This article presents an alternative structure for social studies. The structure is based on studying people as grouped by culture rather than by political boundaries. Provides an example of how the cultural grouping might change a standard United States history course. (JDH)

Offers a brief introduction and resource list on teaching about science-related social issues. Provides three complete lesson plans for elementary, middle school, and high school use. The topics covered in the lessons are energy production and consumption in the United States; nuclear power concepts, issues, and controversies; and the arms race.…

Provides an inquiry lesson on aging for the intermediate grades. The goals of the lesson are to provide accurate information about the elderly, to enable children to assess their perceptions of the aging process, and to expose children to an unbiased look at the attributes, behaviors, and characteristics of the elderly. (JDH)

Reviews the conceptual and developmental issues associated with learning time concepts. Demonstrates how important time concepts are to all subject areas and provides an analysis of the use of time concepts in two widely-used standardized tests. Offers six guidelines for teaching time concepts to children and illustrates these guidelines with…

Provides a lesson plan for senior high school which uses writing to help students learn about World War II. (JDH)

Describes a reading and writing activity for senior high school students which involves "explicating" a textbook passage. It maintains that the assignment puts an end to superficial reading habits. (JDH)

Provides an interdisciplinary unit of study based on Hila Colman's 1978 novel, RACHEL'S LEGACY, a story about the economic and social trials of a Jewish immigrant mother and her three daughters. The unit helps junior high school students examine how traditional roles of men and women impose economic, social, and emotional limits on peoples' lives.…

Provides an inquiry unit which invites students to learn about the Populist movement in the United States by analyzing the symbolism embodied in THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ. (JDH)

Offers a first grade mini-unit on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. (JDH)

Describes the contrasting policies and viewpoints of Zambia and Malawi toward their neighboring nation, South Africa. Notes the economic and political pressures that bordering nations experience and details how these affect official policies and unofficial attitudes. (JDH)

Provides annotated bibliography of elementary-level trade books which emphasize human relations and social themes. The 108 books were reviewed by social studies teachers, and are divided into six categories: United States history, culture, and life; world history and culture; biographies; folktales, myths, legends, and storytelling; contemporary…

Traces the history of Lebanon and its involvement with Syria, Israel, and the Palestinians. Provides a commentary on living conditions and political factions within Lebanon. States that external forces have intruded upon the Lebanese people, compounding their own problems, and confusing private issues with the political and religious struggles of…

More than 2000 social studies professionals attended the 62nd annual meeting of the National Council for the Social Studies. The conference theme was "The Future and the American Dream." Excerpts from papers presented, descriptions of workshop presentations, and summaries of what transpired at special sessions and committee meetings are provided.…

The World Basic Place Vocabulary Test was designed to provide feedback on place vocabulary capabilities of 13-year-old students in various parts of the world. The results from 12,500 students in 13 countries indicate that this knowledge store is not very great. European students outperformed those in North America. (RM)

To illustrate how individual stories from "The Martian Chronicles" can be used to teach sociological concepts to secondary students, the story "Ylla," which can be used to teach about race-ethnic relations, is analyzed and discussed. Other issues of "Social Education" featuring science fiction and additional resources are cited. (RM)