These six theme-oriented newsletter issues present specific curriculum planning ideas and activities for teachers of young children. The theme of the January/February 1996 issue is "Children's Literature." This issue focuses on library utilization, props, telling and creating stories, and bookmaking for children. The theme of the…

This document presents a program designed to provide students with a comprehensive and interesting way to study their community. Although developed for secondary students, the program activities, with slight modification, should be equally successful with intermediate-level students. Using the community as the area to be studied, a major focus of…

Rural gifted programs should be developed by the consumers in rural communities and should focus on the needs and strengths of the community. The unique aspects of rural schools should be used to develop defensible community-based programs. General gifted education procedures, such as developing peer groups and psychologically secure environments,…

The curriculum guides for foreign language and intercultural education programs in United States dependents schools overseas provide instructional ideas designed to promote learning about the language and culture of the host nation. The series, covering kindergarten through eighth grade, was written by host nation teachers, classroom teachers, and…

Written to shed light on the unique recruitment and retention problems faced by rural and small school districts, this booklet also presents strategies to address these problems. Among problems noted in the opening overview are that recruiting and retaining good teachers in rural and small schools is complicated by inadequate pay which does not…

Discusses common themes in five papers on rural community psychology: myth that rural life is naturally supportive, importance of community needs in designing prevention programs, risks of labeling diseases, rural psychologists as developers/advocates, using advice/direct suggestion, thinking in systems/ecological terms, role/boundary conflicts,…

This book aims to: (1) provide information that sets places of worship in their religious, historical and social contexts; (2) explore interdisciplinary links; and (3) offers ideas for study, projects, and follow-up work. "Church" is a word with two senses: a body of believers and a building where people worship. This book is about the…

This handbook aims to help teachers use archaeological remains and historical evidence in and around Colchester (England). Investigations supplement studies at Key Stages 2 and 3 of the British National Curriculum and can also be used for cross-curricular topics. The book contains suggestions for work on the town walls, the British site at…

This handbook aims to: (1) introduce teachers and pupils to Charles Darwin, his life and work at Down House, his voyage on the Beagle, and his evolutionary theory; (2) set his ideas within the wider context of the 19th century; (3) link the subject areas to the British National Curriculum, particularly in history, science, and English at various…

This instructional unit was built upon the idea that most of the children from a second and a sixth grade classroom already had some knowledge about the social history of their community in Loveland, Colorado. The teachers implementing the unit helped these students make connections between the past and present and thereby develop an understanding…

Describes a Michigan social studies curriculum enrichment project that combines historical analysis with documentary photographs of urban residents. The project utilizes photographs, public history, and oral histories to introduce middle school students to the concept of community. Includes photographs of urban activities and discussion questions.…

Presents six service learning lesson plans from the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Each lesson plan represents a step in a larger service project. The plans include "Defining and Assessing Your Community"; "Choosing and Researching a Problem"; "Examining Policy"; "Exploring Options"; and "Taking…

Argues for the establishment of "African-centered" schools on an experimental basis, in direct consultation and partnership with students, educators, administrators, and the local community. Maintains that most mainstream public schools reinforce concepts and values of the dominant culture and alienate students of color. (MJP)

This booklet provides reference materials for teachers of social studies in the Northwest Territories (Canada). The information was gathered during workshops attended by elders, community representatives, and teachers from the region. A geography section describes the location of Pangnirtung on Baffin Island and the geology, climate, vegetation,…

Designed primarily for use in the intermediate grades, the teaching unit provides 11 lessons and related activities for teaching students to look at colonial architectural elements as a means of learning about 18th century lifestyles. Although the unit relies upon resources available in Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia, other 18th century cities…