Suggests incorporating reading, writing, and social studies within the context of literature. Includes reading lists and activities for teaching about the Victorian period in a two-month social studies unit that incorporates science fiction, mysteries, and fairy tales. Children discuss old photographs, examine artifacts, visit a Victorian mansion,…

Intended to help children sustain gains made in school, this manual consists of simple learning activities that parents can use to engage children ranging from second grade through middle school/junior high school. The description of each activity outlines the purpose for the activity, the materials needed, the duration of the activity, how it is…

This lesson plan uses a poem about a specific battle as the starting point for a secondary educational sheltered/bilingual program for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in San Diego, California. The plan is to use primary and secondary documentation to view both sides of the battle that prompted the writing of the poem. Goals of the…

Sample lessons and instructional materials from a Japanese bilingual/bicultural elementary school program are presented. The lessons are designed to integrate Japanese language instruction with content instruction, using thematic units related to the core curriculum. The ten lessons are organized by target grade (K-5), and describe classroom…

In recognition of the need for suitable materials for the teaching of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to young children, this book suggests model lessons, methods, and activities teachers can use. The book is divided into two sections. Section 1 consists of model lessons demonstrating the use of the newspaper to study the Constitution and…

During the 2002-03 school year, one Philadelphia fifth grade class developed a core curriculum designed to teach every child the 21st century basic skills: the ability to think, learn, and create. This effort was a pilot for a rigorous Harvard University based program to develop proficiency for each child in a mixed ability classroom of 29…

Reviews three geography and history CD-ROMs: "GeoSafari Platinum Edition," a multimedia game on history, geography, and science; "Destination: Time Trip USA," which allows students to create an interactive electronic book while exploring a fictional town; and "SkyTrip America," with which students fly across America, reviewing maps, time lines,…

Explores how to integrate history content and skill development in elementary social studies. Suggests ways to combine history, language arts, reading, and critical thinking, including teaching history through children's literature, story telling, story writing, and mock trials. Identifies community resources for history projects. Introduces an…

This collection includes 13 essays on various aspects of learning and elementary education. Individual essays describe, discuss, evaluate, or make recommendations about: (1) the urban school curriculum; (2) individually guided education; (3) in-service teacher education; (4) design of the science curriculum; (5) use of psychology in mathematics…

Scenes from the Mexican Revolution are featured in this short booklet for Spanish speaking children in the elementary grades. These supplementary reading materials were developed by a student in the Mesa Community College Bilingual Teacher Aide Program. Both the language and content are intended to provide linguistically and culturally sensitive…

Part of the Anthropology Curriculum Project, the document introduces basic archaeological methods. It is intended for use by students in 5th grade social studies courses. The document contains a programmed text, a pronunciation guide for archaeological terms, and a multiple-choice test. The bulk of the document, the programmed text, proceeds…

The program of civic education in Indianapolis elementary schools in the early part of the 20th century is described. Content and teaching methods of community civics are reviewed. Objectives of the program were to help children understand their roles as members of various social groups; to establish habits of order, cooperation, and service; to…

Revolution is the theme of this resource unit, which is the fourth in a social studies series designed for sixth grade students. In the first part of the unit, case studies are used to examine 18th century Boston, Williamsburg, and Philadelphia, contrasting them to 17th century Jamestown and Plymouth settlements. Emphasis is upon examining causes…

Teachers' ideas for quick classroom activities include creating a garden-in-winter bulletin board, writing a science story, playing a Valentine's game, graphing vowels, averaging students' sizes, creating lifesize figures of historical people, making picture books, creating an idiom bulletin board, and sending school valentines to local hospitals.…

Contends that understanding history is more than remembering isolated facts: it involves interpreting, hypothesizing, and evaluating. Provides recommendations for preparing elementary students for the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS). (CFR)