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The lesson plan developed in this project presents the author's experience of searching for her roots during a summer seminar spent in Hungary, the land of her ancestors. Following an introduction, the project provides a summary syllabus for developmental writing students in an English literature and composition course, "Exploring Our Roots." The syllabus cites a purpose; explains methods; lists readings; gives assignments; and discusses evaluation. The project presents seven sections: (1) "Personal Essay" (Sample for Students); (2) "Internet Genealogical Research"; (3) "Grandfather Zrinyi's Ellis Island Records"; (4) "Zrinyi Castle in Sziget" (History and Photos); (5) "Handout for Students" (Lanier's Family History); (6) "Handout for Students" (Top Genealogy Web sites); and (7)"Handout for Students" (Family Heritage Article). (BT)

This lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that both individual families and whole cultures learn about their pasts by collecting and analyzing stories and artifacts; and that not all archeological finds readily reveal their history to archeologists. The main activity in the lesson involves students in making an oral presentation of stories that have been passed down through the generations in their families. It includes objectives, materials, procedures, adaptations, discussion questions, evaluation methods, extension activities, annotations of suggested readings and web links, vocabulary, and related academic standards and benchmarks addressed in the lesson plan. The lesson plan also contains a description of a video clip related to the lesson, comprehension questions related to the video clip, and answers to those comprehension questions. (RS)

This story and activities are intended to motivate students, grades K-8, to investigate history. The story "Gram's Trunk"-- is about a family's memories being saved by the grandmother, and about her daughter and granddaughter visiting her to look at the objects stored in the trunk. The activities are varied, but nearly all have to do with the student's own family, such as studying a period in history by studying what was happening in your family at the time, researching what was happening to your family during an earlier decade, or doing newspaper and/or magazine research in the public library to investigate what was happening on a family member's birth date. (BT)

This document consists of a booklet describing the Captured Wisdom project and transcripts of videos from the two CD-ROM disks. The booklet details how to get the most from the CD-ROMs with suggestions directed toward teachers, professional development providers, and administrators. Six Captured Wisdom learning sites are listed. The Captured Wisdom CD-ROMs present videos profiling seven innovative projects featuring successful practices that integrate technology into adult education instruction. The CD-ROMs also include the following information for each program: goals; content; learning issues; instructional activities; products and assessments; and resources. The target audiences of the individual projects include adult literacy students, speakers of English as a second language, and adult learners in General Educational Development programs. Transcripts of student and teacher interactions on the videos of "The Antarctica Project,""Home Countries,""The Mars Project,""The Restaurant Problem,""Intrepid Tales,""Creating Family Histories," and "Presenting the Whole Package" projects are included. (MN/CG)

The theme of this guidebook is "Follow your family's history and you will discover America's history." The guidebook offers a way for everyone to explore family history to discover how family stories connect to the history of the nation. It suggests that a family history can be started with a single old photo, letter, or family tale that can be saved as a legacy for generations to come. The guidebook provides 15 ways to preserve family memories and treasures through activities that make history an exciting adventure for the entire family, complete with many examples of how other families have discovered and saved their own stories. The guidebook's activities are: (1) "Keeping a Journal"; (2) "Why Family Recollections Matter"; (3) "Playing Detective with Photographs"; (4)"Discovering Clues in Family Papers"; (5) "Uncovering History in the Attic"; (6) "Exploring Your Home's History"; (7) "Climbing the Family Tree"; (8) "Finding Your Family's Place in American History"; (9) "Writing Your Own Story"; (10) "Fun for the Family"; (11) "Sharing Your Story"; (12) "Connecting with Your Community"; (13) "Finding Help"; (14) "Teaching American History through Family History"; and (15) "Joining Your Hometown Experts." An additional section, "Saving Your Family Treasures," suggests simple steps for preserving family heirlooms and combating the perils of rubber bands, adhesives, acidic paper, heat, light, and humidity. An extensive resource section lists relevant books; American stories; films; regional, national, and state addresses; and places to visit. (BT)

