Much has been written about the benefits to be derived by incorporating the history of mathematics into its teaching. Of the various ways to do this, the use of original sources is among the most thrilling for the insights and the challenges it offers for students and instructors alike. In this paper, we describe examples of one particular…

To learn about the history of psychology, college students presented past research papers in psychology as if they were the original author, and the audience was confined, in raising questions, to their understanding of the prevailing state of knowledge and social outlook at the time of the paper's original publication. (RM)

Describes an exercise for helping students evaluate the veracity of primary documents, and considers two kinds of knowledge that documents can give about the past: information about events that occurred; and insight into the perceptions and thoughts of those who lived in the past, including those responsible for the document's creation. Discusses…

Maintains that most history students realize that primary sources are the cornerstone of written history. Contends that, when students understand that written history reflects the historian's personal insights, biases, and limitations, they discover both the pleasure and peril of studying history. (CFR)

One of the key episodes in the history of the region of Australia called Tasmania is an incident known as the Risdon Massacre. In 1804 near the Risdon Settlement, a large number of aborigines were killed by settlement officials. This document invites students to investigate what really happened on the day of the Risdon massacre and in so doing,…

This handbook of historical sources for use in the school includes suggestions, leads, and examples, which serve as springboards to other sources, encouraging the teacher to consider various ways in which original source materials might be used in an instructional setting. The following categories are used as one way of looking at primary sources:…

Using a variety of learning activities and primary sources, elementary and secondary students investigate family and community history and ethnicity. The major goals of the units are to provide factual information about immigrants to America from about 1820 to 1920 and to assist students in investigating immigrant history and heritage in their…

Outlines activities using the 1867 quarterly returns for the Registry of Deaths for Pictou County, Nova Scotia, to link population themes in early Canada to today's global issues. Learning activities include having students research the age of mortality, cause of death, human migration, and occupational profile. (MJP)

On her death in 1910, Florence Nightingale left a vast collection of reports, letters, notes and other written material. There are numerous publications that make use of this material, often highlighting Florence's attitude to a particular issue. In this paper we gather a set of quotations and construct a dialogue with Florence Nightingale on the…

The resource guide is designed to help seventh grade history teachers in Ohio meet the requirements for a mandated course on state history, geography, and civics. Although history is the central discipline, the guide presents an interdisciplinary approach. It contains questions for discussion, readings from primary sources, and class activities…