The ultimate outcome of this work is to support students, families, and educators (includes all school members who collectively support students) during the transitions back to school during and following the global pandemic in a manner that prioritizes their health and safety, social and emotional needs, and behavioral and academic growth. This…

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office on March 4, 1933, 15 million Americans, or one quarter of the nation's workers, were jobless. Hope faded as despair spread. Three years later, on July 10, 1936, Roosevelt took a special overnight train from Washington, D.C., to New York City for the dedication of the Triborough Bridge. The next day,…

Despite evidence that service-learning projects can have positive effects on students' learning and civic engagement, such projects are not yet widely utilized in political science. This seems to be driven, in part, by the concern that service-learning projects may politicize students. In my Urban Politics and Policy class, I implemented a…

Learning about local government seems boring and irrelevant to most young people, particularly to students from high-poverty backgrounds. The authors explore a promising approach for solving this problem, Storypath, which engages students in authentic learning and active citizenship. The Storypath approach is based on a narrative in which students…

This book is intended as a resource for elected officials, municipal staff, and citizens who would like to apply the concept of sustainable development in their communities through an ecosystems approach to human settlements management. The subcomponents of human community life and its impact on the environment are explored. Included are tested,…

Every state in the United States is divided into smaller units of local government. For example, Georgia has 159 counties. Proponents of reducing the number of counties argue for consolidation on the basis of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Activities are suggested to help secondary students explore this issue. (RM)

Designed to serve as a reference tool on city and county government in Florida, this handbook consists of lessons that can be used by schools, community groups, newly elected officials, and libraries. These curriculum materials on Florida city and county governments specifically address the general purpose of local governments. Subject areas…

Described is a visual aids facility created to enhance college classroom work in land use, planning, urban administration, local government, and real estate. The facility has two major features: mounted aerial photographs and a visual aids display case that houses a transparent overlay system. (RM)

The State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report is a tool to help policy makers and educators address broad public policy questions. SHEF seeks to inform policy deliberations with information and perspective on financial issues and national trends. The fiscal 2006 SHEF study builds on the work of Kent Halstead, who conceptualized and implemented…

Designed to remedy student's lack of opportunity to learn about the decision making process at the city or county government levels, this teacher handbook focuses on local government in Florida. The subject areas around which units and corresponding lessons are developed include: (1) the foundations of local government, history, legal roles, home…

An approach that will heighten secondary school students' interest in the study of local government and allow even poor readers to participate is described. Students analyze local county budgets and use a variety of resources, including textbooks and guest speakers, to find plausible answers to their own questions. (RM)

This guide presents learning objectives, background information, activities, vocabulary, and word-search puzzles on local government and politics for junior high and high school. Although it is intended for use in New York schools, much of the material should be adaptable to any state. Topics covered are: (1) types and functions of government; (2)…

This play, intended for use in classrooms (grades 3-12), introduces ideas about village life in New England during the 17th century. The play helps students learn about values, customs, language, and problems of settlers in colonial New England. The setting of the play is Newtowne, (now known as Cambridge) Massachusetts in 1635. The play's theme…

A textbook on United States government is written for immigrants studying for American citizenship. It is designed in a way that encourages students to practice all of their English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in each lesson. Most lessons have five parts: pre-reading, information, reading, testing skills, and review. The 25…

This newsletter has been designed to update and supplement the curriculum guide "Resources for Teaching Virginia Government." Issue 1 features "Campaigning on the Tube" (J. Babb), an articles that teaches about television's role in promoting political events and candidates in Virginia. "...Demagogues, Pedagogues,…