In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. In 1992, the NAEP Program included an expanded TSA in fourth-grade reading. The 1992 reading assessment considered students' performance in situations that…

Designed to provide a historically accurate look at pioneer life on the Great Plains, this guide for fourth grade teachers describes the life of the Hanson family who leave Scandinavia in the 1880's for the promise of a free quarter section of land in Nebraska. By focusing on a fictitious family representative of thousands of families that…

Designed to provide a historically accurate look at contemporary political refugees in Nebraska, this teacher's guide traces the life of the Martinez family from their native home in Latin America, through their difficult journey to the United States, to their settlement in Omaha, Nebraska. By focusing on a fictitious family representative of…