Presents an interdisciplinary unit for high school students in which the students examine life in the American colonies. Focuses on "Moll Flanders" because the students find her to be a fascinating guide to the past, bringing history alive. Gives resources, a handout, and two timed writing assignments. (CMK)

Presents middle school-level interdisciplinary activities for exploring medieval life. Students conduct research then create their own castles, design personal coats of arms, learn about jousting, go through a typical castle dweller's day, learn about carousels, discuss castle life from Mark Twain's perspective, and attend a medieval feast. (SM)

Charts the many ways teachers can use materials gathered during their vacation travels in the classroom. Details activities built around material objects easily accessible through museum gift shops or local stores. Recommends using newspapers for discussions of politics and economics germane to the area. (MJP)

Presents a brief study of the Spanish Borderlands (the southern tier of the United States from California to the Carolinas) and their hold on various cultural and historical imaginations. Discusses the groundbreaking work of historian Herbert E. Bolton and those historians who have continued and/or criticized his interpretation. (MJP)

Offers instructional activities (in the form of a three-day lesson plan and extension activities) for middle-level students that allow adolescents to recognize heroic people and actions, and then explore their own characters and behaviors for signs of courage, leadership, and sincerity. Lists resources about heroes. (SR)

Describes the application of Frederick Drake and Denee Corbin's method of "dramatization in the classroom" to teaching Chinese history. Outlines the use of the book, "The Death of Woman Wang," to study 17th-century Chinese social life and laws. Includes an outline of activities for the preparation and teaching of the lesson.…

Addresses the teaching methods of Michael Welch, a seventh grade teacher, who incorporates the humanities, such as drama and literature, into his history classroom in order to help students learn to question, think analytically, solve problems, and make decisions. Summarizes a particular unit on the Ice Age. (CMK)

Illustrates how technology can change the university atmosphere through two scenarios set in the years of 1998 and 2006 in which Jack Reynolds, an associate professor, proceeds through his day; by the year 2006, he encounters new situations, materials, and classroom settings as a result of adequate technological resources. (CMK)

Provides a lesson that integrates economics, mathematics, history, and language arts through a common interest of all elementary students: candy. Explains that the students managed and shopped at three classroom candy stores while learning economics concepts, such as supply and demand and the relationship of price to buying decisions. (CMK)

Believes that all students should focus on the interpretation of documents in the secondary history curriculum. Describes a unit where students learn to interpret the events of the "battle" of Fort Pillow (Tennessee) that was the most controversial engagement of the Civil War. Provides background information on the battle of Fort Pillow. (CMK)

This article presents a portrait of practice of one social studies methods professor engaged in teaching his course and analyzes the choices the professor makes during the semester. These choices are linked to his philosophy of social studies education with particular attention paid to his passionate belief in the American story as the core of…

Canada is the second largest country in the world by area. With its diverse geophysical features and relatively small population density it is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts of all types. In the Canadian outdoor adventure education field there is an awakened acknowledgement of the centrality of Native peoples that pervades its practice today.…

Over the past few years, games have gone from social pariahs to the darlings of the media, technology, and now educational industries. E-learning educators in particular stand to learn a lot about building next-generation learning environments from games. While online courses are usually little more than "online course notes," games offer entire…

Textbooks are major educational tools for students. A United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) project titled "Basic Learning Material" claims that textbooks provide the main resource for teachers, enabling them to animate the curricula and giving life to the subjects taught in the classroom. As Power…

This paper reports on a research study that investigated the extent to which the Queensland secondary school subject Modern History adopts characteristics of socially critical environmental education. The study found that while the Modern History syllabus gives ample opportunities for students to focus their inquiries on "environment",…