The efforts of a pair of curriculum developers to conduct "formative" and "summative" evaluation of an experimental civics course are described here, along with some of the consequences of their efforts, and a few of the pitfalls they encountered. Formative evaluation refers to those practices that produce data enabling developers to improve their…

This document addresses the questions of what teachers have achieved during the U. S. Constitution Bicentennial celebration in the areas of curriculum development and instruction and whether or not the celebration has been accompanied by educational renewal and improvement in secondary schools. Persistent problems in teaching and learning about…

Suggestions are offered for teaching about three kinds of decisions in electoral politics which all citizens face: deciding whether to participate, deciding how to participate, and deciding for whom to vote. (AV)

The intent of this article is to present a case study of the formative stage of evaluation of the two-semester high school course in American Political Behavior developed by the author. (JB)

Discusses the ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education (ERIC/ChESS). Identifies three trends pertaining to the teaching and learning of history, geography, and civics in elementary and secondary schools. Examines pertinent issues in each trend area, and states that through regular use of ERIC/ChESS resources, teachers can…

Describes the ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education (ERIC/ChESS) at Indiana University which is responsible for disseminating information about social studies education. Provides examples of documents and information products from the ERIC database that can be used by teachers of government, civics, and political science.…

The principles embodied in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 served as an intellectual highway over which poured the westward march of this nation. The story of the Northwest Territory's acquisition and the enactment of the Ordinance of 1787 is related through nine lessons and accompanying documents. Each lesson is designed to complement the…

A collection of resources for high school history and government teachers and their students, this volume treats core ideas on constitutional government in the United States. James Madison's ideas as found in "The Federalist Papers" are examined in conjunction with their counterpoints in essays of the Anti-Federalists. This volume…

This second of three units to the 12th-grade first-semester "Comparing Political Experiences" course provides 20 student activities that examine political resources such as wealth, skills, status, information, and ideas. The activities and readings are divided into six sections which stress the alternative patterns of political resources…

Describes the content, structure, and instructional characteristics of video programs and print materials prepared by the author with the Agency for Instructional Technology for teaching geography within the context of U.S. history in high school courses. Each of 10 video programs focuses on a major period of U.S. history. Discusses the…

The voyage of Columbus in 1492 is a turning point in world history. After 1492, people and civilizations of long-separated regions began to develop connections that have led to the incipient global community of the 1990s. It is their global significance that justifies a prominent place in today's curriculum for the four voyages of Columbus to the…

These curriculum materials about various aspects of the United States Constitution are designed as supplements to high school courses in history, civics, and government. They include 60 original lessons for students, accompanied by lesson plans for teachers, and are divided into five chapters. Chapter I, "Documents of Freedom" includes…

Efforts to strengthen instruction in U.S. history and government resulted in the development of "Lessons on the Constitution," a book containing 62 lessons for use with high school students. The curriculum development process used in writing the book is described, and the objectives, format, and content of the lessons are discussed. (RM)

Designed to accompany a series of 10 20-minute video programs, this teaching guide helps students to use geographical principles and concepts in order to better understand major historical development. The series uses the five basic geographic themes to enhance student understanding of significant events in U.S. history: location, place,…

Recent state-level curriculum frameworks have emphasized geography and history as core subjects of the social studies sequence of courses, from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. This Digest presents a rationale for the connection between geography and history, presents ideas for developing this connection within the curriculum, and…