In the 1930s, suffragist and women's rights activist Maud Wood Park "had the happy idea of dramatizing a series of episodes from Lucy Stone's life." This idea resulted in the publication, in 1938, of a 162-page nine-act play, "Lucy Stone: A Chronicle Play," based on a biography of the abolitionist and suffragist by her…

An article on scripted drama might seem an unlikely choice for an edition devoted to getting students talking. Surely the point about a script is that the words used are chosen and prescribed by others. However, the examples presented here by Helen Snelson, Ruth Lingard and Kate Brennan demonstrate how effectively a well-crafted script can serve…

The author presents five classroom activities that involve students in the settlement at Jamestown. Activity 1 simulates the problems encountered on the "Godspeed," a fifty-two-foot foot boat with fifty-two passengers traveling across the Atlantic in 1607 for three slow months. In Activity 2, students plot their route, ocean currents,…

The author decided to minimize the stressful emphasis on assessments in learning in his 11th grade American History and Government classes and put the fun back into teaching. Tired of the repetitive aspects of teaching the required state standards related to the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court cases, the author switched gears from simply…

The one-act, royalty-free plays in this book dramatize notable events in United States history. Historical selections include dramatizations of the Declaration of Independence, the Boston Tea Party, the Continental Army at Valley Forge, the birth of the Constitution, and George Washington crossing the Delaware and feature such historic figures as…

Alternately referred to as historical role-playing, dramatic improvisation, sociodrama, or first-person characterization, role playing is a teaching strategy that often uses official accounts, personal narratives, and diaries to recreate a particular time period, specific event, or breathe life into a character from history. Historical…

This paper discusses plays and companion art pieces suitable for use in the United States history classroom. After a poster from a production of Max Frisch's "Biedermann und die Brandstifter," the paper presents a list of 18 questions ("lenses") for the study of plays with a historical connection; a list of 15 plays for…

Reports on a role-playing activity concerning the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Explains how the program evolved through discussion, planning, organization, research, rehearsal, dress rehearsal, and performance. Identifies ensuring that people read and understand the Constitution's contents and origins as the major reason for the activity.…

Each year, fifth graders at Kamehameha Elementary School produce a play about American history. Students do research, write scripts and songs, design costumes and the stage sets, act, and promote the event. The article explains how the students accomplished this over several months and notes how the activity tied into their schoolwork. (SM)

In this article, the author describes a social studies class activity that uses primary sources to develop a soap opera based on the American Civil War. In the soap opera activity, students can watch historical characters as they grow, develop, and change. Not only do people in the soap opera develop over a long period, but their accumulated…

A teachers' guide is presented that accompanies the video production of "The Other Boston Tea Party," a play used to teach about the U.S. Constitution and American legal and political systems. The play combines a comedy of manners with an historical approach to the issues surrounding the Federalist/Anti-Federalist debate over…

Suggests promoting student critical thinking and motivation through the dramatization of U.S. history. Explains that the exercises make use of old newspaper articles, diaries, and letters, as well as physical artifact facsimiles. Discusses an activity in which students acted out the formation of the Iroquois nation, then wrote first person…

Suggests assigning students to construct moving panoramas as a means of learning about nineteenth-century U.S. history. Explains procedures for developing and presenting the panoramas. Identifies evaluation methods. Argues that the activity can stimulate student curiosity, provide a creative means for orchestrating facts, and make history become…

Strategies and techniques for teaching history and stimulating secondary school students' awareness of and interest in the past is the focus of this document. Using drama as a tool enhances learning and maintains interest and attention by designing and acting out appropriate settings, historical circumstances, dramatic action, and historical…

Teaching the Vietnam War in high school history courses is a challenge to the instructor, and study that relies only on textbooks may neglect the controversy surrounding the War and the issues that faced the nation. This paper discusses how to use songs about the Vietnam War as an instructional tool to investigate the role of songs during the War…