The literature of the Holocaust casts light into one of the darkest shadows in history--it is a literature worth teaching not only because of the lessons it teaches, but because of its reach into the depths of human experience. The teacher's job in teaching about the Holocaust is to explore and expose--to help students find their way through the…

This volume examines the history of the State of Hawaii. The book is organized, as most history books are, chronologically; however, it also is arranged thematically. Four aspects of Hawaiian history are divided into three time periods. Unit 1, "Precontact to 1900," addresses that era from the political, economic, social, and land…

Telling stories from secondary and college English classrooms, this book explores the new possibilities for teaching and learning generated by bringing together reader-response and cultural-studies approaches. The book connects William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, and other canonical figures to multicultural writers, popular culture,…

Films can be an effective method of teaching English, the humanities, and social studies to students from the junior high school through the community college level. This book in part a guide and in part a teacher's memoir, sets forth a rationale for using films in the classroom to encourage reading, writing, thoughtful discussion, and an…

This book is intended to assist teachers in dealing with sensitive and controversial topics in secondary U.S. history classes. The book explores topics such as gender, race, Vietnam, and civil rights. It provides specific lessons teachers can use to study conflict. All manner of resources are explained, with an emphasis on how to access those…

The U.S. frontier (1785-1861) is the focus of this unit of study for grades 5 and up. This unit contains four elements: (1) a list of documents with their specific archival reference numbers and a brief synopsis of their historical significance to the unit's theme; (2) a set of reproductions of documents; (3) 15 separate classroom activities; and…

This unit of study (for grade 5 and up) about the American frontier contains four elements: (1) a set of reproductions of documents; (2) a list of documents with their specific archival reference numbers and a brief synopsis of their historical significance to the unit's theme; (3) 15 separate classroom activities; and (4) an issue of…

This book presents nearly 50 interdisciplinary strategies to link social studies and English classes around common themes. The book is designed for the changing classrooms of middle school and high school learners. The strategies are designed to offer a continuum of student-centered activities for a one day lesson to a semester's length. Each…

This unit of study (for grades 5-8 and up) about the U.S. Civil War features original documents from the National Archives and Records Administration. All the records used in the unit reflect the actions of the federal government or citizens' responses to these actions. These records were selected for their historical value, their legibility and…

This book presents a collection of ideas about how social studies and language arts can be combined to promote learning and to create an active, informed citizenship for the 21st century. Chapter titles include: (1) "By the Book: Learning History beyond the Text"; (2) "A Place at the Table: Investigating Global Issues in a Day"; (3) "Across the…

The National Humanities Faculty working papers in this document represent reports of faculty participation in humanities projects around the country and emphasize program content that might be useful to teachers developing their own humanities programs. Arleigh D. Richardson's report is a description of the program he visited and is written by the…

Child labor in the United States is the focus of this unit of study for grades 5 and up. This unit contains four elements: (1) a list of documents with their specific archival reference numbers and a brief synopsis of their historical significance to the unit's theme; (2) a set of reproductions of documents; (3) 13 separate classroom activities;…

Intended for teachers of grades 6-10, this book was designed to motivate young people to read, build their comprehension skills, and extend their learning across the curriculum. The book's participatory mealtime programs incorporate learning with activities such as writing and art projects, role-playing, storytelling, games, interviewing, and…

Offering a comprehensive view of teaching that takes into account the great variety of backgrounds, abilities, and interests of secondary students, this book uses a holistic, integrated approach to teaching the English language arts, including group activities throughout to provide listening and speaking opportunities in literature, composition,…

Casting students in grades 5 through 12 in the roles of reporters, lawyers, and detectives at the scene of a crime, this interdisciplinary activity involves participants in the intrigue and drama of crime investigation. Using a hands-on, step-by-step approach, students work in teams to investigate a crime and solve a mystery. Through role-playing…