This paper discusses how to use opera in secondary and college courses to illustrate and clarify historical developments. For example, opera can be used in social history courses to help students understand changing social attitudes toward the child in the 19th and 20th centuries. Students are first required to read a basic work on the history of…

Describes a middle school program in which students create and produce an original opera. Describes the interdisciplinary learning acquired as students created music, dialog, sets, and costumes. Contends that the project was an exciting and rewarding experience for students and teachers. (CFR)

Describes the production of operas in a second-grade classroom. Explains how the project requires an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Contends that elementary, secondary, and even higher education students would benefit from this activity. (CFR)

Describes using a "dialogue of disciplines", a teaching method which traces a particular theme across artistic disciplines, to present Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" in a comprehensive way. Suggests that exposing students to paintings, films, stage performances, and operas creates a multidimensional experience and…

Describes a school districtwide program in which secondary students produced operas as part of the regular and extracurricular curricula. Details events dating from 1985 illustrating the growth and development of the program. Contends that the program was an intellectually rewarding experience and an excellent public relations activity for the…

Provides a rationale for using classical music as the basis of interdisciplinary units in elementary social studies. Recommends beginning with a series of humorous pieces to familiarize students with classical music. Includes many examples for utilizing pieces related to geography and history. (MJP)

Papers from the conference include the following: "Activites orales et motivation dans l'etude du vocabulaire d'une langue etrangere (Oral Activities and Motivation in the Study of Vocabulary in a Foreign Language)" (M. Guisset); "Bridging High School and College Classes through the Multicultural Approach: The Case of Francophone…