This ERIC Digest considers the present state of teaching about Latin America in elementary and secondary schools in the United States, the need and rationale for Latin American studies, effective approaches to teaching Latin American studies, and resources to supplement textbooks that treat Latin America inadequately. Following an introductory…

A curriculum guide is presented for three sequential courses in Latin at the high school level in the Province of Alberta. The guide includes the following: outlines of goals and objectives, the rationale for including Latin in a high school program, specific minimum expectations at the end of the third course for each language skill (listening,…

Intended for college students and teachers of English literature, this paper examines the lives and works of three great medieval Anglo-Saxon priestly scholars whose Latin writings have preserved the Anglo-Saxon roots of the English language. The paper first describes the works of Aldhelm, born in 650 A.D., whose poetry was not in the Latin…

This unit examines the economic and military concerns that have linked the Caribbean and Central America to the United States. The first section of the first booklet reviews the history of U.S. involvement in the region from the mid-1800s to the early 1960s. Part 2 focuses on the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and presents a day-by-day account of…

This curriculum outline introduces the components of a Latin America Civilization course which acquaints students with the Philippines and the similarities that exist between the Philippines and Latin America. First, the goals and student objectives of the course, which emphasizes the history, economic, political, religious, ethnic, and social…

This paper consists of two art curriculum units: (1) mural painting; and (2) sculpture. In the mural painting unit, students analyze and critique works done by Diego Rivera and create a mural using the fresco technique. In the sculpture unit, students create a piece of sculpture that combines influences of past and/or present-day Mexican sculpture…

These guidelines, designed to aid schools in developing their own curriculum guides and to assist teachers in planning courses, set out objectives for the development of oral, reading, and writing skills in Latin and for an understanding of Roman culture. Throughout the guide, the emphasis is on the development of the reading skill. The…

Informed US citizens recognize the importance of neighboring South American countries. Few teachers, however, have the time to teach about each Latin American country. One approach to instruction is to focus on a few important countries. Suggestions to help middle school students learn about Argentina, Brazil, and Peru are presented. (RM)

This lesson shows how the Inca communicated across the vast stretches of their mountain realm, the largest empire of the pre-industrial world. The lesson explains how couriers carried messages along mountain-ridge roads, up and down stone steps, and over chasm-spanning footbridges. It states that couriers could pass a message from Quito (Ecuador)…

North Carolina's Latin curriculum guide describes the overarching concepts for Latin study, particularly at the secondary level, and outlines what students should know and be able to do at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. It is designed to provide directions to school districts as they plan and/or continue to improve their Latin…

This curriculum unit, intended to be used with students in grades 2 and 3, focuses on the Mexican state of Michoacan. Lesson 1 first gives students an overview of Mexico. Lesson 2 provides an introduction to a Michoacan archeological dig, while lesson 3 focuses on the geography of Michoacan. Lesson 4 discusses Purepecha weaving. Lesson 5 presents…

This paper contains bibliographies of Latin American fiction and classroom applications for use in a 3-week unit in an introduction to fiction class. Section 1 discusses background research, selection of materials, choice of authors, translation issues, and plans for future study and course development. Section 2 contains an annotated bibliography…

Addresses the problem of geographic literacy with respect to the Caribbean Basin. Provides a lesson plan, including maps and charts, that encourages and challenges students to learn the geography of the Caribbean Basin, and to think about the problems that develop when large numbers of legal and illegal immigrants enter the United States. (RW)

Derivations of the term "gerund" are examined as they pertain to native English speakers learning French, Italian, and/or Spanish. The form's etymology is chronicled from Latin, and its current usage in student textbooks in the three languages is examined. A solution to the terminological confusion surrounding the term is proposed. (41…

Outlines a research-based model for greater family involvement among Latino families in the area of mathematics. Reports that parents remarked that they had never been given a choice of times for school-related activities; they now felt like real partners in the learning and teaching of their children. (ASK)