This publication is intended for teachers bringing a class to visit the National Archives in Washington, D.C., for a workshop on primary documents. The National Archives serves as the repository for all federal records of enduring value. Primary sources are vital teaching tools because they actively engage the student's imagination so that he or…

This publication is intended for teachers bringing a class to visit the National Archives in Washington, D.C., for a workshop on primary documents. The National Archives serves as the repository for all federal records of enduring value. Primary sources are vital teaching tools because they actively engage the student's imagination so that he or…

This book contains lesson plans that provide an integrated approach to incorporating Great Lakes environmental issues into elementary subjects. The book is divided into three subject areas: (1) History, which includes the origins of the Great Lakes, Great Lakes people, and shipwrecks; (2) Social Studies, which covers government, acid rain as a…

This essay focuses on the ability of the political cartoon to enhance history instruction. A trend in recent years is for social studies teachers to use these graphics to enhance instruction. Cartoons have the ability to: (1) empower teachers to demonstrate excellence during lessons; (2) prepare students for standardized tests containing cartoon…

In recounting the sensational national controversy regarding the recent proposed National History Standards, the book explores three related themes that provided background for the controversy. The volume examines the blossoming of historical research, writing, and teaching of history in the 20th century with more diverse, more methodologically…

The 6th century of the Byzantine Empire, dominated by the emperor Justinian (527-565 C.E.), is the focus of this unit of lessons designed for grades 7-12. Justinian's contributions to world history in various fields are examined. Noting that not all scholars are in agreement as to when Byzantine history began, the unit places its origins either at…

The voyage of Columbus in 1492 is a turning point in world history. After 1492, people and civilizations of long-separated regions began to develop connections that have led to the incipient global community of the 1990s. It is their global significance that justifies a prominent place in today's curriculum for the four voyages of Columbus to the…

This document discusses oral history and the use of active learning to make classroom teaching interesting and exciting. Oral history is an effective teaching tool that requires students to become active participants in their own learning process. It invites inquiry, stimulates discussion, and transforms abstract concepts into concrete reality.…

This document is an assessment of a performance-based education project that involved a United States history course, offered at a community college. Thirty-two student performance objectives are outlined and lesson plans designed to achieve each objective are presented. Each lesson plan consists of an instructional topic, prerequisites, interest…

The use of historical fiction in schools in the United Kingdom can help develop language skills and encourage a curiosity about the past. Major historical events contain drama and tension, and an imaginative story about an historical event captures children's emotions and intrigue. Historical fiction is a literary genre where opportunities exist…

This resource guide is based on interviews with survivors of the Holocaust and those who took part in liberating them from the concentration camps in World War II. The guide is divided into three main parts: (1) overviews, (2) lesson plans, and (3) student handouts. A Holocaust time line, a glossary of key terms, and an annotated bibliography are…

This unit focuses on Thomas Jefferson's route from his home at Monticello in Virginia to the White House when he traveled to Washington in November of 1800 for the upcoming presidential election. The document traces his journey by phaeton, a four wheeled light carriage, from Monticello to: (1) James Madison's home at Montpelier, a distance of 28…

Written by a Los Angeles history teacher frustrated by the lack of culturally relevant materials, this book covers some of the most interesting events in the history of Mexico and the heritage of Mexican Americans. Chapters are: (1) Indian Mexico (Teotihuacan, the Maya, the Toltecs, and the Aztecs); (2) La Conquista (Cortes and Moctezuma, conquest…

In order to investigate elementary school students' understanding of historical time, this study conducted open-ended interviews with 58 children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The students were asked to place nine illustrations from various periods of American history in chronological order and to talk about the reasoning behind the order…

This document reports survey results providing data and ideas for evaluating possible Organization of American Historians (OAH) international initiatives. The survey was constructed to address a wide range of issues and to solicit information on those resources that Americanists worldwide either wish to receive or have to offer. It sought…