In this article, the authors focus on a one-week research project examining Frederick Douglass's civic actions to challenge racial discrimination African Americans faced before and after the U.S. Civil War. Our one-week research project was implemented at a free public charter school in amid-sized Southern city. Our project connects to the…

Middle school students learned about their community when they created documentaries as part of a state bicentennial celebration. Students gathered multiple primary and secondary resources and worked with community members to interview them for their perspectives through video presentations as part of the inquiry process. Students work with local…

New research points to the future of education as online, student-centered, collaborative, and community-based--all largely absent from today's educational landscape. This timely guide shows middle, high school, and college students how to undertake research to address challenges in their curriculum and communities. The approach is deliberately…

This article describes a project that helped fourth-grade students connect personally with and bring North Carolina history to life. Over the months of this project, students asked questions, investigated topics of interest that they chose, conducted in-depth research that included interviewing experts, learned to use a video editor to combine…

This manuscript, written with the educator in mind, describes the Youth Historians in Harlem (YHH) program, a twenty-week after-school history program that engaged urban students in history by immersing them in aspects of the historical process. Throughout the program, a group of Black male high school students were apprenticed as historical…

Research has pointed out that an over reliance on textbooks and lecturing in the social studies often devolves instruction into narrow perspectives and uninspiring activities. Thus, teachers allowed their students to use something they were interested in, technology, to access a wide range of resources for a class project. This assignment, the…

This document contains a guide for coordinators and a brief handbook for judges. The coordinator's guide outlines nine steps for organizing and conducting a county social studies fair. Designed for elementary and secondary schools, the focus of the fair is student centered. Students choose topics of personal interest (usually a problem, issue,…

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)

This booklet features a selection of student prepared essays, poetry, research papers, and reviews about various historical subjects and social studies-related areas. These collected works include: (1) "To the Mayan Ruins at Chichen-Itza, Mexico" (W. McClure); (2) "Corruption in Collegiate Athletics and How It Damages the Student Athlete's…

This student booklet outlines seven steps to aid elementary and secondary school students in participating in a social studies county fair. The first step is an understanding of the fair rules. Second, the student decides whether to work in a group or alone, after reading advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. Step three, choosing a…

Described are methods that secondary students can use in social science research projects. They include case studies, interviews, questionnaires, and participant observation. (RM)

"Trick" your students and treat them to an uncustomary classroom celebration. (Editor)

The suggested assignments in this manual were written to provide the high school economics teacher with ideas for projects and exercises that students might do as homework or as long-term activities. They range from very simple assignments that should take only a few minutes of the student's time, to projects that might require several days or an…

Presents nine points that should be considered by teachers and students when writing social studies research papers for History Day and other competitions. Discusses themes, footnotes, annotated bibliographies, sources, proofing, introductions, conclusions, the use of school libraries, and the typing of papers. (GEA)

Justifies reasons for using an annual theme in National History Day, and suggests guidelines for selecting a topic. Stresses the importance of the last two words, "in History," urging students to keep historical context in mind. Emphasizes that current events should be considered within the historical milieu and illustrates ways that…