Written in response to requests from local school districts in New York State, this document provides information about the middle grades (grades 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) and the changing nature of students in these grades. The first section reports results of studies on this difficult developmental period that were conducted by three New York school…

This report describes an exemplary Oregon middle school that incorporates a comprehensive program of academic instruction and activity, a community of dedicated staff and involved students, and an orderly environment marked by a businesslike approach to teaching and learning. Outstanding components of Philomath Middle School's climate for learning…

The purpose of this booklet is to articulate the student outcomes expected for children at the end of grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. This document seeks to reflect the major themes of science education. These common curriculum goals have been developed not to detail separate facts of science needed to be taught by every science program, but to detail a…

This family life education teaching unit comprises 11 lessons whose primary purpose is to help Latino students, grades 5 through 8, identify cultural pride as a source of self-esteem. Student activities include the following: (1) describe how being part of a cultural group contributes to a sense of uniqueness; (2) identify cultural similarities…

This student workbook is comprised of 11 lessons to help Latino students, grades 5 through 8, develop self-esteem through cultural pride. Each lesson begins with an illustration that reflects the content of the lesson, and an introductory page. The introductory page includes the following: (1) a "dicho," a proverb or saying used to pass…

This guide presents the "minimum teaching essentials" published by the New York City Board of Education for grades 5-9. Subjects covered include: (1) communication arts; (2) English as a second language; (3) foreign language; (4) home economics; (5) industrial arts; (6) library skills; and (7) typewriting. Study skills for these areas…

The extent to which the use of the Graphics Expression Reading Improvement System (GERIS) improved the reading skills of Title I was investigated. The GERIS program, which combines an eight-step process in language skill development with student-created television productions, was used at two schools during the 1972-73 school year. One hundred…

GRADES OR AGES: K-12. SUBJECT MATTER: Social studies. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The introductory material includes sections on curriculum improvement, new social studies, and scope and sequence. A suggested conceptual framework for the program is presented in the form of a chart, with columns for history, anthropology-sociology,…

Describes the first administration of the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) to fifth-grade students. Discusses the history of CLAS, types of questions employed, content coverage, methods of scoring, and reporting on tests results. Presents sample questions, student responses, and commentary on student performance. (CFR)

Ideas young students have about their government and the effects of instruction and development on the formation of these ideas were studied for 26 students interviewed 4 times (before and after U.S. history instruction in grades 5 and 8). Why students' conceptions showed more consistency than growth is discussed. (SLD)

Phase III of a five-phase project which has implications for the improvement of instructional programs in Mississippi's elementary and secondary schools is described. In phase III, specifically stated objectives or competencies in language arts, designed to accomplish the educational objectives stated in phase II, are cataloged. Fourteen sections…

A nutrition education unit, Rat Pak, developed by Dairy Council, Inc., is an attempt to influence students to make wise food choices. It consists of eleven lessons in an instructional sequence which incorporates the use of white rats as a means of illustrating the effect of improper diet while teaching proper diet. The purpose of this…

GRADES OR AGES: Grades K-12. SUBJECT MATTER: Social studies. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The guide has three main sections: 1) kindergarten-grade 6; 2) required courses, grades 7-11; and 3) electives, grades 10-12. In each subsection the objectives are listed, an outline of the course is given, concepts and suggested activities are…

GRADES OR AGES: K-12. SUBJECT MATTER: Science. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The guide is divided into three sections, one each for elementary grades, middle grades, and high school. The first two sections are further subdivided by grade level and the last section is subdivided by course. Sections are laid out in four columns across two…

To determine if tryout samples typically used for item selection contribute to test bias against minority groups, item analyses were made of the California Achievement Tests using seven subgroups of the standardization sample: Northern White Suburban, Northern Black Urban, Southern White Suburban, Southern Black Rural, Southern White Rural,…