special attention is paid to understanding the causes of war and conditions for peace. (IS)

Contends that the "historical detective work" of oral history helps students break free of their textbooks and become active collectors of information. Provides five recommendations, six teacher guidelines, and seven student guidelines for implementing oral history in the classroom. (CFR)