Southern United States folk music is rich in not only sound, but in voices of the past. Folk songs were created by working class individuals who described aspects of their life in connection with societal issues and events. Folk songs, now digitally archived, can serve as primary historical sources that can be used to enhance the secondary social…

For social studies teachers, the challenge is to teach about war by going beyond causes and results and the major battles and highlights historians claim as important. Excerpts from literature and primary source materials and discussion questions are presented to help secondary students study the personal side of World War I. (RM)

Secondary students participate in a library scavenger hunt to find answers to questions raised by the press release containing President John F. Kennedy's telegram to Nikita Kruschev congratulating the Soviets on the first successful manned space flight. Issues for classroom discussion are also presented. (RM)

These learning activities can be used to show secondary level students how contemporary art and literature reflect the main trends of thought and values of the People's Republic of China. Students learn about two of the most important philosophies in old China--Confucianism and Taoism. They also learn about new China (China since 1949). Students…

Through the use of history resource folders containing literature and primary source materials, elementary teachers can involve children in historical issues. Discusses how to design and construct the resource folders and provides suggestions for themes, source materials, and learning activities. (RM)

In this learning activity, which is used in an 11th-grade ancient history course in Canada, students are asked to assume that they are archaeologists of the far-distant future. They are given a box of artifacts that they must analyze to determine what the future society is like. (RM)

Presents background information and learning activities about Camp Hoover, the presidential retreat built by President Hoover and later renamed Camp David. Includes three readings, three maps, two photographs, two drawings, and four student activities. (CFR)

Presents a three-activity lesson plan based on Weir Farm, home of Impressionist painter J. Alden Weir and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Includes three student readings, three maps, and a tabular chart. Outlines step-by-step instructional procedures and a list of books for further reading. (CFR)

Utilizes a letter by J. Dewey Soper as an example of how archival documents can be used in the social studies classroom and explains that in the letter Soper reported on his exploration of Baffin Land (Canada) to the acting director of the Geological Survey. Addresses possible activities and discussion questions. (CMK)

Presents a high school unit about the U.S. Industrial Revolution featuring the Boott Cotton Mills of Lowell, Massachusetts. Includes student objectives, step-by-step instructional procedures, and discussion questions. Provides two maps, five illustrations, one photograph, and three student readings. (ACM)

Besides presenting information, the purpose of the many functional and creative social studies activities is to motivate and educate students in kindergarten through grade eight. Chapter 1 of this document provides an overview of perspectives on social studies. Chapter 2 focuses on geography and provides an extensive variety of basic information,…

This teacher's manual introduces educators to the History Channel's, "Save Our Sounds" project, a part of "Save Our History" project. The manual features the multilayered story of the U.S. recorded sound heritage. The manual provides opportunities for team teaching and enrichment studies in history, social studies, music,…

Students gain from a sense of the living history that surrounds Harper Lee's novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." Through studying primary source materials from American Memory and other online sources, students of all backgrounds may better grasp how historical events and human forces have shaped relationships between black and white and…

This handbook was designed to help students learn the cultural contexts in which human rights are variously defined. It provides a comparative study of five nations, selected for their geographic and cultural scope, as a unique way to study human rights. Chapter 1 sets the stage for the study by presenting activities for establishing class…

The high school journalism teacher who initiated the Foxfire Project discusses the memorable learning experiences and community studies in which students are involved as they develop and publish the Foxfire magazines. The author describes the project objectives and the successfully implemented teaching techniques and learning activities so that…