Tightening economic conditions have forced sociology instructors interested in using expensive visual materials in their classes to seek other sources of funding support. Discussed are innovative ways of funding and administering courses making use of commercial films. The team-taught course, "Images of Women in Film," is used as a case study.…

The use of German film in four instructional contexts, based on experiences in developing a university course, is discussed. One use is as part of a German culture course taught in German, emphasizing the role of film as a cultural statement of its time, intended to be either a social criticism or a propaganda tool. A second use is integration of…

Asserts that, during the 20th century, animation has moved from being a perceptual curiosity to an important art form. Describes teaching methods and activities used in a one-day animation workshop for elementary students. Outlines a similar workshop for teachers. (CFR)

Describes a final assignment in an introductory sociology course that helps students apply their sociological knowledge. Students choose a book or movie, provide a plot summary, analyze it using a minimum number of sociological terms gathered from different chapters or topic areas, and provide a brief conclusion. (MJP)

Presents six lesson plans that illustrate thematic strands contained in "Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies." Each plan also relates to the ninth strand of the standards, "Global Connections." The lesson plans cover a variety of subjects, grade levels, and instructional strategies. (MJP)

Useful models and ideas for multicultural and cross-cultural educators at all levels who want to use anthropological concepts and processes in the classroom are provided in eight papers. Papers describe six different projects which (1) involved high school students in the collection and analysis of data about local youth cultures; (2) engaged…

This teacher's guide was developed for the last of four courses in Valencia Community College's Interdisciplinary Studies program, a 2-year core general education curriculum which chronologically examines the major developments in the evolution of human knowledge. The guide provides an introductory overview of the semester's content (i.e., the…

Provides some useful guidelines, activities, and a few warnings concerning using documentary movies in a U. S. history course. Although documentaries can pique student interest, they need to be previewed first and presented in historical context with supporting materials. Includes an overview of a course content and accompanying films. (MJP)

Describes an English-language reading course for science and engineering students at a Mexican university. The course used science and cyberpunk fiction to address moral and ethical issues concerning technological advancement. Synthesizes students' commentaries and includes lists of reading materials, films, and discussion questions. (MJP)

Profiles an undergraduate course that combined historical research on U.S. foreign relations with writing assignments designed to develop and improve writing skills. Students begin with short papers summarizing key points of instruction and move on to more detailed analyses of academic articles, films, and memoirs. (MJP)

Maintains that fundamental historical concepts can be imparted to high school students through the use of photography, painting, film, literature, and other forms of popular culture. Provides many examples of students utilizing popular culture to understand conceptions of historical time, locate meaning, and empathize with historical people. (MJP)

Describes an assignment where students chart the development of a film or literary character's racial identity according to theoretical models of identity development. Students found the exercise thought-provoking, intriguing, and informative. Includes outlines of the racial identity model and an examination of the issues raised during discussion.…

An interdisciplinary course integrating political science, literature, and film is used at Bellarmine College in Kentucky as a vehicle for examining politics on the local, state, national and international levels. Four novels and their analogous films are used, corresponding to the respective political level--"The Last Hurrah,""All…

Provides a discussion of the structure and procedures of a classroom exercise using scenes from "The Grapes of Wrath," to illustrate different environmental philosophies. After viewing scenes from the film, students prepare presentations examining the Dust Bowl from one of four philosophical positions: environmental causation,…

Argues that the concerns and reactions of young girls to popular culture often are deemed superficial and irrelevant in social studies. Recalls an incident where a 13-year-old's journal entry regarding her fascination with horror films was poorly graded. Includes transcripts of the girl talking about films. (MJP)