Describes a project in which students at a school in Ghana develop an authentic but fictitious character who is captured and sold to the Europeans on the coast. Notes the stories are mailed to partner schools in the United States who write about what happens to these characters after becoming slaves. Notes students' intense interest and…

Considers the use of history in politics and the debate about the national history standards. Discusses the view of history and history teaching in Sweden (providing background information), a comparison between the United States and Sweden, and the history standards in Sweden. (CMK)

Discusses the resources "The Great American History Machine: An Interactive Atlas of 19th and 20th Century U.S. Social and Political History" and "The Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War." Describes how each is used to teach undergraduates in a course on history research methods. (CMK)

Explores the teaching of history in schools. Addresses the prevalent view that history is one of the easiest subjects to teach; the lack of subject expertise among history teachers, examining Georgia (United States) in particular; and the link between teaching history and coaching sports. (CMK)

Provides background information on the election of 1876 between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden and how it was disputed over electoral votes. Includes copies of the electoral ballot from Louisiana that was rejected and a letter from William Kellogg, the Republican governor of Louisiana. (CMK)

Provides background information on four constitutional amendment proposals: (1) flag protection amendment; (2) school prayer amendment; (3) balanced-budget amendment; and (4) victim rights amendment. Evaluates each in terms of timeliness, the support base, and the strength of their opposition. Includes questions for discussion. (CMK)

Provides a lesson appropriate for secondary students focusing on the constitutional amendment process. Explains that students explore historical forces that shaped the U.S. Constitution and also addresses whether current amendment proposals should be considered. Lists the materials needed. (CMK)

History teachers and their 11th-grade students rated the relative importance of sections of instructional text on which teachers would be giving a test. Multilevel analysis revealed only a moderate correspondence between teachers in importance ratings. This suggested there were large differences between task demands of individual teachers,…

Describes a mock judicial proceeding that incorporated computers in the classroom and questioned international law. Explains that students were divided into interested parties in the Kosovo conflict (NATO members, the Yugoslavian government, Kosovo Albanians, Russians, and Chinese), a delegation of human-rights groups, and a panel of judges. (CMK)

Presents a lesson plan for eighth-grade students where they learn about the Great Depression by studying rural life. Explains that the students explore farm records from June and December 1935 after reading an excerpt about rural life in the 1930s. Includes copies of the ledgers, photographs, and student handouts. (CMK)

Presents an annotated list of Web sites that focus on the Great Depression. Includes the American Experience, American Memory, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the New Deal Network Web sites. Offers additional sites covering topics such as the Jersey homesteads and labor history. (CMK)

Presents a crossword puzzle focusing on U.S. history which tests the knowledge of Canadian students about their "neighbor to the south." Includes items mentioned in an eighth-grade U.S. student textbook "America's Past and Promise". Provides a word list, blank crossword, and answers. (CMK)

Maintains that in order to involve all students in learning about World War I in a meaningful way, teachers should broaden their strategies, students activities, and assessment to include Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences. Provides various activities focusing on World War I that coincide with each of the eight multiple intelligences. Offers…

Explains that narrative history is usually the focus in history instruction but contends that argument-based history should be taught instead. Views argumentation as a means for engaging students actively in historical interpretation where the students can express the higher order thinking skills that interpretation entails. Provides examples of…

Describes a project for a history survey course where students visit a historic site and write an essay that identifies a broad theme in history relating the site to the theme; the students must also reflect upon their own learning process. Discusses the merits of the project providing student responses. Gives an appendix. (CMK)