This curriculum unit is designed to allow students to evaluate the social, cultural, political, and economic changes occurring in South Africa. Specially prepared portfolios serve as mini-museums and historical archives for study. Examples of historical and contemporary popular culture are included. Numerous documents, activities and resources are…

This book offers an alternative to the traditional teacher-parent conference by giving the responsibility for assessment to the students. As students reflect on their own learning, seek out the views of others, and prepare their own portfolios, they come to know themselves as learners. The process combines assessment, teacher research, parent…

Reports results of the Energyport Project, which involved sixth graders of all performance levels in energy study. The project was designed to demonstrate the relationship between energy sources and their economic impact on the community and increase student awareness of the effects of different energy sources on the environment. (CS)

Argues that a democratic citizenry must be technologically literate and able to analyze data to make wise decisions. Illustrates how one Redmond, Washington, sixth grade social studies class used databases to show the changing nature of information and computer applications in social studies units. Stresses the relationship between information…

Describes the origins, development, and activities of the Elementary School Economics Project at the University of Chicago during the "New Social Studies" era of the 1960s. Maintains that the program was compatible with the social science and inquiry-based instructional strategies popular at that time. (CFR)

Reports on a 3-year study of approximately 100 students through grades 4, 5, and 6 on the impact of a variety of second-language learning options among English-speaking children in francophone Canada. Finds that those options that use early, French-only environments were most effective. (CFR)

Suggests integrating teaching geography and other cultures within the context of children's literature in grades three through six. Provides instructions for teaching geographic vocabularies and concepts through a Chinese children's story, in which the author uses the physical landscape to set the stage for the story. (NL)

Examines teaching methods in elementary social studies classrooms. Interviews fifth and sixth grade students regarding their perceptions of social studies. Finds instruction relies heavily on textbooks. Shows half of the students dislike social studies. Includes students' verbatim comments. Designs teaching approaches based on students' preference…

Reports on a study of the attitudes of 542 students in grades 3-6 toward singing and choir participation in relation to grade level, gender, classroom singing activities, previous singing experience, and degree of singing skill. Finds that most subjects indicated a positive attitude toward singing, but less than half were interested in choral…

This activity guide, developed to provide hands-on environmental education activities geared to Hammocks Beach State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 6, 7, and 8 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of activities are included:…

This guide is one of a set of 10 science guides, each covering a separate grade in Manitoba, together covering kindergarten through grade 9. The guides have been designed to provide a framework for building scientific concepts and developing the learning of process skills. They replace an earlier set of guides dated 1979. Each guide is essentially…

In this unit, part of the Seeing and Thinking Mathematically in the Middle Grades series, students use mathematics to design and construct a model home from the ground up. Through the process of designing floor plans, constructing walls and roofs, and making cost estimates, students explore key concepts in geometry and measurement and engage in…

Student involvement in a continuous, integrated, and sequential program of awareness, exposure, and skill development can have an immediate impact upon values clarification and knowledge acquisition, and a long-range effect upon social change and environmental stewardship. Designed to suit the learning styles of students, the activities are…

Focusing on the creative process, this guide enables teachers to encourage elementary students to learn more about art through active participation. A series of activities for kindergarten to sixth grade emphasize art ideas and concepts that are important in an artist's work. Each activity includes concepts, objectives, elements of art, principles…

An brief overview of the Achievement Testing Program conducted by Alberta Education (AE) during 1980-90 is provided. The program provides AE, jurisdictions, schools, and the public with information about students' knowledge and skills in relation to objectives in the provincial program of studies. Program tests are administered every 4 years on a…