This collection of five essays examines the ways in which history, as a discipline, currently reflects ongoing scholarship on gender, race, ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation. In "Rethinking History," Carol Ruth Berkin reviews the incorporation of social history into elementary, secondary, and postsecondary textbooks. In…

Describes a high school U.S. history class that combines experiential learning with local history. The class models their historical inquiry after a fictional character in, "The Secret of Gumbo Grove," who uncovers her hometown's secrets. A class trip to the local cemetery provides opportunities for historical research. (MJP)

Discusses a ninth grade, culturally diverse, interdisciplinary social studies class. Students pick a person from the class to study with whom they feel a connection and prepare a presentation about this connection, including a poster. Includes the four major themes of the class and a reading list. (MJP)

Summarizes a research project conducted in the Netherlands that examined the effect studying women's history had on the gender identity of girls. The instruction increased girls' knowledge of equal opportunity issues and of the representation of women in history. Knowledge of the social construction of gender remained limited. (MJP)

Describes a high school oral history project where the students investigated the culture, attitudes, and experiences embedded in the 1950s. The students discovered a harsh reality behind the popular nostalgia, a reality that included racism and sexism. Provides sample questions and quotes from the transcripts. (MJP)

Describes an undergraduate course that draws parallels between the immigrant and ethnic experience of the students with similar issues on a national scale. The students write papers exploring their ethnic heritage and, if possible, collect oral histories from other family members. This research complements the assigned readings. (MJP)

Argues that learning about winds and ocean currents will help students understand the achievements of explorers in history in light of physical elements and technologies of their time. Presents a three-day lesson for teaching secondary geography units on locations and regions of winds and currents, and historic effects of winds and currents on…

Outlines letter writing exercises for fifth grade social studies units on the U.S. Revolutionary War period. Students write letters as fictional and nonfictional historical characters from trade books described in article. Objectives include understanding viewpoints and historical events, writing to persuade, and share or seek information.…

Discusses the views of "Holocaust deniers" and categorizes them into two groups: (1) hard deniers; and (2) soft deniers. Maintains that Holocaust denial has no historical support. Asserts that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the best resource to counter the claims of the Holocaust deniers. (CFR)

Discusses the role, socialization, and social attitudes regarding anti-Semitism and the Holocaust among German women living at that time. Describes how many women denied the extent of discrimination against Jews. Maintains that one possible reason is that the drive for survival made denial of the Holocaust easier. (CFR)

Presents a high school lesson plan illustrating the breadth and scope of German anti-Semitism before and during World War II. Includes four lists describing anti-Semitic and German Jewry laws. Includes student objectives, instructional procedures, and instructions for students. (CFR)

Presents a map of Europe identifying the location of major concentration camps, extermination camps, and massacre sites during World War II. Maintains that only a few of the over 400 sites in the former Soviet Union where entire Jewish villages were exterminated are shown. (CFR)

Describes an integrated curriculum approach to world history/language arts that employs student filmmaking as its primary instructional approach. Discusses how the production process allows teachers to assess students' content knowledge, writing skills, and research skills. Includes a list of "helpful hints," a model content outline, and…

Reports on efforts to develop "Crossroads," a K-16 articulated, content-based, spiral curriculum in United States history. Discusses the historical framework underlying the curriculum. Presents the curriculum's 12-era chronology and 8 substantive themes. (CFR)

Presents a secondary school lesson based on the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments. Provides lesson objectives and step-by-step instructional procedures. Includes quoted sections of the Declaration of Sentiments. (CFR)