Reviews research on citizenship education related to instructional strategies, instructional resources, and curriculum priorities. Concludes that students who work on student publications such as the school newspaper develop more effective decision-making and other critical-thinking skills. Proposes several action steps to improve citizenship…

Utilizes one teacher's experience with the storyline technique to present a frank appraisal of the problems and opportunities inherent in this interdisciplinary method. Maintains that a comprehensive rethinking is needed in both the social studies curriculum and teacher education. (MJP)

Reviews a series of teaching activities that revolve around family photographs, letters, and artifacts. Outlines how these items can be used to teach recommended National Council for the Social Studies strands and provides classroom examples. Discusses developing a unit of study and includes a form for a Family Artifact Report. (MJP)

Discusses the origins and development of social studies education from the Populist/Progressive era to the present. Contends that, because of the influence of politics on programs of study in schools, the social studies curriculum has been affected by the rise and fall of ideological and political trends. (CFR)

Maintains that teaching is, among other things, the art of connecting students with course content in personal, relevant, and exciting ways. Presents three classroom lessons that incorporate journals, plays, and essays into social studies teaching. Includes discussion questions and follow-up assignments. (CFR)

Describes a trip to Vietnam and conversations with Vietnamese educators and veterans. Discusses the Vietnamese view of the war, the United States, and their own country. Urges the restructuring of U.S. social studies to emphasize positive learning about the Vietnamese from their own perspective. (DK)

Describes effects of interactive video in the social studies classroom. Delineates basic system components and how they may be used to access multimedia kits or to create teacher-designed systems. Illustrates the method by using kits in a tenth grade world history class and an eighth grade unit on the 1988 presidential campaign. (NL)

Articulates many reasons to teach about Sub-Saharan Africa in social studies classes. Although the region will become increasingly important because of global interdependence, it suffers widespread misunderstanding concerning its history and culture. Discusses the region's need for economic development and the quest for political democracy. (MJP)

Provides a more in-depth look at selected historical fiction from the "1995 Notable Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies." Includes learning activities for middle school students constructed around several of the books. The historical works address diverse subjects such as the African American experience and World War II. (MJP)

Considers the effect of an integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum on student achievement, discipline, behavior, and parental involvement. Although an integrated curriculum is not an educational panacea, the results of this study were generally positive. The field site was a comprehensive high school in a lower middle class neighborhood. (MJP)

Presents a dialog between an educational psychologist and a middle school social studies teacher concerning the integration of the arts into social studies curriculum. Both agree that the use of the arts can simultaneously enhance the presentation of content while providing multiple paths to learning. (MJP)

Discusses the "flashback" method of history instruction that begins with analyzing specific, current conditions and then traces their historical evolution. This method allows students to feel connected to the subject while participating in its historical investigation. Compares the "flashback" and the traditional chronological…

Uses the example of New York State to illustrate how the rancorous political debate over education can render national standards irrelevant and contradictory. In appeasing so many factions the standards become inclusive to the point of obfuscation. Provides a brief overview of the controversy concerning national standards. (MJP)

Discusses student projects and learning activities used in an Australian elementary school to teach about the United Nations. Asserts that the students viewed the UN General Assembly as a parliament during a role-playing activity. Describes the role that the school's student council played during the schoolwide project. (CFR)

Summarizes consensus points reached by three university professors and three elementary school teachers who examined the Silver Burdett Ginn elementary textbook series. Explains the study's methodology. Finds textbooks constrained by the expanding environments framework, limited in multicultural coverage, and inadequate in developing themes around…