Describes how high school students in Virginia helped construct a Chesapeake Bay deadrise oyster boat in order to help gain an appreciation for the culture and history of their area. (JDH)

Intended as an example of the kind of material that a student doing research on the Progressive Era might find at a local historical society or in the files of a hometown or city newspaper, this article details the philanthropic efforts of women living in the Chicago area in the early 1900s. (JDH)

Describes the way in which a social studies chairman has used document-based lessons to encourage the use of primary sources in high school U.S. history classes. Lessons are designed to enable students to examine how national events are played out locally. (RW)

Discusses programs available through state humanities councils, museums, and historical societies to help students and teachers interested in local history gain access to information and materials. Includes media and archival sources of information. (RW)

Discusses a project in which students visit the town of Madrid, New Mexico, to create a photographic record of Madrid, accompanied by stories. Explains that a video documentary was created about this experience. Includes background information on the village of Madrid to be shared with students. (CMK)

Traces the history of Arthurdale, West Virginia, a homestead community established by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Division of Subsistence Homesteads in 1933. Includes Arthurdale's community projects, activities, and schools. (RW)

Describes the creation of Black history programing at the Missouri Historical Society. Delineates the historical resources utilized for the exhibit, stressing that there is a paucity of materials available in St. Louis on the Black experience. Reports on the project's usefulness and success with students of all grade levels. Recounts the museum's…

Describes research that students can undertake while studying history in a cemetery. Explains that, for example, students can study the changes in the cemetery, select a tombstone and write a biography of the person identified on the headstone, and learn about the memorial park and what it says about society. Includes a bibliography. (CMK)

Focuses on the reconstruction of the San Luis de Talimali, which was among the largest and most important missions in Spanish Florida with the Apalachee Indians as their parishioners. Describes the various structures found at San Luis: (1) the council house; (2) the chief's house; and (3) the church. (CMK)

Discusses David Hurst Thomas' archaeological work on the Spanish borderlands, which integrates field archaeology and documentary history. Focuses on locating and studying the Santa Catalina de Guale. Addresses his project on the Pueblo San Marcos that will further test his ideas about the Spanish mission period. (CMK)

In history classes, each student should (1) be encouraged to learn about his or her own past, and (2) be actively involved in the process of learning. For example, students can be asked to find out every thing they can that was going on the day they were born. (RM)

Presents a lesson plan that enables students to learn more about U.S. wartime production during World War II. Includes background information on wartime production efforts and provides activities for building upon this overview. Offers additional online resources, a bibliography, and primary sources. (CMK)

Introduces a new column that focuses on successful strategies used by U.S. historians. Includes seven rules for effective history teaching: (1) teach with enthusiasm; (2) rely less on textbooks; (3) use secondary sources; (4) explore current topics; (5) use local history; (6) use music and film; and (7) become computer literate. (CMK)

Discusses how students research and publish self-guided walking tours under the guidance of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Assesses the educational value of the experience and suggests resources for creating a tour. Recommends strategies for researching ethnic neighborhoods, including the use of religious and secular institutions for…

Suggests using local history, primary source material, and comparative history to alleviate the boredom most students experience when studying the Reconstruction period of U.S. history. Provides an example of comparative history usage through a discussion of ante-bellum Maryland and the history of Liberia. (KO)