An effective social studies program provides coordinated, systematic study, drawing upon such disciplines as economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology. It prepares students to be personally and socially aware, promotes multiple perspectives, encourages intellectual curiosity, promotes…

This guide is part of a series of curriculum guides for the middle grades that use a special framework to examine and implement standards-based curricula. In this guide, for developing science curricula for the middle grades, a set of critical questions is posed for curriculum decision making that corresponds to a framework of three components of…

This report provides a comprehensive account of the performance of students with disabilities on state assessment measures. Following an overview of the issues, it explains the laws that govern the reporting of assessment results (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA) and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary…

This book provides classroom teachers at every grade level and subject the tools and background to effectively work with standards as a guide in their planning. It explains the process by which educators can rearticulate state standards and align the locally rearticulated standards to their curriculum and student performance. Six chapters include:…

This self-study handbook focuses on: (1) "Self-Study and Peer Review" (including the role of "Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education," the Middle States Commission on Higher Education's statement of standards for accreditation); (2) "Models and Approaches to Self-Study" (the comprehensive model, the comprehensive with special emphasis…

Quality music education in schools integrates fundamental musical activities and presents them in a sequential, pedagogically sound curriculum. As identified in the 1997 National Assessment for Educational Progress in music, the processes of creating, performing, and responding to music are interwoven throughout a balanced and complete music…

This updated framework for the state of California represents an effort to strengthen education in the history-social science curriculum while building on the best practices contained in previous frameworks. The framework outlines 17 distinguishing characteristics, and its goals fall into three broad categories: knowledge and cultural…

This guide lists six model content standards for geography education in Colorado elementary schools. Standards cited in the guide are: (1) students know how to use and construct maps, globes, and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, and environments; (2) students know the physical and human characteristics…

This document is designed to be a companion to the "Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: Theoretical Framework." It builds on the original document with an extensive listing of additional sample task ideas for reading, listening, speaking, and writing benchmarks. The document provides additional examples of tasks for stage I reading…

This document presents a sample of the Arkansas science curriculum and identifies the content standards for physical science systems, life science systems, and Earth science/space science systems for kindergarten students. Each content standard is explained and includes student learning expectations, kindergarten benchmarks, assessments, and…

Alignment of content standards, performance standards, and assessments is crucial. This guide contains information to assist states and districts in aligning their assessment systems to their content and performance standards. It includes a review of current literature, both published and fugitive. The research is woven together with a few basic…

This handbook is designed to serve as a guide for community colleges as they plan distance learning programs. Produced by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, it provides member institutions with guidelines and policies that will be considered in the evaluation of distance education. Eleven current accreditation concerns…

This brief booklet provides a shorthand key to the national geography standards and related geography themes. The themes represent an instructional approach to give focus to a lesson. The standards comprise the geographic subject matter, skills, and perspectives of geography K-12. The five themes flow through the 18 geography standards and can be…

The purpose of this North Carolina Standard Course of Study is to guarantee that all students have equal access to the same basic curriculum. It provides a detailed, integrated curriculum plan for all subjects at all grade levels. The document explains the philosophy and rationale underlying the curriculum, describes and outlines the theoretical…

This publication describes alternative teaching and learning strategies that challenge all students to reach high standards. Five alternative options are emphasized: (1) rigorous use of diagnostic systems to identify problem areas and student strengths; (2) staffing flexibility to facilitate better student-instructor relationships; (3)…