Maintains that children's ability to communicate can be enhanced significantly if language is considered a process which cuts across and connects everything that is taught and learned in school, including social studies. Suggests four activities on pioneer life which are based on this premise. Activities stress word understanding, listening,…

Discusses a study undertaken to examine the effects on student achievement and attitudes of an integrated approach to teaching world history (termed the aesthetic approach) by comparing it to a traditional approach (termed a political approach). Findings indicated that the aesthetic approach was a more effective means of presenting a broad range…

Introduces a cooperative project undertaken by the USSR Ministry of Education and by various educational institutions in the United States to assess what youth in each country learn about the other country from geography and history textbooks. The objective was to minimize misinformation. (DB)

Examines treatment of the United States in social studies textbooks used in the USSR, as reported by the US/USSR Textbook Study Project. Identifies major problems, including ideological bias, adequate coverage, balance of treatment, factual errors, distortion and bias by undue emphasis, omission of important details, and dependence on outdated…

Analyzes information in social studies textbooks in the United States regarding the history of the USSR. Identifies major problems, including failure to take the work of Soviet scholars into account, political bias, oversimplification, distortion of the truth and failure to highlight achievements of Russian culture, science, and sociopolitical…

Presents an historical analysis of the socialist revolution of 1917 which brought Lenin and the Bolsheviks to power in the Soviet Union and led to the establishment in Russia of a communist government. (DB)

Presents a wide spectrum of views by scholars of Soviet Affairs regarding recent American policy and predictions for the future course of international relations between the two super powers. Experts are Adam B. Ulam (Harvard University), Robert F. Byrnes (Indiana University), Stephen F. Cohen (Princeton University), Alexander Yanov (University of…

Suggests organizations, bibliographies, reference books, journals, and monographs which may be helpful to social studies classroom teachers as they develop and implement educational programs on the Soviet Union. (DB)

Identifies and describes audio-visual materials (films, filmstrips, and audio cassette tapes) about the Soviet Union which have been produced since 1977. For each entry, information is presented on title, time required, date of release, cost (purchase and rental), and an abstract. (DB)

Four articles discuss work completed by the two-year Project SPAN. The first two articles present broad ideas about the current and future status of social studies, the third outlines major recommendations, and the last presents a social roles rationale and framework designed to increase student learning and interest. (Author/KC)

Five social studies leaders react to the social roles proposal of Project SPAN. Seven key, interrelated social roles are delineated as an approach to teaching social studies. Engle states that SPAN ignores the problem of definition; Patrick and Ratliff find the conclusions challenging; Shaver sees the proposals as regressive; and Helburn discusses…

Presents rationale for teaching pre-college students about aging and suggests resources and approaches for the social studies classroom. Concludes that teaching about age can add significantly to the way in which youth perceive themselves, their world, and their own future. (Author/KC)

Presents an annotated list of resource materials useful for developing programs and materials about aging for elementary and secondary students. The list is divided into five categories: curriculum development, films/filmstrips, resource guides, organizations, and children's books. (KC)

Focuses on the problem of the U.S. president receiving gifts from foreign dignitaries. The reproducible letter from President Lincoln to King Rama IV of Siam in which he accepts two gifts and graciously declines proffered elephants serves as center for discussion of the problem. Suggestions for teaching and a crossword puzzle are included. (KC)

Provides suggestions for turning the search for local history materials into a coherent package for the classroom. Teachers should choose a project that teaches skills and helps shape student values. A thematic approach (for example, transportation) contributes to selectivity and is useful for producing a sourcebook. (KC)