Presents a high school lesson plan on the Casco Bay Treaty, an agreement between Native Americans and colonial governments in the pre-Revolutionary War era. Includes student objectives, historical background, and instructional strategies. Provides two primary source documents related to the treaty. (CFR)

Maintains that much of the high school curriculum, particularly in social studies, contains innumerable facts that have no use except to pass school tests. Reviews research on effective instruction as applied to social studies. Includes 17 characteristics of highly engaging social studies teaching and learning. (ACM)

Discusses the development of a project-based approach to history instruction as a result of student dissatisfaction with a more traditional curriculum. Maintains that interested and motivated students take more responsibility for their learning. Presents project descriptions and provides recommendations for implementing the approach. (CFR)

Describes an integrated curriculum approach to world history using a "medieval" newspaper as a primary student project. Presents technical requirements, a newspaper outline, and recommendations for research and writing. Includes recommendations for student evaluation and teacher resources. (CFR)

Contends that, in the past few years, historians have shown increasing interest in the utilization of databases and database software for both teaching and research. Focuses on the value of historical databases and illustrates the approach with examples drawn from financial and industrial databases. (CFR)

Asserts that two forgotten facts in educational reform are that the student is the primary client of all assessment and that testing should be designed to improve performance, not just monitor it. Includes sample portfolio performance tasks on a variety of social studies topics. (CFR)

Contends that artifacts found during archaeological research can open up alternative ways to explore, reexamine, and even rewrite history. Maintains that material culture explores three aspects of Revolutionary American life: (1) the nature of day-to-day life; (2) the fluctuating circumstances of enslaved African-Americans; and (3) how…

Discusses the importance of architecture in Thomas Jefferson's life. Presents a lesson plan based on Jefferson's Monticello and designed to encourage students to identify and understand elements of classical architecture in their local area. Includes a photograph of Monticello and six architectural illustrations. (CFR)

Contends that oral history is a way to involve students in thinking about and understanding history and the contemporary world. Includes a family history chart, recommendations for creating an oral history questionnaire, sample interview questions, and four student oral history writing models. (CFR)

Presents a high school history lesson based on the National Standards for United States History. Considers the effect of the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence on free and enslaved African Americans. (CFR)

Discusses reasons for studying history. Suggests that compelling arguments for historical study will affect students' attitudes throughout life. Evaluates common rationales for studying history. Includes history as fun, tradition, great ideas, human folly, escapism, and nationalist legitimation. Urges that students be taught history as facts that…

Analyzes problems confronted when integrating women into U.S. history textbooks and college survey courses. Reviews feminist scholarship to examine how women's experiences have differed from men's throughout U.S. history. Although acknowledging the importance of exploring these differences, argues scholars also must investigate women's…

Urges that history not focus on world history to the extent that the histories of people of color are ignored or lost in the larger world view. Suggests that contemporary accounts of U.S. history be rewritten to integrate the experiences of diverse groups of people. Argues that such change can help eliminate racism. (DK)

Reports on a study of the treatment of the Second Amendment in 24 secondary-level U.S. history textbooks and 8 U.S. government textbooks. Discusses inadequate and inaccurate interpretations and calls for a portrayal of the Second Amendment that reflects what the founding fathers wanted and what the courts have decided. (CFR)

Reports on the rationale and processes behind the composition and evaluation of the Advanced Placement European History examination, focusing special attention on changes introduced in 1994. Discusses reasons for adding an additional thematic essay for the 1994 test. (CFR)