Examines the effects of differential item functioning (DIF) between males and females on the June 1996 administration of the Alberta Education Social Studies 30 Diploma Examination. Reveals that the majority of the multiple-choice items did not display DIF when males and females were compared, and only one item was associated with bias. (CMK)

Recommends a social studies activity that combines geography and history within a current events framework to make the curriculum more interesting and challenging to the students. Explains that students investigate natural disasters from around the world and determine the effect humans have on these "natural" occurrences. (CMK)

Illustrates the pros and cons of e-mail in the social studies classroom; in particular, the problems concerning what e-mail service a school should subscribe to. Lists different precautions schools must take when finally deciding on the appropriate e-mail system. Provides names of organizations that have established databases of e-mail projects.…

Provides a crossword puzzle with an answer key corresponding to the book entitled "Significant Treasures/Tresors Parlants" that is filled with color and black-and-white prints of paintings and artifacts from 131 museums and art galleries as a sampling of the 2,200 such Canadian institutions. (CMK)

Suggests that science and technology studies (STS) is ready to reconsider an approach based on Heideggerian phenomenology. Argues that STS is facing a confrontation with the inadequacies of constructivism's founding assumptions. (CCM)

Maintains that geography field work is enjoyable for students and provides them with real-world experiences. Describes an activity where students visit a supermarket in order to gather data for a graph and a shopping center to investigate the store layout and shopping traffic. Provides pre-visit preparation guidelines and post-visit activities.…

Contends that integrating children's literature into the social studies classroom makes social studies content relevant, brings history to life, fosters the development of social studies skills, facilitates understanding of abstract concepts, and provides students with role models. Offers guidelines for choosing children's literature and…

Asserts that when people use the cliches "Remember" and "Never Again" in reference to the Holocaust, they must step back and realize that genocide has been perpetuated time and again since 1945. Provides activities that stress contemporary acts of genocide when studying the Holocaust in order to understand these terms. (CMK)

Summarizes the Quebec (Canada) province-wide survey conducted by the History Task Force in June 1998 that focused on the status of teaching in elementary social studies and secondary history within the anglophone educational community. Indicates that these teachers want a range of up-to-date classroom materials and are willing to attend…

Explains that a portfolio is a collection of student work that reflects the course content and is assembled by the student in a folder or binder over a specified period of time. Discusses how to use portfolios, the benefits of using portfolios as assessment tools, and potential concerns teachers need to address. (CMK)

Contends that students in social studies classes can utilize Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) as a presentation and collaborative tool by developing websites. Presents two activities where students submitted webpages for country case studies and created a timeline for the French Revolution. Describes how to use HTML by discussing the various tags.…

Contends that students should learn about the role of women in Canadian history through research-based projects that focus on the lives of unknown and famous unknown women and that emphasize primary sources and media as important resources. Provides a number of activities that can be adapted for elementary or secondary students. (CMK)

Discusses the influences socialist ideas have had upon Canada and its people, in particular, their system of governmental control over medical facilities and services. Provides a crossword puzzle that focuses on the prominent Canadian socialist leaders of the twentieth-century. Includes the clues and word list. (CMK)

Examines the problem of how to account for the observation of research on cold fusion after the apparent closure of the controversy in 1990. Despite the controversy, scientists continue to work with cold fusion. Examines whether the controversy is in fact closed, creating a hybrid category, "undead." (Author/CCM)

Describes how by designing a playground, the fifth-grade students at Good Shepherd School in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) learned in a hands-on manner that geographic knowledge has practical applications in the real world. Explains that the geography concepts utilized in this activity follow the objectives of the Geography Education Standards…