This article presents findings from an investigation of the treatment of wealth distribution by high school economics textbooks. The eight leading high school economics texts in the United States were examined.

Social studies methods textbooks constitute a rich source of data for trends in teaching and learning. This study examined twenty secondary social studies methods texts for the instructional approaches they recommend. The researchers concluded that methods texts published over the past fifty years consistently call for pedagogical variety and…

A nation's folk literature offers a window into its people and their beliefs across time and geographic locations. Whether the stories are tall tales, creation stories, or fairy tales, they reveal insights into the make-up of the populace--what they believe, what motivates them, what their attitudes are, how they behave, and how time and place…

In this article, the author examines how the idea (and ideal) of nation continues to serve as a directive for social studies education. He proposes discussing what a critical approach to understanding nation (and the historical narratives that define nation) might look like in the classrooms and what the stakes are for social studies educators,…

The topic of immigration is frequently taught in middle school classrooms as part of the history of America, for this country is indeed a "land of immigrants." Special emphasis is usually given to immigration that occurred a century or more ago, but contemporary immigration may prove to be a more compelling way to view this concept. Middle school…

Although circumstances that can activate burnout are common in all subjects, those who teach social studies may be more susceptible to it because the profession requires teaching for democratic values and critical thinking, even when cultural influences and the political climate are not supportive of those objectives. In this article, the author…

A comprehensive model of the dynamics of one-on-one teaching is described. Adoption of specific teaching styles is influenced by the learning styles of students, the interest in faculty to build interpersonal relationships with learners, teacher need to control the task, the capability of students, and situational constraints. In clinical…

Lack of courtesy among children is a social trend that, along with the decline of the family, the troubling character of some young people, and the lack of shared ethical values, is of some concern. In this article, the author discusses why it is important to teach pro-social behavior and suggests some ways of doing so in the classroom.

Summarizes a wealth of recent information concerning the effects of electronic mass media on the socialization of young people. Argues that significant changes have occurred in both the pervasiveness of the effects of mass media and the nature of the relationship between that and other socializing factors.(MJP)

Advocates using the inquiry method to teach history. Maintains that gifted students will be more interested in history if history is approached as inquiry. Explains how the teacher can play the role of moderator in the high school history classroom. (Author/DB)

Explains how community legal resource persons (police officers, lawyers, law students, court employees, legislators, etc.) can contribute to high school students' understanding of the legal system. Suggestions include that the resource person's visit relate to material the class is studying and that the teacher and resource person communicate…

Chronicles the growth of oral history since 1948 and describes several classroom projects using the oral/aural technique. Projects focus on oral war accounts, an oral history of local businesses, and oral validity in history. (Author/DB)

Presents a synthesis of values education activities and programs and relates values education to social studies. Suggests that values ideas should be internalized and transferred to existing social studies curricula by teachers rather than theorists. (Author/DB)

Traces approaches of social studies from 1916 to the present. Contends that the "Citizenship Transmission" position which supports the status quo has been dominant in spite of the reform rationales which stress the process of thinking reflectively or the intellectual aspects of history and the social sciences. (KC)

Discusses a study which investigated effects of the New Social Studies movement on social studies textbooks published in the 1970s. Topics discussed include characteristics of the New Social Studies, textbook analysis, and changes reflected in textbooks from 1950 to 1970. (Author/DB)