Discusses the critical relationships among play, learning to read, and early reading achievement. Gives examples of kindergarten play activities that nurture the ability to read, including painting, playing with lettered blocks, movement activities, sociodramatic play, and field trips. (FL)

Advocates that geography teachers undertake field studies of human systems with their students. Describes a learning process in which teachers take students to a human system (supermarket, hotel) and guide them through exploration and analysis of the system with the goal of building skills that can transfer to other geographic tasks. (MJP)

Describes the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary field course in Costa Rica focused on sustainable development. The semester-long curriculum integrated sociology, political economy, and agricultural ecology. The curriculum was empirically based and involved faculty members and students working collaboratively on different…

Maintains that understanding and implementing the National Geography Standards through simulation techniques can be a powerful tool for studying any cultural region. Provides a step-by-step instruction for creating a classroom field trip simulation. Includes tips for follow-up activities and assessment procedures. (MJP)

Describes a systematic instructional process that incorporates the general steps of problem solving to develop a World Wide Web-based independent study course. Highlights include the educational setting, learner characteristics, method of assessment, learning processes, course assignments, interaction between faculty and students, course content,…

Describes a simulated archaeological dig designed for Iowa elementary and middle school students that provided students with experiential learning focusing on the basic tenets of archaeology. Includes instructions on preparing for the dig, organizing materials, excavating the simulated site, analyzing artifacts, and engendering community support.…

Presents a lesson plan centering on the importance of Fort Hancock, the military facilities that defend the harbor in New Jersey. Instructional materials include maps, photographs, background material and history, and suggested activities. The lesson could be part of a unit on U.S. foreign policy, military history, or technology and society. (MJP)

A Portland (Oregon) middle school teacher teaches an ethnobotany class using plants identified in Lewis and Clark's journals. After months of learning about native plants, Native American culture, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the class culminates in a 3-day canoe trip down the Columbia River. A Lewis and Clark Rediscovery grant provides…

Discusses ways in which preschool teachers can meet the needs of the gifted preschool child in the classroom. (BB)

Describes a project for first and second graders involving gathering and interpreting survey data from another student they have never met to identify the student at the end of the project. Includes sample curricular goals and instructional strategies. (MKR)

Describes a preschool curriculum unit that includes activities designed to help prepare young children for medical treatment, visits to hospitals, and health care. (BB)

Snow is a widely available earth-science teaching medium which can be used to explore scientific concepts in the field, either directly or by analogy. Snow can be considered a mineral, sediment, sedimentary rock, or metamorphic rock. Natural processes such as crystal growth, melting, sedimentation, and metamorphism can be studied in practical time…

Presents a descriptive survey of North Carolina home schooling. Examines demographic variables, parents' reasons, and choice of curriculum materials, focusing on social studies. Finds most parents used commercially produced textbooks, supplemental materials, and field trips. Identifies texts used by parents motivated by religious factors. Stresses…

Reviews the resources available for social studies teachers from the Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): History Social Science World Wide Web site. Includes curriculum-aligned resources and lessons; standards and assessment information; interactive projects and field trips; teacher chat area; professional development…

Aided by funding from public agencies, private foundations, and corporate giving, a previously neglected conservatory on Chicago's west side is introducing inner-city students to plants and nature through after school programs, summer day camps, and field trips. Community revitalization efforts include a demonstration garden and assistance with…