This article explores the extent to which official social studies curriculum documents acknowledge difficult questions raised by the persistence of poverty in the United States. As it turns out, just as some parts of social studies curricula tell distorted stories about U.S. history, other parts tell misleading stories about the nation's present…

Metanarratives--stories that are told and retold over time, so that they become the story--have proven instrumental in cultivating conceptions of the Founders as invariably honest, brave, and ethical. A prime example is the tale of George Washington confessing that he chopped down the cherry tree. While this narrative crafted an image of…

Social studies content is more meaningful to students when they can empathize with the people they study. Such empathy can be fostered via content material that is presented in a relevant, emotional, intimate, and even entertaining manner. Folk music offers this type of creative and constructive approach. The elementary school classroom is the…

With state content standards always looming in the background, history teachers express concern about "covering the curriculum." And, many history teachers say they have to abandon teaching the "fun stuff" in order to teach state-mandated content. While teaching challenges do entail practical considerations, this article argues…

Describes a secondary U.S. history course in which students study the impact of industrialization on U.S. culture and society. Asserts that assignments in which students create political cartoons, poetry, posters or other visual products enhance student interest and provide diverse evaluation strategies. (CFR)

Addresses the problems of the U.S. history course structure from two vantage points: (1) agreement with instructional goals; and (2) agreement between current issues and the content of the established curriculum. Outlines an approach for structuring historical content around current problems and issues. Suggests several curricular models for an…

Describes an instructional unit using graphic organizers to teach about federalism in a U.S. government course. Includes models of charts and lists of appropriate student responses. (CFR)

Describes an undergraduate education course on teaching in a multicultural society. Finds students to be multicultural illiterates, based on their lack of knowledge of multicultural terms. Suggests videotapes and textbooks for building students' multicultural knowledge base. Presents field activities that promote greater multicultural awareness.…

Reviews the debate concerning the impact of Afrocentric education and multicultural education on U.S. history instruction and course content. Responds to criticisms of Afrocentric education by historians Diane Ravitch and Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. Contends that multicultural education can help recognize divisions in U.S. society and show a…

Recommends organizing U.S. history courses around central ideas rather than chronological periods. Argues that this method affords a better grasp of the principal developments in the nation's history by treating issues in depth. Lists eight broad themes around which a U.S. history course can be constructed. (MJP)

Contrasts two approaches to achieving depth in an 8th grade U.S. history class. One presents a detailed and chronological approach, the other a discipline-based matrix structure with chronological and regional evolutions as a backdrop. Favors stressing major principles and generalizations while focusing in depth on prototypical examples. (MJP)

Introduces a special theme issue on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Asserts that the anniversary comes at a time when increasing demands are being made upon the UN to play a leading role in world affairs. Calls for teachers to incorporate the United Nations into courses throughout the curriculum. (CFR)

Describes a middle school history unit focused on the African American experience. The unit is constructed around four general types of historical questions that can be applied to any history unit. These are informational, empathetic, methodological, and analytical/evaluative. Provides examples of each type of question. (MJP)