Identifies five "motives" behind law-related education. They are citizenship education, delinquency prevention, survival skills, critical thinking, and ethics education. Presents a brief survey designed to collect information about law-related education in the Michigan public schools. (JDH)

Addresses the use of computer conferencing and databases in social studies. Reviews the uses and availability of computer databases and provides an example of how students might use a database to investigate issues of equity and quality in American schooling. Includes information on a computer conferencing simulation of conflict resolution and…

This special supplement provides a five-day unit of instruction on the Northwest Ordinance. Each lesson plan consists of specific objectives, content outline, maps, student reading material, and instructional suggestions. A unit test and bibliography are included. (JDH)

Reviews research on the teaching of map skills and draws eight implications for social studies instruction. Among the conclusions are: (1) that drawing maps can be an extremely useful learning device; (2) that children need to learn that maps are valuable tools for collecting, sorting, and sharing information; and (3) that schools should have a…

Advocates the use of foreign students as resource persons in area studies units. Identifies programs in Michigan which promote cross cultural education via the use of foreign students as classroom speakers. (JDH)

Presents what 50 fifth graders' said in response to a four-question survey on the goals, purpose, and meaning of social studies. Results showed considerable variation in the students' perceptions of social studies indicating either a lack of concensus or clarity in what teachers communicate to students. (JDH)

Defines future studies, identifies several books which may serve as resources for future studies, and offers a collection of ten activities which may be used to "futurize" a classroom. (JDH)

States that United States history teachers must understand and accept the several rationales for the course if instruction is to improve. The first of a 10-part series presenting these rationales, this article discusses the historical method and inquiry mode and gives reasons why they are beneficial. (AEM)

Discusses how geographic information is organized into regions. Defines several functions of regions and describes how they are determined. Presents exercises to teach students about regions and lists 10 suggestions for teaching regional geography. (AEM)

Discusses how the authors' review of literature on ability grouping prompted them to look closer at the objectivity of research in general. Concludes that predispositions to specific topics of research, prompted by preexisting values and characteristics of the particular reader, affects the objectivity of the reader in interpreting research…

Examines Indonesian culture and society which, although consisting of many variations spread across many islands, are nationalistic in character. Discusses the sources of Indonesian cultural values, focusing on Pancasila, the five basic principles of Indonesian society, and how it relates to the individual. (AEM)

Shows how geography instructors can capitalize on student interest in China and its unique images in teaching basic geographic themes. Demonstrates how China can illustrate these five themes (which are absolute and relative location; physical and cultural place; human-environment interaction; movement; and region) in a way that will capture…

Discusses the use of simulations as an alternative form of instruction for teaching general level students. Describes how the author used a simulation in a general level history class with positive results. Concludes that simulation is a teaching method which is well-suited to the goal of assisting non-college bound students in acquiring necessary…

Shows how popular music can be used in the social studies classroom to teach about social order and social history in a manner which is interesting to students. Outlines a series of four social studies classes using music and demonstrates how this approach encourages students to use inquiry skills. (AEM)

Describes a study designed to determine political attitudes and knowledge of prospective and practicing Arizona teachers and to ascertain how this correlates with reported teaching styles. Results indicate the sample was knowledgeable and capable of providing citizenship education, the separate samples differed in teaching style and attitudes, and…