Believed to have been written about the 4th century B.C., the "Ramayana" is one of the oldest epic poems in world literature. This exercise, which takes seven or eight days to complete, is intended to acquaint Westerners with the "Ramayana" in an informal format that may spark a desire to read further in the epic and to become…

The main purpose of this curriculum unit is to deconstruct stereotypes about Mexico and Mejicano/a people through the study of history, literature, and social realities. The curriculum unit is aimed at secondary humanities teachers and would be appropriate for team teaching. It includes a pre-unit and post-unit lesson, and 10 lessons that focus on…

Mexico has a rich and profound history that encompasses its pre-Hispanic indigenous roots through the period of Spanish colonialism, the struggle for independence, and the revolution. The intent of this curriculum project is to introduce secondary students, through the appeal of story, to the significant historical components/aspects that have…

Reconsiders the Caribbean as an origin-point of the modern global system. Discusses the conquests and colonization of the Caribbean; the slavery system and racial distinctions; the post-emancipation society; and culture, Creolization, and the concept of movement as features of Caribbean society. Provides a bibliography. (CMK)

To enhance the use of the Globe Watch IV public television series, produced jointly by Hampden-Sydney College (Virginia) and the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television, each lesson in this guide provides: (1) a statement of the objective of the program; (2) a synopsis of the issue discussed; (3) background information; (4) brief…

The New York City Board of Education's unit on Latin America (Global Studies Grade 9) is a welcome and useful aid to teachers seeking to develop a social studies curriculum with a global perspective. Besides the contemporary relevance, the methodology of the curriculum closely adheres to current thinking on teaching social studies. The lessons and…

These classroom materials on Romania are intended to be used in U.S. history, European history, world history, area studies, or current affairs courses. The materials are designed to offer an historical framework for considering current events, as well as some insight into the events, ideas, issues, and personalities involved in Romania's struggle…

Intended to be a culminating activity after seventh grade social studies students have studied India, this week-long lesson features autobiographical sketches of six teenagers from India. The lesson has three objectives: (1) to provide actual life stories of teenagers as a springboard for further research about the customs and culture of India;…

This updated set of lesson plans focuses on Confucius and Confucian thought, especially Confucian ethics. The lesson plans are divided into the following chapters: (1) "How do the Analects embody the ethical framework of Confucian thought?"; (2) "How does Confucianism affect behavior, attitudes and beliefs?"; (3) "How did…

Arguing that conditions in developing countries are underexamined in the social studies curriculum, the author designed lessons to explore the development process in three different areas of the world. Upon completing the activities outlined, secondary students will understand that development is a process involving a variety of interrelated…

This curriculum project compares Mexican society with the U.S. society. The project takes 4 weeks for classroom implementation, and different concepts are covered each week. A detailed step-by-step procedure is provided for the teacher to follow with 13 suggestions for projects about Mexico. Web sites are identified that offer specific information…

Murals created by Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros embody a time of change in Mexico. The murals they created were intended to educate an illiterate population. Today these murals embody national pride. The goal of this curriculum project is rooted in learning about the history, culture, and art of Mexico. The project…

This article approaches the Aral Sea's demise as an extreme example of how human development has the potential to destroy the environment. The discussion focuses on two lessons provided by the Aral Sea story: (1) the interdependence between humanity and nature, and the consequences of disregarding the environment in pursuit of progress; and (2)…

This document examines development efforts in Africa. While discussing issues in an African context, the document challenges students to consider a wider, global context. Africa, with its history of colonialism, its fragile soil, its expanding population, its struggle to provide people with the basic means of existence, illustrates very starkly…

This book presents nearly 50 interdisciplinary strategies to link social studies and English classes around common themes. The book is designed for the changing classrooms of middle school and high school learners. The strategies are designed to offer a continuum of student-centered activities for a one day lesson to a semester's length. Each…