An ERIC digest considers several approaches to community study within the social studies curriculum. Material is divided into four sections. Following an introduction, "A rationale for community study" outlines skills and concepts that can be presented through community study and presents the rationale that community study can provide…

Classroom teachers are presented with a rationale and general information for teaching about controversial issues. Following an introduction, material is arranged in six sections under topical questions. The first section considers educational and social benefits of teaching about controversy. Motivation, application of social studies content and…

This digest addresses the decline in the willingness of U.S. youth to participate in service to the community or nation and suggests service learning as a possible remedy for the decline. There are long-term benefits of service learning: (1) helping to build community support for education; (2) facilitating a closer bond between school, community,…

This ERIC Digest promotes the use of museums as social studies teaching resources. Because of the wealth of information and the breadth of scope of material found in museums, they can be invaluable as resources for the classroom as well as for tours. The guide covers the recent trend of museums catering to the educator through the development of…

Critical thinking, responsible citizenship, cultural literacy, social relevancy; these concerns of educators in the social studies can be addressed through teaching and learning about the built environment. The tangible structures that humans have created (bridges, houses, factories, farms, monuments) constitute the built environment. Objects in…

Interest in character education is reemerging in light of apparent increases in disaffected students, school violence, voter apathy, declining test scores, and disinterest in community involvement. Character education integrated into the school community is a strategy to help re-engage students, deal with conflict, keep students on task in the…

This guide is an inventory of over 100 kinds of readily available community resources for elementary and secondary social studies teachers, especially those in rural areas. The guide is organized in two major sections. The first describes resources relevant to social studies, organized by: the community's physical setting; its historical setting;…

Designed as a tool to help social studies educators promote their discipline, this volume outlines the critical role of social studies in the K-12 curriculum and the part social studies educators must take in assuring that this role is understood and accepted by parents, school boards, and legislators. Material is divided into four chapters.…

This K-12 handbook is designed for law and justice professionals who serve as resource persons and for classroom teachers working with resource persons. The book is arranged in four parts. The introduction provides an overview, explains the use of the handbook, presents background for the teacher on using community resources, and offers practical…

Third in a series on utilizing outdoor education methodologies to enhance the academic curriculum, the guide contains lesson plans and case studies for teaching grades 3-10 social studies. The lessons are designed to further student awareness of personal and social responsibility toward the environment through the use of outdoor experiences which…

This publication was prepared as a resource guide to teaching strategies that help students understand the background, nature, and pervasive influence of the U.S. Constitution in the lives of every citizen. As the Constitutional Bicentennial approaches, the focus in many social studies classes increasingly will be on teaching about this most…

Intended for educators interested in providing peace and nuclear war education in the public schools, this publication examines the nature of peace and nuclear war education, rationales for its inclusion in the public school program, and ways to deal with the controversial nature of the topics. The first of eight chapters presents a four-fold…

This book provides teacher educators, administrators, practicing teachers who work with preservice teachers, policymakers, and researchers with information on the conceptual, research, and application areas of service-learning in preservice teacher education. The collection of papers offers teacher educators' thoughts about ways to enhance the…