Discusses the history of Russian literacy from Kievan Rus, through the Muscovite period, the Imperial period, and the postrevolutionary Soviet Union. Presents tables of literacy levels for various periods. Discusses evidence, theories, and problems with historians' assumptions. Concludes that, until recently, little impetus existed for the bulk of…

Presents a teacher's report on personal reactions and attitudes of both German students and teachers toward German reunification. Information was obtained through interviews during a week stay in Germany in March 1990. Includes many quotes expressing fear of nationalism and hope for the future, and recognizing social and economic problems Germany…

Discusses the origins and impact of the Piri Reis map, an early world map based on the voyages of Columbus and 20 other source maps. Maintains that evidence exists that Christopher Columbus may have drawn part of the map. Includes lengthy quotes from the map's legend written by Reis. (CFR)

Surveys the format and contents of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century arithmetic textbooks. Discusses the types of problems that were most popular in these early texts and briefly analyzes problem contents. Notes the residual educational influence of this era's arithmetical and instructional practices. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/MDH)

Reports on a study of the geographic content in 44 secondary school U.S. and European Advanced Placement history lessons. States that 75% of 550 references to geographic content were categorized as "passing references," not "substantive references." Concludes that core geographic concepts that enable students to understand and…

Examines the first 30 years of school medical services in one English local education authority against the background of social and educational legislation, the first world war, political and economic uncertainties of the interwar decades, and changing public opinion. Details the rise in importance of school medical officers in this period. (DSK)

Notes that there are few readily accessible resources for teachers who wish to include popular culture in their ancient, medieval, or renaissance history lessons. Goes on to partially remedy this situation by providing a review of print sources of information on popular culture. Also mentions useful films and artifacts. (DSK)

Designed as a resource for teachers to help high school students understand the new Germany, six background papers and nine lessons provide information on the difficult transition from the Third Reich to defeat and military occupation, on the establishment of two successor states, and on revolution and reunification. The six background papers…

Intellectual mastery of nature was the stated goal of the German physicists of the nineteenth century. In this first of two volumes, an attempt is made to bridge social, institutional, and intellectual history. Separate sections of the book deal with: (1) establishing physics at the universities; (2) German physicists before 1830; (3) promoting…

Until recently the Holocaust was largely ignored in history books and literature, leaving most students without even the basic knowledge of an event that can and should have meaning for them. Nothing can really "explain" it, but literature, because it is concerned with feelings and conveys emotions, can move young people to an empathetic…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 11 titles deal with the following topics: (1) the credibility of the sources of public information during the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant crisis; (2) the anticorporation rhetoric of New York reformer Samuel Seabury; (3)…

The picture books in John Goodall's "Edwardian Series" can enrich the curriculum materials of the upper elementary social studies, reading, language arts, or art instructor. The books in the series are more than artistically correct--they also envelop history in warmth and humor. The books range from the earliest to the most recent:…

Does new vocabulary help students to express existing ideas for which they do not yet have words or does it actually give them new ideas which they did not previously hold? James Woodcock asks whether offering students new vocabulary can give them new ideas, and whether this can enhance their historical analyses of causation problems. This is an…

Much has been said and written about different learning styles in recent years. Some people have responded with evangelical enthusiasm, others exercise a more cautious approach, whilst a few disregard it completely. Certainly, there are problems in allowing learning style "audits" to shape our teaching strategies entirely. But one…

This sixth grade unit is one of a sequential learning series of the Focus on Inner City Social Studies (FICSS) project developed in accordance with the needs and problems of an urban society. A description of the project is provided in SO 008 271. As part of the sixth grade curriculum focusing on world power, this six week unit studies the factors…