Intended to help teachers for grades K-6 accurately present the events surrounding the first Thanksgiving, this guide features an historically accurate story for children, historical background for teachers, and activities for expanding and enriching instruction. The introduction discusses the need for teachers to be honest and informative about…

This guide contains activity ideas to help elementary and secondary students celebrate Iowa History Month, October, 1985. There are four major sections. The first section contains an historic calendar for the month of October. Each day focuses on a significant occurrence in Iowa history and provides specific suggestions for discussing the events.…

Arranged chronologically from the Constitution's initial implementation in the late 18th century to the civil rights movement of the 1950 and 60s, this volume contains eight study units. The units address various roles in the U.S. legal system and corresponding legal processes, while raising the following constitutional issues: (1) the role and…

This teaching guide is designed to accompany and enhance a two-part Public Broadcasting System video documentary about the U.S. Supreme Court's history, legal processes, and activities. The purpose of this series is to examine the institution that for 200 years has been the principal custodian of the U.S. Constitution. A background essay, written…

Materials for planning, organizing, and scheduling community activities for National Women's History Week (NWHW) are provided. The purpose of the week was to help male and female students become aware of the wealth of women's history that has been left out of the standard U.S. history texts used in most schools. Section 1 summarizes a sample of…

Using a thematic approach to history, this course investigates the changing machinery of government, the population composition of the United States, and the nature and challenges of U.S. foreign policy. The course is centered around four themes: (1) how do we govern ourselves? (2) who are we? (the pluralistic society); (3) how do we live…

An outline of the knowledge and skills to be taught in a high school U.S. history course in order to meet the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) social studies objectives is provided. Material is divided into three parts. Following an introduction, a one page description overviews the curriculum topic for high school U.S. history,…

United States history as a linchpin in the school curriculum and as a potentially exciting, sometimes electrifying, subject was the conviction underlying this analysis of U.S. history textbooks. This assessment investigates the capacity of leading U.S. social studies and history textbooks to inspire the imagination of students through effective…

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented. The first section, "Law and Alabama History," focuses on law at the state level. Included are a brief history of Alabama's court system and prison system, a summary of rules for safe driving, a law…

Using selected passages from Japanese and U.S. social studies textbooks, this booklet presents contrasting views and interpretations of historical events or circumstances. The textbooks, review, and supplementary materials collected or developed in conjunction with the Japan/U.S. Textbook Study Project provides much of the basic material for the…

The Great War of 1914-1918 significantly shaped the course of the 20th century, both at home and abroad. How can this pivotal event be personalized and brought to life for students in the new millennium? Few survivors of the World War I era are alive today to directly share their recollections of this historical time. Yet, by delving into the…

In this California state curriculum model for grade 8, "United States History and Geography: A More Perfect Union," students study the life, work, and philosophy of Cesar E. Chavez. They learn about historical events and developments in the United States that Chavez encountered. They examine how Chavez worked to bring the promises…

This guide is designed to provide background material and teaching strategies for the study of the Supreme Court and the New Deal Era. There are suggested activities, discussion questions, a list of suggested readings, vocabulary, a list of key players of the era, and a list of components and key events tied to The New York Times from that time…

Twenty-nine teachers participated in a 4-week National Endowment for the Humanities institute which covered topics from pre-contact Hawaiian population estimates to formation of plantation workforces to contemporary sovereignty issues. The lessons the participants developed are divided into nine sections. Section 1, "Geography," contains…

The paternal estate of U.S. President James Madison is nestled at the foot of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The estate, Montpelier, features a large mansion designed for hospitality, a fine garden, and a widespread lawn. In the early 19th century, countless visitors expressed a great sense of pleasure in the place and the people who lived…