This article illustrates the efforts of educators in North Carolina to advocate for the social studies in an age of high-stakes assessment and tight budgets. Although this story begins with one state, the marginalization of social studies in elementary schools is a nationwide problem. The federal No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) is due for…

Profiles a series of teaching activities that uses reproductions of entries from President Harry Truman's diary. The activities include content analysis and related research projects. Includes several reproductions of entries describing Truman's frustration with Congress, and his loneliness as his wife and daughter fulfilled other commitments.…

Provides an annotated list of the many and varied educational resources on Sub-Saharan Africa. Briefly describes related university programs, African Studies Associations, nonprofit organizations, history and political studies, and biographies. A separate section outlines Internet resources including newsgroups, World Wide Web pages, and…

Considers the role the "National Standards for Civics and Government" will play in measuring and assessing the civic competence and political attitudes of students. Finds that the Standards will also affect the textbooks used in schools, national testing in grades K-12, and the tests taken by students seeking teaching credentials. (CMK)

Examines the challenges the new immigration presents to the public schools. Offers successful responses to these challenges and identifies positive contributions which may result from recent immigration trends. (JDH)

Describes ways in which schools can help immigrant children overcome refugee trauma, differences in language, culture, religion, and problems arising because of social stratification and prejudice in American society. Reviews the benefits derived by all students from successful educational practices. (JDH)

Provides an overview of important social, political, economic, and military events in China during this 150-year period. Identifies five broad eras within the period which teachers should highlight in their classes. (JDH)

Presents views of four Chinese visiting scholars regarding social, political, and economic conditions in China. Contemporary conditions are contrasted with previous periods, exposing some of the misconceptions which are typical of U.S. citizens who have failed to keep up with China's development. (JDH)

Provides a checklist which will help teachers guard against common pitfalls present in low-quality and outdated materials used to teach about post-1949 China. (JDH)

Describes the rewards and difficulties encountered when an educator/administrator uses ApplePILOT to develop "higher-order" instructional software tailored to meet the needs of an existing history curriculum. Reports research results showing significant learning gains for the seventh graders who participated in the post-development study. (JDH)

Argues that geography can be made more relevant in today's social studies if it is presented as the study of the environmental impact of culture. This theme is illustrated by contrasting cultural influences which shaped the physically similar east and southeastern regions of China and the U.S. (JDH)

These guidelines are designed to help teachers, school administrators, parents, and students investigate and select foreign excursion programs. The guidelines consist of a series of statements concerning the organization and operation of travel or study programs. (RM)

Describes a field trip in which 6th grade students traveled to Florence, Italy. Delineates the planning necessary to make such trips beneficial and rewarding, identifying the responsibilities of teachers, parents, students, and the school administration. Argues that international field trips offer unparalleled opportunities for growth in both…

Surveys ERIC/ChESS resources on both the influence of television on children and methods for using television effectively in the classroom. Titles of documents include "Getting Through: The Use of Media in the Classroom"; "Censorship, the Classroom, and the Electronic Environment"; and "Inside Television. Instructor's Guide (and) Students…

Checklists cover six important dimensions of computer use in social studies: (1) what a computer can do to achieve educational goals, (2) planning for implementation, (3) major modes of computer uses in education, (4) important qualities, (5) technical features of good educational computer programs, and (6) checking out software. (RM)