"Drama at the Heart of the Secondary School" provides a rationale for the curricular centrality of drama together with rich and detailed examples of cross-phase thematic projects which are drama-led, but which promote learning across a wide range of curriculum areas, from the humanities and other arts, to English and literacy, science and PSHE.…

This study examines interdisciplinary collaboration between mainstream-English and English-as-a-second-language (ESL) in-service and pre-service teachers enrolled in graduate methods courses in their respective fields. During the semester, TESOL and secondary English Education teacher candidates collaborated to develop young adult literature based…

This paper discusses the thematic unit as a series of activities including reading, discussions, drama sessions, art workshops, games, writing, and movies, all revolving around a single topic. Students are free to seek and select their own books or stories within the topic and to read at their own pace. The thematic unit also includes a heightened…

Advises that major novels should be studied in depth rather than within a thematic approach, because the latter teaching method does not allow enough time for adequate study or appreciation of a major literary work. (RL)

Describes in detail an elective unit that used novels, plays, films, and historical texts to engage student interest in a difficult and relevant topic. (JL)

Describes a unit which involves the reading and writing of poetry dealing with initiation into adulthood in modern society. (DD)

This article provides a pragmatic approach to the development of theme units in a secondary English program for verbally talented students. The article provides a rationale for theme-based teaching, describes the structure of a thematic unit, and provides guidance on teacher development of thematic units. A unit on "losses/gains" is presented as…

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…

Describes a number of thematic units that integrate work in various disciplines, including language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics. Among the topics of the suggested units are time, survival of the fittest, nature, Mexico, the history of the West, animals, and bridges. (DF)

Redesigned to reflect a more standards-driven as opposed to course-driven approach, the Applied Literature and Composition courses (I and II) described in this paper not only prepare the two-year college/technical school students for entering the real world of work, but also for post-secondary and college level work. It notes that the course is…

Suggests that English teachers are in an excellent position to help students learn about the aged and aging because they know literature that treats the joys and pains of later life and they understand how language shapes and reflects cultural attitudes. Proposes objectives and presents samples of activities to be used in an aging unit. (MM)

Many high school students are on a quest to find out who they really are. Using the theme of "Searching for Identity" in both "A Fine White Dust" and "Great Expectations" will help students identify their feelings. Cynthia Rylant's "A Fine White Dust" has easier language than "Great Expectations,"…

Describes two interdisciplinary units that can be used in most middle school classrooms, one on the sinking of the "Titanic" and one on Pickett's charge at Gettysburg during the Civil War. Describes how each unit involves English, math, social studies, and science classes and activities. (SR)

Recently, the use of thematic units in the teaching of language arts at the secondary level has significantly increased. This document discusses the theory and practice of using thematic units. The first section provides an overview of the use of thematic units and shows how such units can aid in teaching students about the composing process,…

Sophie and Cody in "The Wanderer" (Sharon Creech) share the duties of recording their journey to an ancestor's birth land. The strong bond of family and accomplishments through the voyage home personified the embodiment of an adventurer. For Sophie and Cody, close family bonds were forged and washed clean by the sea. Odysseus, the…