This article traces the career of one teacher through his involvement in a number of school based curriculum design innovations. The idea of "depth" or distance is used to discuss a number of dimensions against which it is possible to judge the worth of a curriculum from a range of perspectives, most especially that of the student. The…

As a substitute for what he sees as confusion of separate introductory courses in the different areas, the author proposes an interdisciplinary social science-humanities course organized around basic questions about man's individual and group needs and behaviors, group relationships and processes, value systems, and techniques for creating and…

A sampler of thematic science lessons from the Japanese bilingual/bicultural education program of the Clarendon Alternative School, a California elementary school, is presented. The lessons are designed to integrate Japanese instruction with the core science curriculum. Each lesson contains this information: the grade level, teacher(s), and…

Prepared as a resource for community college practitioners seeking to internationalize their courses, this report presents 50 internationalized course modules in 22 subject areas developed as part of curriculum development project undertaken at Michigan's Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The 50 modules are presented in the areas of accounting,…

Recalls the development of a 1970s high school economics textbook and curriculum titled, "Economics in Society," and how it developed into an adult education curriculum. The curriculum emphasizes a thematic approach to economics focusing on concepts and institutions, industry organization, the national economy, and developing countries' economies.…

Offers a thematic approach for social studies scope and sequence. Outlines 10 themes which are offered at each grade level K-12 providing the scope for the curriculum. Illustrates how higher-order thinking and inquiry can be incorporated into the program and outlines the content for grades K-12. (SLM)

Asserts that using a thematic approach to teach pre-twentieth-century U.S. history can help students connect historical events in a coherent pattern. Discusses the development of a history curriculum based on five recurring themes in U.S. history. Provides an outline for a nine-week unit that includes suggested student activities for each theme.…

Prepared by the General Education (GE) Review Steering Committee of Massachusetts' Bunker Hill Community College in 1991, this guide provides a model of a Capstone course, a component of the College's newly developed GE Cornerstone Curriculum. Chapter 1 reviews the purpose of Capstone, a mandatory interdisciplinary course designed to integrate the…

Using a thematic approach to history, this course investigates the changing machinery of government, the population composition of the United States, and the nature and challenges of U.S. foreign policy. The course is centered around four themes: (1) how do we govern ourselves? (2) who are we? (the pluralistic society); (3) how do we live…

Recommends organizing U.S. history courses around central ideas rather than chronological periods. Argues that this method affords a better grasp of the principal developments in the nation's history by treating issues in depth. Lists eight broad themes around which a U.S. history course can be constructed. (MJP)

The six thematic teaching units, designed for teaching Spanish to native speakers in the American Southwest, are a result of a July 1993 conference of 30 middle school and high school teachers. Each unit was produced by a group of teachers, and is entirely or primarily in Spanish. The units contain lesson outlines, activities, tests, samples of…