To find out what lesson plans formats were most useful to novices, five elementary and seven secondary student-teachers in English and history were asked to modify traditional linear formats according to their needs and to document their experimentation during student teaching. Also compares planning needs of elementary/secondary novices.…

Presents a lesson plan for illustrating how shifting patterns of immigration and public reaction have influenced public policy toward immigration restriction. Details objectives and procedures for activities using National Archives documents. Includes a worksheet and copies of government documents. (CH)

Provides a rationale for organizing history instruction around children's trade books. Presents a sample unit on the American Revolution that has been used successfully with intermediate-grade students. Describes an approach that is unique in its dual focus on students' affective responses to literature and their learning of content. (MG)

Describes an interactive problem-solving videodisc program designed for the middle schools. Explains the interdisciplinary nature of the program that includes information from astronomy, geology, history, and meteorology. Contends that the product is an excellent example of well-designed educational software. (CFR)

Asserts the view of history as a humanity. Argues that an effective way to organize instruction is to use a variety of books such as biographies, monographs, personal narratives, and novels. Contends that improving historical literacy will help improve overall literacy among college students. (CFR)

Discusses the history of citizenship education in Sweden during the twentieth century. Maintains that struggles for power in society have implications for citizen education in the schools. Reviews recent trends and changes in the Swedish educational system and the impact on citizenship education. (CFR)

Presents a history lesson based on the deed of presentation for the Statue of Liberty. Discusses the conception and history of the statue and its presentation to the United States as a gift from the people of France. Includes a copy of the document, topics for class discussion, and research, writing, and design activities. (DK)

Provides biographical sketches of two Revolutionary War soldiers from New England, Joseph Plumb Martin and Seth Bullard. Emphasizes methods that explain how the war was fought and make the struggles real rather than mythical. Recommends using local sources and records and discusses recreated Revolutionary War units. Includes excerpts from Martin's…

Explains the utility of city directories as an education resource and suggests ways teachers may use directories in student research projects. Finds original research stimulates student interest and creativity. Provides outlines for suggested study topics. Appendix includes student activity worksheets. (NL)

Suggests a teaching unit for U.S. history in which students research topics and write pulp magazine short stories. Provides detailed teaching model, including background information on pulp magazines, and classroom procedures for a four-week activity. Offers guidelines for plot outlines, format design, and evaluation criteria. (NL)

Notes that teachers can make writing assignments more acceptable by using innovative techniques. Suggests that using letter writing for research projects is a good motivational technique. Asks students to assume roles of persons of a specific historical period and write from the first-person perspective. Includes sample letter. (NL)

Examines the role of the hero in U.S. culture and how the social studies have treated heroes. Urges teachers to explore the ethical dimensions of superheroes. Indicates how Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr., for example, need to be understood in their own cultural context and in the fullness of their humanity. (CH)

Argues that, to maximize a child's educational experience in history/social science, it is imperative that teachers utilize a whole-brain teaching approach by using a variety of experiences that stimulate both sides of the brain. Discusses the three general modes in which students appear to learn: oral, visual, and kinesthetic. Suggests specific…

Contends that posters can be a powerful teaching tool in history courses. Discusses the definition, history, and development of posters. Provides approaches to using posters in the classroom, criteria for assessing effective and ineffective posters, and reprints of five exemplar posters. (CFR)

Describes a learning activity in which preservice social studies teachers determine the prior historical understanding and attitudes of secondary students through class discussions, questionnaires, and other techniques. Discusses the implication of the findings regarding historical knowledge, concepts of time, and student interest in history. (CFR)