In this paper, James Sledd and his son Andrew Sledd respond, on seven distinct points, to Sandra Stotsky's "Connecting Civic Education and Language Education" and to her "College English" essay "Conceptualizing Writing as Moral and Civic Thinking," in both of which she attacks the Sledds for their criticism of E. D.…

A report by the National Commission on Civic Renewal has sounded alarms about the declining quantity and quality of citizen engagement in U.S. political and civic life. According to the Commission the overall civic condition is weaker than it was and in need of significant improvement. To renew the constructive engagement of citizens in political…

The VOICE (Violence Prevention Outcomes in Civic Education) program is one of a series of efforts to help schools develop curricula that can effectively and positively teach key concepts about government, the Constitution, the courts, and the underlying principles of these institutions. A key element of the VOICE program is that these concepts…

This paper claims that if educators are to make logical and consistent decisions about what methods of civic education they wish to employ, a debate over the goals of civic education needs to be apparent. The meanings of concepts that are at the heart of any civic education curriculum are in fact themselves contested. Much has been written about…

Provided is an integrated sketch of systematic changes in patterns of political participation and legitimation, and suggestions for where one might begin to look for the sources of such change. Following an introductory section, section 2 reviews time-series data on electoral participation, party identifications, and attitudes toward electoral…

This guide presents seven units of study for secondary level social studies classes learning about New York City. The curriculum is designed to encourage students' active participation in, rather than passive observation of, their urban environment. Therefore, the various activities presented require students to investigate their own community's…

Explains the Kohlberg moral stages in moral development, discusses the aims of moral and civic education, then describes the continuing experimental work at the Harvard Center for Moral Education. (Author/DW)

This paper presents an historical perspective on social studies curriculum development from 1900 to 1916. The author's main purpose in tracing the originals and rationale of social studies during these years is to locate the educational thought that resulted in the creation of the social studies in its societal context. The paper discusses…

Schools fail to provide understanding and skill in the process of social scientific inquiry and the ability to analyze political decisions and values, and fail to develop within students an understanding of the capacities and skills needed to participate effectively and democratically in politics. To remedy some of these weaknesses, the movement…

The revised educational objectives for citizenship are presented in this booklet. (The original nine objectives are listed in ED 033 871). Brief summaries of the history and goals of the National Assessment, the procedures for developing revised educational objectives, and the main changes in the citizenship objectives precede the outline of…

This home study material, developed for use by candidates for naturalization who speak English but who have little or no skill in reading, is designed so that the individual unable to attend classes may learn to read and write by having a limited amount of help provided by some member of his family or neighbor. (A companion pamphlet, ED 054 913,…

An overview of municipal political studies in Canada is provided. A case study approach to city politics is suggested. (DE)

As a starting point for a serious reconsideration of the current state of Canadian studies in public schools, this research attempts to unearth several assumptions of educational strategies and exposes them to a critical social and political analysis. The intent is to develop Canadian studies programs in the light of the political and educational…

In this introduction to a series of articles blending perspectives of political science and citizenship education, the author stresses the need for a variety of citizenship skills in voter education programs and for an emphasis on learning by doing. (AV)

Offers a collection of seven lesson plans and 33 activity ideas for the celebration of the Constitutional bicentennial. The lesson plans and activities span grades K through 12. (JDH)