History has previously been learned as a long parade; making it wider, not just a single file of great men, is certainly an improvement. But whole areas of life reflect patterns of change that are apart from the major concerns of political leaders. Humanizing history makes it memorable and gives children a sense of connection. (MT)

Describes an informal program for promoting family awareness and facilitating intergenerational exchange through the use of a modified life-history method. Provides two exercises: the Family Geneology Exercise and the Family Recollections Exercise. Also provides discussion questions and suggestions for gathering further information about family…

Discusses oral history. Offers practical tips for interviewing, and provides several short assignments to give students a chance to develop interest and elementary skills in oral history. (MS)

Describes a family and community oral history project suitable for use in adult basic education classes. Discusses developing interview questions, gathering family history, writing and editing the text, and illustrating the final product with photographs. (RS)

This theme issue of "The Goldfinch" presents the story of Iowans at work beginning with the Ioway Indians before 1830 through the Great Depression of the 1930s. One article looks at how children worked to help their families buy food and clothing. Organized labor helped all workers in Iowa by providing better working conditions. Women in…

Describes how to use a family history to improve students' involvement in, and understanding of, history. Provides sample forms and suggestions for use in elementary and secondary schools. (JDH)

This 27-minute videotape joins a third-grade class as they discover local history by looking into the community for ideas, by exploring their families and neighborhoods for oral history, and by writing as a way of recording what they learn. It shows how teachers think about how to use language skills for learning and how to make use of local…

This book provides a guide to the study of genealogy, or family history, through the use of historical documents, artifacts, and private records. Intended mainly for students who wish to trace their family roots, it also can be used by anyone interested in the lives of African Americans throughout the years. Suggestions on how to find records that…

This book offers a guide to the study of genealogy, or family history, through the use of historical documents, artifacts, and private records. Intended mainly for students who wish to trace their family roots, the book also can be used by anyone interested in the lives of British Americans throughout the years. Chapters describe how to find…

This book offers a guide to the study of genealogy, or family history, through the use of historical documents, artifacts, and private records. Intended mainly for students who wish to trace their family roots, the book also can be used by anyone interested in the lives of Polish Americans throughout the years. Chapters describe how to find…

The Ethnic Studies Oral History Project of the University of Hawaii recorded and preserved interviews with 250 older Hawaiian working people and selected the 12 most representative life narratives to make up this book. According to an introduction, the 12 were chosen for their portrayal of everyday life and work, their articulation of attitudes…

This paper reports on field research conducted by students in undergraduate methods courses for secondary social studies in 1996-97. Journal entries, lesson plans, oral history reactions, and interviews were used to gather data. Objectives were: to describe the role of the interviewer in an oral history setting; and to identify and clarify the…

Oral history provides unusually rewarding opportunities for teaching writing. It teaches students to listen to the language of others and to understand the value of the "ordinary life." One method of teaching oral history in writing classes involves students' writing the story of any person who interests them. A variety of sources,…

Maintains that viewing and studying old photographs can acquaint young students with the skills of historical inquiry and help them conceptualize local and family history. Includes teaching tips, in-class activities, and suggested guest speakers. (MJP)

Brings together ideas on teaching about immigration from a number of elementary-school teachers in New Jersey and summarizes common themes. Outlines three specific projects based on the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, family history, and children's fiction. Includes a brief list of children's literature and other teaching resources. (DSK)