Growing up in Loretto, Tennessee, population 1,700, people called it "going to town" when they went to any city big enough to have a McDonald's, Walmart, or a movie theater. If someone is not from a small town, they may not know what type of economic activities a small town can support. Will the town have a police department? Will there…

The men of the Breckinridge family have a long history of service to the nation, including many politicians, soldiers, and even a vice president of the United States. But it was a woman in the family, Mary, who had, arguably, the most direct and long-lived impact on those she served. As the founder of the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS) of Eastern…

An informal research project with high local relevance was developed for a first-year sociology course at an Australian rural university campus. The project developed students' sociological insight by challenging them to investigate "truths" about their own region, rather than immediately pushing them to comprehend new and different…

Reflective journal writing is acknowledged as a powerful method for promoting student learning in higher education contexts. Numerous scholars highlight the benefits of reflective writing and journaling for students and teachers in a wide range of teaching areas. There is however, little discussion of how reflective writing is used in teaching and…

Describes a teaching activity which encourages junior high and high school students to analyze a city geographically and historically by using materials available from a Chamber of Commerce or Bureau of Tourism. (CK)

Whenever a class begins to study a new part of the world, teachers must deal with students' preexisting ideas about the area. Activities which will challenge elementary students' initial impressions of Australia and encourage them to learn more about the country are described. (RM)

Learning activities will help secondary students become aware of Korea as a separate entity in Asia, see Korea as a developing area of the modern world, and gain an appreciation for Korean traditions. (RM)

Describes a role-playing activity to help junior high school social studies students understand prejudice and South African apartheid. Students are divided into one large and one small group for a discussion on apartheid. The teacher gives candy only to the smaller group. Students discuss their feelings about being privileged or deprived. (AM)

A social studies teacher who took a study trip to Kenya presents ideas for teaching about that country in the form of lesson plans that other teachers can easily use. (RM)

These units of study and learning activities for use in secondary social studies classes will help students better understand the complex situation in South Africa and prepare them to make wise and effective decisions about U.S. policy toward South Africa in the crucial years ahead. (RM)

Lessons to help primary grade students learn about the Chinese culture are presented. Focus is on the following two generalizations: culture is learned, and humans in time and place exhibit a commonality of behaviors. (RM)

Rural and small-town Ontario, Canada is introduced through illustrations and discussions of seven typical elements that helped shape the province: cemetery, house, barn, hall, fence, roadscape, and main street. Having students make and discuss sketches is an excellent way to help them learn about the human geography of an area. (RM)

A study of the nuclear arms race usually involves curiosity about the Soviet Union. Students want to know about all aspects of the USSR. How teachers can help students see the human side of the Soviets and understand the Soviet point of view is discussed. (RM)

Students at an international school learn the history and geography of their host country, Israel, through an historical narrative communicated through participation in a game activity. (RM)

Offers learning activities on South Africa, which help students gain background information on South Africa's culture, history, and geography; examine United States foreign policy toward South Africa; conduct community research on United States involvement with South Africa; confront different life styles of individuals living in South Africa; and…