Activities, questions, and research opportunities presented in Voices Curricula correspond directly to all 12 standards for English Language Arts as presented by the National Council of Teachers of English; selected standards for arts education as outlined in the National Standards for Art Education; and selected standards for the teaching of world history, grades 5-12 as outlined by The National Center for History in the Schools.

Standards for the English Language Arts

1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
10. Students whose first language is not English make use of their first language to develop competency in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

The National Center for History in the Schools—Selected Standards Grades 5-12

• Standards in Historical Thinking
• Historical Thinking Standard 1: Chronological Thinking
• Historical Thinking Standard 2: Historical Comprehension
• Historical Thinking Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation
• Historical Thinking Standard 4: Historical Research Capabilities
• Historical Thinking Standard 5: Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making
• Putting Historical Thinking Skills to Work

National Standards for Arts Education—Developed by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations

Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

Achievement Standard:

• Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of works of art
• Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places
• Students analyze relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using such conclusions to inform their own art making

Achievement Standard—Advanced:

• Students analyze and interpret artworks for relationships among form, context, purposes, and critical models, showing understanding of the work of critics, historians, aestheticians, and artists
• Students analyze common characteristics of visual arts evident across time and among cultural/ethnic groups to formulate analyses, evaluations, and interpretations of meaning
• Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

Achievement Standard:

• Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of works of art
• Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places
• Students analyze relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using such conclusions to inform their own art making

Achievement Standard—Advanced:

• Students analyze and interpret artworks for relationships among form, context, purposes, and critical models, showing understanding of the work of critics, historians, aestheticians, and artists
• Students analyze common characteristics of visual arts evident across time and among cultural/ethnic groups to formulate analyses, evaluations, and interpretations of meaning

Featured Curricula

American Wars in Asia. Over 300 pages of classroom projects, research ideas, poetry and biographies of poets, maps, chronologies, stories, images and essays.