"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.…

Traditional folktales constitute a social institution that reflects the value, customs, and lifestyles of the culture and are a natural way for students to explore the historical past, the belief systems of varied societies, and diverse factual information. A carefully selected folktale can be a powerful tool to bring culture to the foreign…

This topical bibliography and commentary highlights the major points of the available literature on the value of using a "thematic organization" for the teaching of language arts classes in grades 6 through 8. It begins with a definition of the thematic organization approach, as culled from the literature. It then presents briefly a few examples…

This Digest discusses teaching interdisciplinary thematic units in language arts, noting that such units typically integrate broad areas of knowledge, such as social studies, mathematics, or ecology with the teaching of the four major language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The Digest presents a definition and rationale for…

Describes a full-time, six-week block which immerses preservice teachers in a self-directed, collaborative, transdisciplinary learning adventure that they translate into a teaching adventure. Shares a vision of what teacher education can be by describing examples of learning contexts, the supportive curriculum model, and the effects these…

Advocates synergistic pedagogy, in which all the school subjects are related and taught in such a manner that they are almost inseparable. Demonstrates how this might be done with an interdisciplinary theme on the stars. (SR)

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…

Provides an annotated bibliography of 10 ERIC documents and journal articles that focus on the interdisciplinary approach to elementary school social studies curriculum development and instruction. Specifically includes information on integrating language arts, art education, and global education in social studies. (CFR)

Relates stories of three middle and high school teachers to describe how teachers can effectively integrate young adult literature into the curriculum. Notes a variety of strategies, including the particularly effective use of multiple genre thematic units, where a variety of texts are linked by some common theme, allowing students to use…

Implications of constructivist educational theory for language arts curriculum development for gifted students are proposed. A framework for designing curricula in which language and higher level thinking skills are integrated with content drawn from multiple disciplines is offered. A sample unit for sixth grade, "Life in a Space…

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…

With this book as a guide, elementary school teachers can build classroom themes that offer students substantive encounters with knowledge, literature, and language. The book discusses a rationale for theme teaching; an explanation of the different kinds of themes; a variety of ways in which themes can be treated in the classroom; a detailed…

This guide uses a thematic approach to show the integration of subjects (reading, mathematics, language arts, science/fine arts) and skills to create a context for learning. The contents of this guide are presented in a holistic format. There are six major topics in the guide, each with subtopics: (1) "Getting Your Feet Wet--An Introduction to…

Describes a thematic, interdisciplinary, middle-school curriculum that integrates visual and language arts. Curriculum embodies three principles: (1) visual and verbal responses depend on meaningful interaction among the artist (writer), the art object (text), the viewer (reader), and the environment (context); (2) visual and verbal thinking are…

This book gives the reader ideas for providing primary-grade students with literacy learning opportunities that integrate conventional literacies, such as phonics and comprehension, with new literacies, such as multimedia composition and hyperlink navigation. The reader will find a variety of linked activities, including reading children's books,…