This compendium of articles from "Science and Children", the elementary school journal of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), aims to help teachers build connections in their students' minds. The articles describe lessons and units that are interdisciplinary, both integrated and interdisciplinary, or thematic. Each article is…

Designed to introduce students to the world through nonfiction, this book presents easy-to-follow suggestions for class projects, activities, strategies, and learning centers. The book uses an integrated approach to promoting inquiry in the classroom through the use of quality nonfiction. Aimed at middle grade students and using vignettes which…

The process of "webbing" is described as a valuable technique for organizing teaching activities around a theme. Two examples are illustrated using the broad topics of "change" and "fall." Suggestions are made for carrying out the fall theme by taking children on outdoor walks for the purpose of observing, examining,…

Senior high school American history teaching units developed around significant themes or areas reflecting the nation's exploration, settlement, and growth can be rewarding and meaningful teaching-learning experiences. One such unit, planned around the theme of settlement of the American Great Plains, can serve to illustrate the value of this…

Science, health and nutrition, cooking, and social studies activities on the subject of apples are described. (SJL)

The Integrated Learning Semester program at the University of Delaware is described. Courses were designed around themes touching several academic areas and instructors cooperated in teaching courses. A course in literature and music of Romanticism is outlined and specific problems and procedures for implementing a program are noted. (CHK)

Describes across disciplines in the culture, literature, science, art, and music of the Renaissance. The program featured student exhibits, performances, projects, and demonstrations and a visit by a professional actor posing as William Shakespeare. (DB)

As the integration of language and literature across the curriculum builds, educators have come to believe worthwhile literature is embedded in universal themes (such as making decisions, facing challenges, and working together) that are common to the human condition. These themes transcend subject areas by providing natural frameworks for…

Solves the problem of student diversity in technical writing courses by proposing a thematic approach to course content, with appropriate materials arranged in a classroom library of case studies. (RL)

Seventy-six Fort Lauderdale third, fourth, and fifth graders spent an entire day researching, measuring, comparing, and creating fantasies about feet. This article describes "Foot Day" and presents the activity sheets used by the students. (Author/SJL)

This essay examines issues of giftedness and excellence, beginning with classical references to human striving toward the "good," the attraction of gifted children to quality, and the recent discovery of the oldest known cave art with its manifest excellence. Classroom activities related to cave art and language arts, social studies,…

This book is part of a series of books presenting ready-to-use instructional units on themes typically taught in the primary grades. The topics focus on science, math, social studies or literature, but use language arts skills consistently in each unit. Each book in the series also uses as many frames of mind or intelligences as possible. Within a…

Centering around the theme of work, this book offers activity ideas based on children's literature from best-selling authors. Through learning extensions in the book, young readers in grades 1-6 will gain insight into a variety of occupations and work environments and, in a playful way, learn about the skills needed to succeed. The stories and…

This collection of teaching units developed in Australia arises from "Special Forever: An Environmental Communications Project," which enables students to develop critical awareness of their local environments and communicate this awareness effectively. The project also aims to encourage school-based action in support of the environment…

Detailing a collaboration between an elementary school teacher and a middle school teacher, this book is about making connections--connections that make learning meaningful for students and teachers. The book describes how the teachers worked to bridge the gap between content area subjects and the gap in their understanding of each other's…