As the popularity of project-based learning grows, so does the importance of understanding how this instructional approach can support students' learning and development. The authors describe a project-based approach to literacy and social studies instruction that research has shown to be effective. Key characteristics of the approach and…

In this article, the authors focus on a one-week research project examining Frederick Douglass's civic actions to challenge racial discrimination African Americans faced before and after the U.S. Civil War. Our one-week research project was implemented at a free public charter school in amid-sized Southern city. Our project connects to the…

High School social science course requires students to communicate the findings of their independent study through self-designed audiovisual projects. (STS)

Describes one high school social studies teacher's success in having students construct their own educational games to illustrate concepts from sociology and anthropology. (JDH)

This book gives a general explanation of, and information about, the laws and how they work, and is written very simply and clearly with numerous examples and illustrations. It was written by students and staff in the eighth-grade social studies class of Miles City Junior High School, Montana, with the assistance and advice of members of the…

This article discusses how teachers can use project-based learning to teach social studies to gifted students. Because children select the topic, it is argued the inquiry is more meaningful to children. The roles of teachers and students in project-based classrooms are described, along with an elementary school's Japanese Exhibit project.…

When planning her social studies unit on world exploration, this teacher offered the opportunity for her fifth-grade students to create a claymation video of a New World explorer. Students learn about exploration; practice research skills; and write, revise and edit a script. Finally, they incorporate both the acquired content and skills while…

Web 2.0 software, in particular wikis, have the potential to allow students to become active contributors to the Internet and, as a result, restructure traditional learning environments. In this study, the effects of student-created wikis were evaluated through measures of student engagement, cognitive benefits, and student learning in both the…

History fairs are an excellent way to recognize student achievement and to generate an interest in history. Described is a History Day fair that encouraged students in grades 6-12 to research and prepare papers, projects, and media presentations on a historical theme and to have them judged by history professionals. (RM)

The social studies labs described in this profile are non-classrooms where kids come during study halls or after school. There are no teacher assignments and no required content. Faculty people serve the labs as participants and advisors. Students develop lab carts, work in the Living History Center, review curriculum materials in the Materials…

Presented are practical suggestions to help teachers successfully implement an oral history magazine project modelled after "Foxfire." Four major issues are discussed: nature of the project, relationship of project to schools, relationship of project to community, and teacher-student relationship. (RM)

Describes two elementary social studies projects where a ClarisWorks database was used to teach database vocabulary and to teach students to develop and design a curriculum-related database. (AEF)

The main purpose of this Master's degree field project was for fourth grade students to create a "good" visual presentation of a Civil War topic using Clarisworks slideshow. Students were in charge of determining what constituted a good project. The components of the slideshow included the following: (1) title page; (2) biography; and (3) Civil…

A global studies course focusing on the developing world uses computers to show middle school students how data can be used to understand phenomena. Students secure data for one or two countries and, using the programing language APL, create tables, make maps, visuals, and graphs, and manipulate computer-generated models. (RM)