This document, from the lesson plan series, "Teaching with Historic Places," explores the history of the Old Courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri. Following an introductory section on the courthouse's role as a seat of justice and meeting place, the document sets out objectives for students and teaching activities. The teaching activity…

The Fordham Foundation commissioned experts in each of the five core academic subjects (English, history, geography, mathematics, and science) to develop criteria for excellence and apply them to as many state standards as could be obtained. This summary report compiles the numerical scores and letter grades that each state earned in every…

This study examines the influence of differing social contexts on the historical understanding of primary and elementary students in Northern Ireland and the United States. Although children in both locations learn about the past not only at school but from relatives, historic sites, literature, and the media, the U.S. emphasis on a narrative of…

This workbook, a part of the Providence (Rhode Island) Preservation Society's preservation education curriculum for elementary school students, is designed to help students appreciate the significance and the beauty of Providence's architectural heritage. (Other materials in this program are a handbook entitled, "A New Look at Old…

In 1991, the 50th anniversary of the United States' entrance into World War II was observed. This is an opportune time to reevaluate and renew the teaching of this cataclysmic event. Most people have been affected by the political, economic, and social consequences of the War. But perhaps the most important reason to rededicate ourselves to…

This unit, designed for use in both history and English classes, uses excerpts from novels as a way to view Nigerian culture and history through the eyes of its people. The literature used comes primarily from the work of two of Nigeria's important novelists: Chinua Achebe and Buchi Emecheta. Both offer views from the Igbo culture of southeast…

This document contains an annotated listing of instructional aids for Russian and East European studies that are available for loan or rent from Indiana University (Bloomington). The materials are divided into nine sections: (1) slide programs; (2) filmstrips available from the Indiana University (IU) Russian and East European Institute; (3) audio…

This document consists of one page chapters each documenting women's roles in changing the conditions for U.S. workers during and after the industrial revolution. Each chapter is a series of period style drawings with captions detailing the story of that particular incident and cartoon balloons offering humorous comments from the participants. The…

A teachers' guide is presented that accompanies the video production of "The Other Boston Tea Party," a play used to teach about the U.S. Constitution and American legal and political systems. The play combines a comedy of manners with an historical approach to the issues surrounding the Federalist/Anti-Federalist debate over…

This document presents part 4 of a five part project in which students of the Tasmanian region of Australia are invited to 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…

Teaching United States History is the topic of this annotated bibliography. The following kinds and amounts of materials are cited: (1) 9 citations from "Resources in Education" (RIE); (2) 10 citations from "Current Index to Journals in Education" (CIJE); (3) 48 commercially available "Student and Teacher Materials"…

A syllabus and teaching methods for a community college local history course which focuses on primary sources about southern New Jersey are provided. Emphasis of the course is on how national issues affect local actions. Primary sources dating back to the 17th century are found in documentary collections of local and state archives. The course,…

A warm and sunny subtropical climate helps make Hawaii an important sugar producer. History records that sugarcane was already present when Captain James Cook discovered the islands in 1778, and that the first successful sugarcane plantation was started in 1835 by Ladd and Company at Koloa. The first recorded export of Hawaiian sugar was in 1837,…

This article analyzes three incidents in pre-Civil War history; Crispus Attucks and the Boston Massacre, John Brown and the raid on Harpers Ferry, and Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation. The article examines how these incidents have been distorted into myths and stereotypes and offers more correct historical interpretations. (DE)

The principles embodied in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 served as an intellectual highway over which poured the westward march of this nation. The story of the Northwest Territory's acquisition and the enactment of the Ordinance of 1787 is related through nine lessons and accompanying documents. Each lesson is designed to complement the…