Using teachers' professional development as its central strategy, California's Middle Grades Mathematical Renaissance project aims to transform its mathematics program so that all students become empowered mathematically. This article discusses key questions concerning the program's resources, strategies, leadership roles, and monitoring…

This curriculum guide seeks to contribute vision to the values and goals of outdoor education and to show their relevance to all curricular areas. Direction is provided for developing and implementing a dynamic curriculum in outdoor education. The guide is divided into three sections. Section I addresses the informational needs of administrators…

Contends that learning skills taught in science classes are of equal value for social studies. Discusses a two-step formula for establishing principles, hypotheses, and theories and then validating them. Presents and discusses eight skills used in science instruction that are applicable to social studies. (CFR)

Seven recommendations are made by the California Art Education Association (CAEA) for a high quality middle school visual arts program for all students in California's middle schools. The seven recommendations are: (1) a sequential middle school visual arts curriculum should be developed by art educators and focus on art as a discipline requiring…

Research has been conducted which develops case studies on how to engage scientists in partnerships with teachers. Studies have focused on the Internet and the World Wide Web as potential conduits of research results to the classroom, particularly if scientists and teachers were involved in joint creation of Internet-based curriculum and lesson…

This document contains guidelines to be used by California schools in conducting the Program Quality Review (PQR). The goal of the self-review process is to enable the entire school community to focus, through extensive discussion, on how the curriculum and instruction in a school can be improved so that all students can be fully engaged in a…

As one of four volumes in a K-12 series, this teaching guide contains classroom and outdoor activities pertaining to the environment and energy for fourth through sixth grades. The guide was developed based upon the understanding that environmental education can serve as an instructional umbrella covering many topics (conservation, marine…

A fifth grade teacher's adoption of the California Mathematics Curriculum Framework is described, focusing on the teacher's interaction with the textbook. Four constraints influencing the teacher's ability to enact the policy are discussed. This case study illustrates that teachers are themselves learners who need support/nurturing as they change…

This case study depicts a "traditional" fifth grade teacher's approach to implementing the California Mathematics Curriculum Framework. This teacher's beliefs and knowledge and their interplay with the state curriculum directives, his accountability to his students, and his commitment to their success are examined, with emphasis on the…

Designed as a resource for elementary teachers (4-6), this curriculum activities guide is second in a set of four based on an articulated (K-12) career education competency curriculum model designed to infuse career education into the curriculum on a districtwide basis. Materials for each of the four program components are arranged under the…

Analyzed survey-based information on state policies and school practices together to explore the impact of content-driven state education reform on instruction in middle-grades mathematics. Found that content-driven state policies have great influence on instruction at the school level, and are associated with desired instructional practices at…

Twenty-two principles of middle grade education are addressed in this report, which is intended for those who have the authority to give meaning and substance to the reform of middle grade education in California's public schools. Each principle is developed through a discussion that concludes with specific recommendations that have implications…

This document contains two studies of California curriculum enhancement projects designed to develop academic partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions and improve the academic preparation of students. The first study provides a qualitative evaluation of 20 projects funded by the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP)…

This handbook outlines the grade 6 course entitled "Our World, Its Diverse Peoples, and Their Societies." A statement of the California philosophy of history-social studies education precedes the handbook's three sections. The first two sections present major goals of the overall program, an overview of social studies content for grades…

This handbook outlines the grade 4 course entitled "People of a Region: California." A statement of the California philosophy of history-social studies education precedes the handbook's three sections. The first two sections present major goals of the overall program, an overview of social studies content for grades K-6, and a chart of…