Religious Factors; *Social Studies

The Religion in Elementary Social Studies Project (RESS) at Florida State University provides an opportunity for determining the effectiveness of an innovative curriculum in religious study. The project stresses objectives dealing with sensitivity, empathy, and tolerance as well as information about religions. Two second grade level classrooms at the Florida State University Developmental Research School reflected similar student characteristics in religious affiliation, nonaffiliation, age, race, sex, and intelligence. One classroom was exposed to the BESS materials. In an effort to understand fully the dimensions of religious tolerance in the life of the young child, awareness of religion, ethnocentrism, and personal experience of religion were explored in both classes to determine the relationship of the factors to religious tolerance. Field test results indicate that the new information provided by RESS, the classroom atmosphere, the teacher as a role model, and the influence of peer pressure combined to result in higher religious tolerance scores for the exposed group. The child with a high awareness of religion scored even higher on the tolerance test after exposure. Children with high tolerance scored lower on the ethnocentrism test after exposure. Children active and inactive in church and Sunday school experiences tended to have higher tolerance scores after exposure. Results of this case study suggest that curricula may be designed to successfully affect attitudes. (Author/DE)