As Japan takes a place as one of the world's technologically and economically advanced nations, the number of foreign students seeking to study in Japan has increased rapidly, as has the number of foreigners expressing interest in studying Japanese culture and the Japanese language. The Japanese government's program of international student…

The unit is intended as part of a world cultures curriculum taught at the 10th grade level. The lessons include: (1) "Mexico in Brief"; (2) "The Mexican American War 1846-1848"; and (3) "History and Educational Status of Americans of Mexican Descent (Chicanos) in the Southwest." Additional resources and a 32-item…

This interdisciplinary unit is designed for secondary level history students but can be adapted for other levels. The focus of the unit is on Diego Rivera's mural "Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda." Students use the mural to examine three major phases of Mexican history and to provide a basis of research of Mexican history and…

This curriculum emphasizes El Salvador's physical and human geography and involves students in active learning situations using critical and creative thinking skills. The seven lessons include: (1) "Why Study El Salvador?"; (2) "Where in the World Is El Salvador?"; (3) "Picturing El Salvador: Looking Beyond the…

Explains how a world civilization course at Butler University (Indiana) was significantly enhanced after a geographic perspective was used to introduce students to various cultures. Describes the units on China and pre-revolutionary Russia. Outcomes included a better understanding and appreciation for geography by both students and teachers. (GG)

This unit is designed to accompany a video presentation that focuses on India from the perspective of a participant in the Fulbright-Hays Seminar Abroad Program. This unit can be incorporated with a study of India's land, history, and geography. The text provides a narrative as students view contemporary pictures of India and is intended to…

This packet shares general impressions and interpretations of Mexico offered by a participant in a 5-week Fulbright-Hays Seminar. Included are suggestions on how to use this information to open up communication between the school and Mexican students and their parents. In addition to the background information and statistics, the material also has…

These lessons on Mexico have been taught in an integrated fashion within a sixth grade language arts and social studies classroom. Lessons are intended to be easy to pick up and use by any teacher. The material includes: (1) Rationale; (2) "Lesson 1 - I'll Bet You Can Map the Western Hemisphere in a Minute!"; (3) "Lesson 2 -…

This unit is designed for students in grades 6-12. The unit provides an introduction to Sierra Leone and the continent of Africa through basic concepts and a conceptual framework for learning. The unit is divided into 17 activities. Activities include: (1) "Stereotypes and Myths about African and Africans"; (2) "The Manding Name…

This curriculum guide is the outgrowth of a program developed by The American Forum for Global Education to help New York City teachers improve the teaching of Japan in their classrooms. The resource guide provides an interdisciplinary perspective on Japanese culture for secondary teachers and students. In addition to suggested classroom…

This paper describes a resource tool called a pathfinder, which is a specialized bibliography used by public, academic, and school librarians to compile related information into a single document, usually under 10 pages. This Middle East Pathfinder contains 14 types of information sources including: (1) a brief introduction to the topic with…

Developed for elementary school children, this unit is designed to teach about Mexican American culture through the study of holidays celebrated throughout much of Latin America and the southwestern United States. The unit describes and provides background information about nine Mexican American holidays. Among the activities included are the…

Human beings are shaped by their cultural and natural environment, yet there is no systematic in-depth inquiry into world cultures at any given level in the social studies grade spectrum. This article attempts to collect and collate the scattered notions about different cultures and places to which students are exposed from about grade 6 onward…

Part of an international series of amply illustrated, colorful, small size books designed for children ages 5 to 10, this volume presents information on the life and customs of Australia and what it is like to live on the biggest island in the world. Color illustrations and maps show the habitats of birds, flowers, and animals native to Australia…

The teachers of second languages and the teachers of social studies share a weighty responsibility to help students move toward global understanding and multicultural awareness. Possible areas of cooperation between the two disciplines, as well as constraints, are discussed. (RM)