Cinematic feature films are a big part of youth popular culture. When blockbuster movies are about historical topics, it is reasonable for teachers to be drawn to using them in the classroom to motivate students interest. This article overviews research on film in the history classroom and describes three learning functions that history movies can…

Applying a consistent historical theme throughout a social studies course is an effective long-term planning strategy that can promote student engagement, retention of information, and contextualized knowledge of history's continuity and change. This article demonstrates how one such theme, power and liberty, might be incorporated into a secondary…

Set during the Cold War and space race, this historical role-play focuses on Wernher von Braun's involvement in and culpability for the use of slave laborers to produce V-2 rockets for Nazi Germany. Students will grapple with two central questions. Should von Braun have been allowed to emigrate to the United States given his affiliation with the…

Given the current national debate over immigration reform and the plethora of anti-immigrant policies, practices, and laws, school curriculums should include materials that will allow students to learn about, and reflect on, the impact this debate has on the lived realities of those most impacted. Specifically, teachers and their students will…

A review of "The September 11th Education Program: A National Interdisciplinary Curriculum" reveals a sensitive and well-created program for the 5-12 social studies teacher to use in teaching about the challenging subject of 9/11. This program provides an opportunity for teachers to find a balance among understanding, critical analysis,…

The bulletin board can become a more versatile teaching aid and more adequately meet the needs of the social studies classroom if it is converted into a corkboard map or time line. (Author)

Individuals who question the value of studying history as being irrelevant to the present are reminded that all institutions, groups, and human practices exist in the time dimension and that the study of history serves to stimulate and deepen one's sense of the dimension of time. (Author/AV)

Addresses the difficulty of teaching historical perspective to students. Suggests that teachers can teach historical concepts better by trying to understand how to use indefinite time expressions. Presents results of a study focusing on teacher perceptions of student responses to indefinite time expressions. Discusses the building of time lines to…

Problems experienced by mildly handicapped students include visual perceptual and visual motor problems, inability to use and organize time, poor notetaking and outlining skills, and deficient reading vocabulary and writing skills. What the social studies teacher can do to alleviate each of these problems is discussed. (RM)

Living in Europe offers alternatives for gaining perspective on American history: 1) history is viewed from afar; 2) structures or situations similar to those which existed in American long ago are witnessed or experienced; 3) European history spans a longer time period than American is realized. New perspectives are discussed. (Author/RM)

Describes a fifth grade social studies unit on the concept of time. Explains that the unit focused on teaching about the terms century and millennium in order to help students understand that the true date of the new millennium is January 1, 2001. (CMK)

Maintains that the creation of a time capsule for any particular time period can help students visualize an abstract historical setting in a highly concrete way and provide a powerful, hands-on link to the past. Discusses different types of time capsules including family, famous people, arts, and culture. (MJP)