Describes an interdisciplinary pilot program for ninth graders at Bronxville (New York) High School using three teachers (representing social studies, English, and art) to teach an ancient history unit. The varied learning activities were based on the Coalition for Essential Schools' driving forces: personalization, the student as worker,…

A thematic approach to creating learning activities for learning disabled students is described, and three curricular outlines are presented. The thematic approach, whereby instruction in all Ss revolves around a common theme, is discussed in terms of curricular mode, instructional setting, the specific population, and generalizability of results.…

One of the major problems with the English curriculum is that literature, language, and composition, the three major strands of the curriculum, have been separated rather than integrated within the curriculum. This inservice program, which was given for English teachers at Niles High School in Skokie, Illinois, advocates the use of conceptual or…

A Washington State first-grade teacher and her students created the Learning-Centered Curriculum-Making Project, developing each unit over a two-week period and highlighting language and thinking skills related to various subject disciplines. They used dialog, coaching, modeling, questioning, and reinforcing techniques. Students helped select…

Contends that future citizens will be required to understand and interact with people, cultures, and ideas throughout the world. Argues that this goal can be achieved only through an integrated approach to the social studies curriculum. Reviews the Texas social studies curriculum guide and points out how it exemplifies this approach. (CFR)

Describes the day-to-day implementation of a project involving the creation and operation of a city made with wooden blocks in a kindergarten classroom. By acting out the "Roxaboxen" story, children improved their reading, writing, and calculation skills. They learned from personal experience that living in a society involves…

This document proposes the project approach as one element of early childhood education that can function in a complementary relationship to other aspects of the early childhood curriculum. The term "project" is defined as an extended investigation of a topic that is of interest to participating children and judged worthy of attention by…

Theme study is in-depth research on a topic, issue, person, or content-area idea, in which reading and writing are used as tools for learning. Educational benefits of theme study include motivation, individualization, explorations of relationships, and the encouragement of a lifelong-learning attitude. Based on the premise that theme study is more…

Explores the learning opportunities cooking activities can provide in a kindergarten classroom. Language arts, math, science, fine-motor skills, art, health, music, and social studies are some of the curriculum areas that can benefit from these kind of activities. Cooking also is explored as an opportunity for parent involvement, where parent and…

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…

Conservation is a concern for all cultures, and children are familiar with this concept because of recycling in their homes and home towns. The World Saver Center, an example of the thematic approach to learning, is designed to allow children to experiment with concepts of conservation in a familiar setting. The center, designed to resemble an…

Defines and distinguishes three large dimensions of culture in relation to schools for young children. Introduces early childhood education's place in the Spanish educational system and the cultural contents that help children develop values and multicultural awareness. Details Spanish educational concepts and the ways in which Spanish teachers…