Using transcripts of 6 classroom debates that took place in 4 urban schools, the present study takes a closer look at what middle school students do during classroom debates in the context of a social studies curriculum designed to support student argumentation in debate. Two coding schemes were used to analyze student comments in the transcripts:…

Since early times, human beings have searched for spiritual experiences that provide connections to their hearts and souls. People sometimes find these connections through experiencing music--perhaps the last remaining ubiquitous spiritual experience in Western culture. And yet, material values rule our world, even in music education. Is music in…

This article describes a clay project for students studying Greece and Rome. It provides a wonderful way to learn slab construction techniques by making small clay column capitols. With this lesson, students learn architectural vocabulary and history, understand the importance of classical architectural forms and their influence on today's…

A sample of views of prominent historians, philosophers, political scientists, astronomers, and other scholars gives an idea of the magnitude of the Greek influence on western civilization. Specifically discussed is the Greek impact on the United States and the American contribution to the rebirth of Greece. (RM)

Western civilization constitutes a perennial conflict of spiritualities derived from comprehensive world views that are contradictory and irreconcilable. These world views are the vertical view of Judeo-Christian supernaturalism, and the horizontal view of Greco-Roman naturalism. The Judeo-Christian view holds that reality includes and transcends…

The increasing abstractness of our language makes it difficult to deal effectively with concrete social problems. (JH)

This paper seeks to discover conditions that motivate people to achieve excellence and uses the Greek culture as an example of excellence. The document addresses the basic questions: (1) What were the social conditions that resulted in what is widely known as the "Greek Miracle"?; (2) What motivated the ancient Greeks to excel,…

One aspect of human activity that seems to recur is warfare. The author draws lessons from the military history of Sparta and Athens that are relevant to nations today. (SM)

The four essays in this book are concerned with the cultural consequences of literacy in that they demonstrate that some forms of competence, highly valued in society, developed in large part as an unintended consequence of the Greek alphabetic writing system. The first essay, entitled "Spoken Sound and Inscribed Sign," discusses the…

This critical annotated bibliography of books on Greece is approached from a visitor's rather than a Greek's point of view. As it is very difficult to obtain books about modern Greece, in English, by Greeks, it has been necessary to rely mainly upon the impressions of non-Greeks, usually Englishmen or Americans, who have lived and traveled in that…

Among the many contributions made by Ancient Greeks and Romans to contemporary life, are those which influence art, architecture, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, theater, athletics, religion, and the founding of democracy. The Tampa Museum of Art's classical collection offers a unique opportunity to learn about Ancient Greeks and…

The nature and possible future of heroes is examined in this document. The approach is theoretical to the extent that it explores the nature of heroes in the Western tradition from the Greeks through present-day personalities (including sports, entertainment, political, and literary personalities). The approach is practical to the extent that it…

Stresses the relevance of Greek and Roman cultures and languages to the study of contemporary U.S. culture. Architecture, science, government, drama, mathematics, religion, and music are compared and contrasted. Faculty and students participate in this interdisciplinary approach to develop new awareness of links between past and present cultures.…

A course which is an exploration of man's eternal search to understand himself and his world through the study of the mythology of the world is presented. Performance objectives include: (1) Students will recognize the content of the myths studied; (2) Students will identify the specific characteristics of the civilization studied; (3) Students…

Credits classics programs with the earliest experiments in the interdisciplinary approach, showing how classics, as the study of all aspects of two important cultures, the Greek and the Roman, are particularly well-equipped to develop a diversified curriculum. Discusses current opportunities for maintaining this trend and developing outreach…