The second annual Affiliates' meeting of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching brought together 200 people to examine authentic teaching and assessment practices and policies. Nine presentations from the meeting are compiled in this document, illustrating different approaches to developing alternative assessment…

The goal of this research was to determine the effectiveness of a middle school science curriculum designed to inspire students to think about science through studying the patterns of humans. The curriculum focuses on human behavior, evolution, ecology, and performance and is based on the notion that pattern recognition is highly correlated with…

This interdisciplinary unit focuses on five techniques found in the textile arts of India: tie-dye, embroidery, applique, block printing, and weaving. The unit is designed for students in third through sixth grades but could be adapted to other levels. This unit could be incorporated with a study of India's land, history, and geography. The…

This guide is Unit 1 of the four-part series Science, Society, and America's Nuclear Waste produced by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. The goal of this unit is to help students establish the relevance of the topic of nuclear waste to their everyday lives and activities. Particular attention is…

This resource book contains a whole-language, extended thematic unit about the ways in which all people are the same. The book includes the following sections: (1) "Everybody Eats Food"; (2) "Everybody Wears Clothes"; (3) "Everybody Needs a Place to Live"; (4) "Everybody Communicates"; (5) "Everybody Uses Transportation"; (6) "Everybody Goes to…

These lessons on Mexico have been taught in an integrated fashion within a sixth grade language arts and social studies classroom. Lessons are intended to be easy to pick up and use by any teacher. The material includes: (1) Rationale; (2) "Lesson 1 - I'll Bet You Can Map the Western Hemisphere in a Minute!"; (3) "Lesson 2 -…

An examination of 19th century U.S. art and literature reveals the country's strong identification with nature, the ideals of individual freedom and pioneer courage, and the faith in human nature embraced by the immigrants who expanded the country. In the 17th and 18th centuries, U.S. painting reflected the styles and standards of English art. By…

This booklet was created to assist teachers in integrating local environmental education topics into their classroom curriculum. It comprises curricular and instructional materials for developing students' awareness about and concern for water resources, and taking action to protect them. It enables students to learn that they are able to make a…

These articles focus on art as a component of interdisciplinary integration. (1) "Integrated Curriculum and the Visual Arts" (Anna Kindler) considers various aspects of integration and implications for art education. (2) "Integration: The New Literacy" (Tim Varro) illustrates how the use of technology can facilitate…

This publication examines school and classroom practices that increase students' understanding, raise their achievement, and equip them with knowledge and skills needed in today's world. Several approaches have been identified for high schools to consider in integrating academic and vocational studies: single course integration; joint planning…

Health care reform is changing the way in which health care is provided and altering the role of allied health professionals, especially nurses. This report examines how education can be responsive to the emerging needs of nurses and other allied health professionals. The diverse settings in which diverse populations are served requires the…

This paper describes a project that examined the use of common case studies across undergraduate special education, psychology, sociology, and health sciences classes to promote a common understanding of the needs of students with learning and behavior problems and to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration among future school professionals.…

This book presents art appreciation lessons to encourage students to see works of art in two ways, as objects that are interesting in themselves and as objects that spark further exploration. Organized with an introduction and 4 sections subdivided into 8 lessons, each lesson, based on an artwork from the Smithsonian Institution's collection,…

This teacher resource book, designed to encourage student interest and build learning across the curriculum in grades K-5, is based on the theme of animals. Resource lists and activities in the book focus on the following sections: (1) animals as pets; (2) animals on the farm; (3) animals in the woods; and (4) animals in the wild. Each section…

The most important issue in education today is helping students reach high standards. These standards are changing American education from a system driven by inputs and regulations to one judged by results. This manual is intended for use with any set of standards. Followed step by step, it will take the teacher from the abstract statements of the…