Fifteen major concepts form the basis of the New York State schools K-12 social studies program. They are: (1) change, (2) choice, (3) citizenship, (4) culture, (5) diversity, (6) empathy, (7) environment, (8) human rights, (9) identity, (10) interdependence, (11) justice, (12) political system, (13) power, (14) scarcity, and (15) technology. The…

This curriculum resource guide allows students to interpret key historical events and trends from the perspectives of a variety of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups. The 20 learning activities represent suggested approaches for teaching Units 11 and 12 of the New York State Grades 7 and 8 syllabus. Each unit is comprehensive, divided into…

Middle schools throughout New York State were surveyed regarding the recruitment of gifted students. Data from 199 schools revealed that most middle schools in New York do not have programs for the gifted and when they do, minority students are underrepresented. A multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that none of the identification…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Education Programs Receive Little Funding: Striving Readers One of Only a Handful of Programs to Receive Small…

This study investigates how informed New York State middle school teachers (N=190) in public schools are about school law and case law which impacts on them in their professional roles. The study focuses on four areas: teacher rights and responsibilities, student rights, instruction, and health and safety. In addition to assessing subjects'…

Many students with disabilities need to use accommodations to meaningfully access instruction and to be appropriately assessed. During the past decade, the use of assessment accommodations has dramatically increased the participation rates of students with disabilities in statewide testing. Assessment accommodations can be defined as "changes…

A study was done to explore student perceptions of school environments in multiethnic, New York State middle schools and the impact of those perceptions on teacher efforts to develop social interaction within the schools. Using a survey questionnaire, 804 students from 5 middle schools selected for their multiethnic characteristics participated.…

In-school suspension (ISS) removes a student from regular academic classes but keeps the student in an isolated, separate, and restricted environment where, in most cases, academic work continues. Such programs have increased rapidly in American secondary schools, and have been mandated in New York State by the New York State Education Department…

Designed for middle school through high school students, this unit contains eight lesson plans that focus on New York state law. The state lessons correspond to lessons in the volume, "Antidote: Civic Responsibility. Drug Avoidance Lessons for Middle School & High School Students." Developed to be presented by educators, law student,…

During the 1997-98 fiscal year, the New York State Middle School Guidance and Career Development Cadres continued to be funded under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act. Twenty career cadres formed by each Tech Prep Consortium continued training middle school staff in career development principles. These career cadre projects…

This study examined six Beacon centers, which are community centers located in public school buildings that offer a range of activities and services to participants of all ages, before and after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. Individual Beacons are managed by community-based organizations. The study examined how the Beacons provided…

"VIEW: An Assessment of Problem Solving Style" (Selby, Treffinger, & Isaksen, 2002) is a new instrument for assessing problem-solving style, for use with individuals from ages 12 through adult. It measures three dimensions of style relating to creative problem solving and change management. In this article, we discuss the…

For the 1993-94 school year, the Office of Educational Research (OER) of the New York City Public Schools was asked to conduct evaluations of the 12 magnet schools funded under the New York State Magnet School Initiative. The state initiative was planned to promote the development of magnet schools that promote multicultural educational…

The book examines the evolving roles of children as colonial apprentices, indentured servants, slaves, and family workers in the state of New York from the colonial period to the mid-nineteenth century. Activities are suggestions only and can be adapted as needed. The chapters examine the impact of many social forces on childrens' lives and…

This volume of essays and activities is written for use in the eighth grade course "United States and New York State History." The volume follows the chronology from the Civil War to the present, emphasizing child labor during those years. The essays are intended for teachers but can be mastered by many students. The activities focus on…