This document offers a detailed description of the Oak Park, Michigan social studies program. The program is built around four goals: knowledge, skill, value, and participation. Knowledge goals pertain to acquiring facts, concepts, or generalizations from history and the social sciences. Skill goals pertain to the ability to collect, organize,…

Provides direction for developing appropriate, meaningful social studies instruction for the middle school. Identifies characteristics of early adolescents that have a direct relationship to curriculum design and the selection of appropriate social studies instruction strategies. Offers National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)…

Contends that, although the concept of integrating language arts or science activities to social studies can be a powerful instructional strategy, it may neglect social content. Suggests that social studies teachers introduce books to their colleagues in other subject areas so they can integrate social studies content into their instruction. (CFR)

Contends that the typical classroom environment is one in which the teacher has full ownership of the curriculum, the rules, student assessment, and other classroom attributes. Recommends student involvement in choosing appropriate curriculum and assessment approaches. (CFR)

Reports on a study of 34 high-ability fifth-grade students randomly assigned to individual- or cooperative-learning conditions. Finds that achievement was higher on recall and higher order reasoning measures and that the students demonstrated higher academic self-esteem and greater cohesion in the cooperative condition. (CFR)

Describes a year long laboratory program for third, fourth, and fifth graders. States the goal of the program is to demonstrate what chemistry is, how it is done, and why it is fun and interesting. Provides a syllabus of the experiments and lists educational objectives. (MVL)

Reports on a study of the relationship between moral and political consciousness as evidenced by the ideas and words of 20 middle-school children of average scholastic ability. Finds that the socioeconomic conditions of a community influenced the children's perceptions of issues and problems. (CFR)

This paper focuses on the role of the school leader as motivator. In particular, attention is given to what those in school leadership roles can do to enhance the personal investment of students in learning. A conceptual model is outlined which suggests that school leaders affect not only the degree, but also the quality of student motivation by…

This handbook is intended to contribute to the development of a theory of remedial instruction that can be easily understood and assimilated by teachers. The document evolved from research and workshop activity over a period of several years. It is designed for use by those with instructional or supervisory reponsibilities in elementary schools,…

Reports on a 3-year study of approximately 100 students through grades 4, 5, and 6 on the impact of a variety of second-language learning options among English-speaking children in francophone Canada. Finds that those options that use early, French-only environments were most effective. (CFR)

The purposes of the Colorado Science Teaching Enhancement Program (CO-STEP) are to improve the background in science content and the instructional skills of teachers in grades four through six throughout Colorado and to support the implementation of effective instruction. A network of six Teacher Development Centers in Colorado coordinate teacher…

The Maryland School Performance Program for 1992 puts forward social studies outcomes and indicators for grades K-3, grades 4-5, and grades 6-8. Specific indicators for each grade grouping further delineate the following seven individual outcomes: (1) political systems--students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and…

Reports on a study of preference for 9 curriculum subjects by 93 British middle school students. Finds significant gender differences in the rankings of English and humanities courses, which were preferred by girls, and of physical education and science, which were preferred by boys. (CFR)

Reports on a study of the effects of single-sex and mixed-sex schooling on personality characteristics among 2095 Belgian sixth-grade students. Finds that it is not the student gender composition but the gender composition of the teaching staff that exerts influence. (CFR)

Maintains that children with disabilities increasingly are attending schools and classrooms they would attend if they did not have disabilities. Reports that educational research indicates little evidence that ability grouping improves academic achievement among these students. (CFR)