Two Chicago high school teachers believe that the course they teach--a cooperative, interdisciplinary study of American culture focusing on history and literature--is an effective way to prepare students for citizenship in a pluralistic society. This article recounts their experience with student-negotiated curriculum in an eleventh-grade American…

Four workshop articles discuss storytelling techniques and sources: (1) "Beginning with Peekaboo: Storytelling as Interaction" (Robert Munsch); (2) "You, Yes, You: Storytelling from Many Cultures" (Margaret Read MacDonald); (3) "When the Wolf Both Is and Is Not a Wolf: The Language of Puppets" (Mariano Dolci); and (4)…

Argues that a whole-language approach can help bring social studies to life for students. Explains that the arrangement of terms into a web or map that shows the terms' interrelationships and is one way of using the whole-language approach. Provides guidelines for thematic instruction and a list of potential themes. (SG)

Discusses curriculum development and renewal for social studies. Recommends the use of fundamental themes such as democracy and social responsibility as the curriculum focus. Identifies five pitfalls in the development process and provides solutions for each. (CFR)

Working in groups on weekly themes, students discover calculus concepts through assigned readings and written reports. Provides an outline of the course content for two courses and how the courses are organized. An appendix contains the complete text of two themes on curve sketching and applications of the definite integral. (MDH)

Asserts that education cannot be limited to the confines of a textbook but must be a true window to the world. Argues that this can be achieved through curriculum and thematic teaching. Provides suggestions for designing and teaching integrated, thematic units. (CFR)

Unsuccessful at easing teachers into heterogeneous grouping practices, an Indiana principal used a small grant allowing teachers to view thematic instruction, cooperative learning, and flexible-scheduling innovations at sister schools. For a modest cost (substitutes, lunch, and mileage), teachers made greater attitude changes in one year than…

Unlike traditional instruction, which emphasizes basic skills mastery as a gateway to more challenging coursework, the interdisciplinary, thematic, team-based humanitas program at Los Angeles Unified School District stresses that all students can learn from a conceptual approach. The key is teacher collaboration. Attendance rates have improved…

The iNtegrating Technology for inQuiry (NTeQ) model teaches students to use computers to solve problems, as adults do in the workplace and home. This article presents a third grade teacher's experience using the NTeQ model for a thematic unit in which student entrepreneurs developed and marketed a new pizza requiring no refrigeration or cooking.…

Shows that middle-school students with autism were able to recall parts of a series of stories that were read to them. Finds that recall improved when stories around a theme were presented in a series, and was further enhanced when students drew and wrote about the stories and referred to their work when answering questions. (SR)

Describes the procedures followed in developing a theme-based English-as-a-foreign-language curriculum to be implemented nationwide in the Republic of Lebanon. The description covers the procedures followed in forming curricular objectives, developing perspectives on instruction, setting criteria for material selection and adaptation, and devising…

Successful integration of technology into education calls for a new vision of professional development as an ongoing program aligned with curriculum goals, designed with built-in evaluation, and sustained by adequate financial and staff support. Research identifies three effective collaborative models: peer coaching, study groups, and thematic…

Built around such themes as nature, cooking, and community involvement, after-school programs help students make powerful connections and ask big questions. Theme-based programming is most successful when staff members listen, observe, and acknowledge experiences that excite and motivate the students. Kids also love clubhouses and pressrooms. (MLH)

Noting that science, mathematics, and technology are the cornerstones of the schools of the future, discusses the criteria for evaluation of science, mathematics, and technology curricula, including learning environment, curriculum design, learning activities, and parent participation. Also provides strategies on how to improve and extend science…

Two teacher participants in a Georgia multi-age project offer principles for effective middle-school practice. Teachers should include kinesthetic activities and the arts; believe in every student's learning potential; make learning fun and engaging; use interdisciplinary and thematic approaches; assess their progress; and create learning…