Service Learning in the Middle School Curriculum: A Resource Book

This book incorporates teaching strategies to enhance middle school science and social studies using service learning. The book was developed by teachers who participated in a series of institutes conducted by the Social Science Education Consortium and the Science Discovery Program at the University of Colorado during the summers of 1993 and 1994. Chapters 1 and 2 provide an overview of service learning - what it is, what its benefits are, and how it is related to other current educational reforms, including standards-based education. Chapter 3 introduces the curriculum integration planning framework developed to guide the process of creating integrated science/social studies/service learning units for use in the middle school. Chapter 4 describes several of the integrated units developed in this project, including the two staff-developed demonstration units and six teacher-developed units. A chapter on assessment is included since assessment of integrated units with multiple outcomes is complex. The book concludes with a listing of resources useful to teachers wanting to learn more about service learning. (ERIC:EH)