This guide is for educators who wish to improve existing curricular frameworks about teaching about language. The guide is anchored by five goal statements for student learning: (1) to investigate the origin and early development of human communication systems; (2) to gain an appreciation for the rich variety of ways in which humans convey messages to each other (including oral, written, silent, and symbolic); (3) to explore the cultural diffusion connected with language development and language "borrowing"; (4) to motivate students to learn other languages and to increase their capacity for communicating with others; and (5) to introduce students to the culture and geography of areas in which the target language is used (using the target language as the medium). Sample activities, separated by grade level, are organized to correspond to each of the five goals. Resources that teachers might use in conducting the activities also are suggested. Five lesson plans are included: (1) Early Cave Paintings in Africa; (2) The Fingertips Kiss and the Ring: Gestures as Language; (3) Kindergarten--Sauerkraut--Gestalt; (4) Bilingual Nonsense Rhymes; and (5) Jigsaw Puzzle Game Project. (DB)