The social studies curriculum travels through time and space and is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. To an outsider, the social studies curriculum is a single line on a program of studies, 45 minutes of a student's school day. Those on the inside, however, know that the field covers history, geography, civics, economics, and much…

The Civil War ended in 1865. From 2011-2015, Civil War sesquicentennial events took place around the nation. The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium used the opportunity to feature two exhibits on the critical role that the river played during the Civil War. Both exhibits highlighted contributions to the war effort by the surrounding…

More than half a century has passed since the horrific events of the Holocaust took place, but images of the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany are no less shocking than they were 60 years ago. Any discussion of the Holocaust inevitably leads to questions not only of how and why this event…

This article is the world history counterpart to a previous paper on American history textbooks, "How Much of the Sky? Women in American History High School Textbooks from the 1960s, 1980s and 1990s," Social Education, January/February 2004. The authors of this article examined six books from each decade, the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. The analysis…

Global Trends Workshops for secondary science and social studies teachers and supervisors conducted collaboratively by the Center for Environmental/Energy Education and the Tennessee Valley Authority's Environmental/Energy Education Program are described. The workshops helped teachers learn how to merge global trends with local concerns. (RM)

Proposes that one of the fundamental human attributes is telling stories. Explores the debate on whether Neanderthals possessed language ability. Discusses the role of the "human story" in teaching anthropology. (DH)

Reviews how classroom teachers can use Congressional Satellite Public Announcement Network (C-SPAN) to stimulate and instruct students in social studies and American Government classes. Outlines future plans for classroom outreach which include a guidebook, training tapes, lesson plans, and teacher seminars. Includes an address for further…

Discusses a graduate course on teaching the Vietnam War in which 15 secondary teachers participated. Analyzes the shortcomings of textbooks, particularly in the coverage of the human aspects of the war. Notes methods used by some participants to increase student interest in the subject. (GEA)

Describes a course on the Vietnam War presented by the author to 19 secondary school teachers. The course sought to increase competency in teaching about the war by using readings, lectures, and guest speakers. Concludes that the course was a success because participants encouraged others in their departments to include the topic in their…

States that because of the lack of depth in history texts, the oral history of Vietnam veterans is a valuable teaching alternative. Provides details for preparing students and veterans for interviews. Concludes that this method helps students understand complex issues by placing them in the middle of historical inquiry. (GEA)

This project involves secondary students in selecting and researching an event in U.S. history and writing a poetic ballad, from a first person point of view. Completed works are presented at a school assembly. (RM)

Three case studies of secondary U.S. history teachers who use instructional methods that discourage rather than promote analysis and critical thinking are presented. Teachers do too little because they try to cover too much. The need to improve the teaching of history is urgent. (RM)

A US history activity which generated excitement and enhanced class discussion involved students in writing each other letters as imaginary correspondents living through the period under study. Follow-up activities included displaying letters on bulletin boards, reading correspondence aloud in class, a debate, and a class-written history play. (RM)

Recommends that junior high school social studies classroom teachers incorporate information about the imminent and continuing shortages of energy into the curriculum. One way of organizing this information is as an inverted isosceles triangle in which energy, environment, and social studies education serve as sides of the triangle. Sample lessons…

Summarizes a Canadian study that attempted to determine how a diverse group of high school students identified and understood events of historical significance. The students' responses ranged from generally objective and analytical to wildly subjective. Includes a recommended exercise for establishing students approaches to and definitions of…