Expanding on Ruth Sidney Charney's ideas in "Teaching Children to Care," this book addresses the question of adding a caring dimension to classroom practice. The book draws on case studies from six elementary classroom teachers as they incorporate some aspect of a caring curriculum to their students. The book is divided into three parts with the…

Judicial review is a fundamental facet of constitutional government in the United States. Invented during the founding of the United States, judicial review has spread to most constitutional democracies of the world. This digest discusses: (1) the concept of judicial review; (2) the origin of this concept; (3) the uses of this concept in U.S.…

In February 2000, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the State Bar of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Curriculum and Instruction brought together 28 high school teachers from around the state together for a 2-day intensive workshop on teaching about federal and state courts. A second institute was held in February 2001…

This curriculum material, part of a continuing series on current and historical international issues, addresses the issues arising from the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. On the morning of September 11, 2001, as people watched in horror, terrorist attacks were successfully launched against the United…

Discusses the possibility of the development of the content and form of mathematical education as a tool of democratization in both school and society. Summarizes the social argument and the pedagogical argument of democratization. Analyzes the concept "democratic competence" to create materials at the same time open and empowering. (Author/YP)

Wiktor Kulerski, Deputy Minister of Poland's Ministry of Education, and Andrzej Janowski, a Vice-Minister of Education, members of the Solidarity union's teachers branch, discuss their involvement with the union that forced democratic reforms in Poland's Communist government and ensuing changes in the Polish social studies curriculum. (FMW)

Discusses the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child as it seeks to establish the right of children to participate in discussions and decisions about their own situations. Includes action taken by children around the world to promote participation. Stresses the necessity of participation to become responsible, active citizens in a democracy.…

This document describes a program that will give Polish students the opportunity to learn about the political institutions of their country and the linkages among these institutions. Because knowledge of the structure and operating principles of central governing institutions is relatively poor among Polish youth, the Civis Polonus program was…

This user guide is part of a multimedia unit using an interdisciplinary approach with hands-on learning to motivate children to participate actively in their schools and local communities, and to experience the democratic process. This unit focuses on the concept of respect for self and others. Unit parts include: (1) video preview; (2)…

This user guide is part of a multimedia unit using an interdisciplinary approach with hands-on learning to motivate children to participate actively in their schools and local communities, and to experience the democratic process. This unit focuses on the concept of individual participation in the government. Unit parts include: (1) video preview;…

This document consists of three documents in a packet that make up a curriculum guide that presents objectives, content outlines, sample lessons, and background readings for the development of a primary school and a secondary school civics course in Poland. The documents are: (1) Proposed Civic Education Curriculum for Primary and Secondary…

A three-part handbook for Virginia K-12 social studies teachers presents methods for introducing students to documents and symbols which reflect the principles and ideals of the American democratic system. Although a portion of the material focuses on resources specific to the state of Virginia, information on national documents and symbols can be…

How fiction is used in a college-level political science seminar to teach about democratic decision making and U.S. politics is described. The fiction used is clustered around the following topics: community-level decisions, limits to consensus, group values and politics, acquiring elected offices and trying to keep them, and public bureaucracies.…

This activity for students in grade 12 aims to increase their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and its fundamental ideas: checks and balances, separation of powers, Bill of Rights, and the amendments. Students judge the constitutional powers of each brand of government by participating in the power game. The activity explains how the game is…

This learning packet is divided into two parts with eleven chapters. Part 1 provides background information retracing Alexis de Tocqueville's 1831-32 tour of North America which led to the publication of "Democracy in America." Part 2 contains a short description of the seven primary themes emphasized by de Tocqueville with issues more…