Discusses ways in which children can be harmed by information collected and analyzed by schools and identifies ways in which the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act has enabled parents to participate in the education of their children. (Author/DB)

Discusses data collection ability of modern technological societies and evaluates the extent to which this ability constitutes an invasion of privacy and freedom. Maintains that social studies teachers have a special responsibility to help students understand pressing social problems such as invasions of indivudual freedom. (Author/DB)

Social studies instruction using a variety of data sources engages elementary school children in relatively autonomous collecting, organizing, and evaluating of data--processes necessary for exercising sound judgment and taking appropriate action. (RM)

The goal of this mini-unit is to teach elementary students economic concepts related to consumerism and to develop problem-solving skills. Students test a product such as sugarless bubble gum and study how it is advertised. The students then make their own advertisement for the product. (RM)