Using Historical Events to Develop Ethical and Aesthetic Attitudes

Abstract

We are in a transition during which the globalization of politics and economies has also influenced the need to include a concern for improved global education in pre-college curricula (Yus, 1996, 1997). At present, correcting the lack of an holistic view in school education in some countries such as in Spain is being attempted through employing interdisciplinary curricula. In this sense, one of the authors (Lillo, F., 1999) has developed a proposal on behalf of the Ministry of Education for training Secondary Education teachers. The proposal suggests a cross-curriculum approach among natural and social sciences and classical culture. Taking this interdisciplinary proposal as a basis in concordance with the GSL objectives, we have developed sequences of activities following the ways that Greeks and Romans understood nature. The objectives for these activities are to develop positive ethical and aesthetic attitudes about the role of human beings in nature. They cover conceptual, procedural and attitudinal content contained in Spanish science curricula through the analysis of classical texts, resolution of questions about them and debates on environmental impacts introduced by humans throughout history. They can be adapted easily in other contexts.