Argues that moral education needs to move beyond the development of individual character and assume a leadership position in the creation of better societies and a better world. Includes examples of innovative schools that have spearheaded this approach. Discusses intersections between moral education and the social sciences. (MJP)

Recommends incorporating a thorough analysis of popular music into the teaching of music appreciation. Considers moving beyond the traditional approach (chronological progression beginning with the medieval period) to include innovative comparisons of different styles, instruments, and historical periods. Includes suggested strategies, activities,…

Describes a high school U.S. history class that combines experiential learning with local history. The class models their historical inquiry after a fictional character in, "The Secret of Gumbo Grove," who uncovers her hometown's secrets. A class trip to the local cemetery provides opportunities for historical research. (MJP)

Discusses a ninth grade, culturally diverse, interdisciplinary social studies class. Students pick a person from the class to study with whom they feel a connection and prepare a presentation about this connection, including a poster. Includes the four major themes of the class and a reading list. (MJP)

Reviews research in the area of interdisciplinary team work at the middle school level. Suggests that the benefits of interdisciplinary teaming are clear--evidence abounds suggesting that teaming results in higher achievement in math, reading and language arts skills. Furthermore, these skills are developed more effectively across a wide range of…

Describes a high school oral history project where the students investigated the culture, attitudes, and experiences embedded in the 1950s. The students discovered a harsh reality behind the popular nostalgia, a reality that included racism and sexism. Provides sample questions and quotes from the transcripts. (MJP)

Describes a ninth-grade class project where students were asked to recall a specific sense memory involving smell and foods. They wrote a brief narrative reflecting on the experience and created a recipe card for the food. These were combined with a pictorial representation of the food for a final project. (MJP)

Provides of examples of performance-based assessments in three categories: (1) projects; (2) performances; and (3) question strategy sessions. Describes a typical performance-based assessment project including setting up the project, peer evaluation, the class presentation, and the test used. (CFR)

Describes an integrated curriculum approach to world history/language arts that employs student filmmaking as its primary instructional approach. Discusses how the production process allows teachers to assess students' content knowledge, writing skills, and research skills. Includes a list of "helpful hints," a model content outline, and…

A theme of sharks is used to illustrate the process of developing interdisciplinary units for middle school instruction, including a model for teams of teachers to follow. As activities evolve, a concept map is created to illustrate relationships and integration of ideas and activities for various disciplines. (Contains 10 references.) (MKR)

The philosophical, legal, moral, economic, and empirical bases supporting educating teachers to teach both typically and atypically developing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and to work with their families are presented. Content for such integrated teacher education curricula and certification standards are recommended. Efforts by…

Describes a 4-week multidisciplinary unit built around intensive study of a historical period, used in grades 3-5 at Pepperell Intermediate Schools, in Opelika, Alabama. Students experience U.S. history at a five-day fair where periods on history have been recreated. Describes planning for American Heritage Week, the Village Fair, and field trips.…

Reflects on the collective experiences of eight medical schools participating in a large-scale medical curriculum development project, highlighting lessons learned over five years and commenting on issues of leadership, governance, communication, faculty development, curriculum integration, instructional methods, student assessment, and program…

It is anticipated that given current economic, social, and educational trends, some dental, medical, nursing, and pharmacy schools will close, and health occupations education will be characterized by more interdisciplinary cooperation and regionalization of resources. Clustering of dentistry schools and better use of information and…

Examines a selective sampling of children's novels that exhibit different views toward slavery and the Civil War, based on gender, race, geographic location, and national origin. Briefly summarizes these selections and discusses their strengths and weaknesses. (MJP)