Presents background information on Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wisconsin could not compel Amish students to attend high school. Outlines a lesson plan for simulating the court's decision. Includes discussion questions that distinguish between the First Amendment establishment and free exercise clauses and…

Supports recent efforts of the Bradley Commission on History in the Schools and the National Commission on Social Studies in the Schools to increase the amount of history taught in the U.S. public schools. Suggests ways the Organization of American Historians and the American Historical Association can contribute to this effort. (SLM)

Suggests incorporating reading, writing, and social studies within the context of literature. Includes reading lists and activities for teaching about the Victorian period in a two-month social studies unit that incorporates science fiction, mysteries, and fairy tales. Children discuss old photographs, examine artifacts, visit a Victorian mansion,…

Outlines a teaching unit, appropriate for grades seven through college, that helps students understand the nature of the United Nations definition of genocide. Questions the adequacy of that definition. Provides four classroom teaching scenarios for a cluster of five to eight class periods, culminating with students writing an essay about…

Maintains that General William T. Sherman deliberately changed the text of his valedictory message to troops at the end of the Civil War to create a public memory in line with national goals. Provides an annotated bibliography and a copy of the original draft of the speech in Sherman's handwriting. (CFR)

Asserts that the PBS series "The Civil War" presents historical information that can encourage critical thinking by students. Offers a lesson plan based on one program in the series, "The Cause." Provides questions for student discussion and outlines writing assignments based on the series. (CFR)

Describes the structure and philosophy of the National History Curriculum in England, which went into effect in September 1991. Argues that its mechanistic approach and assessment program has little to do with realities of the classroom or students' historical understanding. Presents an alternative method for assessing students' historical…

Asserts that, although pressures to publish have detracted from the quality of teaching at the college level, recent innovations in educational technology have created opportunities for instructional improvement. Describes the use of computer-assisted instruction and databases in college-level history courses. (CFR)

Presents a teaching unit on the global impact of the abolition of slavery in the Western Hemisphere. Asserts that abolition of slavery brought economic disruption to many African states and parts of the Western Hemisphere. Provides a chronologically based map, five student handouts, and questions for each handout. (CFR)

Describes government efforts to mobilize U.S. women during World War II. Discusses the need for women's participation and the problems confronted by women who joined the wartime labor force. Describes efforts to increase participation by women in the armed forces. (CFR)

Contends that the "historical detective work" of oral history helps students break free of their textbooks and become active collectors of information. Provides five recommendations, six teacher guidelines, and seven student guidelines for implementing oral history in the classroom. (CFR)

Asserts that the Cold War era has little historical meaning for today's students. Maintains that the use of feature-length films on videocassettes can be used effectively with appropriate reading and writing exercises. Provides a filmography focusing on social issues and a lesson plan. (CFR)

Argues for using oral history studies to develop language skills and teach social science concepts to limited-English-speaking students. Interviewing family and community members provides students with a familiar context, while translating and transcribing sharpens their language skills. Includes an oral history case study. (MJP)

This study examined the actual use of computer technology by four beginning social studies teachers in their history courses during their first year in the classroom. Specifically, it involved an assessment of their efforts to use computer technology to teach their students about historical thinking and historical inquiry, in particular the…

Students often approach history survey classes with a significant degree of dread. Nevertheless, at least one history class is required for graduation from most, if not all, universities, and most students elect to take survey courses to fulfill that requirement. Students rarely enroll in an American history class eagerly, because they anticipate…