Responding to the Colorado State Board of Education's request for recommendations concerning the need to improve humanities instruction and its relationship to the development of higher-order thinking skills, this task force report specifies a scope for humanities teaching; defines higher-order thinking skills as the ability to judge information, determine alternatives, and solve problems; and encourages the state board to expand humanities instruction in public schools. The humanities goals are outlined in terms of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and outcomes. Teaching strategy examples that involve individual courses, interdisciplinary units, or an entire school in a cross-graded approach are provided. Specific task force recommendations to the state board, local school districts, and individual communities are listed, along with suggestions for teacher certification or recertification in both higher-order thinking skills and humanities. Appendices include: (1) a questionnaire to determine the extent of classroom instruction in humanities and higher-order thinking skills; (2) a humanities consultant job description; and (3) the Colorado State Board of Education's resolution, "The Three R's of Freedom: Rights, Respect, and Responsibilities". (JHP)