Reviews two books: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE GREAT POWERS (Kennedy), which describes the relationship between economic growth and military power since 1500; and THRIVING ON CHAOS (Peters), which examines business practices needed in the twenty-first century. Both works emphasize the importance of the Pacific Rim and can help teachers think about…

Discusses methods for teaching students to evaluate an argument, focusing specifically on identifying and evaluating both stated and unstated assumptions. Includes sample activities to help illustrate the approach. (BSR)

Several questions and issues addressed sixty years ago at the NCSS conference in Dallas are indistinguishable from present concerns, which focus on three concepts: citizenship, social studies/social science, and how to define social problems. Concludes that the social studies movement was predisposed to work at cross-purposes because of the…

Focusing on helping students become literate about law in the public school setting, this article describes a day in the life of a junior high school student and the legal aspects of the situations she encounters. (GEA)

Describes three trends that are thought to be important in shaping the Pacific Rim and discusses the significance of each. The first is the continuing economic and military influence of the United States in the region; the second is the increasingly dynamic Japanese expansion; and the third trend is the diffusion of Chinese people throughout the…

Discusses how White people's images and stereotypes of North American Indians have changed since the beginning of colonization. States that all stereotypes should be vigorously challenged by using multiple sources and studying the cultural diversity found in the many tribes of North America. (GEA)

Describes an economics lesson which requires students to make observations regarding the make, model, manufacturer, year, cost, and country of origin of the cars in the student-faculty parking lot. Students then relate their collected data to the economic impact of imports, student-teacher values, and the impact of the automobile on personal…

Discusses the U.S. Constitution's endurance throughout the years and states that it must be taught so that all citizens will know the value of their participation in a democratic society. Advocates a "Celebration of the Constitution," teaching it with the respect and vigor it deserves on its 200th birthday. (GEA)

Reviews data collected in a 1982 national survey of state social studies coordinators which shows the patterns of textbook adoptions in the area of high school geography for the 20 states that use statewide adoption. Concludes that throughout the 1970s and early 1980s Texas's impact on other states' geography selections was almost nonexistent.…

Offers examples of brainstorming and experiential learning for improving classroom instruction. Includes a list of six questions which a teacher may ask to improve instruction, among them, What is the objective of this section in terms of its desired effect on students, and what indicators tell me that I'm not getting the result I want? (JDH)

A teacher describes how she used the autobiographical stories recounting Laura Ingalls Wilder's frontier life to teach history to a third-grade class. Activities included frontier foods, storytelling, a school play, a concert, bookmarks, student autobiographies, and a spelling bee. (CB)

Provides examples of distorted maps drawn by people from various times and countries. Argues that maps can be culturally confining and can reinforce ethnocentricity. States that exposure to many cartographic perspectives can help a person overcome ethnocentric cultural conditioning. Includes activities and questions for promoting cartographic…

Refutes the very concept of a social science. Observes that the disciplines which study man and society are too heavily characterized by diversity, lack of consensus, and dissonance to be considered sciences. Classifies social science as a "non-science" and considers the term "social studies" to be a more honest and descriptive name to attach to…

Too often seen through the lens of the United States experience in the Vietnam War, this article offers an alternative approach to teaching Vietnam through the development of a cultural and historical perspective. Provides a brief summary of literature on Vietnamese cultural history which is appropriate to high school students. (JDH)

Provides a brief rationale for teaching about torts and describes 5 activities designed to help teach them. The activities help students (1) define what torts are and identify different types of acts which may result in a tort, (2) differentiate crimes from intentional torts and unintentional torts, and (3) explore defenses commonly used in tort…