Suggests the essential characteristics of the five fundamental themes of geography and provides related learning activities for elementary grades. States that use of these complementary and overlapping themes will result in balanced and comprehensive geographic instruction. (LS)

Presents a six day activity unit for upper elementary grades to develop an understanding of the value of knowing geography and to teach the five geography themes and their meaning. Completion of the unit will enable students to apply all five themes in describing a place geographically. Includes a test for student evaluation. (LS)

Presents five essential strands that should be spiraled through social studies curriculum. Argues these strands suggest concepts that need to be developed. Lists key concepts and presents a way to teach ideas and concepts to intermediate-grade students. Outlines a teaching/learning sequence for concept development and illustrates how the concepts…

Maintains that children's literature and well-planned extension activities can help students understand time, one of the most important concepts in geography and history. Provides definitions of macro, meso, and micro time and discusses theme-related children's books for each concept. Includes a chart of key time activities. (MJP)

Provides 10 class activities for primary grade students on the five themes of geography. Activities cover location, place, human and environment interaction, movement, and region. (LS)

Outlines lesson plans for teaching economics in the primary grades, designed to complement the video series, "Econ and Me." Suggests activities incorporate mathematics, language arts, geography, and science. Targets the following specific economic concepts in individual lesson plans: scarcity, choice, production, goods, opportunity cost,…

Profiles "Barnyard Economics," a children's play produced by Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). SIFE is a national organization for college students who provide economic education to the community. The audience-participation play uses the adventures of a pig to illustrate opportunity costs, production of goods and services, and productive…

Relates the experiences of a class of 25 masters students in education and their attempts to incorporate criteria from two educational frameworks into their course assignments. The students used the five key features of "Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students "and guidelines from the National Council on Social Studies standards.…

Maintains that works of historical fiction and fantasy introduce children to concepts of time and history, as well as allowing them to empathize with other people. Historical fantasy often involves a young protagonist traveling through time and experiencing different eras and events. (MJP)

Maintains that the development of national standards provides resources for social studies curriculum development. Discusses the theme of continuity and change and asserts that elementary students can understand chronology. Provides a bibliographic essay and a list of nine recommended children's books and six teacher resources. (CFR)

Observes that children's interests, especially their fascination with personal changes in height, weight, and abilities, can be used to help teach concepts of time and change. Illustrates how family and community contexts can be incorporated into this teaching. Includes suggested learning activities. (MJP)

Maintains that the multiage primary school approach is rapidly gaining advocates across the nation. Asserts that the thematic approach used in the National Council for the Social Studies national standards provides a structure for this curriculum schema. Discusses teachers' concerns about curriculum change and strengths of the nongraded primary…

Presents a series of lesson plans that include investigations in science, mathematics, geography, current events, and social studies. The cross-curricular activities help students broaden their understanding of time as well as of the "neighbors" who live in their own and other time zones. (MJP)

Describes a series of learning activities that can be done at home using everyday household materials. The activities are designed to illustrate components of the Five Fundamental Themes of geography education to students in grades K-5. They all require organizing, analyzing, and interpreting geographic information. (MJP)