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:…

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…

Using J. Dewey's "reconstruction of experience" concept of revision, a study employed ethnographic methods to investigate the effects of computer assisted writing instruction on students' revising processes. Primary subjects, eight sixth-graders, completed a structured revision task on their compositions, with varying degrees of computer…

This guide for teachers contains product safety information appropriate for young children and suggests learning activities for third through sixth graders. Activities encourage children to examine their home environments for safety hazards and to share this information with family and friends. Unit 1 introduces five basic safety concepts upon…

The curriculum guide for French second language programs (FSL) in the State of Louisiana, presented in French with some English introduction, outlines the objectives and design of newly mandated FSL instruction in grades four through six. It was constructed for use with any method or combination of methods of instruction in school systems having…

The goals of this teacher edition, which accompanies "Music: Comprehensive Musicianship Program. Grade 6," include increasing musical understanding while developing musical skills. The 49 lessons included feature: (1) a wide range of musical concepts; (2) the presentation of musical concepts in a teaching chronology; (3) a broad musical…

"The Comprehension Toolkit" focuses on reading, writing, talking, listening, and investigating, to deepen understanding of nonfiction texts. With a focus on strategic thinking, this toolkit's lessons provide a foundation for developing independent readers and learners. It also provides an alternative to the traditional assign and correct…