Believes that by incorporating fiction and folklore into a social studies unit on Japan, students will benefit from their new perspectives on the world. Notes different literary works that can be implemented. Provides a list of questions to assist social studies teachers with selecting children's literature for use in the classroom. (CMK)

Relates how children in Japan become members of Japanese society by learning the cultural and social norms from family, school, community, and the nation itself. Suggests four teaching activities that will help U.S. students understand Japanese culture and reflect upon their own lives and responsibilities. (CMK)

Describes the Tea House Project that was an authentic hands-on activity introducing students to an important facet of Japanese culture; students built the tea house as a temporary structure in the tradition of the huts of Japan's wandering monks. Provides addresses to get materials for building a Japanese tea house. (CMK)

Allows students to experience the trials and tribulations of traveling the Oregon Trail through reading diary and journal entries written by children of that time. Recommends three classroom activities for use with historical narratives: looking for the unexpected, identifying recurring events, and creating "imaginary" diaries based on real…

States that the Bown house, built in 1879 and overlooking the Oregon Trail, serves as a case study for demonstrating how historical houses can be used to teach about the past. Explains that the house is used as a living laboratory for social studies and describes the six rooms in detail. (CMK)

Expounds the process for seeking small grants through three major steps: (1) acknowledge what grants are; (2) develop an idea to be funded and; (3) cultivate contacts for possible funding. Advises different intermediate steps and encourages social studies teachers to search for small grants. Provides a sample letter of request. (CMK)

Presents the Yoruba Naming Ceremony as an activity for a global-studies class that provides an introduction to Nigerian culture. Explains that the ceremony is the time that the family and community welcomes a new child. Gives a list of Yoruba names and discussion questions for classroom use. (CMK)

Conveys the importance of teaching students about child labor, and the history surrounding it, through the use of literature; students learn about the problems of poverty and develop empathy for the children's plight. Gives a variety of examples along with summaries of each book and a list of class activities. (CMK)

Asserts that elementary students should learn economics to prepare for their adult roles as consumers, producers, and voters. Discusses the "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" that consist of 20 standards and the respective benchmarks that describe the concepts students need to know by the end of grades 4, 8, and 12. (CMK)

Reviews the recent research on teaching and learning economics in the elementary classroom, such as whether children understand the economic world and correcting students' economic misconceptions. Maintains that students in elementary school are capable of learning and remembering economic concepts if they are taught in developmentally appropriate…

Discusses the service projects at Hoover Elementary School in Iowa City, Iowa that link economic education, service learning, and global education. Describes one project where the students involved the community in sending educational materials and financial aid to a school in Brazil. (CMK)

Explains that authentic teaching and assessment enable students to utilize their prior knowledge, recent learning, and critical thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world contexts. Describes examples of authentic teaching and assessment that use the "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" as a framework for economics education…

Asserts that elementary students should know the basic vocabulary of economics, in particular, the "Significant Six": (1) goods and services; (2) productive resources; (3) scarcity; (4) opportunity cost; (5) specialization; and (6) exchange. Provides a lesson called "Benny's Pennies" that focuses on goods and services that prepares students to…

Presents a lesson that combines economics, geography, history, archaeology, and inquiry to investigate the creation of the Cahokia trading empire that existed around 1000 A.D. Employs Standards 5 and 6 of the "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" and Theme 7 of the National Council for the Social Studies Standards. (CMK)

Recommends using children's books to teach the "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" because these books impart a sense of the pervasiveness of economic decision making and allow children to empathize with a character's economic experience. Provides story suggestions for 16 of the 20 content standards for grades K-4. (CMK)