4/8 A PROPOSAL TO THE UNITED STATES-JAPAN FOUNDATION
4.Methodology
a.　questioning about the necessity of teaching materials for the U.S. understanding which will be conducted on teachers of social studies at primary/junior high/high schools
b.　analyzing textbooks of social studies, National Geography Standard (1994), etc., selection of materials, survey of relevant literature.
c.　prior basic comparative study of the United States and Japan: lectures, in-person discussions, workshop
d.　developing teaching materials such as textbooks, lesson plans, audio-visual materials, and homepages on the Internet:
(I)	the first year (1998-99): focusing on cities and urban culture on the East Coast, including:
	(1)	nation (multiethnic nation, history of immigration, racial/ethnic problems, cities)
	(2)	culture (music, fashion, sports, meals)
	(3)	transportation (water transport, highway)
(II)	the second year (1999-2000): focusing on agriculture and industry in the Midwest area, including:
	(4)	agriculture (industrial farms, right kinds for right places, agricultural regions)
	(5)	industry (industrial cities, multinational enterprises, frontier industries)
(III)	the third year (2000-01): focusing on information industries and natural environment on the West Coast, including:
	(6)	natural environment (mountains, plains, rivers, national parks)
	(7)	international relations, trade (United Nations)
e.　prior study of U. S. geography, and politics, economy, industry, culture, history, nature, and religion as discussed in textbooks of social studies used at primary/junior high/high schools in Japan: preliminary research, lectures
f.　arrangement trip to the U.S., arranging and fixing schedules for investigation and identifying the places and institutions we will visit on intensive study tours in August
g.　intensive study tours in the United States including lectures, discussions, and on-site observation (16 people including up to 4 JUE professors―N.B. The year 1998 is the first year of our three-year program, and thus as many as four accompanying professors will be needed to establish the entire framework of the program. In the following years, more junior high/high school teachers will participate in the program. )

