Students learned to perform first-person presentation to display information researched through an inquiry process. Teachers helped students learn inquiry during instructional time. Teachers, parents, and guardians worked together to support student learning in a high poverty and low educational attainment Appalachian community. The character the…

Students used inquiry to invest folklore in their community. As part of the C3 inquiry arc students defined questions, connected folklore to a discipline, gathered data from their community and communicated information. Students' agency drove each of the projects as the students determined how much they would investigate each topic. Students…

The purpose of this article is to synthesize research on the benefits and use of games, role-plays, and simulations, whilst providing examples practicing teachers may wish to use in their classroom. Therefore, the article presents a discussion of key previous research on the use of games, role-plays, and simulations in secondary history…

This article describes the use of student feedback questionnaires by history teacher license candidates in a classroom-based approach called "Conferring with Students." During the past five years, at a large public university in Massachusetts, 125 teacher candidates wrote their own feedback surveys, received responses from more than…

The purpose of the study was to examine if and how elementary preservice teachers' perceptions about history were changed upon their completion of a class project that engaged them in a discipline-specific inquiry as a method of teaching history. Surveys were administered to assess any changes in their perception of the history before and after…

The author reports findings from a study that explored the methods a U.S. history teacher used to promote students' higher order thinking and engagement. The teacher, Mr. Scott (a pseudonym), challenged his urban high school students to develop stronger understandings of history by enacting elements of the teaching for understanding (TFU)…

Offers a rationale for oral history projects and details procedures for documenting oral histories. The oral history project involves students in field work in their own communities and develops interpersonal and academic skills. Procedures include locating a suitable memoirist, conducting the initial interview, tape analysis and follow-up…

A reenactment that attempts to re-create and relive the sequence of events of a significant historical happening can be an essential power for learning history. Suggestions to help teachers develop and plan a reenactment are made. (RM)

Develops an alternative to traditional genealogy assignments in order to bring this type of project into line with the increasing trend of blended families, those with stepparents or stepsiblings. Posits that this project allows students from all family backgrounds to gain valuable historical information in a meaningful and nonthreatening context.…

A high school anthropology teacher guided students in creating a new culture with distinct elements of social control, economy, decision making, family, religion, space, time, status, language, tension outlets, rituals, symbols, property, idealogy, and manners. The activity included a field trip lasting several days during which the class lived…

Describes a unit on Ancient Greece designed to make social studies meaningful to fourth and fifth graders. Individual projects and group activities helped students learn about ancient Greek culture. (AM)

Discusses the rationale for cooperative learning and examines the teacher's role in creating groups. Provides examples of cooperative learning experiences in an integrated unit and as applied to computer education. Lists the advantages of using cooperative learning, while noting its pitfalls. Cautions that cooperative learning should be used in…

Maintains that many educators have recommended that public school students need to develop social action skills and participate in community service programs. Discusses student volunteer participation in community food service programs. Provides recommendations for teachers about developing such programs. (CFR)

Maintains that educators can use Vietnamese history and culture to teach about human-environment interaction, adaptation, and modification. Describes Vietnamese water puppetry and recommends its use in U.S. classrooms. Includes five photographs, a description of water puppetry, and instructional suggestions. (CFR)

Relates the creation of the "Tarheel Museum," created by fourth-grade students in a North Carolina school. Used the creation of a museum to engage students in studying about state history; to incorporate art, music, and physical education into social studies; and to engage special education students. (DSK)