Designed for elementary school teachers in Santa Cruz, California, this book outlines an experiential approach to community study. Because the term community can encompass a scope as narrow as the school or as wide as the region, these guidelines are adaptable to several elementary grade levels. The book is arranged in six sections. The first…

Discusses the methodology and benefits of using a city as an instrument for examining American history and social dynamics. (JB)

This student workbook is for 12- to 14-year-olds participating in the Pennsylvania 4-H "Opening the Doors of Your Community" project which is designed to involve youth in improving the quality of community life, learning about the role and functions of local government, understanding public issues, becoming involved in the process of…

Procedures to help intermediate-grade social studies teachers implement a local history unit are provided. Although intended for teachers in Iowa, the guide can easily be used by educators in any state. The procedures are organized around three major generalizations: (1) buildings and artifacts are resources in explaining the history of a…

Trends, tips, and resources for teaching local and family history are identified in this state-of-the-art paper. Using the local community as a historical resource can make American history more relevant and meaningful to students and aids in the development of a wide range of skills, including library use skills, writing skills, and skills used…

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.…

The handbook provides information, ideas, and strategies for developing and utilizing community resources in elementary and secondary school programs. The first section of the document describes six school-community programs in Indiana. Innovations developed in the programs which motivate students to learn about the real world include parental…

An outline of the knowledge and skills to be taught at grade three 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 grade three, communities, and specifies the major…

Designed for inclusion in an eighth grade course on U.S. history or civics, this unit introduces local students to the history of Alexandria (Virginia) through a study of its buildings and urban growth. By examining factors which have changed the community (technology, transportation, economic influences) as well as the relationship between…

As part of Project Adventure, a specific unit within a 12-week Colonial History course taught at a Massachusetts high school was designed to: involve students with each other, their community, and local history; add a significant social and experiential dimension to the course; use a unique system of student evaluation and grading; and be…