This paper reviews the literature concerning attitudes of fifth and sixth grade students to provide background information for instructional designers and scriptwriters from the Skills Essential to Learning Project, which develops television/film series and related print materials for different grade levels to enhance the teaching of thinking skills in the context of major curriculum areas. The following topics are addressed: children's attitudes towards parents and peers; children's perceptions of their peers (who is the popular child?); sex segregation in the peer group; play interests of children; children's attitudes toward school subjects (mathematics, science, social studies, and reading); teachers, attitude, and achievement; and the personality traits of successful and unsuccessful students. Thirty-four references are listed. (LMM)