Adults in the United States have been migrating to ideologically homogenous communities, a phenomenon that researchers have called "the big sort." Thus, the need for young Americans to engage in civil discussion of controversial issues has never been greater. Public schools are an ideal place to undo the big sort because controversial issues fit…

Social studies educators in the coming years should concentrate on the humanizing elements of the curriculum to ensure that programs are social and humane. (MM)

Discusses the content and problems of contemporary social studies curricula. Recommends five guidelines for future social education, including teaching democratic culture, developing students' sense of community, studying the sociology of knowledge, analyzing social problems, and emphasizing global and future orientations. Suggests 12 steps to…

Proposes discarding conventional history and geography classes and including community involvement and social studies courses that speak to the personal needs of students and assist them in grappling with contemporary political and economic problems. (Author/MLF)

Responses of 165 elementary school principals in the state of Washington were analyzed to determine sources through which principals learn of curricular innovations in science and social studies. (GW)

Citizenship education remains the central focus of the social studies curriculum. A number of organizations are taking steps to promote social studies in elementary and secondary education and to increase its global content. (MLF)

Ernest Boyer, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, assesses the limits of reform, formulates the substantive questions needed to move reform to a higher level, and proposes a convocation of educators to plan reforms for the 21st century. (TE)

Reviews the history of the public controversy surrounding the social studies curriculum, "Man: A Course of Study" (MACOS) and discusses the implications of the MACOS controversy for future curriculum development efforts in the social sciences. Available from Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1701 K Street, N.W.,…

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which social studies teachers in Kansas and Missouri are familiar with and use the materials published by various social studies projects appropriate to high schools. (Author)

Although needed reforms of the social studies curriculum have been identified, recommendations for procedures for achieving these reforms are lacking. The author offers practical and simple steps to take in three areas: scope, sequence, and classroom realities. (Author/JM)

Another in a series of articles summarizing results of a study sponsored by the National Science Foundation, discusses the minimal impact of curriculum revision due to the extraordinary social complexity of schools and systems. (Author/MLF)

A major study sponsored by the National Science Foundation yields a sobering picture of instruction in science, mathematics, and social studies. (Author)

Describes the "St. Louis Adventure" project developed by eighth grade social studies classes in a suburban St. Louis junior high school. Students carefully planned and carried out a one-day visit to one of four St. Louis neighborhoods selected for their cultural and historical interest by teachers. (JG)

Describes a "thinking strand" in social studies instruction in a New Jersey school district. An inservice training program enables teachers to apply critical thinking skills in the classroom, actively engaging students through the use of debates, case studies, and problem-solving activities. (TE)

Presents suggestions for developing meaningful changes in social studies curriculum and reviews past educational social studies programs. (RK)