In order to motivate ESL students and engage them in different tasks effectively, it is necessary to make the tasks novel to the students. As one possible way of introducing novelty in the course, films could be used advantageously. In this study, a writing course integrated with videos of movies and cultural festival of different regions of the…

Most teachers' design practice is implicit and practice based, focusing primarily on discipline content. In recent years, a number of visual design representations have emerged that help guide teachers' design practice, enabling them to create explicit designs, which can then be shared and discussed with others. These design representations help…

Through an analysis of activities called for in social studies texts at three grade levels, the author critically examines the links between children's improvisational performance and social studies curricula. He asks: What is unique about the process of embodying a historical or contemporary character as part of the learning process (such as a…

The tradition of Thanksgiving in America dates back to 1621 when the Pilgrims were virtually starving. Nowadays, Americans celebrate this event by eating more than they need and giving some thoughts to the blessings they had for the past year. Many of today's children are not accustomed to how it feels to be hungry, although many experience it on…

Holiday and festival celebrations are a unique form of cultural expression. Physical activities associated with cultural traditions offer the perfect opportunity for physical educators to integrate interdisciplinary teaching in their programs. This article focuses on the application of a multicultural perspective by introducing 12 station tasks…

Activities that explore the history of the New Year tradition in the United States and other countries help students gain a better understanding and appreciation of other cultures. (DF)

A New China Studies unit offers insight into the history of one of the oldest cultures. Activities encourage students to explore the China mystique through study of that country's art, folklore, and history. Background information on China is offered. (DF)

An activity book presents arts and crafts projects for the special events and holidays occurring during November and December. The section includes class activities, student activity pages, and directions for making several kinds of bird feeders. (SM)

This article presents ideas for introducing multiethnic foods in the preschool classroom. American Indian, Mexican, Black American and Oriental methods of food preparation, ingredients, and recipes are presented and discussed as part of America's cultural heritage. (BD)

Beginning in the 1997-98 school year, WestEd staff, with the support of the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), worked intensively with a group of five Chamorro teachers from Rota Elementary School (Hawaii) to develop culturally responsive, standards-based science units. The larger goal was to develop Web-based case examples of…

Presents a list of class activities for Black History Month to help students study African heritage. The activities listed, with appropriate grade levels, are storytelling, dances and games, crafts, posters, live-in history, movers and shapers, and a play. Each activity is explained in the pages that follow in this issue. (SM)

Presents storytelling as a way to teach students about African societies. The article explains how to teach storytelling and how to branch out into other related educational activities. A tale from Ghana suitable for bulletin-board use and a student activity page on African proverbs are included. (SM)

Presents guidelines for teaching students about African culture via dances and games and for developing related activities to expand student learning experiences. Student activity pages describe how to do the Ghana national dance and how to play Mankala, a popular African game. (SM)

The document presents curriculum guidelines to help high school social studies classroom teachers develop and implement multi-cultural studies programs. Material is based on acculturation and assimilation experiences of Estonian/Americans. The Estonian/American group was used as the base group in the study of the peoples of America through the…

Presents crafts projects to accompany the discussion of African tribes and their ceremonial items. The article describes how to create a ceremonial mask, ceremonial shield, goodbye cloth, and necklace. Background information is included for each item. (SM)