[quote=JerseyGirlie007]So, am I wrong in saying that if they started airing School House Rock again, kids would be a little more informed? I'm helping my niece with her paper for school about the government (U.S.) and every time I suggest something, she tells me "we haven't learned that". How could you not know anything about your own government by 5th grade? What the heck are they learning in school? Geez, by 5th grade I could tell you all kids of random congressional information about bills, committee meetings, elections, history, and such. I feel for the future, lol Sorry for the randomness, but my xanax has kicked in, lol.[/quote] I'm student teaching now and many teachers don't have time to teach social studies, the focus is on literacy and math. The teachers aren't held accountable for social studies test scores and with the general curriculums teachers don't have enough hours in the day to teach "extra" subjects. One of the teachers even told me she never has a chance to teach social studies, this was in a 5th grade class. It is sad trend that will hopefully end with the rewriting of legislation.

Oh yeah, they should definetly bring School House Rock back. I heard somewhere that you learn best when you can put stuff to a tune, not to mention it's fun for kids to watch.

Definitely! I was actually just explaining the show to my son the other day as I came across a clip of "I'm just a bill" on some random channel. His school is heavily concentrated on math to the point of learning the basics of every category of math you would see up to high school in the 4th grade. So they are learning how to multiply/divide and doing basic algebra at the same time. Yet most of them have no clue about basic social studies at all. For that matter they put just as little effort into science too. They were teaching spanish at the kindergarten level which I had liked, but canceled that along with music because of funding. (yet they have flat screen tv's and 100's of computers) Ok, cutting myself off before I really get ranting. LOL My son eats up what ever information he can get at home and would love that show!

I remember the "I'm Just a Bill" one too. *lol*

Its the one song that stuck in your head the most *lol*

[quote=perpette]Definitely! I was actually just explaining the show to my son the other day as I came across a clip of "I'm just a bill" on some random channel. His school is heavily concentrated on math to the point of learning the basics of every category of math you would see up to high school in the 4th grade. So they are learning how to multiply/divide and doing basic algebra at the same time. Yet most of them have no clue about basic social studies at all. For that matter they put just as little effort into science too. They were teaching spanish at the kindergarten level which I had liked, but canceled that along with music because of funding. (yet they have flat screen tv's and 100's of computers) Ok, cutting myself off before I really get ranting. LOL My son eats up what ever information he can get at home and would love that show![/quote] I hate that they are cutting out all these vital subjects these days :/ (I'd have loved to have Spanish in kindergarten.) Sure, they'll use math every day and it's important, but that shouldn't make other subjects less important because they use them too.

Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hooking up words and phrases and clauses. Conjunction Junction, how's that function? I've got three favorite cars that get most of my job done. Conjunction Junction, what's their function? I've got and, but, and or. They'll get you pretty far. And! That's an additive, like this and that. But! That's sort of the opposite, not this but that. And then there's Or. O-R, when you have a choice like this or that And, but, and or get you pretty far! Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hooking up two boxcars and making 'em run right. Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice, (Hey that's nice) Dirty but happy, digging and scratchin'. Losing your shoe and a button or two, He's poor but honest, sad but true, Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hooking up two cars to one When you say something like this choice Either now or later Or no choice: Neither now nor ever. (Hey that's clever) Eat this or that, Grow thin or fat Never mind, I wouldn't do that I'm fat enough now! Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hookin' up phrases and clauses that balance, like: Out of the frying pan and into the fire. He cut loose the sandbags, but the balloon wouldn't go any higher. Let's go up to the mountains or down to the seas. You should always say Thank you, Or at least say Please! Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hookin'-up words and phrases and clauses in complex sentences like: "In the mornings, when I am usually wide awake, I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake, where I often see a duck and a drake, and I wonder as I walk by what they'd say if they could speak, although I know that's an absurd thought." Conjunction Junction, what's your function? Hookin'-up cars and making them function. Conjunction Junction, how's that function? I like tying up words and phrases and clauses. Conjunction Junction, watch that function! I'm going to get you there if you're very careful. Conjunction Junction, what's your function? I'm going to get you there if you're very careful

I live in Canada, so I don't know if its the same in America, but if it is, I agree :P The curriculum is just a mess! Everyone has minimal common knowledge, someone in Grade 8 didn't know what a Nazi was! A 21 year old asked me "Is Britain a country?". And even with such a minimal amount of work, still everyone manages to do awful lol. The class average for english this year is 63%! I barely put ANY effort into it, and I got 81%. Whether its just my school, or North Americans are just plain dumb, I don't know :P I'm switching schools next year to a school that offers IB 10, 11 and 12, so I can go back to Scotland to do University.