Theme Study in Elementary-School Social Studies: A Different Approach to Gaining Knowledge
T heme study is all the rage in education circles today (Lipson et al. 1993). Teacher-education texts abound with step-by-step instructions for preservice teachers to create thematic units, theme immersion, or various types of theme studies. Most texts for social studies methods cover thematic integration as part of designing social studies units. Workshops throughout the country give detailed instructions to guide us in changing our practice. The popular education journals now have sections devoted to teaching with themes. Teacher supply stores have stocked resource books to use with every theme from apples to zoo animals. Yet I would question whether theme study really does involve new approaches to classroom instruction and wonder whether the same old techniques are being put together in new packages. I explored these questions when I created a year-long curriculum within my fifth-grade classroom. Theme study has had a range of def-