The suggestions in this booklet address the needs of children between the ages 4-12. The booklet shows how museums can inform and inspire and build skills for both classroom and lifelong learning. Suggestions are given for ways to make family visits to museums a special opportunity to spend time together in a rich learning environment. Museums also help children make the connection between the things they see and already know to things that they are learning in the school and the home. Chapters include: (1) "Foreword"; (2) "Introduction"; (3) "Museums Galore!"; (4) "The Museum Visit: Making the Most of It"; and (5) "Complementary Learning: Schools and Families." An 8-item bibliography section and a 49-item resources section offer additional ideas. (EH)

In these lessons students gather information from pictures and by listening to recordings from radio shows of the 1930s and 1940s. Students predict how radio changed people's behaviors and survey older adults about their radio listening habits. Students conclude that radio had a big impact on the lives of people in the past and that it lay the groundwork for television. Students also examine the role of radio today with its low cost and small size that contribute to its modern-day use. The sample questions for students to use in the survey are included in the paper along with procedures and suggestions for evaluation. (EH)

This document presents information for conducting a genealogical search at the Library of Michigan. Included are descriptions of genealogy and local history resources at the Library of Michigan; a 10-step process on conducting family research; bibliographies on how to conduct genealogical research, guides to organizing genealogical data, and books in the Abrams Foundation Historical Collection; a descriptive list of primary and secondary source materials; directions on how to connect to the Library of Michigan's ANSWER online catalog from a home computer; MichNet access numbers; pedigree and family group charts; additional rules; and a map for locating the Library of Michigan. (AEF)

Students cannot trace all the sources that inform who they are at a given moment, but all of them can explore a wide range of sources that inform their sense of self, clarify their values and their relationships to the world and others in it. Writing about family fits especially well into a sequence in which students narrate a personal experience, describe a hero, interview someone who is "different," compose a source-assisted report, and write an overall evaluation of themselves as writers. Students can do any or all of these things writing about family history. Such exercises remove history from the privileged ranks of scholars; they give students a chance to create a space for the other, to write their families "in" by digging into their pasts and sharing it with present readers who also have a stake in it. A personal family history is offered as well as a world wide web address which focuses on genealogy and composition. Contains 10 references. (TB)

This guide was designed, in form and content, with adults in mind, but anyone can use it to study Vermont history as a living subject that includes, affects, and involves everyone. The guide aims to stimulate historical awareness, develop readers' interest in the past and the present, and make them aware of their interaction in the processes of continuity and change using the journal, "Historic Roots," as a place to start an exploration of the past. Teachers can use this guide to enhance their students' sense of connection, and perhaps to stimulate their search for more knowledge about what has come before. Seeing history as the context within which individuals live their lives can help students open their minds to new information and new perspectives, developing analytical and practical skills as they explore their own connections to past and present. Activities in the guide are organized into three sections: (1) "Bringing the Past into the Present"; (2) "Using Maps and Graphics to Make History Live"; and (3) "Thinking about History." All of the guide's activities contain some of the same elements, all use different skills, but there should be some kind of reinforcement, through written assignments, discussion, or drawing to involve students. Some of the guide's activities can be done in the classroom; for others, where practical, the teacher may want to suggest a field trip to sites of interest or the local library. (BT)

This activity book is designed for grades 5-8 to look at America at home during World War II. The work examines the efforts of the men, women, and children who supported and supplied one of the greatest mobilizations of people and material that the world has ever witnessed. The activities were planned to compliment the exhibit of the same name, but they can be used to enrich any study of World War II and the homefront. The booklet is divided into five parts. Activities are designed to be completed in a single session, except for the "Victory Garden in a Pot." Part 1, "Road to War," contains: (1) "Teacher Resource"; (2) "The Road to War: Time Line"; (3) "Faces in the News"; and (4) "Places in the News." Part 2, "Where Were You on December 7, 1941?" contains: (1) "Teacher Resource"; (2) "Oral History Release"; (3) "Where Were You on December 7, 1941? Personal Accounts"; (4) "Oral Histories: Why? Who? How? Basic Rules"; and (5) "My Family Interview." Part 3, "Mom Goes to Work," contains: (1) "Teacher Resource"; (2) "Yesterday and Today"; (3) "Rosie the Riveter"; and (4) "Mom Goes to Work: Personal Accounts." Part 4, "V for Victory," contains: (1) "Teacher Resource"; (2) "What was Rationing?"; (3) "Pitching In"; (4) "The Ration Stamp Game"; (5) "A Victory Garden in a Pot"; and (6) "Creative Cooking." Part 5, "The Sights and Sounds of War," contains: (1) "Teacher Resource"; (2) "The Sights of War: Personal Accounts"; (3) "Symbols"; (4) "My Class Insignia"; (5) "V-Mail"; and (6) "The Sounds of War." A glossary and 21 references are included. (EH)

