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,…

This column examines ways of teaching gifted students the meaning of politics. The author focuses on the verbiage of politics and methods for understanding, discussing, and role-playing politics.

In a world of great complexity, understanding the manner states act and react becomes more and more an intriguing quest due to the multiple relations of dependence and interdependence that characterize "the global puzzle". Within this context, an analysis based on a geopolitical approach becomes a very useful means used to determine not…

We all have a sense of evil, but many of us do not ponder its nature or the ways in which our beliefs about evil shape what we teach and learn about the actions of citizens in historical or contemporary times. We argue that the word and concept of evil can be detrimental to the development of good citizens when it is used as a political and…

Concerns regarding political knowledge and participation among young people continue to spur research into effective civic instruction. Through a quasi-experiment involving 361 students in four high schools as well as the parents of 152 of these students, we measured the effects of incorporating news magazines and discussion into social studies…

Using an example, this article demonstrates how instructors can make use of popular off-the-shelf board games to model politics. I show how the rules of the popular board game "Battleship" can be manipulated to simulate centralization of power and, more specifically, the differences between the Articles of Confederation and the…

In the United States courses on civics or government are often marginalized in most states' social studies curricula in favor of courses in United States or world history. The origins of this history-dominated approach have roots in the debates between the American Historical Association and the National Education Association at the turn of the…

Latino students, in particular, often feel alienated from politics, especially at the federal level, and this political disengagement often correlates with the immigrant status of students or their families. However, recent research suggests that the amount and quality of social studies coursework taken by immigrant students can reverse these…

The modern South is a thriving region that is increasingly like the rest of the United States; however, that has not always been the case. Indeed, the political history of the American South is one that has been focused on the integration of this historically underdeveloped region into the remainder of American society, economically (especially in…

To help high school students understand their political world, particularly in an election year, the article describes a teaching approach based on a comparison of political terminology to the transmission shift on an automobile. (DB)

The author describes some films which can be used by secondary and college teachers to teach about major social and political themes. Things for a teacher to take into consideration when thinking about creating a course on film, such as funds needed and evaluation techniques, are also discussed. (Author/RM)

This article is a report of a campaign game that was formulated in order to introduce the student to the realities of political campaigning. Post-game tests indicated that the game generally increased political interest and had little effect on measured political attitudes such as efficacy, saliency and alienation. (Author)

Author describes unit he taught to his high school classes prior to the 1964 elections. (SP)

Maintains there is a positive correlation between the study of ideologies and democracy, stressing that political theorists should teach political ideologies. Examines the current debate over the study of ideologies and the history of ideology. Suggests ways studying ideologies teaches students democratic values, and defines democratic thinking as…