Search

The article focuses on the use of films in the study and teaching of world history. It summarizes the stages of integrating films in the classroom environment which include preparation, pre-viewing, film watching, and culminating activity. It offers a list of films that can be useful for history teachers in world history teaching which include "Quest for Fire," directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, "Alexander," directed by Oliver Stone, and "Gladiator," directed by Ridley Scott.

An essay is presented on the use of interactive lecturing as a teaching technique in social science education. It explores the concept of interactive learning where exchange of ideas is said to be not only between the students themselves but also between the teachers as well. It also discusses several models for preparing and presenting interactive lectures. It notes that interactive lecturing is the solution to the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the method of used by history teachers.

The article describes the Civil War Battle in Philippi, West Virginia, and discusses various criteria to assess the relevance and importance of historical events to be included in history textbooks. It states that the citizens of Philippi were divided in their loyalties to the North and South, and describes how the battle between Union and Confederate forces took place near Manassas, Virginia on July 21, 1861. It mentions that the teachers should encourage students to use a wider range of criteria for assessing historical significance. It describes how teachers can prepare students to judge the significance of little-known events in history through the inquiry-based methods, which can allow students to broaden their understanding of historical significance.

The article discusses the benefit of unit-framing or essential questions in facilitating student thinking in history. It presents the case of Mike Paredes who observed that his students gained limited understanding of the ideas and issues of history in his class. In relation to this, the concept of essential questions had been offered. It defines the concept and addresses the question why essentials questions appropriate in the history classroom. It also explains how it can be utilized to attain the desired objective.

The article discusses the controversy over social studies, its main camps and pattern of social studies wars since the beginning of the 20th century in the U.S., and critical episodes that will put the contemporary controversies in historical perspective. There are five major camps mentioned in the book "The Social Studies Wars: What Should We Teach the Children?" namely traditional historians, social studies advocates, social efficiency educators, social meliorists, and social reconstructionists or critical pedagogues. Lessons for teachers include the options offered by the camps, the need to defend teachers' right, and the power of traditional-based approaches in social studies.

Discusses the problem that can confront a social studies teacher targeted by a polemical media commentator and recommends resources to help teachers in this predicament. Story of Ayesh Coning Freeman, a ninth grade world history teacher; Relationship between the educational community and media; Views that social studies teachers have a special mandate to offer students opportunities to investigate alternative ways of understanding historical, social, and political events in order to appreciate and confront the complexities of citizenship in a democracy.

The article explains the meaning of historical thinking and sheds some light on how it could be more successfully be taught. As historians pore through documents and assess their status, they simultaneously begin to build theories and models about the past they are investigating. Because the work of historical thinking is complex and often difficult, some teachers-particularly at the elementary and middle school levels-make the presumption that their students are incapable of engaging in such thought. By high school, with careful guidance from ambitious history teachers, students can learn to do it much as historians.

An essay is presented on planning a world history course. It offers the steps in building a case for world history that involves distinguishing between history and historical information, integrating a good history and assessment activities into the students' world history experience, and choosing the coverage in teaching world history. It mentions how teachers teach history in a world history course with topics examining time periods, events, or geographic areas that can be included or omitted.

The article discusses about the "connect-the-dots method" used by the author in teaching history to middle school students. According to the article, the author thinks that his job as an eight grade history teacher is defined as a bridge between historical scholars and his students and through his method, he aims to make the study of history exciting. As an example, he would be giving his students the basic insights of the book "Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond. His method of "connect-the-dots method" is introduced by presenting a puzzle on day 1, followed by an assessment while learning on day 2 and finally a reflection on day 3.

The article reports on teaching history in middle grades. It discusses that everyone have a personal history, and that uniqueness can make each one a splendid participant in the narrative of his own time and place. The teachers in the middle grades can have a chance to help students make links between historical events and what they see as belonging to their own space and time. The history can be imparted to students with connections to their own family or neighborhood. Teaching history can be a memorable experience.

The author offers his thoughts on teaching historical analysis and thinking through the Internet. He said that historical thinking and historical analysis are essential themes within the ranks of social studies educators. He underscored the use of websites in furthering the study of history. He also mentioned how Samuel S. Wineburg's "Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts" made impact on historians, history professors and social studies methods instructors.

The article underscores the topic on history in the Wikipedia entitled "Historical Thinking." It states that the article has links to The National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA. This also includes a five-part definition of historical thinking. These are chronological comprehension, historical comprehension, historical research capabilities, historical analysis and interpretation, and historical issues-analysis and decision-making. Moreover, the article has other links to good information resources for teachers and methods of teachers in teaching history.