The Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress holds 10,000 collections containing more than 50 million items. These collections document all aspects of American history and culture and include papers of presidents; cabinet members; members of Congress; members of the Supreme Court; and other prominent Americans whose lives reflect the…

Intended for teachers, this guide is designed as an aid to mark Women's History Month with special thought and activity, and to offer suggestions for further information and resources. Noting that "history doesn't only happen to men," the document stresses that "history is made at home, in the community, in the factories, offices,…

In this lesson plan, students in grades 6-8 explore the role and impact of recent First Ladies through research and family interviews, then work in groups to present a documentary portrait to the class. Through these 7 lessons, students will: (1) learn about the political and non-political careers of recent First Ladies; (2) explore the…

Outlines a study unit on women's changing roles in American history. Notes that this unit can supplement school textbooks with information not readily available on women in history. (MM)

In the absence of official power, women had to find other ways to shape the world in which they lived. The First Ladies of the United States were among the women who were able to play "a significant role in shaping the political and social history of the country, impacting virtually every topic that has been debated." Through this lesson…

This lesson plan for students in grades 9-12 follows the guiding question, "How do filmmakers bring history to life, and how does filmed history represent (or misrepresent) historical realities?" Through these lessons, students employ the screenwriter's craft to gain a fresh perspective on historical research, learning how filmmakers…

The materials in this resource handbook are for the use of Pennsylvania teachers in developing classroom activities during National Women's History Week. The focus is on women who were notably active in government and politics (primarily, but not necessarily in Pennsylvania). The following women are profiled: Hallie Quinn Brown; Mary Ann Shadd…

Three questions are addressed in this document: (1) How have women been treated in social studies textbooks and curricula? (2) What are some strategies for including women in social studies? (3) What resources are recommended for teachers and students? Textbook studies of the 1970s revealed limited coverage of women in the social studies, and the…

The quality of elementary education has been highly dependent on factors beyond a child's control--sex, race, economic situation, geographical location, and time in history. It is also shaped by the people who control the education--the teachers, administrators, and governing officials--and by the goals they design. This module explores these…

This packet is designed to raise precollege students' understanding and awareness of writing by women, to encourage women's studies in the curriculum, and to assist in identifying bias in language use and English/language arts curriculum materials. It can also be used by companies or community organizations interested in similar issues. It…

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…

Vocational education, called industrial education from its beginnings during the Reconstruction years, was hailed by its supporters as a means of making education practical and relevant to the lives of its black students. Its detractors, however, felt that industrial education was intentionally designed to prevent blacks from attaining economic…

This document is the combined third and fourth modules of a series of four. It is designed to help educators learn more about how the double biases of sex and race have affected the quality of black women's high school and college education in southern schools since the Civil War. The following topics are discussed: (1) education of black women…

Provides fully developed library media activities designed for specific curriculum units. Curriculum areas represented include art (wire sculpture); mathematics (place values); reading and language arts (poetry); science (properties of chemical elements); and social studies (famous women, and American history). (LRW)

Considers the career of Nellie Bly, a late 19th-century investigative reporter who gained fame and notoriety for her work. Bly covered wars, labor strikes, and once feigned insanity to write an expose of conditions in a mental institution. Includes a series of interdisciplinary learning activities constructed around Bly's career. (MJP)