This issue of "The Goldfinch" focuses on Iowa history. The booklet is divided into two sections. Section 1, "Features," contains the following: (1) "Looking for History"; (2) "Talking History"; (3) "Climbing the Family Tree"; (4) "Tribal Storytelling"; (5) "News About You"; (6) "History Hangouts"; (7) "Documenting History"; (8) "Textiles Tell the Tale"; (9) "Iowa's Cool Collections"; and (10) "Meet an Iowa Kid Collector." Section 2, "Departments," contains: (1) "Wild Rosie's Map"; (2) "History Mystery"; (3) "Activity: Highway History Hunt"; (4) "Activity: Where in Iowa?"; (5) "Activity: Be a Photo Historian"; (6) "Activity: Iowa History Word Find"; (7) "Goldfinch Fiction: 'Attic Adventures'"; (8) "History Makers"; (9) "Goldie's Challenge"; (10) "Answers"; and (11) "The Roost." (EH)

This curriculum resource guide allows students to interpret key historical events and trends from the perspectives of a variety of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups. The 20 learning activities represent suggested approaches for teaching Units 11 and 12 of the New York State Grades 7 and 8 syllabus. Each unit is comprehensive, divided into topical learning activities. Focus questions, teacher background materials, major ideas, concepts, performance objectives, development strategies and worksheets are included. Follow-up activities provide extension suggestions for individual students or classes. Worksheets contain primary sources such as photographs, speeches, letters, and diaries of a particular era. Unit 11, "The Changing Nature of the American People from World War II to the Present," contains 14 learning activities. Unit 12, "Citizenship in Today's World," provides 6 activities. (EH)

This curriculum guide provides ideas for teaching about Lou Henry Hoover, wife of President Herbert Hoover. The book examines personal data, as well as the social milieu of the times of the Hoover's. Teaching suggestions accompany the chapters. There are 12 chapters in the guide: (1) "Timeline, Biographical Sketch, and Photographs of Lou Henry Hoover"; (2) "Lou Henry Hoover's Family Tree--Tracing Your Family History"; (3) "Comparing Childhoods--Interviewing Skills"; (4) "Point of View--Writing from Different Perspectives"; (5) "Lou Henry Hoover Outdoor Person--Environmental Issues"; (6) "Travels with the Hoovers-Geography and Visual Literacy"; (7) "Lou Henry Hoover First Lady--What Is the Role of the First Spouse?"; (8) "Lou Henry Hoover and Women's Changing Status and Roles"; (9) "Trending--Tracing Trends during the Lifetime of Lou Henry Hoover"; (10) "Historical Timeline of Events, 1874-1944, Lou Henry Hoover's Lifetime"; (11) "Songs of the Thirties--Identifying the Times through Song Lyrics"; and (12) "Watermarks--Writing about Positive and Negative Events in One's Life." (EH)

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 1994 as International Year of the Family with the theme, "Family: Resources and Responsibilities in a Changing World." Objectives for the year include increasing awareness of family issues among governments and the private sector, highlighting the importance of families, increasing understanding of their problems, promoting knowledge of the economic and social processes affecting families, and focusing attention upon the rights and responsibilities of all family members. This document presents the following materials for schools to celebrate the year of the family: (1) suggestions for how schools can plan to be involved in The Year of the Family; (2) Year of the Family logos; (3) a proclamation form from the state superintendent; (4) a quiz to test the knowledge about issues facing the American family; (5) ideas for teaching children about different cultures; (6) a worksheet on family issues and concerns; (7) suggestions for creating hunger awareness; (8) tips for creating a family history; (9) parenting principles to teach about using money wisely; (10) some do's and don'ts for grandparents; and (11) a reference list on global awareness, family communication, peace education, and grandparenting. (WP)

