A representative group of 4,000 California high school seniors was randomly assigned one of five essay topics. Each essay was given two independent ratings based on criteria specified for each topic by an advisory group of English teachers. On the basis of the scores, a representative subset of 750 essays was randomly selected from the top…

This activity for students in grade 12 aims to increase their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and its fundamental ideas: checks and balances, separation of powers, Bill of Rights, and the amendments. Students judge the constitutional powers of each brand of government by participating in the power game. The activity explains how the game is…

This report examines the extent to which California high school students fail to meet the high school course requirements for admission to California's four-year public universities. It investigates students' course-taking patterns and whether the courses they take meet the universities' entrance requirements. Because students from a variety of…

An annotated list of readings is suggested for high school teachers of U.S. history and geography at grade 11 and for teachers of courses in the principles of democracy at grade 12. The list was designed for use in California where the 11th grade curriculum emphasizes 20th century U.S. history and the 12th grade concentrates on the institution of…

When George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, the U.S. Constitution had already been ratified, yet the future of the new country was at risk. Some people wanted a bill of rights added to the U.S. Constitution to guarantee individual liberties. Two groups opposed each other--the Federalists…

This survey reflects new developments in the mathematics curriculum as emphasized in the curriculum frameworks and state-adopted textbooks. The first section describes the procedure for the development of the survey and the rationale for the topics and types of questions included on the mathematics portion of the test. The second section describes…

The guide has been revised to accommodate the adoption of "Physical Science Study Committee College Physics" as the basic textbook for this course. An introduction describes the scope and objectives of the course. Presented are suggestions for teaching the course, content, time allotment to topics, laboratory work, evaluation, materials…

In this lesson plan, students are assigned a member of the California Assembly to research and a political faction to represent. Students examine representative bills voted on by the California Assembly to determine if their member's voting record coincides with the views of their political faction. Ultimately, students must decide whether, and…

This guide is written for a combined physics-chemistry course taught over a two-year period. The subject matter contains the major ideas in Chemical Education Materials Study (CHEMS) Chemistry and Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) Physics. The guide includes discussion of text references, laboratory experiments, films, testing and evaluation…

Presents a complete outline of the critical thinking skills taught in grades 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12. Categories are clarifying issues and terms, judging and utilizing information, and drawing conclusions. (JDH)

THIS INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE FOR MATHEMATICS 1 OUTLINES CONTENT AND PROVIDES TEACHING SUGGESTIONS FOR A FOUNDATION COURSE FOR THE SLOW LEARNER IN THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN GIVEN IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT TO THE STUDENT'S INTEREST LEVELS AND HIS ABILITY TO LEARN. THE GUIDE'S PURPOSE IS TO ENABLE THE STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND…

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO IDENTIFY EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND TO ESTABLISH PRIORITIES AMONG THESE NEEDS. IN AUGUST 1966, QUESTIONNAIRES RETURNED BY 90 SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IDENTIFIED FIVE BROAD AREAS OF IMPORTANT STUDENT NEEDS. THE TWO MOST OFTEN MENTIONED, CURRICULUM METHODS AND CURRICULUM CONTENT, WERE STUDIED.…

As a baseline measurement of what is being learned about computers in California, a study, originally reported in "Student Achievement in California Schools: 1982-83 Annual Report," investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of a representative sample of 6th and 12th graders. The survey was developed by experts on computer…

An assessment was conducted in 1983 of the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of California sixth and twelfth grade students in the area of computer technology. Cognitive test questions were written to conform to a set of objectives used in the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) curriculum; attitude questions were obtained…

Science Problems 1-2 is a terminal course for eleventh and twelfth grade students with limited science background and generally below average reading levels. The guide is intended as a supplement to the detailed teacher's guide prepared by the publishers of the textbook used in the course. It is assumed that no teacher is expert in all subject…