The present study aimed to determine the cultural heritage elements in the social studies course curriculum in Turkey and the awareness of the middle school students about cultural heritage. In the study, the case study approach, a qualitative research design, was adopted. The study group was assigned with criterion sampling method, a purposive…

The social studies course is one of the most appropriate courses for individuals to acquire social and cultural experiences and to have knowledge and experience in these subjects. The social studies course contains a lot of knowledge, skills, and values to enable the individual to know himself and gain a social identity. It is seen how a society…

Folktales can be a useful resource in social studies lessons that teach cultural themes by using children's literature. However, with their origins in past oral traditions, folktales may present misleading information about current cultural practices and may perpetuate stereotypes. The author examines this problem by using the example of Danish…

This theme issue of "Goldfinch" focuses on the definition of 'hero' and uses examples from Iowa's history to demonstrate the definition. Heroes of all ages have appeared in legends and real life, facing different challenges in the circumstances of life. The heroes profiled are ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. Those…

This paper discusses the concept of character formation as it can be positively impacted by folk arts in education. A long-standing tradition in U.S. education is for the teacher to take a leading role in molding the character of young people, as outlined through the years by such scholars as Thomas Jefferson, Horace Mann, and Rachel Davis DuBois.…

This Amana (Iowa) Folklife Curriculum has been planned as an easily-implemented sequence of activities comparing community and family folklife traditions with current practices. The K-5 activities are planned to coincide with holidays in the regular school calendar whenever possible. All activities compare and contrast present-day practices with…

This manual provides a general introduction to folklore and folklife. Certain articles herein may be used in a basic activity-oriented approach to the study of folklore, beginning at the fourth grade level. Other articles proved a more in-depth study of folklife and of the means by which folk culture is preserved and shared. The teacher must…

This issue of "The Goldfinch" focuses on Iowa history. The booklet is divided into two sections. Section 1, "Features," contains the following: (1) "Looking for History"; (2) "Talking History"; (3) "Climbing the Family Tree"; (4) "Tribal Storytelling"; (5) "News About You"; (6)…

Developed as part of an educational kit that includes a four-part videotape, maps, photographs, and audio tapes, this guide gives teacher preparation information, objectives, teaching strategies, and student activities for each of 3 lessons in 4 units: Unit 1, "Introduction to Folklife," presents a definition in lesson 1, "What is…

This book encourages the use of cultural biographies as a way to understand various cultures. The volume is a collection of stories about the teachers and students in New York (New York) schools who have made family studies central to the curriculum. The book emphasizes the everyday lives of families, their social histories, and cultural…

The design of this curriculum project allows teachers to introduce the rich Indian culture in a non-threatening way to learners who struggle with writing material. It was initially developed for special education students who read and write significantly below grade level. Some of the project's lessons include showing the students artwork and…

Each chapter of this document describes a different project and approach for introducing students (elementary to high school) to oral history and folk arts. All chapters use a standard format in which a general overview of the project, describing themes, philosophies, and methods are followed by sample lesson plans, teacher guidelines, and student…

Folk culture is everyday culture. Since all students have a folk culture, a folklife unit is a good starting place for the study of personal, local, state, and national history, and by comparing similarities and differences, for the study of the folk traditions of others. The guide begins with an introduction to the field of folklife and the…

This guide emphasizes the inclusion of traditionally under-represented cultural groups by recognizing calendar events of multicultural significance. The approach presumes that activities centered in the cultural understandings and experiences of diverse students encourage general student involvement and build critical thinking skills. Strategies…

Traditionally, an important function of folktales in West Africa has been to educate, as the older generation imparts knowledge to younger members of the family, tribe, societal unit, or ethnic group both informally in everyday life and more formally within the context of the bush schools. This anthology of West African folk literature offers more…