In this article, Keith Barton shares his recent research on students' understanding of human rights. His work suggests the need for teachers to understand the significance of students' social context when teaching about human rights. His findings also indicate that students focus almost exclusively on personal as opposed to institutional actions…

Defines environment with three questions: What is it? What do we do in it? How do we feel about it? Describes developing urban environment programs in Philadelphia and recommends guidelines for other teachers to develop their own programs. (DB)

Social pollution provides the matrix for the pollution of the physical environment. This stems from man's present inability to function synergistically. To find new freedoms in purposeful evolution, we will have to start cleansing our Mind. (Author/SD)

Defines an ecostudent as one who focuses on understanding the natural environment and protecting fragile ecosystems in different regions of the world. Discusses the differences between ecostudents and ecotourists and emphasizes the importance of ecotourism. Explains how the attributes of the ecotourist may benefit the experiences of students…

A review of the changes in music in the 50's, 60's and 70's reflects the powerful role music plays in our culture and in understanding youth. (Author/KM)

Many teachers advocate teaching students to deliberate on controversial political issues as a powerful way of preparing them for political participation. Support for this approach recently came from a Civic Mission of the Schools report, which endorsed including political controversies in the curriculum. Specifically, it recommends that schools:…

Neighborhood construction, new towns, and urban counterpulls are promising concepts to control haphazard urban growth, in its Phase III since the Industrial Revolution. Developing nations are facing all three phases simultaneously. Concern for the environment may lead us away from the historically conditioned separation of social costs from…

Explains that the challenge for the next millennium is preserving and securing the common good against the forces associated with globalization. Discusses globalization in detail, the privatization of public power, the commercialization of what is privatized, and the infantilization and homogeneity of consumers. (CMK)

Presents two elementary and two secondary teaching strategies related to food and energy as global issues. Includes making a survey on energy use, an exercise about food, society, and technology, an energy and a water survey, and discussion and experiments concerning food and technology. (CK)

Discusses the major global trends that citizens of the new millennium must address and why critics question globalization. Asserts that a new conception of "citizen" is required, describing a form of citizenship education called multidimensional citizenship. Considers how to provide schools that are centers of citizen education. (CMK)

Explains that society is not organized around the practice of citizenship. Discusses how civic renewal can occur within institutions and for individuals by focusing on people as civic leaders, the practice of citizenship, and emphasizing democratic citizenship. Describes civic organizing initiatives in California and Minnesota. (CMK)

Reflects on the passage into the new millennium and stresses the need for a continued connection with the past. Introduces a series of articles in this issue of "Social Education" that explore how contemporary conditions are connected to the past. (CMK)

Recounts the author's experience of returning home to China after three years of study in the United States. Highlights the differences between the U.S. and Chinese cultures, focusing on how the author changed during his international experience, and how China had changed in his absence. Includes suggestions for social studies teachers who wish to…

Presents the address delivered by President Tedd Levy at the 78th National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) Annual Conference. Stresses that social studies offers students a place to discuss social-environmental problems the culture is suffering from and gives teachers a chance to promote values inherent in a more humane world. (CMK)