Argues that, to maximize a child's educational experience in history/social science, it is imperative that teachers utilize a whole-brain teaching approach by using a variety of experiences that stimulate both sides of the brain. Discusses the three general modes in which students appear to learn: oral, visual, and kinesthetic. Suggests specific…

Presents six classroom activities to be used with a unit on the European exploration period. Links the activities to the themes presented in the Position Statement on the Columbian Quincentenary published by the National Council for the Social Studies. Includes recommended teaching procedures and instructional materials. (CFR)

Describes the Teaching with Historic Places Project, a cooperative effort of the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Explains the project's background and the factors that served as criteria for the lesson plans developed by classroom teachers and project staff. Includes information on obtaining the lesson…

Identifies content analysis as the process of making inferences about a document by systematically identifying and quantifying certain characteristics of the communication. Characteristics could include style, intended audience, format, message, and surrounding circumstances. Includes several classroom examples, as well as related activities, and…

Maintains that there is general consensus about recommended reforms in the teaching and learning of history but that it is unlikely that many will be adopted on a broad scale. Asserts that the emphasis on active, student-centered approaches to learning are the best ways to organize history instruction. (CFR)

Questions how elementary teachers can expand their students' views of heroes and heroines. Includes nine activities designed to enhance students' definition of heroism. Includes a discussion of everyday heroism, political and social activity, and how students can be heroes themselves. (MJP)

Investigated the role that interactive multimedia might play in scaffolding teacher-led classroom activities to help children construct more appropriate external representations for particular tasks and reason more effectively about historical chronological concepts. Reports on the conceptual design and pedagogical approach to developing effective…

Heritage education is an interdisciplinary, interactive approach to examining the historical and cultural evidence of heritage that remains in neighborhoods, community, and regions. This paper seeks to answer some basic questions about heritage education, including: What is it? What are heritage educators seeking to accomplish? Is there a right…

This publication is intended for teachers bringing a class to visit the National Archives in Washington, D.C., for a workshop on primary documents. The National Archives serves as the repository for all federal records of enduring value. Primary sources are vital teaching tools because they actively engage the student's imagination so that he or…

This activity is designed for use in connection with the study of Turkish history by elementary school students. The activity utilizes Turkish art to stimulate students to create their own written interpretations of history. The particular work of art studied is "Miniature with a Cat Design," from the collection of the Topkapi Museum in…

These guidelines for conducting oral history projects are the result of the first efforts at school history of sixth-grade students at the Southside Elementary School, Columbus. While the guidelines stem from a project on a specific topic, they would be useful to students (even students beyond the sixth grade) who wish to do oral history work.…

Designed to accompany a series of 10 20-minute video programs, this teaching guide helps students to use geographical principles and concepts in order to better understand major historical development. The series uses the five basic geographic themes to enhance student understanding of significant events in U.S. history: location, place,…

Designed to be used as a part of social studies, history, or language arts programs in grades 5-9, this teacher's guide gives background information, lesson plans, and suggested additional activities for teaching about the life of George Washington. The six activities are meant to be used in a sequence as a unit but they can be easily adapted for…

The four teachers' guides contained in this publication are built around two stories and two poems written by Lois Prante Stevens based on her childhood in North Dakota in the early 1900s and are designed to provide a successful centennial experience for North Dakotan students of the 1990s. Each guide includes a statement of goals and suggestions…

The global history course syllabus, Theme III, entitled, "Changes in Thought and Action Led to the Emergence of the Modern World," focuses on the European impact upon the world as well as the cross-cultural influences which resulted in important developments such as the Commercial Revolution. These influences include contributions of the…