This description of the plan of civic education in the Indianapolis elementary schools has been prepared because of a growing, general interest in the subject, and because of the numerous inquiries as to existing methods of organized elementary civic training. The Indianapolis teachers and school authorities would be the last to claim that they…

The need for a first grade curriculum based upon the work of the modern kindergarten has been frequently expressed, and the curriculum here presented is an effort to meet that need. It follows the Kindergarten Curriculum which was published as a bureau of Education bulletin in 1919 and is organized on the same general principle and the same plan.…

Advances a vigorous argument for teaching the basic principles of liberal democracy that transcend countries, cultures, and historical eras. Articulates a vision of citizenship education that uses historical examples of totalitarian abuses to emphasize issues of accountability and morality. Discusses ways to make civic education real and relevant.…

Praises the efforts to develop a national standards for civics and government. However, discovers serious shortcomings in the current product. Claims that the current standards blur important distinctions and contain a number of factual errors. Recommends reducing the conceptual outlines and increasing illustrative cases and texts. (MJP)

Considers ways to make the complex subjects of conflict and conflict resolution meaningful and manageable in the classroom. Recommends rigorous planning, clear definitions, and classifications of the different kinds of conflict. Includes a problem-solving lesson, list of lesson ideas, and teaching approaches. (MJP)

Outlines approaches for student evaluation in service learning projects. Maintains that most service learning project participants' goals fall into three broad areas: civic development, academic achievement, and personal or social development. Assessment in these areas can be accomplished through tabulation of service hours, student journals, and…

Maintains that self-esteem is more than simply "feeling good" about oneself. It derives from having experienced meaningful success. A service learning program can accomplish this and avoid the self-preoccupation and narcissism that occasionally accompany self-esteem efforts. Service learning can replace this with empathy and commitment. (MJP)

Defines the educational practice of deep ecology as utilizing a social action framework to teach students how to take action on behalf of the communities of flora, fauna, and people. Discusses the theories that form the basis for this movement and specifically addresses how this can be applied to citizenship education. (MJP)

Examines the importance of civic education in holding students to higher accountability. Urges teachers to examine the National Standards for Civic Education. Suggests that helping prepare good citizens is a worthy national education goal that requires involvement by the entire community to help educate everyone, but especially children, to be…

Maintains that Albert Bushnell Hart was a leading figure in history education. Discusses his contributions to history's emergence as a modern school subject and to its inclusion as a core component of the school curriculum. (CFR)

Reports on an evaluative study of a secondary level civics curriculum in the Netherlands. Finds a discrepancy between the curriculum plans of the developers and the classroom implementation of the curriculum. Recommends an implementation-oriented development strategy with emphasis on early and intensive formative evaluation. (CFR)

Maintains that the world is nearing the end of a great age of democratic revolutions. Asserts that civic or citizenship education is in danger of being sidetracked by the national educational reform movement. Argues that "CIVITAS," a civic education curriculum framework, provides a model for effective citizenship education. (CFR)

Presents a lesson plan using the Internet to have students research significant events in the history of the expansion of constitutional rights. Includes a background statement, list of objectives, outline of procedures, handout with instructions and a list of suggested topics, and a handout for evaluating Web sites. (DSK)

Describes how one professor of American government fights the apathy and cynicism of college students toward politics by using the Internet to help students more fairly appraise the workings of the American political system. One assignment has students research and manage a particular public policy initiative through visits to Web sites…

Charts the rebirth of civics and citizenship education in Australia. Discusses the decline of interest in citizenship education during the 1960s and the educational and social influences leading to its renaissance. Examines the educational model proposed by the Civics Expert Group and extends this treatment to include more egalitarian concepts.…