Forest kindergartens are a new idea in the United States but have been around in Germany, Norway, and other European countries for decades. Forest "kindergartens" are preschools for children ages 3-6 and focus on being outdoors and learning through interacting with nature. Instead of building with blocks or doing puzzles at a table…

This article features two documents which can serve as a starting point for a lesson on public service while students debate the amount of pay that public servants should receive. These are: (1) the printed draft of the Constitution showing George Washington's handwritten corrections that eliminated state payments and included the phrase "to be…

In this article, the author examines the practice of the filibuster, using as the featured document the signed cloture motion in the Senate for an end to the filibuster to block the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The accompanying teaching activities enable teachers to introduce their classes to the history and practice of the filibuster. (Contains 1…

In 1878, Senator Aaron A. Sargent of California introduced to the Senate an amendment to the Constitution "Conferring upon Women the Right of Suffrage." Drafted by Susan B. Anthony, this same amendment would be introduced on a near-yearly basis until its final passage by Congress on May 19, 1919. Varying degrees of voting rights presented an…

This research examines "lesson study" as a traditional model of creating professional knowledge in schools. "Lesson study," typically defined as teachers' classroom based collaborative research, has a long history in Japan as a shared professional culture with potential for enhancing learning, enriching classroom activities and…

In this article, the author uses several primary sources to demonstrate that George Washington, Samuel Cabble, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy stated their awareness of contemporary challenges, but looked to the future with hope and optimism. When they envisioned the future, their words indicated that they did not just imagine it, but…

Presenting activities, facts, and illustrations, this book takes learning the alphabet to a new level. After an introduction and a brief cartoon look at the history of the alphabet, the book presents 26 four-page mini-chapters (1 for each letter) that include a brief visual history of the letter; trivia tidbits; project ideas; a list of people,…

This 30 to 40 minute drama for elementary school students takes place in and around the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787, the day the Constitutional Convention ended. The drama focuses on five major points: (1) the Colonial Confederation's situation at that time, which necessitated calling for such a convention; (2)…

This 30 to 40 minute drama for secondary school students takes place in the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787, the day the Constitutional Convention ended. James Madison serves as the drama's spokesman. The drama focuses on five major points: (1) the Colonial Confederation's situation at that time, which necessitated…

On April 14, 1865, at approximately 10:20 p.m., John Wilkes Booth, a prominent American actor, sneaked up behind President Abraham Lincoln as he watched a play from the presidential box at Ford's Theater and shot him in the back of the head at point-blank range. Of the 14 doctors who attended to President Lincoln on the night of his assassination,…

This bulletin is one of a series on the place of subjects in the elementary school curriculum. The first of the series showed how subject matter is introduced into the program in a modern school. The other bulletins in the series discuss how various skills, such as reading, creating in art, and writing are developed in the modern school program.…

The life of James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution," and his role in U.S. history are discussed in this guide to an educational program designed to acquaint students with Madison prior to a class field trip to his home, Montpelier. An essay on Madison and the Constitution is included, as well as a vocabulary list, a historic…

This 1943 National Education Association yearbook was written to teach rural educators about conservation education in the United States. The general purposes of the book are: (1) to describe the major problems of conservation education; (2) to give specific illustrations of what specialists believe rural schools should teach; (3) to present…

This teaching unit represents a specific "dramatic moment" in history that can allow students to delve into the deeper meanings of selected landmark events and explore their wider context in the great historical narrative. Studying a crucial turning point in history helps students realize that history is an ongoing, open-ended process,…

Adopting an interdisciplinary, story-centered approach, this book suggests new ways for elementary school students to study the ancient world. The book focuses on "The Odyssey," approaching the epic poem by having students create their own rough cartoons, vivid murals, and elaborate dioramas of Greek culture. The book suggests class…