This curriculum resource guide allows students to interpret key historical events and trends from the perspectives of a variety of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups. The 35 learning activities represent suggested approaches for teaching Units 7 and 8 of the New York State Grades 7 and 8 syllabus. Each unit is comprehensive, divided into topical learning activities. Focus questions, teacher background materials, major ideas, concepts, performance objectives, development strategies and worksheets are included. Follow-up activities provide extension suggestions for individual students or classes. Worksheets contain primary sources such as photographs, speeches, letters, and diaries of a particular era. Unit 7, "An Industrial Society," contains 25 learning activities. Unit 8,"The United States in an Increasingly Interdependent World," provides 10 activities. Contains a bibliography. (EH)

This curriculum resource guide allows students to interpret key historical events and trends from the perspectives of a variety of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups. The 30 learning activities represent suggested approaches for teaching Units 9 and 10 of the New York State Grades 7 and 8 syllabus. Each unit is comprehensive, divided into topical learning activities. Focus questions, teacher background materials, major ideas, concepts, performance objectives, development strategies and worksheets are included. Follow-up activities provide extension suggestions for individual students or classes. Worksheets contain primary sources such as photographs, speeches, letters, and diaries of a particular era. Unit 9, "The United States Between the Wars," contains 15 learning activities. Unit 10, "The United States Assumes Worldwide Responsibilities," provides 15 activities. (EH)

This paper describes a project that was required for completing the Americans for Indian Opportunity Ambassador Program. The project resulted in development of a course on American Indian family history taught at the Native American Educational Services College (Chicago, Illinois). Part of the course required American Indian students to document their family histories. This project is important because researching family and community history leads to examining how conditions evolved over time and provides both enlightenment and perspective on current life situations. Secondly, very little has been written about American Indian families. Nearly all the research that exists on American Indian families has been written by non-Indians and often is not relevant to Indian community situations. Lastly, researching family and community history is conducive to developing an emotional understanding of American Indian history. Included is a syllabus developed for teaching a course on American Indian Family History. The class lectures and course readings examine the effects of attempting to assimilate American Indians into White society. Additionally, the course emphasizes boarding schools because of the detrimental effects they had on American Indian families and communities. Also included are a list of questions to consider when researching family history, and the author's own family history. (LP)

The curriculum presented here contains three units designed to help Mexican-American migrant students understand and value the richness of their culture, experiences, and family. Unit 1, "My Roots," examines the different components of a culture, and presents aspects of the Aztec civilization and culture. Activities include hearing a poem in Nahuatl, the original Aztec language, art activities involving pre-Columbian designs, reading and acting out Aztec myths, learning about Aztec religion and its role in Aztec culture, and reading and writing activities concerning Cortes and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. This unit contains many drawings suitable for coloring or tracing. Unit 2, "My Family," covers the roles and responsibilities of family members, traditional versus modern family, and immigration and the migrant experience. Activities include diagramming families; writing about a favorite relative, family traditions and values, and student's own or family's migration experiences; interviewing a family member; and painting family scenes. In Unit 3, "Myself," the student examines his/her own name, appearance, feelings, and room or favorite place. Activities include group discussion, journal writing, making "me" paper dolls and personal-history mobiles, exploring feelings, and drawing self and favorite place. A resource section lists 54 recommended books, summarizes the process of leading a group circle session, provides teacher and parent evaluation forms, and describes slide shows available for use with lessons. Some student materials are provided in both Spanish and English. (SV)

