This book examines the realities of educational change from the perspective of reform-minded teachers, focusing on how the professional work of teachers mediates the translation of the new educational orthodoxy into sustained and enhanced levels of student learning. The book charts the perceptions and experiences of 29 teachers in grades 7 and 8…

Presents project designed to teach eighth grade gifted and talented students about geographic themes and locational skills. Describes the lesson plan, applying the 5 fundamental geography themes to learning about 11 African countries. Explains the culminating project: organizing a bike-a-thon ("Ride for Wildlife") that raised $2784.00…

Describes the first administration of the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) to fifth-grade students. Discusses the history of CLAS, types of questions employed, content coverage, methods of scoring, and reporting on tests results. Presents sample questions, student responses, and commentary on student performance. (CFR)

Examines relationships between student interests and aptitude in selected academic fields and their success in intensive courses on these subjects. Discusses a two-year study of 33 mathematics students and 32 literature students in the eighth and ninth grades in the Soviet Union. Shows that differentiated, intensive study did not strengthen…

This curriculum guide, the second in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on the electromagnetic spectrum prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for…

This curriculum guide, the last in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on energy conservation prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades…

Teachers of an eighth grade American history and government course are provided with a 4 unit curriculum guide. Following an introduction and course outline, Unit I, "Beginnings of America," contains 3 lessons covering exploration, colonization, and the American Revolution. The three lessons in Unit II examine the practical and humanistic aspects…

A resource book for grades 6-8 contains materials to enrich a unit on South Asia. Material is divided into 13 sections. Sections 1-4 outline the rationale, goals, and objectives of the unit. Emphasis is placed on providing background for the understanding of South Asian cultural groups in the United States. Ten objectives are listed, including the…

This document, a supplement to the "Louisiana Studies Curriculum Guide," was designed to enhance junior high school students' appreciation for the Acadian settlers impact on Louisiana history and culture. A course outline presents four units of study that include: (1) early history; (2) life in Louisiana; (3) social and cultural life;…

The paper summarizes a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, "Reading, Science and Mathematic Trends: A Closer Look," in which achievement trends are compared in several subjects for 4th, 8th, and 11th grade black students, white students, low achievers, and high achievers. Findings indicate that while overall…

The 12 competency-based instructional units in Level I of the four-level Electricity/Electronics Curriculum series are designed to help the instructor in planning, organizing, and presenting introductory electricity/electronics materials. Nine-week and 18-week unit outlines are provided for grades 7 and 8. The instructional units are generally…

This curriculum guide, the third in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on solar energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades 8-10…

This curriculum guide, the fifth in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on electrical energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades…

This course content guide was developed in accordance with the Standards for Accreditation of Public Schools adopted by the Arkansas State Board of Education. The guide is offered as a framework upon which a curriculum can be built. Within each subject area, the content guide identifies skills at three instructional levels: basic, developmental,…

This teacher's guide provides an approach for teachers of grades 6-8 to teach media literacy and promote an informed public conversation about the impact of violent imagery in the culture today. Five key goals govern the program: (1) to reduce exposure to media violence; (2) to change the impact of violent images that are seen; (3) to locate and…