Through an analysis of activities called for in social studies texts at three grade levels, the author critically examines the links between children's improvisational performance and social studies curricula. He asks: What is unique about the process of embodying a historical or contemporary character as part of the learning process (such as a…

This book argues that parents, by spending 20 minutes each day imparting the wisdom found in its pages, can compensate for the lack of cultural education their children receive in school. Predicated on the idea that there is a certain background "core knowledge" that every American school child should possess, the book can also be used…