A detailed explanation of a strategy for teaching any critical thinking skill is presented. The skill of distinguishing between statements of fact and opinion is used to illustrate the steps necessary to plan for teaching critical thinking. (RM)

Asserts that using children's literature to present life stories can reinforce young children's understanding of life span and help them better understand how goals formed in childhood may help determine an individual's future. Briefly reviews and recommends 15 children's books focused on life stories and decision making. (MJP)

Discusses instructional uses for the "Carmen Sandiego" software series to encourage interest in geography. Suggests "Carmen" be incorporated into the curriculum by teacher-directed grouping that adds teacher instruction into cooperative and competitive arenas, curriculum integration linking diverse specialties, and isolated…

Explains how teachers can initiate mapping experiences with young children by providing motor experiences inside and outside the classroom. Experiences should be followed by work with three-dimensional models, then with two-dimensional paper, and finally with lines. (Author)

Describes the organization's break with the National Education Association and development of an organizational structure and a code of professional ethics. Discusses the identity crisis and tension between social studies education and the social science disciplines that continue to be issues within the organization. (CFR)

For social studies teachers who want to create their own software, authoring systems and authoring languages offer an interesting avenue to be explored. An authoring system available from Courseware, Inc., (California) and the authoring language PILOT available from Apple Computer (California) are described. (RM)

Points out that children have difficulty learning time concepts. Presents instructional activities for concepts associated with clocks, calendars, and chronology. Outlines Jerome Bruner's three different stages of representation for each concept: enactive, iconic, and symbolic. (DB)

Describes four suggested junior high or senior high school teaching activities to use in conjunction with a letter written to Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Civil War. Activities encourage skills such as information gathering, reading and oral skills, creative expression, and critical thinking. (CK)

Discusses a sixth grade teacher's experience in turning a classroom project into a book. Offers advice for teachers on becoming writers. Explores obstacles, benefits, and suggestions on writing, editing, and publishing work. Describes a class project that resulted in the cleanup of a toxic waste site and the publication of "The Kid's Guide to…

Reports on the author's year as a Fulbright Hays Exchange teacher at a bilingual secondary school in Hungary. Describes changes in society, politics, and education since the end of the Cold War. Contends that the school curriculum has deemphasized vocational education and provided more autonomy for teachers. (CFR)

Maintains that policies that recognize the commercial value of resources and offer rewards for actions that preserve rather than deplete them, offer the best chance for environmental protection. Discusses recent experiments where the right to harvest a resource is sold as a commodity. Examines the role this plays in conservation. (MJP)

Maintains that materials from and about the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) began to appear in the ERIC system immediately following the establishment of the ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education in 1971. Presents an annotated bibliography of 15 selected ERIC resources. (CFR)

Explores the meaning of distributive justice and considers the importance of teaching the concept in social studies classes. Delineates characteristics of reasonable arguments for treating people differently to bring about justice. Presents situations to generate classroom discussion of the concept of justice. (NL)

Discusses integrating religious studies into the social studies curriculum. Topics include content revision and structure and selection of content. (KC)

Suggests mnemonic tricks to help elementary students learn social studies vocabulary. Argues that traditional vocabulary teaching methods using list, definition, and oral and written use provides only a momentary link with the vocabulary. Lists 20 words with definitions and strategies for remembering both words and definitions. (DK)