When projects are the spine of a course, they are systematically sequenced one after the other, and they do the heavy lifting of the course. They teach its core content and skills. The author has been testing this model of course design for several years, aiming for experiential learning that is tied to deep rather than superficial learning of…

Provides five exercises designed to include real world experiences in consumer education for primary students. The identification of basic food items, development of a shopping list, assignment of shopping behavior (careful, careless), and a field trip to the supermarket precede filling out a chart with comparative prices, brand names, and total…

Advocates conducting oral history projects as part of elementary school social studies programs. Outlines key steps for incorporating oral history projects including determine a focus; identify local residents to interview; practice interviewing techniques; exchange information; and create booklets. Lists research resources. Stresses the…

Describes an international student exchange program for the elementary and secondary school level. Discusses research projects conducted at United Nations Depository Libraries in preparation for Model United Nations programs. Contends that students remember the program as a highlight of their school experience. (CFR)

Reports on a class project that used donated materials to build a replica of the George Washington Bridge. The children read books related to bridges and created "vehicles" out of milk cartons for the bridge crossing. They also created stories for their vehicles that were transcribed by older students. (MJP)

Highlights the value of field trips and oral history as a way of obtaining information and understanding about other cultures. Describes an oral history class project conducted by high school students at a bilingual multinational school in Mexico. Includes guidelines for such activities and excerpts from students' notes. (MJP)

Describes the format for an interdisciplinary program of English/social studies (ESP) for eleventh grade honor students developed by the Coconut Creek High School (Florida). Promotes a thematic context for innovation and relies on cooperative learning. Provides the teacher-developed goals for the ESP program including learning outcome, present…

Describes the participation of four middle school students at the World Youth Conference on Human Rights. Discusses interdisciplinary efforts at a private school to celebrate the founding of the United Nations. Outlines student volunteer activities for both local and international causes. (CFR)

Describes a cooperative-learning program jointly developed by computer education and world history teachers in which secondary students create mock newspapers. Asserts that the project fulfilled cross-disciplinary objectives and encouraged critical thinking skills. Includes examples from the student-created newspapers. (CFR)

Presents a series of lesson plans for a seventh-grade world studies class. The lessons use the discovery of a 5,300-year-old "iceman" in the Austrian Alps as a starting point for a series of simulated archaeological activities. Includes descriptions and drawings of the iceman's remains and artifacts. (MJP)

Maintains that one challenge in teaching social sciences is finding ways to help students design, implement, and analyze their own social science research project. Describes a seventh-grade anthropology course in which students conducted research projects on gender issues. Includes an observations chart and two figures. (CFR)