Lessons in community building and cultural understanding are important aspects of a 21st-century education. Through such lessons, students gain the keys to societal understanding as they gain knowledge about their cultural and historical contexts, and use that understanding as a setting for exploration of deeper values, emotional experiences, and…

Local history, historical fiction, and one of the most significant events of the twentieth century come together in this article as Jon Grant and Dan Townsend suggest a way to enable students to produce better historical fiction and improve their understanding of the history of their own area. They develop the work on historical fiction…

This article, by Lynda Abbott and Richard Grayson, offers a fascinating example of collaboration between school and university, focused on the development of a community archive. The project--run as an extra-curricular activity--was originally inspired by a concern to preserve the personal stories of those whose lives were affected by the Second…

Two aspects of Suffolk's Local History Classroom Project are outlined: (1) some procedures used for the construction and use of case study and (2) possible roles for computerized banks of standardized historical data. (Author/SJL)

History instructors working in a community college face two major challenges. First, to make history interesting and relevant to the students, many of whom have to take history courses as a requirement. And second, to fulfill one of the missions of a community college which is to forge a connection between the school and the people in the local…

A syllabus and teaching methods for a community college local history course which focuses on primary sources about southern New Jersey are provided. Emphasis of the course is on how national issues affect local actions. Primary sources dating back to the 17th century are found in documentary collections of local and state archives. The course,…

Advocates conducting oral history projects as part of elementary school social studies programs. Outlines key steps for incorporating oral history projects including determine a focus; identify local residents to interview; practice interviewing techniques; exchange information; and create booklets. Lists research resources. Stresses the…

This booklet describes how students and other researchers can use historical resources in their community to explore the history of their school and to determine how that history relates to community-wide and statewide developments. Although the manual is written primarily from the perspective of the public schools, the underlying theme of the…

From Cajun bayou country to Creole New Orleans, gumbo is a culinary tradition in south Louisiana, a gift from the state's rich, multicultural heritage. There are as many recipes for gumbo as there are households that make it, and every family has its own "secret" recipe. This teaching guide suggests that incorporating oral history into…

Describes a project in which a group of students wrote and published a history of their high school. Lists objectives of the project, such as developing research, analytic, interpersonal, and communication skills and self-esteem. Includes preparing a blueprint of ideas, researching, writing, marketing, and distributing the school's history. (DK)

Describes a project using city and town archives to explore important issues in U.S. history for Advanced Placement American history courses. Relates how town death, birth, or marriage records can be used by students as the stimuli for research projects on larger trends in demographic, social, or political history. (DSK)

When students in a New Jersey public middle school decided to learn about their community's history of desegregation through a unique language arts and social studies project, no one imagined how powerful the experience would be for everyone involved. In addition to researching newspaper articles and historical documents, the students conducted…

This curriculum packet contains two teacher-developed lesson plans for upper elementary students focusing on the built environment. The first lesson plan, "The Built Environment--An Integrating Theme" (Liesa Schroeder), offers suggestions for developing a walking tour around the school neighborhood, a historic area, or a city square. It…

Provides a lesson plan using historical photographs to teach local history in elementary school social studies classes. Suggests sources and copying procedures. Employs cooperative learning strategies in which students title photographs and describe what they see, then compare their findings with those of other groups and with historical…

"Muncie Remembers That Day in Dallas" is an oral history project report of a study conducted by two academic U.S. history classes of 21 students at Muncie Southside High School (Indiana) during the 1993-94 school year. The occasion of the 30th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, along with the movie "JFK,"…