Criticizes the traditional approach to teaching U.S. government as being de-contextualized, piecemeal, incoherent, and ineffective. Summarizes an alternative approach that follows historical development but emphasizes the emerging character of the U.S. political system due to the interaction between values, context, and institutions. Text readings…

Provides a useful introduction and overview to using storytelling in the elementary social studies classroom. Presents a rationale for using storytelling, tips on getting started, preparation for the story, and follow-up activities. Includes a 61-item bibliography of folktales and stories. (MJP)

Considers two complementary ways of teaching conflict resolution in schools: special training sessions focusing specifically on conflict resolution; and more diffuse but substantiated conflict resolution opportunities integrated into academic coursework. Vignettes from two schools illustrate the different strengths of curricular and…

Provides eight fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in art, science, mathematics, reading, language arts, and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity.…

Describes a Master of Education program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign called Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform OnLine (CTER) that is aimed at K-12 teachers. The evaluation based on program stakeholders includes interface design; instructional design; faculty satisfaction; student attitudes; economic viability;…

Reviews the "Handbook of Research on Social Studies Teaching and Learning's" section on learner outcomes and effective teaching methods. Concludes most researchers in this section expect social studies to teach active citizenship reached through decision making within a democratic society. Examines the debate on how best to produce this…

Demonstrates teaching citizenship through student involvement in current issues. Presents We-Search--a process using the whole-language approach for group research projects in a Fairbanks, Alaska, third grade class. Highlights class projects, including one concerning transportation of plutonium across international borders. Emphasizes how…

Presents seven reading activities involving the preschool classroom writing environment, using big books and predictable books, using cereal boxes to foster emergent literacy, using editorials, visual-auditory links, reading outside the classroom, and ownership of writing. (MG)

Described is the course content for a class on AIDS. The class focused on outreach, education, information and learning compassion toward people afflicted with the disease. A list of videos and films used in the course is included. (KR)

Recent forms of technology which have essentially altered the types of services that libraries can provide are discussed in five articles. The areas covered include the problematic aspects of automating reference services, a successful goal oriented approach to automating reference services, and the impact of new technologies on school media…

Identifies 12 major trends in the field of education and technology. Topics discussed include school choice; integrating new technologies and the traditional curriculum; visual vs. logocentric curriculum; distance learning; problems with evaluation; increasing business pressure on public education; the impact of minority students; commercial…

Describes the history and current issues of curriculum, instruction, and evaluation in elementary social studies. Emphasizes teaching for understanding and higher-order applications. Concludes that higher-order goals of social studies instruction are comparable to those in other subjects. (BB)

Cooperation--between elementary physical education (PE) specialists, classroom teachers, students, and others involved in elementary PE--is the theme of this nine-article feature. Topics include professional recognition for PE, integration of PE into the elementary curriculum, PE and classroom teacher research, field day activities, and…

The motivation behind the curriculum design and evaluation procedures of the East Asian Summer Language Institute's Chinese school are discussed. Two instructional methods, learning model instruction and acquisition model instruction, are described. (23 references) (CB)

Colleges can communicate important positive messages to minority group students in the information disseminated about institutional mission and goals, admission and financial aid, administration, student support services, curriculum, the campus community, campus activities, location, and educational benefits and in photographic images of college…