This World Bank (Washington, D.C.) kit is a case study designed to introduce secondary school social studies students to a project in Kenya established to strengthen small-scale industries. The kit contains a pamphlet, a booklet, a sound filmstrip, and a teacher's guide. The pamphlet, "Economic Summary: Kenya," points out the severe…

This collection of essays presents a rationale for incorporating teaching about Japan in the K-12 curriculum. The volume provides practical examples and guidelines about how to achieve this goal. The essays are organized into three main categories--professional development, curriculum design and enhancement, and exchange. The essays include:…

This handbook was designed to help students learn the cultural contexts in which human rights are variously defined. It provides a comparative study of five nations, selected for their geographic and cultural scope, as a unique way to study human rights. Chapter 1 sets the stage for the study by presenting activities for establishing class…

Twenty-nine teachers participated in a 4-week National Endowment for the Humanities institute which covered topics from pre-contact Hawaiian population estimates to formation of plantation workforces to contemporary sovereignty issues. The lessons the participants developed are divided into nine sections. Section 1, "Geography," contains…

This lesson booklet is designed to fit any classroom and can be adjusted to any grade level. The materials can be used as a thematic unit or as individual activities to be integrated into the curriculum. The objective is to provide students with a broader cultural perspective on Japan. Blackline masters, pictures, and handouts are included, along…

This simulation allows students to learn of the shared Hispanic background of the Southwestern states and help students realize that the states developed in a parallel fashion, not in isolation. The packet is divided into eight sections: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Land"; (3) "Native Americans"; (4)…

This presentation is designed to be part of a unit of study on the Middle East for sixth-grade students. The presentation is combined with independent and group research covering the people, geography, history, and economies of the countries of the Middle East. The presentation explains that Israel is a unique country in the Middle Eastern region…

This unit's multidisciplinary approach is well-suited to students in grades 7 through 9. "Life in Japan" is a unit of "Today's Japan": Learning Environment's three level series on Japanese culture. This resource is designed to help teachers with this effort. The program was developed in consultation with classroom teachers by a…

This packet contains five lessons related to the five themes of geography: location; place; human-environment interaction; movement; and region. The lessons are designed to support the teaching of courses in world geography, U.S. government/civics, and economics from a comparative U.S./German perspective. Lessons include: (1) "Location of…

Presents the Middle East as a circumterral (rimmed by interpenetrating inland seas) rather than circumthallasic (lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea). Contends that, in a circumterral setting, domination by a single nation is made difficult by the weight of the land masses that project into the seas. (CFR)

Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Middle Eastern history textbooks appropriate for college instruction. Reviews the textbooks in terms of coverage, how current is the information, and style and content. Provides a wealth of background information. (MJP)

This guide offers a closer look at Paraguay as a landlocked republic in the heart of South America. The activities emphasize the interaction between the people and their land and pertain to three academic levels. Activities for grades 3-5 include: (1) "Packing for Paraguay"; (2) "Where in the World Are We Going and How in the World…

This guide features Mexican history, culture, and the environment in the years past and present. This guide discusses five periods of Mexican history, including: (1) Indian Period; (2) Colonial Period; (3) Independence Movement; (4) The Revolution; and (5) Mexico Today. Each section has goals for the students, background readings, and activities…

This document is part of a series that seeks to help people think constructively about foreign policy issues, to improve citizen involvement, and to encourage debate on public issues. The document examines the history of the conflict in Vietnam, both before and during U.S. involvement. Options that the document suggests for debate appear under the…

A teaching packet was developed in association with the exhibition, "The Noble Path: Buddhist Art of South Asia and Tibet," held at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., from October 1, 1989 to March 31, 1990. The packet aims to provide students in middle and secondary schools with introductory…