This action research project devised a program designed to increase the use of visual elements in middle school core subjects and assessed its impact on student recall, teacher awareness, and use of visual/spatial elements. Observation, surveys, and interviews documented teachers' and students' limited knowledge and use of visual/spatial elements such as visualization, color cues, picture metaphor, idea sketching, and graphic symbols. Results of the Stroop Color Word Test administered to students documented the over-emphasis on verbal/linguistic intelligences. The intervention consisted of one 3-week unit on American Indians, which was taught in two content areas simultaneously, using learning activities that encouraged skills such as visualization, color cues, picture metaphors, idea sketching, and graphic symbols. A research group of fifth graders in one middle school who participated in the program was compared to a control group of fifth graders who had the social studies unit with no corresponding art unit. Evaluation results indicated that students in the research group performed better on a knowledge test and showed a positive impact on the Stroop Effect. Teachers indicated an increase in the use of visual/spatial elements in core subjects. Appendices include teacher surveys, photographs of student projects, examples of student writing, and sample class materials. (Contains 21 references.) (KB)