Describes a team effort by an historian and a college reading specialist in which volunteer undergraduate students participated in hopes of improving their history papers. Weekly sessions involved summarizing history assignments. Results indicate the importance of both reading levels and reading styles. (KC)

Describes an undergraduate course, "An Interdisciplinary Approach to American Social History." For projects, students analyze census returns by means of computer and present papers to other students and faculty. (KC)

Describes a writing skill improvement project in which graduate students at Berkely graded papers written by undergraduate students in a course on the origins of Chinese civilization. Critical examination of student papers, combined with opportunities to discuss and rewrite the papers, encouraged students to develop a thesis, eliminate irrelevant…

Suggests ways to incorporate women's history into the basic European history course by giving examples of specific content, classroom techniques, and resources that teachers can use to develop their own approaches. (Author)

Examines the theoretical and practical implications of utilizing the biographical approach in the history curriculum by pointing out the advantages, examining the art of writing biographies, and discussing two basic methods used in teaching biography. (Author/CK)

Undergraduate history students can gain insight into the historical process from a short exercise using copies of documents that give conflicting interpretations of the same event. Explains how to lead class discussions based on two letters about lawlessness in Arizona in the 1880s. (Author/AV)

Describes a junior high course in American and Kentucky state history in which teachers and students assume the roles of historical figures, visit the class, and speak as that character about life in his or her era. Students research their character's background, make costumes, and use authentic props. (AV)

Describes a college-level simulation game about the French Revolution. Based on George Lefebvre's "The Coming of the French Revolution," the role-play focuses on social and economic causes of the revolution and allows students to understand citizens' grievances against the French government. (AV)

Discusses the use of novels in studying social history. Proposes that the contents of novels be accepted not as a set of answers about a society, but as a set of questions, plausible hypotheses as to how the historian might organize his evidence. (Author/JK)

Discusses the advantages of using popular novels, primary documents, and role playing assignments for a class in American diplomatic history. Suggestions for using these materials and techniques are also discussed. Includes a list of novels that provide introductions to different decades of American diplomatic history. (Author/JK)

Suggests ways in which collection and analysis of genealogical data in history and social studies classes can develop research skills, increase student interest, and improve self-actualization. Instructions on drawing up blood line charts and family trees are presented. (Author/DB)

Discusses the usefulness of war games in high school and college classrooms, specifically games involving the role of Western Europe in World War II. Twenty games are identified and evaluated in terms of strategy and educational value. (AV)

Describes WORDMZ, a computer program which can generate a number or letter maze. History teachers or students can input names, terms, or dates of interest; specify the size of a desired maze; and create different mazes with the same words in each. Concludes that mazes can be effective in motivating students. (AV)

Suggestions and examples for using role playing and simulation in college history classes that are easily adaptable to elementary and secondary education. (JR)

Suggestions on how historians might use educational films more efficiently in the classroom are given. The range and diversity of educational films, educational film bibliography and criticism, and the classroom uses of films are discussed. (JR)