This student booklet and teacher's guide examine the causes and the aftermath of the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The first two sections of the student booklet briefly summarize the Cold War and describe the unfulfilled promises of Mikhail Gorachev's "perestroika," the rising discontent among the people, and the birth of…

This curriculum, intended to be used in the upper elementary grades, introduces students to the study of constitutional government in the United States. It is designed to help students understand the most important ideas of the constitutional system and how they were developed. Its intent is to provide students with a knowledge of how the…

Seventeen thousand Marylanders affirmed the importance of specific citizenship competencies as graduation requirements. This was the finding when the Maryland State Department of Education surveyed citizens to answer the question of what competencies should be taught in the public schools. The citizenship competencies were approved as graduation…

Brief biographies and pen and ink portraits of over 40 chiefs and other distinguised American Indians comprise this book. Each page contains a full page portrait and a biography that notes tribal affiliation, important dates, geographical location, major accomplishments, and dealings with other tribes, white settlers, and the United States or…

Written for use in grades 3 through 6, this guide explains in simple terms the United States government's often unethical handling of treaties with the Ojibwe and small groups of Sioux during the early formation of the country. The first section presents a basic history of the Ojibwe and their reasons for migrating from the Atlantic to the upper…

One of a series of curriculum materials in U.S. history designed to teach critical thinking skills systematically, this student booklet presents high school students with a series of supplementary lessons on the exploration of early America, the colonies, the revolution, and the Constitution. The booklet begins with a guide to critical thinking…

These lessons are part of a project to make the study of law and legal concepts an integral part of the North Carolina state social studies state curriculum, and the materials are correlated to this curriculum. Six lesson goals and numerous activities focus on the legal concepts of authority, justice, and responsibility. This packet for grade…

The lesson's goal is to enhance student understanding of basic civil rights and liberties through a comparison of the basic documents undergirding the laws of the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany. The lesson contains: (1) a quiz on the basic rights in the United States and West Germany; (2) an outline of the civil rights and…

This booklet examines the complex origins, the disputed lessons, and the legacy still to assessed of the war in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a tragedy of epic dimensions, a struggle between victims. Chapters include: (1) "The Roots of American Intervention"; (2) "Americans at War"; (3) "Postwar Vietnam"; (4)…

This eighth-grade lesson teaches about military battles and the lives of women during the U.S. Civil War. Students work both individually and in groups, assuming the perspective of a young woman who has left home to join the war effort. The lesson progresses along the following steps: (1) "Getting Started" (Focus on a particular woman's role); (2)…

This 10th grade social studies lesson and language arts interdisciplinary curriculum unit asks students to examine the 19th century debate over U.S. foreign policy. Students engage in role playing and debate the expansionist policy versus the anti-imperialist policy. The unit includes an activity description, background information, questions to…

Outlines classroom techniques for analyzing historical films and documentaries. Provides student materials to develop media literacy. Suggests that role-playing might be useful in stimulating student consideration of the actual production of a documentary. Emphasizes the transfer of critical insights developed in class to other media experiences.…

Contends that teachers assign essay writing to help students improve their critical thinking skills. Discusses six criteria of a well-written history essay. Includes a five-essay assignment strategy, designed to be implemented over the course of an academic year, to help students improve essay research and writing. (CFR)

Contends that studying the opposition to the Mexican American War helps students understand Manifest Destiny and assess foreign policy issues on moral, political, and historical terms. Presents a three-day lesson plan employing a series of primary sources to analyze issues of the time. Includes a political cartoon and eight documents. (CFR)

Presents a two-week lesson designed to begin a year-long world geography course. Provides background and information on the Age of Discovery and the study of geography. Includes maps, study guides, and student readings. (CFR)