Understanding U.S. culture is difficult, because the information explosion creates an increase in the number and complexity of various cultural relationships. American Studies is a valuable and unique discipline because it directly addresses this problem, the basic purposes of education, and the relationships that shape students' culture. This…

This paper discusses issues in instructional material development for rural gifted children in Australia. Issues include who should develop curriculum materials, what form should enrichment materials take, which theoretical frameworks are appropriate, and how should content be selected. Interdisciplinary materials used in developing a unit in…

With this book as a guide, elementary school teachers can build classroom themes that offer students substantive encounters with knowledge, literature, and language. The book discusses a rationale for theme teaching; an explanation of the different kinds of themes; a variety of ways in which themes can be treated in the classroom; a detailed…

The trend in many classrooms is to move away from using a single textbook in content area classrooms and move toward the use of various works of children's literature integrated with and related to a content-area topic. Instead of using a single discipline approach, teachers should use a multidisciplinary approach in which several subject areas…

This bibliography was prepared to stimulate discussion among the faculty of the General College of the University of Minnesota concerning the field of multicultural education and its impact upon the curriculum of the College. The bibliography lists resources and provides a conceptual framework for developing teaching materials and approaches to…

A pedagogy appropriate to college level courses and comprised of interdisciplinary content, multidisciplinary faculty, and students from diverse academic backgrounds and with varying levels of skills merits development. A taxonomy of some of the difficulties in the construction of such a course in Mexican American studies, for example, focuses on…

Presents guidelines teachers may use to develop a series of interdisciplinary lessons on the census for elementary students. Offers rationale for teaching about the census,and outlines social studies objectives that can be met by census activities. Provides ideas for primary and intermediate level activities. (LS)

Asserts that education cannot be limited to the confines of a textbook but must be a true window to the world. Argues that this can be achieved through curriculum and thematic teaching. Provides suggestions for designing and teaching integrated, thematic units. (CFR)

Addresses the question of how to infuse an artistic aesthetic into classroom music performance. Recommends using material that offers students an aesthetic opportunity yet remains within their intellectual and artistic grasp. Discusses types of compositions that meet these requirements and suggests some creative rehearsal techniques. (MJP)

Integrating the arts from the preschool level through graduate school enables students to develop their creativity and their ability to reason, draw abstractions, analyze, give personal meaning to what they are learning, and to express themselves in very powerful and fulfilling ways. Students must be taught with a variety of approaches to…

Explains how a world civilization course at Butler University (Indiana) was significantly enhanced after a geographic perspective was used to introduce students to various cultures. Describes the units on China and pre-revolutionary Russia. Outcomes included a better understanding and appreciation for geography by both students and teachers. (GG)

Reports on a study of the geographic content in 44 secondary school U.S. and European Advanced Placement history lessons. States that 75% of 550 references to geographic content were categorized as "passing references," not "substantive references." Concludes that core geographic concepts that enable students to understand and…

Presents a plan for developing and teaching an interdisciplinary curriculum unit combining social studies/social science and English/language arts. Argues that an integrated curriculum based on history and social studies is the key to an effective interdisciplinary unit. Provides suggested resources and instructional ideas. (CFR)

Contends that instruction at the primary school level should be consistent with the child's development and experiences. Describes how geography's "Five Themes" can be taught using an interdisciplinary approach. Includes three lesson plans divided among concrete, semiconcrete, and abstract levels of cognitive development. (CFR)

This report addresses the question of what knowledge and skills should be taught to citizens whose judgement is the ultimate source of policy in a democratic nation. The report recommends the adoption of new goals for school programs, changes in curriculum offerings and in teacher education, creation of curriculum development centers, greater…