Defines history as social science and humanity. States that history possesses primary responsibility for understanding and explaining evolution of civilization. Offers a list of 22 reasons why students should study history. They include: (1) to avoid being mislead by government officials, (2) to learn critical thinking skills, and (3) to enable…

This article introduces the main theme of this journal issue: teaching of history in grades seven through ten. Articles included in the journal are briefly described. (Author/RM)

Myths that have grown up and persisted about Canada's involvement in World War II are examined. It is a mythodology heavy in self-congratulation, contemptous of politicians, suspicious of outsiders, and uncertain about the possibilities for Canadian independence in a complicated world. (RM)

Presents an activity which encourages hypothesis testing and introduces the study of prehistorical and historical societies. Students formulate a hypothesis about an artifact; then the teacher gradually introduces more information. Students refine their hypotheses and test them against what the artifact was used for. (KC)

Briefly discusses the development of Cold War propaganda in the United States, Canada, and the USSR after 1947. Presents two movie reviews and a Canadian magazine advertisement of the period which illustrate the harshness of propaganda used by both sides in the immediate postwar years. (GEA)

Advocates teaching about the Holocaust in European and Canadian history courses. Maintains that the study of the Holocaust should help students see that history provides grist for reflection on our past and how our past has shaped the world we live in today. (JDH)

Clifford Sifton stands out in most Canadian history texts as the architect of the immigration policy that settled the prairies West and shaped the development of modern Canada. Background information on Sifton is provided. Letters Sifton wrote regarding immigration policy are analyzed. (RM)

Materials should be provided in history classes to allow students to draw their own insights regarding individual character traits of famous historical figures. Excerpts from historical works containing observations concerning Elizabeth I of England and how she felt regarding marriage are provided as an example of such an approach. (RM)

Exposing fables, testing new interpretations, and discovering the true complexity of myths can make history come alive. That a Methodist clergyman was put in charge of recruiting in Quebec, that Canada was unprepared for war in 1917, and that the Canadian government hopelessly mismanaged recruiting are examples of myths examined. (RM)

Explains a scavenger hunt to collect items (newspaper clippings, pictures, records, etc.) that represent the influence of the United States on Canadian Culture. The teacher prepares scavenger hunt stations which include items that students have collected. An assessment on items follows the hunt. (KC)

Provides advice on visiting military sites and battlefields across Canada. Taking students on field trips to battlefields allows them to reconstruct the past in a creative and exciting way. (RM)

Interpreting statistical data from the past is difficult. Because of dissimilarities between past and present, numbers are often difficult to compare. Discusses how teachers can use ratios to convert population statistics to equivalent values so that a comparison can be made. (RM)

Lists 27 secondary school activities in which career awareness is incorporated into the history curriculum. Students investigate occupational changes over time, identify history-related occupations, research the development of farm equipment, and invite the local bank president, news director, school librarian, and city planner to speak. (KC)

The use of poetry in teaching history is discussed. Emphasis is placed on understanding the various types of metaphors used by the poet. (DE)

Uses primary source documents to help students analyze the Winnipeg labor revolt of 1919. Includes a newspaper advertisement and photo from the strike. (JDH)