Even with appropriate curriculum materials, teachers need to employ reflective springboards that cause learners to link Holocaust information and personal stories to the students' in-school and out-of-school realities and to issues in community life. The guide provides five activities that are intended to be used in any sequence and for any class.…

The Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) represents a long-term effort by Stanford University to improve international and cross-cultural education in elementary and secondary schools. This volume of the elementary literature series focuses on the primary grades; utilizes primary source literature from Japan;…

This unit of study (for grade 5 and up) about the American frontier contains four elements: (1) a set of reproductions of documents; (2) a list of documents with their specific archival reference numbers and a brief synopsis of their historical significance to the unit's theme; (3) 15 separate classroom activities; and (4) an issue of…

This field trip program, a 90-minute interpretive tour and a 90-minute hands-on workshop, provides students with the opportunity to explore the causes and nature of the conflict between workers and owners which grew out of the Industrial Revolution. The workshop complements the tour by bringing the significance of historic resources to life as…

Combining lecture and small group discussion sessions, the course is divided into 5 units each centered about one major concept designed for arriving at some general understanding of a dimension of the total society. Grading is on a semi-contractual basis allowing the student unlimited opportunity to achieve the grade desired as well as desired…

At Michigan State University's college of education, four thematic core curricula for preservice teachers have been designed. The curricula emphasize (1) fostering academic learning; (2) teaching in heterogeneous classrooms; (3) fostering personal and social responsibility; and (4) decision making. (PP)

The effects of three modes of story reconstruction training on the development of children's story comprehension are examined. One hundred and eight children in grades K-2 were assigned randomly to one of three training conditions: thematic-fantasy play, adult-lead discussion, or drawing. (Author/PN)

Discusses the course "Weimar Culture" as a means of encouraging further German study and as an alternative to a literature course. Outlines the course readings and viewings, the major problems and areas of concentration, and the focal point of each unit. (EKN)

Offers guideline for the typical continuing education noncredit course, discussing the restrictions imposed by the minimal number of contact hours and the heterogeneous grouping of students. Recommends independently structured learning modules and a thematic approach, using practical conversational language and lively class activities. (MES)

An undergraduate course given at the University of California at Berkeley using a conceptual rather than rote learning approach is described and outlined. Student perceptions of the course design and content are featured, and the study is illustrated with course flow charts and sample drawings. (MSE)

Discusses the need for teaching junior high and middle school students about the Holocaust of World War II and other incidents of oppression and persecution. (RL)

Explored how middle level integrativist teachers working in a conventional school district sustain their commitment to integrativist learning. Used ethnographic interviewing, which uncovered four themes in these teachers' perspectives: (1) the very different nature of relationships among teachers and with students; (2) struggles with instructional…

Describes a course, Chemistry for Elementary Education Majors, collaboratively planned and taught by chemistry and teacher education faculty. Discusses the instructional bases of the course, the audience, themes and activities in the course, course expenses, student learning, and challenges for the future. Lists the course schedule with lab and…

Discusses the reasons why the use of integrated curriculum has returned. Examines three ways for integrating the curriculum: (1) connection; (2) correlation; and (3) integration. Addresses how to create a thematic unit where the teacher selects a theme, determines the big questions and discipline-specific questions, and chooses the methods of…

Describes a preschool class for deaf children co-taught by two teachers (one hearing, one deaf) that uses a whole language approach to build students' American Sign Language (ASL) and written English skills. The class uses a thematic approach to organize learning activities through the creative use of ASL. (DB)