The purpose of this project is to teach students the relationship between volunteerism, good citizenship, and the continuing maintenance and enhancement of society through the examples of the volunteerism of great women community leaders in the St. Louis (Missouri) area. Each unit in the book contains a story or stories, vocabulary, and…

Describes a seventh-grade class project in which students researched a specific social problem, proposed an action plan, and took steps to implement the plan. Students who chose problems closer to home (the elderly, literacy, dropouts) were able to develop more effective action plans. (MJP)

Evaluates three participatory civic education learning programs developed by the Citizenship Education Clearing House: the Election Program, Missouri State Government Program, and the Metropolitan Issues Program. Evaluation consisted of questionnaires, observation, and interviews. Discovers that the programs are both popular and effective. (MJP)

Describes a college-level class that studies the geography of poverty in Illinois and uses these findings as a basis for classroom discussions and exercises concerning poverty. Empirical evidence suggest that poverty levels are higher in rural areas rather than in urban areas. Discusses possible reasons and implications. (MJP)