Social workers in direct practice rely on critical thinking to apply theories, make informed decisions, and explain their assessments and decisions. This paper defines critical thinking and discusses skills needed for its development, methods and assignments for teaching those skills to undergraduate and graduate students in practice courses, and…

Maintains that environmental education in New South Wales is supported as an interdisciplinary priority area. Describes an environmental education/social studies unit using children's literature. Describes six lessons and presents samples of student writing in response to assignments. (CFR)

Presents a learning activity to help students see themselves as part of the historical process. Describes the nine-week project in which students solicit written or oral remembrances of family, local, and national history. Maintains that the project integrated history and writing in a meaningful way for students. (CFR)

Asserts that written work has advantages over oral discussion in the development and assessment of students' critical thinking skills. Describes a set of short writing assignments that focuses on eight essential aspects of critical and creative thought. Provides examples of how to use writing assignments in college psychology courses. (CFR)

Proposes having students write an "immigrant novel" as an alternative to a research paper, allowing them to develop awareness and understanding of the immigrant experience in U.S. history. Students use historical research methods, gain perspective on the immigration experience, and understand concepts. Outlines methods for guiding…

Describes using the writing process as an instructional strategy in science classes to encourage critical thinking. (PR)

In an effort to provide for a smooth transition from an "open schedule" library media center to scheduled library periods, a series of 13 instructional models were developed for use in Detroit's public schools. The models provide a framework for developing a plan of sequential library instruction which can be adapted to the teaching programs of…

Describes a library-based assignment planned collaboratively between a history teacher and high school librarian that focused on the Internet and problem based learning (PBL). Highlights include the planning process; the California SCORE History-Social Science Web site; role playing; information literacy; student research and presentations; and…

Examines a six-step "lesson plan" for teaching writing. Details the pairing of eighth-grade students with first graders about whom they will write a story, the collection of information about the main character, the composition and revision of the stories, and the sharing of the final product with the students participating in the project. (AA)

Presents a role-playing activity based on political and legal issues surrounding a mutiny on a Spanish slave ship that landed on U.S. soil in 1839. Includes learning objectives, background information, and role descriptions. Suggests student writing assignments and further research projects. (CFR)

Describes a reading series to personalize classroom study of immigration. Includes two readings about Ellis Island and German immigrants in Colonial America. Appropriate questions accompany each reading with a list of classroom activities and additional resources, including films, for secondary level classroom use. (NL)

Presents a series of lesson plans for a seventh-grade world studies class. The lessons use the discovery of a 5,300-year-old "iceman" in the Austrian Alps as a starting point for a series of simulated archaeological activities. Includes descriptions and drawings of the iceman's remains and artifacts. (MJP)

Presents the advice of six experienced writers for novice teachers of writing. Covers the following topics: (1) preparation and organization; (2) planning meetings; (3) rapport with classroom teachers, and students; (4) classroom discipline; (5) chaos vs. spontaneity; (6) presenting assignments and classroom discussions; (7) writing in class; and…

Outlines a sixth grade social studies project rewriting portions of outdated textbooks. Suggests steps by which students critically read, evaluate, and rewrite historical accounts of the Soviet Union to reflect recent changes. Explains how the project develops skills in evaluating information and making revisions. Emphasizes the active learning…

The 14 lessons in this guide are intended to enhance elementary students' personal correspondence skills. The activities encourage creative personal interdisciplinary expression in language arts, visual arts, social studies, science, and mathematics through lessons that can be presented independently or integrated into existing lesson plans. Each…