Presents a lesson plan on the early settlement of California by Spanish and Mexican colonists. Discusses the physical and cultural changes in the region from Spanish colonial days to modern times. Includes two primary source readings, two maps, and diagrams of a colonial ranch site, now on the National Register of Historic Places. (CFR)

Describes programs of the History Studio, a hands-on workshop of the Tsongas Industrial History Center (Massachussets), which provides role-playing activities and experiential learning about immigration history. Describes how "luggage" contains primary source material on six different ethnic groups used to teach students about immigrant…

Examines the views of six former U.S. Presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Grant, and Eisenhower) about their presidential role, federalism, and issues of their time that are still relevant today. Includes a paragraph for each President that provides a social and historical context. (CFR)

Describes the structure, purpose, and some of the idiosyncracies of the Century of Prose Corpus. The database covers English prose for the 1675-1780 period. Part A consists of 20 major authors; part B contains 100 secondary authors. Selections vary in length and allow scholars to search for comparisons and inconsistencies. (MJP)

Describes a high school history class project designed to simultaneously teach students about Napoleon and introduce them to the practice of historical inquiry. Students viewed four data sets reflecting various aspects of Napoleon's life (e.g. military victories, domestic policy). Worksheets and writing assignments reiterated the importance of…

Examines the pitfalls and obstacles of applying a professional historian's standards to the practice of writing and researching local history. These include unreliable and incomplete records as well as sponsoring agencies that prefer sanitized legends to historical accuracy. Nonetheless, praises local history as a rich resource and recommends…

Learning using primary literature may be a way of developing a capacity for scientific ways of thinking among students. Since reading research articles is a difficult task for novices, we examined the possible benefits of learning using primary literature versus secondary literature, particularly with respect to their influence on the creation and…

Even the youngest readers and writers in today's classrooms can benefit enormously from engagement with a wide range of traditional and nontraditional texts. This teacher-friendly handbook is packed with creative strategies for introducing K-3 students to fiction, poetry, and plays; informational texts; graphic novels; digital storytelling;…

This unit is one of a series that presents specific moments in history from which students focus on the meanings of landmark events. Columbus's momentous arrival in 1492 in the Caribbean ended the mutual isolation of two regions of the globe. From this moment on, the future of the Americas has been inextricably linked to those of Europe, Asia, and…

This report summarizes two joint sessions held by the Indian Nations At Risk Task Force and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education to hear testimony on educational partnerships in Native American education. Successful partnerships are described, including: (1) school-business partnerships that allow students to explore career…

Designed to be used in combination with standard high school textbooks in U.S. history and government, these lessons on the U.S. Constitution can be used singly or in varying combinations and most can be completed in one or two class meetings. There are five chapters. Chapter I is an introduction for teachers. Chapter II includes lessons about the…

Two hearings held on October 24, 1985, and April 29, 1986, produced testimony about two House bills on prevention and treatment of Indian juvenile alcoholism and drug abuse. These bills provide for (1) programs of instruction on alcohol and drug abuse in Indian schools in kindergarten through grade 12; (2) training about alcohol and drug abuse for…

This publication was prepared to help college students better understand the significance of the 1980 census. It consists of four parts. Part I discusses the history of U.S. census taking, introduces the Census Bureau as an organization, and examines the planning and administration of the decennial census. Part II provides an overview of census…

Designed to introduce secondary school students to a variety of historical resources on local, family, and 19th century cultural history, the primary materials presented in this guide provide insight into the lives of one family, the D. H. Osbornes, who lived in Victor, New York, from the 1850's through the first half of this century. Based on a…

An historical journal compiled by advanced placement American history high school students contains 10 articles about the experiences of residents of Amityville, New York, during World War II. Students used secondary sources, first-hand newspaper accounts, oral interviews, and primary source documents to recreate Amityville as it was during those…