This history course has been designed by the Schools History Project for the national curriculum in England. It covers three study units for the revised curriculum, including: (1) the Roman Empire as a study of an era or turning point in European history before 1914; (2) Medieval Realms as a statutory unit; and (3) Islamic Civilizations as a study…

Within this supplementary teaching unit, students investigate primary source documents to evaluate federal government policy regarding the transition of some four million African Americans from slavery to freedom at the conclusion of the Civil War. Lessons in the unit examine the political debate over the establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau,…

Focusing on the great convergence of Native Americans and Spaniards in the American Southwest introduces students to the indigenous Anasazi, the Spanish Colonists, and the ensuing conflict of cultures culminating with the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. This unit is based on and uses primary resources taken from documents, artifacts, journals, diaries,…

When analyzing the degree to which a balanced presentation of NATO is achieved in West German history and civics textbooks, two standards may be used: first, inclusion of information on NATO's formation, aims, strategies and achievements; and, second, inclusion of the criticisms that have been leveled at NATO from various points of view. This…

Written by teachers from the United States and Canada, these lesson plans focus on integrating the teaching of history and art history. Seventeen lesson plans cover the topics of (1) Slavery, Henry Ossawa Tanner, and His Family--Grades: Elementary; (2) Chinese Landscape Painting--Grades: Elementary; (3) Regionalism: American Art of the Great…

In this book, a professional historian provides a personal narrative of how he thinks about teaching history. While the historian's experience seems, at first glance, to be removed from that of secondary teachers, it is to such teachers that his account is directed. The historian stresses that the essential questions about teaching history are the…

This anthology presents seven articles that focus on the integration of ethical and spiritual concerns into the academic curriculum. The argument is made for the inclusion of ethical and religious concerns in the study of subjects such as literature, history, foreign languages and cultures, and science. The articles include: "The Voice of the…

This report contends that most U.S. history and government textbooks give only cursory attention to the Second Amendment "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms..." to the U.S. Constitution, and most endorse a particular political view of the amendment, rather than providing the necessary background for an informed political…

Designed for social studies educators, this theme issue presents 11 articles about historic places that feature a variety of ideas for elementary and secondary lesson plans, curricula, and program development. The articles are: (1) "Where did History Happen?" (Beth M. Boland); (2) "Creating a Partnership" (Carol D. Shull); (3)…

This document explores the changing U.S. office, from its expansion in the 1830s due to the railroad industry to its dominance in the U.S. economy of the late 20th century. This examination of the office provides a way to study the U.S.' growth from the industrial revolution to the information age. Chapter 1 provides a brief historical overview of…

This ERIC Digest discusses the National History Standards and their implementation in elementary education. The National Standards, along with recent research on history learning, have influenced curriculum guides, textbook revisions, and new instructional materials in various formats. This digest summarizes research on children's ability to learn…

This report is from a study designed to determine: (1) the extent to which specific instructional media, technologies, and strategies are used in teaching U.S. history; (2) titles and types of resources found to be effective in teaching U.S. history; and (3) the extent to which history teachers are involved in cooperative activities with school…

Part 5 of this five part project helps students of the Tasmanian region of Australia explore the history of Port Arthur, a 19th century penal colony located in Tasmania. The project is based on three ideas: (1) studying history can be educational and enjoyable; (2) imagination is an essential part of studying history; and (3) history is most of…

Completed at Ohio State in 1942, this seminal dissertation presents a clearly thought out statement of the necessary goals of the social studies in a democracy as these relate to the learning process, to the content, and to the teaching methods employed in social studies instruction. The dissertation is arranged into seven chapters. Chapter 1,…

The use of German film in four instructional contexts, based on experiences in developing a university course, is discussed. One use is as part of a German culture course taught in German, emphasizing the role of film as a cultural statement of its time, intended to be either a social criticism or a propaganda tool. A second use is integration of…