Recommends localizing teaching about World War II through use of family stories and local histories. Outlines and discusses a specific approach to chronology and events. Concludes that the important lessons of this era lay in the postwar world it created. (MJP)

Contends that, although the topic of sports and leisure seems suited for study primarily at the national level, local communities can be rich sources of information. Describes the role of sports history within the overall work of the Needham (Massachusetts) Historical Society. (CFR)

Contends that what a society does publicly to entertain itself reveals shared values. Maintains that public entertainment in Worcester (Massachusetts) prior to the War of 1812 was limited largely to Sundays, court days, and the Fourth of July. Describes changes in entertainment and social values after the War of 1812. (CFR)

Describes a project in which fifth-grade students learn how schools have changed over the years. Students interview retired teachers, document the interviews, hear guest speakers describe schools of the past, and read school scenes in novels. (TM)

Small historic sites are endeavors by small communities to preserve elements of their past. The sites they choose reveal the cultural values they esteem today. The structures most frequently represented at seven museum-developed sites are schools and churches because they were agents of social order, centers of community life and ritual, and…

Three students describe how teachers were able to make the learning of history exciting and encourage historical investigations. The use of primary sources of information to stimulate interest in history is recommended as a means of providing curricular differentiation for gifted students, and activities using primary sources are described. (JDD)

Presents a program for making oral history real to elementary children by sponsoring a senior citizens' tea. Describes the experiences of the children in preparing and giving the tea. Discusses the program's benefits of enhancing the store of information about community history and oral history and promoting student use of language in many forms.…

Provides a lesson plan using historical photographs to teach local history in elementary school social studies classes. Suggests sources and copying procedures. Employs cooperative learning strategies in which students title photographs and describe what they see, then compare their findings with those of other groups and with historical…

Presents guidelines for students attempting to find historical information about their school. Identifies and outlines a variety of sources and approaches. Students who apply these investigative techniques can develop a more thorough acquaintance with their school. In addition, they can employ these techniques in other areas of historical…

Reviews a book that analyzes the 1970s political takeover of the Crystal City (Texas) school board, city council, and county offices by radical Chicano activists; district-wide establishment of maintenance bilingual education; internal and community divisions that followed; and eventual abandonment of the innovative programs. Points out the links…

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)

Addresses the origins and development of "Electronic New Jersey," a collaboration between high schools and Rutgers University that integrates historical sources with learning activities through a website comprised of six topical learning modules. Describes the learning modules. Considers why "Electronic New Jersey" is an…

Examines the role played by Puerto Rico in the Spanish-American War. Although fighting on the island lasted only 19 days, it resulted in the the United States assuming possession of Puerto Rico as a commonwealth. Discusses the ongoing effects of this on the economy, and the movement toward statehood. (MJP)

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.…

Local history can help prepare students for standardized tests by helping them enhance their memories and possess solid understanding of the concepts that are fundamental to a particular discipline or field of study. Although it can effectively be argued that the study of local history may aid in the mastery of U.S. history topics, another often…