An alternative school in southern Oregon that allows students to make up missing credits offers project-based thematic classes that take students outside the school. One course studied the Klamath Basin's water crisis and involved exploring the area and the perspectives of farmers, biologists, park rangers, and Native Americans. Courses culminate…

Presents a lesson that focuses on specific places in Chicago's Black Metropolis and examines the process by which buildings become historic structures. Explains that the lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file, "Black Metropolis Thematic Nomination," and could be used in a unit on 20th-century urban…

Archivists working in repositories that contain local government records play an integral role within the local community. Unlike their colleagues in state, regional, or national repositories, the local government archivist concentrates on a small geographic region and demonstrates knowledge of the politics, history, and socio-economics of the…

The presentation involves students in a hands-on analysis of artifacts to create a time line of their local area's past societies. This exercise is more of a unit rather than a one-time activity. Procedures, ideas, and background for developing your own unit are presented in this article. The purpose of this unit is to engage students in applying…

This teacher's handbook is designed to educate the city builders of tomorrow about the importance of responsible urban development. The activities stress the relationship between the built and natural environment. The goals of the project emphasize: (1) sensitivity to the importance of working in greater harmony with the total environment; (2)…

This packet suggests activities and events that school districts, schools, classes, and educational organizations can conduct to commemorate World War II. Suggestions are made to include local veterans, including those in veteran's and nursing homes and hospitals, and youth at every possible opportunity. Recognition can take the form of military…

In this brief study guide, the focus is on the "maroons," those Africans who bravely threw off the chains of slavery and established independent communities within colonial Latin America. The specific study is of the history and culture of Esmeraldas, a province in northwestern Ecuador and home to one of the most interesting maroon…

The activities in this learning packet are designed to provide background information on the significance of New Windsor Cantonment to local, state, and U.S. history. The New Windsor Cantonment was the final winter encampment of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and the site where the cessation of hostilities was announced in April…

This flexible resource teaching package describes the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg and explores how conflicts begin and how they can be ended. Lessons address visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners while fostering critical thinking skills as students read, write, analyze, and draw conclusions. Role playing and other creative activities are…

Designed as a special studies unit for secondary school students or for adult volunteers, this student workbook and teacher's guide explains how to produce an accurate record of memorable neighborhood houses. The activities in the workbook include observation and information gathering. The workbook sections describe various steps in the process…

Heritage education is an interdisciplinary, interactive approach to examining the historical and cultural evidence of heritage that remains in neighborhoods, community, and regions. This paper seeks to answer some basic questions about heritage education, including: What is it? What are heritage educators seeking to accomplish? Is there a right…

This book, a collection of photographs of over 40 schools in Murray County, Georgia, from the early 1900s to the present, is divided into sections according to geographical areas of the county. Photographs portray sporting events, original school buildings, school clubs, graduating classes, school classes, teachers, and administrators. With each…

This book on the history of West Virginia emphasizes the differences and similarities among the people inhabiting what is now the state of West Virginia, from prehistoric times to the present. The history focuses on how these people have acted as individuals and in groups such as families, communities, societies, corporations, and government.…

Celebrations of shared personal, religious, occupational, and historic events are worldwide and ancient phenomena. In the United States, most people participate, as either major or minor actors or members of the audience, in private events marking the human cycle and life experiences, from birth and birthdays to weddings and anniversaries to death…

Specific state and local programs and activities, designed to celebrate the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, are included in this booklet. The events, listed alphabetically by states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, are included to demonstrate the depth and diversity of U.S. bicentennial activities. Six hundred bicentennial…