Evolution, due to its importance in science, holds a prominent place in national science standards and many state standards. Scientists nearly universally agree that the theory of evolution best explains the unity and diversity of life. Accordingly, numerous science, science education, and religious organizations support the teaching of evolution…

The so-called Culture Wars have made the issue of religious tolerance in schools more confusing than ever. Where once free speech trumped nearly every concern in these wars in the public schools, there is now great concern about whether messages put out are politically correct. The preoccupation teachers now have with avoiding speech or themes…

How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable. In the book "Science, Evolution, and…

Provides an annotated bibliography of ERIC resources available for study of both content and process in social studies. Includes Lynne V. Cheney's "American Memory," a study of the status of humanities education in the nation's public schools, as well as Nancy Hutchinson's analysis of Glaser's theory of the role of knowledge. (LS)

A better understanding of economics enables people to understand the forces that affect them every day and helps them identify and evaluate the consequences of private decisions and public policies. Learning how to reason about economic issues is important also because the analytic approach of economics differs in key respects from approaches…

The Standards of Learning in this publication represent a major development in public education in Virginia. Adopted in February 2007 by the Virginia Board of Education, these standards emphasize the importance of foreign language instruction in the Commonwealth and, therefore, are an important part of Virginia's efforts to provide challenging…

The materials in this document discuss the Alberta (Canada) public school curriculum for French native language instruction for 5-year olds in preschool, intended for implementation in September 2000. The first part outlines the rationale and organization of the curriculum model and its five guiding principles. The second part describes the seven…

The standards in this document resulted from a statewide effort to identify a scope and sequence of content, concepts, skills, and attitudes in social studies from kindergarten through grade twelve. The goals embodied in the standards include: (1) providing experiences that enable students to participate in society effectively and responsibly; (2)…

World history guides students to an understanding of culture, geography, and diversity of expression using a historical chronology that illustrates humankind's connections throughout the world. The state of Idaho mandates a core requirement of two credits to be completed in the field of arts and humanities. To achieve success in this core…

Inquiring into families, communities, states, nations, and various peoples of the world through history engages students in the aspirations, struggles, accomplishments, and failures of real people in various aspects of their lives. The historical record is inextricably linked to the geographic setting in which it developed. The ultimate goal of…

The materials in this document discuss the Alberta (Canada) public school curriculum for French immersion instruction for 5-year olds in preschool, intended for implementation in September 2000. The first part outlines the rationale and organization of the curriculum model and its five guiding principles. The second part describes the seven…

The purpose of this booklet is to clarify what can be taught about religion in public schools while remaining within constitutional guidelines and using teaching material that is pedagogically sound. The first section, "Religion is a Fact of Life," covers the historical background, the current situation, and issues to resolve in teaching about…

This Idaho Social Science Exploratory course of study applies standards-based content knowledge and skills to an enhanced investigation of geography, history, entrepreneurism, and civic engagement at an eighth-grade level. The exploratory course draws upon the disciplines to emphasize concepts and generalizations from the social sciences, promotes…

This collection of materials is designed to assist Indiana educators, administrators, and communities with the textbook selection process. Criteria for making such selections is outlined in the following articles: (1) "Laws, Rules, and Guidelines for Teaching Social Studies in Indiana" (Victor A. Smith); (2) "Indiana's Recommended…

Inquiring into families, communities, states, nations, and various peoples of the world through history engages students in the aspirations, struggles, accomplishments, and failures of real people in various aspects of their lives. The ultimate goal of social studies in Idaho is to develop the civic competence and civic participation of Idaho's…