This manual represents an educational program designed for public officials, interested citizens, and professionals interested in improving the economic climate of the municipality or region. Its purpose is to teach economic development skills, thus enabling participants to develop community economic growth plans. Focus is on four essential…

This issue of the Goldfinch focuses on communities. Ethnic groups, religious groups, schools, families, even the Internet, are used as examples of communities in Iowa. Forced communities are exemplified by migration, law, natural disasters, and sometimes education. Photographs from Iowa's past show the changing nature of communities and encourage…

This document describes how to construct and compare choropleth maps for selected Iowa communities and the construction and use of scatter diagrams as a supplement to map comparisons. These tools can be used to compare social, economic, and political variations between neighborhoods and to determine if associations exist between selected…

One of a series of student booklets on the Canadian environment, this unit covers the national and regional transportation systems in Canada and a comparative study of six localities. Student groups adopt another community somewhere in Canada and plan a trip from there to their home town. In the course of their activities, they learn about their…

This document presents a program designed to provide students with a comprehensive and interesting way to study their community. Although developed for secondary students, the program activities, with slight modification, should be equally successful with intermediate-level students. Using the community as the area to be studied, a major focus of…

This combined teacher guide and student text is written with the broad goal of involving high school students in Bristol Bay, Alaska, in the planning and design of their region's future. Unit I introduces changes occurring on village and regional levels, discusses planning strategies for community development, and presents village profiles for…

A values exercise suitable for secondary school students is divided into three sections. The first section, an introduction to students, explains the concepts of and interrelationships between basic human needs, culture, values orientation, and global perspectives. The intent of the exercise, to help students appreciate how a set of value…

Designed for use in Iowa elementary schools, this unit introduces students to Iowa's Amana Colonies. Four lessons cover the history and cultural heritage of the colonies, daily life in historical times, daily life in modern times, and the colonies as a corporate museum. Throughout the lessons, emphasis is placed on the values and organization of…

Designed for use by high school students, their teachers, and counselors, these six learning modules contain creative materials to encourage individuals to think about their own talents, skills, interests, and capacities for job creation. Each module consists of student worksheets and teacher guides. Covered in the first five modules are the…

Readings and activities in this elementary school unit are designed to introduce students to Amish culture. Specific reference is made to the Amish communities in Iowa. Four lessons focus on the history of the Amish in the United States, Amish family life, community life, and customs (such as clothing and occupations) in modern Amish communities.…

The readings and activities in this 5-day unit for 4th and 5th grade classes are designed to introduce students to Amish culture in America. A total of five lessons are outlined in which students discuss Amish family life, role play Amish celebrations, make basic products such as bread and soap, and examine Amish customs and occupations. A…

This magazine provides resources and models for the study of Indiana state and local history to encourage students to know more about the history of their communities and the state of Indiana. It is aimed at readers of all ages. The topics featured in this issue are: land, people, governance, emblems, heritage, commerce and industry, and…

The document presents a history of an Italian immigrant family that settled in Westport, Connecticut, before 1900. The monograph is part of a project to investigate the ethnically varied cultural heritage of the Norwalk-Westport area. Objectives of the history are to record the story of the d'Amico family, shed light on the Westport Italian…

This guide is intended to assist teachers in organizing and preparing a field trip to Bodie State Historic Park (California). Although it is intended to assist in the trip to Bodie, it also provides information for organizing group tours or family outings to other areas. Activities include before, during, and after visit exercises focusing on the…

The document presents historical data and activities for students in grades 4-8 to research and explore the ethnocultural history of Humboldt County, California. Objectives are for students to identify unique geographical characteristics of their county and how these characteristics influence ways of living, examine relationships between American…