Elaborates on specific ways that the National Standards can improve high school civics education. Suggests three interrelated key approaches: adapting the standards to current textbooks, making the course practical for each individual student, and utilizing activities to involve the whole class. (MJP)

Tested a family process model that links family financial resources and parental educational attainment to academic competence during early adolescence on 90 rural African American youths ages 9-12 and their parents. Parental educational attainment was linked with family financial resources and with parental involvement with the adolescent's…

Maintains that community enterprise projects help students develop academic, personal, and transferable skills, while enabling underfunded not-for-profit groups to achieve some of their goals. Provides several examples of programs and suggests methods of improvement. (MJP)

An eighth-grade teacher implemented several Total Quality Management methods in his social studies (civics) class in the middle of the academic school year. Using diagrams, he taught students ways to organize their work, generate ideas, and solve problems. Using student involvement, he developed ways to help students solve their homework problem.…

Provides a chronological overview of the struggle for women's suffrage in the United States. Describes the role of individual women and women's organizations in the struggle. Includes primary sources, teacher resources, and a political cartoon. (CFR)

Presents a narrative case study based on the use of cooperative learning in a 10th-grade global studies class. Focuses on ethnic groups and emerging issues related to national sovereignty. Describes student participation in group discussions about these topics. (CFR)

A unique, successful staff development program in three Louisville (Kentucky) middle schools provides opportunities for teachers of disadvantaged students to build pedagogical skills. The High5 Project promotes strategies for realizing high expectations, content, support, energy, and involvement. The paper examines change strategies and discusses…

Presented are activities that focus on gathering, using, and interpreting data about fingerprints as a basis for integrating mathematics and science. Patterns, classification, logical reasoning, and mathematical relationships are explored by making graphs, classifying fingerprints, and matching identical fingerprints. A parent-involvement activity…

Four potential protective factors appear to promote resilience in disadvantaged African-American children through facilitating development of school-relevant social competencies. The factors are the following: (1) early education experiences; (2) parental involvement in early schooling; (3) early peer relationships; and (4) culturally compatible…

The types of resilient behaviors that lead to school competence among African-American adolescents are those that build social identity and friends and social support networks. Specific recommendations are given to promote them in the school setting through parent involvement, cultural sensitivity, and small group learning. (SLD)

A telephone survey of 26 principals on their use of Chapter 1 funds for family and community involvement activities found several barriers, including restrictions, lack of information and adequate funds, and fear of change. However, schoolwide planning, new legal flexibility, and district support can make Chapter 1 funds more useful. (JB)

Argues that white, upper-middle-class adolescents are particularly vulnerable to depression, suicide, alcohol/substance abuse, date rape, anxiety, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. Discusses lack of parental involvement and the difficulties wealthy youth have in developing inner resources. Recommends involving students in service projects and…

Maintains that citizenship education is a major goal of elementary school, social studies instruction. Explains four strategies to establish democracy in the classroom: discussions, democratic decision making, modeling, and examining reasons for democratic behaviors. Stresses linking rights to responsibilities and promoting respect for self and…

Argues that the preservation of areas like the Shoreline Park (California) wetlands depends on educating students about the value of natural resources. Describes the creation of a Web page on the wetlands for third-grade students by seventh-grade art and ecology students. Outlines the technical process of developing a Web page. (DSK)

Describes factors that hold promise for recruiting and retaining minority students in gifted education programs, including having equitable, culturally sensitive screening and identification instruments and procedures; providing minority students with a quality education; addressing problems that interfere with minority students' achievement; and…