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)

Describes six alternatives to the one-year chronological survey course on world history in secondary grades. The alternatives are topical or thematic courses, conceptual or generalization-centered courses, world regions or world cultures courses, problems approach courses, case study courses, and depth studies or patch-work courses. (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…

Explores how the tools of geography can help meet some of the challenges inherent in sustainable development by looking at changes in land-use patterns among the Bribri Indians of Costa Rica. Includes a geography lesson on comparing regions and environmental issues. (CMK)

Provides background on the political and social roots of the racist policy of apartheid. Describes the violence and the social and economic injustices of the system. Concludes that the South African problem must be viewed as a part of the continuing struggle over the disproportionate distribution of wealth. (JDH)

The dynamism of Africa's role in world history, recent work in African economic history, the role of women, and the African colonial period are discussed. Various aspects of this history can be integrated easily into existing social studies courses. (RM)

Describes an activity that introduces students to the geography of the Caribbean. Begins with students creating a map of the region using their own mental representations. The activity uses the Five Fundamental Themes of Geography. Includes a color map of the Caribbean islands. (CMK)

Suggests ways in which the rich resources of African arts--literature, sculpture, music, dance, theater--can be made more accessible to elementary and secondary social studies classrooms. A bibliography of print and nonprint materials is also provided. (RM)

Presents the results of an interview which asked 15 South Africans what United States teachers should be teaching about South Africa. Correlates the eight major points made by the South Africans with the contents of the theme articles in this issue of SOCIAL EDUCATION. Includes a list of curriculum materials which covers the issues teachers should…

Provides four learning activities for upper elementary grade level students. The activities are designed to help students learn about the history of South Africa, learn the meaning of apartheid, understand how apartheid would affect their lives, and practice citizenship participation skills by writing either a government official or a U.S. company…

Children's drawings from the People's Republic of China can be used in the social studies classroom to help students understand Chinese values and make inferences about political and social changes that have taken place in China. Specific examples of art are provided and discussed. (RM)

Discussing the language policy of the Soviet government with social studies students studying the USSR increases students' awareness of the multicultural nature of Soviet society and forces them to think about how such a society operates. Questions that teachers can use to lead a discussion concerning language issues are presented. (RM)

The place of non-Western cultural studies in elementary social studies is examined, and possible student and teacher reactions to those cultures and to the various forms that ethnocentrism takes are identified. What research says regarding ways to reduce elementary classroom ethnocentrism is discussed. (RM)

A teacher developed multidisciplinary unit for teaching elementary and secondary students about Tanzania (Africa) is described. The unit can involve students and teachers from geography, economics, history, language arts, mathematics, literature, and art courses. (RM)