One of the most effective methods for teaching social studies events, concepts, and issues incorporates the fine arts into lesson plans. The fine arts, such as photography, architecture, paintings, tapestries, and sculptures reflect the core cultural values, political ideals, and religious beliefs of a civilization and offer excellent…

Looking for social studies adventures to help students find connections to democratic citizenship? Look no further! This book provides just the answer teachers need for engaging students in field trips as researching learners with emphasis on interdisciplinary social studies plus skills in collecting and reporting data gathered from field…

Describes one urban education program in Scotland which uses a travelling classroom exhibit to involve students in investigations of streets, parks, churches, and shops. Another program, which has students compare the architecture, history and local features of a town to their own, is also featured. (DC)

Recommends the study of architecture as an early introduction to the interdisciplinary study of history, geography, economics, sociology, and art. Maintains that this study can increase interest in local history and citizenship. Profiles pilot programs that have incorporated architecture into social studies instruction. (MJP)

This teaching resource provides instructional strategies and information for teaching students about architecture. Discussion questions encourage interdisciplinary considerations. Unit goals and objectives are given. The five units include: (1) "Cave"; (2) "Pyramids"; (3) "House of Ancient Greece"; (4) "Castles"; and (5) "Traditional House of…

This interdisciplinary, bilingual curriculum resource, contains a 29-minute videotape program, 20 colorplate posters, and a curriculum guide. The resource presents an examination of the folklife and folklore expressions of the Hispanic people of New Mexico. The focus of the curriculum is the relationship of survival-based folk activities to the…

An interdisciplinary social studies/art project involving elementary students in studying the local architecture of Woodbury, Connecticut, and sharing their experiences through murals and bulletin boards is described. How baseboard covering can be used as a block printing material is discussed. A lithography printing technique for use in secondary…

Relates several art activities that can be used as learning experiences to enhance the goals of the social studies and the arts. Stresses that art and architecture can be used to enrich the social studies program as they serve as evidence of the subject being discussed. Directions for two activities are included. (LS)

Using primary documents, maps, and visual data, this lesson packet focuses on the founders of Ontario, California, and the Frankish Building that is on the Historic Register of Historic Places. The lesson could be used with U.S. history units on the Progressive Era, with course units dealing with a variety of civic issues, or units involving the…

Osborne, located on the Isle of Wight, is almost entirely Victorian. It was designed, built, and furnished to the royal family's specifications (as a holiday home), and remains largely unaltered since Queen Victoria died in 1901. It offers unique resources for those studying not only the Victorian royal family but other aspects of 19th-century…

This handbook provides eight detailed interdisciplinary lesson plans, with art, archaeological, and architectural heritage of historical British sites as the introductory focus. Historical background is combined with a variety of possible content area approaches, documentary sources, and photocopiable activity sheets for classroom and on-site…

This report describes a 3-year project which used local architecture as a resource for teaching the arts and humanities at the secondary level. The project involved 24 Massachusetts high school teachers in art, social studies, industrial arts, and the language arts working with project staff. The teachers attended two week-long summer courses.…

Presents "C.U.B.E.: Creating Understanding of the Built Environment," a unit focusing on a community's built environment. Discusses the interdisciplinary goals of the unit. Provides four samples of activities from within the unit. (CFR)

Provides examples of multidisciplinary approaches for teaching history and social studies to junior high students. Claire Zeni discusses art and architecture; Vilca Peggy Dunievitz illustrates the integration of student art projects into a history program; Ellen Santora covers the use of folklore; and Mary Ellen Wynne deals with the use of foods.…

Describes an interdisciplinary project that incorporated language arts, social studies, instructional technology, and science where middle school students were involved in oral history, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, architectural research, the science of dendrochronology, and the creation of an archival school Web site. (CMK)