This essay examines issues of giftedness and excellence, beginning with classical references to human striving toward the "good," the attraction of gifted children to quality, and the recent discovery of the oldest known cave art with its manifest excellence. Classroom activities related to cave art and language arts, social studies,…

This course syllabus is one of over 80 developed and written by the Henry County School System (Tennessee) as part of a Teacher Corps demonstration project. These syllabi provide specific descriptions of what is to be learned and at what level the student is expected to perform. The art course described here is available for students who have…

The syllabus described here is one of over 80 developed and written by teachers in the Henry County School System (Tennessee) for subjects taught in grades 7-12 as part of a Teacher Corps demonstration project. The purpose of the project is to assist students in achieving a minimal competency in their courses by stating the specific requirements…

This theme issue of the "Social Studies Journal" focuses on the worldwide conflict known in the United States as the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The volume is dedicated to examining the conflict in Pennsylvania. Western Pennsylvania became a battle-scarred landscape as the British and French, with their Native American allies,…

This guide is intended to be a tool to help educators and curriculum developers create curricula that reflect a comprehensive approach to learning and teaching in and through art. The guide is linked directly to the National Standards for Arts Education. The guide has several components, including: (1) 18 ability areas in art based on the four art…

One of the most important tasks that teachers undertake is to teach concepts. Without a good understanding of concepts, students have difficulty even understanding the basics. Several approaches to teaching thinking have been analyzed and research concludes that it is more effective to teach thinking in the context of a subject rather than as a…

Provides fully developed library media activities that are designed to be used in connection with specific curriculum units. Topics covered include art (U.S. folk art); reading/language arts (dramatizing story events); science (simple machines); and social studies (state and federal legislatures, and explorers). (LRW)

In child-centered programs children construct their own knowledge from their experiences and interactions with the world around them, and teachers foster children's growth and development by building on children's interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. The Step by Step educational program developed a series of…

The Pennsylvania state academic standards describe what students should know and should be able to achieve at the end of grades 3, 5, 8 and 12 in the visual and performing arts, and the understanding about humanities context within the arts. The arts include dance, music, theater, and visual arts. The arts and humanities are interconnected through…

In child-centered education programs, children construct their own knowledge from their experiences and interactions with the world around them, and teachers foster children's growth and development by building on children's interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. The Step by Step educational partnership developed a…