In this classroom simulation, students travel back in time to 1945, when racism was institutionalized in many states through segregation. Though students cannot literally travel back to the Jim Crow era, teachers can create a situation that brings home the point of injustice and the choices individuals are faced with in such situations. Suddenly,…

A three-part handbook for Virginia K-12 social studies teachers presents methods for introducing students to documents and symbols which reflect the principles and ideals of the American democratic system. Although a portion of the material focuses on resources specific to the state of Virginia, information on national documents and symbols can be…

This resource packet provides information and activities for teaching abut the historical significance of Yorktown, Virginia in the American Revolution. Teachers' materials include brief background essays on: (1) "Summary of the American Revolution in Virginia"; (2) "Life in the Army"; (3) "Life in Revolutionary…

This document from the Virginia Department of Education reports on a project to enable public schools to meet requirements of two laws. The first law required public schools to emphasize instruction on the documents of Virginia and United States history and government. The second requested that all public schools be urged to display copies of the…

This resource guide focuses on teaching about the battle of Petersburg during the Civil War. The curriculum supplement has 46 activities, divided into elementary (grades 4-5), intermediate (grades 6-8), and secondary (grades 9-12). Activities can be adapted within various grade levels. The levels contain background information, pre-visit…

This teacher's packet provides background materials for teachers to incorporate the study of Jamestown, Virginia, into their classroom. The packet includes the following background essays: (1) "A Short History of Jamestown"; (2) "The Fort"; (3) "Life in an Indian Village"; (4) "Recommended Reading and…

This booklet is designed to help student participants in Close Up's Washington and Williamsburg Special Focus Program make connections between colonial Williamsburg (Virginia) and the present. Students are encouraged to see Williamsburg as a historical backdrop by which to study four fundamental ideas that have shaped the development of the United…

Students should achieve a higher level of understanding and appreciation of the evolving nature of the U.S. Constitution and its relevance to contemporary societal issues by studying historical documents from the period of time between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. This document begins with a history of that period and of the…

This paper depicts the historical background and lifestyle of the Powhatan Indians. There are approximately 30 such tribes in present-day Maryland, Virginia, and near the North Carolina border. The name Powhatan is defined, and the history and current lifestyles of the Virginia and New Jersey Powhatans are described. Contemporary Powhatan social…

Developed for elementary students, this compilation of diverse lesson plans, project ideas, and resources is designed to assist teachers in teaching about the United States Constitution. The document includes 10 sections: (1) A Model Bicentennial Program for Elementary Schools; (2) Patriotism Packet of Lesson Plans; (3) A Young Citizen's Guide to…

Maintains that it is widely accepted among both public and academic historians that history museums have become more pluralistic institutions in the last two decades. Reports on a two-year ethnographic study on the training and work of museum interpreters at Colonial Williamsburg. (CFR)

Presents a secondary school lesson plan about Jennie Dean and the founding of the Manassas (VA) Industrial School in the late 1880s. Provides historical background for the lesson, step-by-step instructional procedures, four primary source photographs, and three student handouts. (CFR)

Public history encompasses many fields of study--historic preservation, archival management, museum work, editing, archaeology, genealogy, public administration of historic resources--and is one of the fastest growing areas of departmental curriculum development on college and university campuses. Programs in public history are designed to produce…

Designed to accompany and supplement the notebook "Resources for Teaching Virginia Government," this quarterly newsletter presents ideas, teaching strategies, and materials for government teachers and students. Issue No. 1 includes: (1) "The Gubernatorial Tenure Debate"; (2) "The Robb Years: An Interview with Larry…

Contends that much of the controversy of contemporary U.S. politics is a replay of the constitutional drama that occurred more than 200 years ago. Maintains that the roles of James Madison and Virginia in the writing and ratification of the U.S. Constitution provide six lessons for teachers and students. (CFR)