A nontechnical outline of the Federal lawmaking process is presented, from the origin of an idea for a legislative proposal to its publication as a statute. Seventeen chapters comprise the document. Chapters I through VII examine the structure of the Congress, sources of legislation, forms of congressional action, committee processes, reported…

Lists recommendations for improving 8th grade legal education in areas of course content, organization, teacher preparation, instruction, use of teaching guides and materials, extracurricular activities, and judicial and parental activities. The course demonstrates the advantages of socialist society over its capitalistic counterpart. (KC)

Reviews the political history surrounding the development of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Includes a shortened and simplified version of the major articles of the Ordinance. Identifies three instructional resources for teaching about the Northwest Ordinance in secondary schools. (JDH)

States that content area writing is an essential component in social studies in order to develop critical and reflective thinking. Points out ways of encouraging and developing student writing skills. to enhance this type of thinking. Provides five examples of writing assignments. (BSR)

Criticizes Benjamin Stein's 1983 article on the historical and geographical ignorance of U.S. teenagers. States that Stein's conception of "social studies as socialization" is flawed. Opposing the simple memorization of facts and dates, Mahood argues for education which teaches students to become questioners who are able to critically examine the…

Describes a community service project in which prospective teachers planned activities and performed community services to test assumptions about the need for relevance and real-world applications in social studies education. Includes student observations on the project and provides suggestions for the implementation of the service project idea.…

Outlines a lesson in which students learn how the constitutional protection of religious freedom has been applied to the Amish. Includes readings from which students can analyze three seemingly contradictory decisions related to the Amish and attempt to understand judicial interpretation. Asks students to apply the concept of judicial…

Through the literary device of a dialogue, this article urges teachers to address the root causes of international and state terrorism, which it identifies as the quest for political power. Condemns the shallow analysis of both major and minor wars offered in typical textbooks and high school social studies classes. (JDH)

Argues that social studies have largely neglected or even ignored the roles of science and technology in shaping citizenship education. Suggests that citizenship today requires understanding and recognition of scientific and technological change and that such preparation requires social studies to attune to science and technology in collaboration.…

This article provides a profile of Robert Southey's political philosophy. One of the first literary humanitarians, Southy began his writing career as a staunch liberal but ended as a conservative. (JDH)

Describes a lesson which has students examine the limits of judicial power when executive branch decisions violate constitutional guarantees. The lesson is based on a hypothetical case involving living conditions in a run-down jail. (JDH)

A local educational agency in St. Louis, the Citizenship Education Clearinghouse (CECH), works with schools to make real participation in community civic, governmental, and political affairs a possibility for students. Three CECH models for student participation in issues of national concern, in state politics, and in local issues are described.…

Described is a three-day political awareness program held prior to the 1980 election to help secondary students and community members examine the political process from a more holistic viewpoint. The program brought in a variety of speakers, including media persons, sociologists, political scientists, a lawyer, and a mayor, as well as political…

This guide provides teachers with a nine-step process to empower students to plan and implement civic participation projects in their community. The guide lists the materials students need and outlines the procedures for guiding students in the civic action project. It suggests that the teacher: (1) decide on a project in advance; (2) introduce…

The recent trends in economic education reflect the perennial issues regarding economics education. Trends identified include: (1) economics and citizenship education; (2) economic education in Russia and Eastern Europe; (3) the global economy; (4) content standards; and (5) use of computer technology in economic education. The Digest concludes…