Provides a lesson for grades four-six that develops students' ability to analyze a piece of furniture as a work of art which reflects the historical, social, and artistic values of the society that produced it. Students design their own chair based on the user's lifestyle, the chair's precise use and location, and the materials used. (LS)

This collection of interviews with authors of children's literature is organized so that young people can use it with or without directions from the teacher. The collection can be used in two ways: to give a reader background and insight into the writing approaches taken by an author whose book is being read, or to make known new or unfamiliar…

In this lesson for grade 4, after students study the American colonists, they work in groups to create articles and artwork that depict colonial life--the art and articles are put together in newspaper form and copied for distribution to the class, other classes, and parents. The lesson should take 4-5 days for classroom implementation. It…

This book offers 79 units that stimulate the development of attitudes and skills that facilitate creative achievements among students as they work in the discipline of social studies. A thinking skills chart is included in order for teachers to select particular units depending upon the desired learning outcome. The subjects taught throughout the…

Prepared for middle school students, this magazine issue covers presidential campaigns, the election process, and Herbert Hoover, an Iowan native. The articles include: (1) "Meet Clara Bell, 1848"; (2) "On the Campaign Trail"; (3) "Caucus Spotlight" (K. B. Brosseau); (4) "Kids Ask the Candidates"; (5)…

This curriculum unit introduces intermediate grade and middle school students to the work of Stephen Sondheim, one of the most talented composers of the contemporary American musical theater, and teaches them about the process of writing an original musical. The unit notes that in his musical "Into the Woods" Sondheim incorporates (and…

The key to a successful field trip is planning. This publication, designed to provide guidelines for the middle school teacher, outlines the step-by-step experience of a visit to Montpelier, the home of James Madison. A prefatory article by constitutional authority A. E. Dick Howard, called "James Madison and the Constitution," provides…

This unit is designed to introduce upper elementary and middle school students to the traditional cultures of the people of Southern Africa, particularly the Swazi. Information on housing and family life covers family structure, marriage customs, respect for ancestors, male and female roles, employment, eating customs, and handicrafts. An overview…

This play, intended for middle school and high school students, uses the historical events of the Macartney mission to China from 1792-94 to illustrate the problems that can occur when different cultures interact. The play describes the first major encounter in which government officials representative of the European Enlightenment come face to…

This teacher guide and student workbook set contains two learning activities, designed for fifth through ninth grade students, that concentrate on the adaptations of shorebird beaks for a variety of habitats and food sources, and the effect of toxic chemicals in the food chain on the birds. In activity A, students discover how shorebirds are…

This teacher guide and student workbook set contains two learning activities, designed for fifth through ninth grade students, that concentrate on lake stratification and water quality. In the activities students model the seasonal temperature changes that occur in temperate lakes and observe the resulting stratification of lake waters. Students…

A book called "The Shakespeare Stealer" (Gary Blackwood) is about a young boy during the time of Shakespeare who sneaks into the Globe Theater and meets the Bard. The book has been turned into a play. The five lessons in this curriculum unit revolve around "The Shakespeare Stealer." The lessons in the unit support many major…

This lesson uses an interdisciplinary approach to looking at the concept of "heroes." In a world with few heroes, students will recognize the positive character traits of heroes through the use of music, art, creative writing, and literature. The lesson offers an overview; suggests length and grade level; gives subjects and subtopics;…

Written for sixth grade students in the Geneva Public Schools (Geneva, New York) and for their parents, this booklet provides general and specific information to prepare them for a 3-day outdoor field experience that is part of the sixth grade curriculum in outdoor studies. The booklet begins with a definition of environmental education and a…

This lesson intends for grade 4 students to enact a scene depicting how Anthony Stewart of Maryland had to destroy his ship, the "Peggy Stewart," and its cargo of tea because he paid taxes to the British--students will add a short scene on what they think might have happened right after the burning of the ship. The lesson presents an…