This paper reports the analysis of data gathered during a six-week period in spring, 1983, in two junior high school classes in each of three subject areas: science, mathematics, and English. The purpose is to describe and propose some images or metaphors for depicting the processes associated with the enactment of tasks in these classrooms. Discussed is the development of an analytical language to deal with curriculum as a central dynamic of classrooms, rather than a context variable, specifying that students learn by processing information in subject matter domains. The cognitive levels of tasks were evaluated and related to educational outcomes. Data consists of narrative accounts of classroom events and processes, copies of materials used in class, and completed student work that had been graded by the teacher, as well as interviews with both students and teachers. Observer training and data collection techniques are described, and analysis procedures are reported. Class descriptions, commonalities across teachers, commonalities within subject areas, and task analysis are discussed. The paper concludes with an examination of anticipatory management of classrooms, reviewing how teacher, student, curriculum, and management variables intersect in constructing educative events in classrooms. Appendixes contain topic/task lists and content strands. (JM)