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…

Describes an innovative geographic location activity in which students trace and correct a mimeographed map of the United States two times. The first time, the state names are given. The second time, the student must fill in and correctly spell the name of each state. (Author/DB)

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…

This curriculum guide, covering sociology, psychology, advanced social science problems, world area studies, and American culture studies contains the following components: a statement of philosophy and broad goals for each content area, objectives organized around broad content goals or strands, scope and sequence charts, instructional planning…

Describes an interdisciplinary high school course that used contemporary films to illustrate overarching themes in the U.S. experience. Themes included individualism/social responsibility, isolation/internationalism, and liberal/conservative. Emphasis was on conceptual rather than historic relationships (e.g. "Norma Rae" illustrated…

This article offers ideas and activities to help develop a multidisciplinary unit that motivates students to learn about the languages, legends, and lifestyles of Native Americans. (DF)

Describes an environmental education program which focuses on nature in Indian myths. Instructional strategies used in the program include storytelling, free association, play-acting involving members of the audience, dancing, and sharing of artifacts during a question and answer period about Vermont Indians. (JN)

Tips for teaching students about Native Americans include reading poems that lead to the study of certain tribes, studying the present day as well as the past, having Native Americans visit the classroom, reading culturally sensitive books on Native Americans, and acknowledging differences between tribes. (SM)

The notion that Indians are curiosities of the past tends to be reinforced in many classrooms, particularly at Thanksgiving. Resource materials and classroom activities are suggested to help dispel myths about Native American culture and history. Concentrating on present-day Indian customs and handicrafts is recommended. (PP)

Emphasizes that a Native American literature course is best taught as a criticism of the literature, not as ethnography. Outlines a literature course covering: (1) principles of the oral tradition; (2) tribal experiences in the oral tradition; (3) Native American biography/autobiography; and (4) contemporary American Indian writers. (JHZ)

Designed to provide current, accurate information to teachers and students about the American Indian people living in the state of Oregon, this publication focuses on 10 learning concepts: (1) Indian tribes in Oregon today; (2) Indian people's special relationship with the United States government; (3) the change and impact brought by newcomers to…

Examines an 1876 letter from a missionary to Ferdinand V. Hayden in the context of the U.S. government's policy of instituting religious education and training for Native Americans. Provides a photocopy of the letter and outlines class activities designed to help students analyze the document. (DB)

Children responded enthusiastically to a program that used Shoshoni poetry songs to teach some concepts about human languages in general. Twelve children (four Caucasian, eight Native American) in grades 1-3 and their parents met for four 1-hour sessions. The lessons focused on the sound, meaning, and word order of the Shoshoni language; Shoshoni…

Maintains that the U.S. government policy of Indian removal in the 1830s provides a focus for exploring issues of cross-cultural relations during the first half-century of U.S. history. Presents a high school lesson plan, including student objectives, teaching materials, instructional strategies, and a bibliography. (CFR)