The topics of Columbus's voyages of exploration, the first encounters between Amerindians and Europeans, and the ensuing collision of their respective worlds provide ample opportunities for creative and stimulating pedagogical approaches that go beyond the stale memorization of dates, places, and names. This essay and accompanying classroom…

Teaching history should not be reciting an endless list of dead men, entombed between the covers of a textbook. Instead, "Breaking Away from the Textbook" offers a fascinating journey through world history. Not a comprehensive, theory-heavy guide, this book focuses on active classroom activities, methods for students to grapple with humanity's…

Teaching history should not simply be an endless recitation of irrelevant facts, entombed between the covers of a textbook. Instead, "Breaking Away from the Textbook" offers a fascinating journey through world history. Not a comprehensive, theory-heavy guide, this book instead focuses on exciting classroom activities, methods for students to…

"Meditation and the Classroom" inventively articulates how educators can use meditation to educate the whole student. Notably, a number of universities have initiated contemplative studies options and others have opened contemplative spaces. This represents an attempt to address the inner life. It is also a sign of a new era, one in…

The creation of banners in an art project for students involved in a social studies unit concerning the Middle Ages is described. (CB)

A high school teacher describes a class project which replaced customary research papers. The high school seniors prepared a medieval banquet, a project which involved intensive research. Useful research sources on costumes, decorations, food, and general information for such a project are listed. (DB)

Directions for a game which models the feudal system of 11th century Europe are presented for high school and college history courses. The game demonstrates the medieval dependency of social structure on land holdings and vassal obligations. It also permits the expression of personal ambition, with results dependent on the loyalty and…

This document describes a classroom learning activity that brings together role playing, learning about the Middle Ages, and working for rewards. In the course of the activity, entitled "Knights of the Round Table," students advance by completing assignments and amassing points. Players move upwards through the beginning or…

Describes the use of cooperative learning groups in a competitive setting. Discusses teaching objectives, delivery methods, grading procedures and results of a cooperative learning unit which is used to teach the Middle Ages to seventh grade students. Provides student instructional materials. Activities include time period newspapers and the…

Describes a castle-building exercise in which students first learn about castles and then, using a map of the school, show on paper how they would convert the school into a castle. (TB)

A teaching unit to help students explore daily life during the Middle Ages is presented. Techniques for teaching about the medieval social structure, feudal rights and objectives, living arrangements, agricultural practices, and suggestions for building a replica of a medieval village are included. (PP)

The teaching activities presented in this paper introduce elementary pupils to illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, and, in doing so, integrate art and language and also provoke interest in history. The paper provides references, tells how to produce an illuminated calendar page (including getting background information on the history of…

The 6th century of the Byzantine Empire, dominated by the emperor Justinian (527-565 C.E.), is the focus of this unit of lessons designed for grades 7-12. Justinian's contributions to world history in various fields are examined. Noting that not all scholars are in agreement as to when Byzantine history began, the unit places its origins either at…

The adventures of Ibn Battuta, the Muslim world traveler, provide a mechanism for teaching about the early 14th century. The study of Ibn Battuta helps students to understand what is known about the past and how it is known, in terms of both history and historiography. The unit can be presented in connection with such commonly taught topics as…