Describes high school social studies student projects involving a study of local cemeteries. Projects include charting life expectancies, creating slide shows of community grave sites, and collecting tombstone rubbings. (KC)

Presents a lesson that focuses on Lithuanian efforts to gain their freedom and their role in the collapse of the Soviet Union. Describes various learning activities that foster understanding of this topic, such as having the students dramatize important events in Lithuania's struggle for independence. (CMK)

Suggests the use of key historical antisocial acts to teach social studies concepts as a means of arousing the interest of adolescents. Recommends overcoming initial sensationalism by shifting emphasis to more appropriate interests. Includes discussion of the Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy assassinations and the Rosenberg spy case. Suggests…

Focuses on using drama in social studies by describing the use of the flippy play, a narrative illustrating social problems and written and drawn on flippable panels. Discusses the process for creating a flippy play, beginning with researching, developing, and constructing the play, building the flippy frame, and then producing and pacing the…

Describes how secondary teachers can design oral history research projects: (1) assess availability of materials; (2) select a project theme; (3) establish a project outcome/skills checklist; (4) preliminary research; (5) mock interviews; (6) pre-interview proposal and scheduling an interview; (7) developing interview schedule; (8) the interview;…

Illustrates the use of multigenre research reports, a collection of student responses to a topic that incorporates several different writing modes. A ninth-grade global issues class was assigned a multigenre research project on Latin America. Reveals the results of the projects and provides an appendix. (CMK)

Describes an action research study designed to examine high school students' use of the Internet, their evaluation of it as a learning tool, and their personal satisfaction at using the Internet for educational research. Presents the findings in detail and concludes by discussing the need for information literacy in the social studies curriculum.…

Describes a series of four lessons that integrate social studies, language arts, and life science for high school students. Explains that students participate in a wildflower collection activity, interview a person from another culture to collect interesting facts and wild stories, research a flowering plant, and make wildflower bookmarks. (CMK)

Recommends using time bonding (finding a role model and researching the process and story behind that individual's accomplishments) as a means to interest students in history. Outlines the instructions covering the objectives of the writing assignments. Students researched a variety of biographies including Jackie Robinson and Lyndon Johnson. (MJP)

Discusses the importance of voice in historical writing. Criticizes objective historiography as impossible and undesirable. Emphasizes the interest and depth of interpretation generated by the use of voice in historical writing. Suggests classroom exercises that enable students to identify and evaluate voice in primary sources and secondary works.…

Asserts that high school student research assignments in history and social studies often yield disappointing results with limited summaries of facts and a loose array of opinions. Argues that graphic organizers can help students with historical inquiry and result in improved thinking skills, more sophisticated conclusions, and better decision…

Addresses the issue of assisting and motivating weak readers in history courses to participate more in research projects by utilizing varied types of materials in small group settings that incorporate different ability levels. Discusses specific types of materials (books, films, and oral history) and sources to locate these materials. (CMK)

Describes a project in which a group of students wrote and published a history of their high school. Lists objectives of the project, such as developing research, analytic, interpersonal, and communication skills and self-esteem. Includes preparing a blueprint of ideas, researching, writing, marketing, and distributing the school's history. (DK)

Describes a series of class activities involving student surveys and interviews with parents and other adults. Discusses possible interview topics ranging from important inventions to simulated interviews with historical figures. Reports that student interest improved and parents became more involved with school activities. (CFR)

Discusses the various ways that oral history can be used in the classroom and describes several representative projects. Covers oral history projects documenting immigrant experiences, women's issues, and other subjects. Appendices include tips on interview preparation, progress reports, background research, evaluative criteria, and final…