Based on a diachronic case study of history textbooks used in Slovak primary and secondary schools since 1918, this article discusses the roles biographies of historical heroes can play in school education. The case study analyses history textbook narratives about the medieval ruler Svätopluk published during three different political regimes,…

Relates the history of ideas to the history of education during the middle ages. Topics discussed include cultural life, economic factors, the political economy of medieval education, and the difficulty of writing about educational trends during a time for which there are few authoritative sources. (DB)

Discusses social and intellectual factors in medieval Italian algebra; problems and methods, including operating on the unknown, quasi-equation problems, and giving-and-receiving problems; and the scope of algebraic methods. Considers implications for teaching. (43 references) (MKR)

Integrates a lesson on medieval European history with a class art project. Describes how students studied heraldry to design their own coat of arms and produce a relief sculpture shield depicting these arms. Lists materials needed and outlines the process of construction. (DSK)

This article is dedicated to shedding light on a spectrum of issues in educational thought in Islam, which may--due to their universal relevance--be of interest not only to specialists but also to a wider readership. It also provides an idea of the educational views and philosophies advocated by some great medieval Muslim thinkers which offer…

Greek mythology, Egyptian mummies, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City are the focus of a one-semester course given at the Sea Girt (New Jersey) Elementary School. It is an interdisciplinary program wherein students (grade 8) study ancient civilizations and do projects related to their studies. (KC)

One educator presents maritime history to students using technologies available to ancient seafarers. Techniques include dead reckoning, the sandglass, the magnetic compass, celestial navigation, and various navigation techniques of precontact Polynesia that depended upon oral transmission of knowledge. The paper notes differences between…

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)

This lesson introduces students to music in the Court of Alfonso X The Learned, Spanish king from 1252-1284. The readings provide information about King Alfonso, his political ambitions, and his contributions to Spanish medieval history. The lesson also introduces his establishment of laws with new legal codes and his remarkable collection of…

Discusses teaching eighth-grade students about the Middle Ages at St. John's School in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Explores a lesson in Montreal history offered to third- and fourth-grade students at the city's Hampstead School. Describes an environmental education unit for kindergarteners at Montreal's Edinburgh School. (DK)

Carisbrooke Castle in England, Charles I's prison for nearly a year, is a complex historic site with walls dating from the early 12th century and additions and alterations incorporated over later centuries. This guide may be used by teachers preparing their students for an on-site visit, or as an independent study of an English medieval castle.…

Describes the first printed world map from 1472. Discusses the style development consisting of a circle of land surrounded by ocean and divided into three continents by water. Includes explanations of the ocean sea, continents, decorations, and locations, and the map's significance as a representation of a unified world view. (DK)

Notes that there are few readily accessible resources for teachers who wish to include popular culture in their ancient, medieval, or renaissance history lessons. Goes on to partially remedy this situation by providing a review of print sources of information on popular culture. Also mentions useful films and artifacts. (DSK)

This one- to three-week high school unit on Russian iconography was developed as part of a series by the Public Education Religion Studies Center at Wright State University. The unit can be incorporated into a larger unit on Russian literature, art, religion, or history. Four reasons for studying iconography are: 1) it is a splendid Russian art…

This resource book is for teachers in England who would like to visit St. Augustine's Abbey with their students. The first part consists of background information, documents, and advice on how to plan and prepare for the visit. The second part is aimed at pupils aged 9 years and over. It includes a trail of the site, a set of classwork sheets and…