Maintains that many world geography and culture textbooks that deal with Africa present misinformation and misleading generalities. Reviews three recent textbooks--"Insights: Sub-Saharan Africa," by Ella C. Leppert, "People and Progress: A Global History," by Milton Finkelstein, and "World Cultures," by Clarence L.…

Evaluates 10 new elementary social studies methods texts in 10 areas: topicality, "basics" affect, balance of theory and pragmatic ideas, new social studies ideas, realism, special groups, action learning, broad scale evaluation, and usefulness in service. Three texts are recommended. (AM)

One of the key requirements of the Common Core State Standards for Reading is that all students must be able to comprehend texts of steadily increasing complexity as they progress through school. By the time they complete the core, students must be able to read and comprehend independently and proficiently the kinds of complex texts commonly found…

The aims of the social studies curriculums include growth of the pupil in social competence and awareness. In order to permit the teacher knowledge as to what social studies materials best contribute to the development of those aims, this study evaluated the readability level of three second grade social studies textbooks. (1) "We Have…

Reports the results of a study designed to determine whether eight widely used elementary basal social studies textbook series contained more "back-to-basics" content in 1979-82 than they did 10 years prior during the rise of the "new social studies." The data showed a marked influence of back-to-basics in all of these series.…

Attempts to get at some of the assumptions and definitions behind "America Revised" by Frances FitzGerald and, in addition, to investigate some of the conceptions of history held by critics who reviewed the book. (DB)

Eight factors other than reading level make textbooks difficult for students to read. These include: long sentences or too many concepts within a sentence, use of vague terms, unfamiliar concepts, and use of primary source materials. (JR)

In a study of commercially published textbooks it was found that the reading level, determined by readability formulas, is decreasing in elementary textbooks. Although this is beneficial to elementary students, the author cautions that the lowering of the reading level does not necessarily make a text easier to understand. (JR)

The degree to which Canadian history and social science textbooks inform and sensitize Canadian students to the events of the Holocaust is examined. Evaluated by a panel of independent judges and presented in comparative perspectives, 72 history and social science textbooks authorized for use in Canada's secondary schools were found to have…

Six high-school Problems of Democracy textbooks were evaluated for their environmental education coverage. The amount of coverage was small relative to 26 possible themes used as criteria in the evaluation. An argument is given for a science and social science interdisciplinary approach for meaningful environmental education. (JP)

The author reviews the content; methods of instruction, and philosophy of selected eighteenth and nineteenth century social studies textbooks. Short biographical sketches of well known authors are also included. (DE)

Reviews literature, published between 1930 and 1985, concerning the general content of social studies textbooks for grades 1-4. Notes that scholars, legislators, publishers, and authors have tended to criticize different aspects of these textbooks but that surprisingly few reviewers have criticized their trivial content. (GEA)

Basal reading, science, and social studies textbooks for elementary school students are too often stilted, boring, inaccurate, and/or confusing. If the children are to enjoy learning, textbook content and quality must be improved. (GC)