Consideration is given to making the discussion of issues provided by the American Issues Forum most meaningful for students and applicable to their decision making about issues outside of the classroom. The Bicentennial and the American Issues Forum provide an excellent opportunity to help students develop a better understanding of our society's…

Oral language development, the single most important factor in determining readiness for reading, may be enhanced through creative drama, especially role playing. Role playing is spontaneous play which traditionally has served many purposes, including promoting socialization. It can also be a unique method of recreating historical episodes in…

Present methods of high school and college instruction in history, namely, the instructor centered approaches, have made the study of history irrelevant for many students, and hence objectives for teaching history are seldom realized. Even good lectures, and most discussion classes, result in the student acting as a passive observer, never…

This document, one of a series on questions regarding humanistic education, contains a transcribed conversation about history between Dr. Gruen, a professor of History at the University of California, and Mr. O'Connor, the coordinator for humanities in Contra Costa County, California. Among other things, this conversation deals with the…

A new approach to the teaching of European history is being implemented in Advanced Placement secondary classes. In the latter 1950's a Committee of Examiners composed of European history professors and secondary teachers formulated a course description comprised of a brief outline of an introductory survey in European history. It was organized…

Prepared as a resource for Alaskan educators, this book is designed for any grade level or learning setting. It provides the basis for teachers to develop their own appropriate units. Sections encompass: (1) an introduction to the interdisciplinary framework of this source book; (2) a background about the Eskimos of the world, the cultural…

An alternative to teacher dominance, inquiry-based learning permits greater choices for the student and thereby encourages initiative and responsibility. Flexible modular (flex-mod) schedules that permit student inquiry can be adapted to fit nearly any teaching situation. For example, a tenth-grade history class is divided into four groups:…

Activities with specific examples of how social studies, art, music, and literature can be integrated into the elementary and junior high school classroom in teaching the American Revolution are provided. (Author/DE)

The many historical writings on political machines and bossism are reviewed in this article. (DE)

Provides suggestions for an activity in which students are taught to observe and think in the manner of the archaeologist. Steps to be taken by the teacher before, during, and after a museum visit are specified. (Author/DB)

A proposal to establish a Living Historical Farm in celebration of the Bicentennial is included. (DE)

Identifies trends in teaching local history on the college level, including quantative studies, urban history, and redefinition of historical movements. Maintains that local history should be included in the college curriculum because it is a valuable discipline, helps integrate historical knowledge into the mainstream of society, and encourages…

Suggests that caution should be used by college level history teachers in employing nontraditional teaching methods. Suggests that a topical approach involving lecture and discussion can increase student interest and nurture that interest with personalized instruction. (Author/DB)

Reviews and questions various theories devised to explain America's entry into World War II. Concludes that revisionism is a continual process, many histories of World War II written since the 1960s show a detachment and moderation lacking in earlier accounts, and historians should examine the ideological and social conflicts within all Western…

Describes the instructional materials and themes of a New England museum project about work in the early nineteenth century. Introduces elementary and secondary students to concepts of industrialization and its impact, work choices, the role of work in a community, and the family as an economic unit. (AV)