Conducting research in the field of genealogy requires the use of many different historical and recent materials in libraries and elsewhere. This guide provides an annotated bibliography of useful library tools, a basic strategy for research, and a list of other sources of information to help trace a family tree. Although comprehensive, this bibliography is by no means an exhaustive list of genealogical sources; rather, it is meant as an introduction to categories of materials. The following types of sources are included in the bibliography: handbooks and guides (17 titles); dictionaries (8 titles); indexes (10 titles); directories (16 titles); bibliographies (21 titles); newspapers and newspaper indexes (6 titles); census records (8 titles); military records (6 titles); church and cemetery records (2 titles); land records (2 titles); periodicals (13 titles); history and family histories (3 titles); agencies (9 titles); and other sources of information (13 titles). (JLB)

In the traditional family preservation model, a family's integrity is preserved by keeping children in the care of their immediate or extended families. Family reunification has involved safely returning children to the custody of their families after a period of foster care. However, families are not preserved solely by family members maintaining close physical proximity to their members. Most families develop strong emotional and kinship bonds that perpetuate the history and culture of the family. Therefore, when rethinking the concept of family preservation services, it is useful to think in terms of activities that protect a family's history and culture; preserve its familial, cultural, and ethnic identity and connections; and safeguard the kinship bonds between children and their "psychological family" and culture of origin. In this context, a child's removal and placement into another family can be an effort to preserve the family, as is the case in coparenting. Coparenting involves planned and focused activities to create a parenting partnership in which the child's family and the foster family share a commitment to ensure the well-being of the child while preserving the child's emotional connections to family and culture. Coparenting is well-suited for facilitating family restorations, overcoming barriers of cross-race and cross-cultural placements, responding to child neglect, and preparing a child for permanent placement with another family. (MM)

This training manual demonstrates the utilization of two family assessment tools with American Indian rehabilitation clients. The manual begins with an overview of general systems theory, family systems theory, and family assessment theory. The genogram is then defined as a type of family tree covering at least three generations, offering a map of a family's aspirations, patterns of behavior, roles, demographics, major life events, losses, births, abilities, disabilities, occupations, and communication and relationship patterns. Three types of genograms are discussed. Eco-map assessment is then described as a visual drawing of all resources available in the family system, indicating relationships between the client and the various resources or people affecting the client's life. Instructions are offered for constructing an eco-map. Information is then offered to assist in developing staff members' interviewing and communication skills during assessment. The training manual provides a list of abbreviations, a list of symbols for use on genograms and eco-maps, a genogram interview schedule, informed consent forms, field procedures, and a workshop evaluation form. A bibliography of 54 references is presented. (JDD)

This study guide was created to accompany the special exhibit "Strength and Diversity: Japanese American Women, 1885 to 1990" at The Oakland (California) Museum, February 17-May 13, 1990. The guide provides a supplement for studying the history of Japanese American women, their immigration, and acculturation. The guide touches upon important historical and sociological aspects of becoming an American, such as immigration, acculturation, discrimination, ethnic identity/pride, and cultural diversity. The guide is divided into four parts, including: (1) "Overview and Brief History"; (2) "Concepts and Biographies"; (3) "Activities"; and (4) "Bibliography." First-person accounts are included for the immigrant experience (Issei), the acculturation of the second generation U.S. born women (Nisei), and the cultural integration of the third and fourth generations (Sansei and Yonsei). (EH)

Provides background information on Robert Portner and Jennie Dean focusing on their contributions to the community of Manassas, Virginia, and the events leading up to their legacies at Manassas. Considers the importance of family history as U.S. history and includes an assignment that enabling students to create their own stories derived from research. (CMK)

Explores the use of family stories within art education. Discusses how students can find stories at home and the importance of finding one's self-identity through stories. Focuses on how students in a college art appreciation course create masks for story telling. Includes examples of student work. (CMK)

One of the best ways to engage children in history is by involving them in activities related to their own lives' experiences. This unit gives students an opportunity to study history through a familiar and relevant topic: families. Suggested time for unit implementation is 8 weeks. Students explore family roots, traditions, and how daily life has changed or remained the same; learn how to think critically about history by examining primary sources such as artifacts and photographs; learn how to interview another person to investigate the past; begin to see their places in history and how family history helps define people as individuals and members of a larger society; and have a chance to study the daily lives of people, ideally their own ancestors, who lived long ago and compare that existence with their own lives and the lives of their parents and grandparents. The lesson plan discusses the significance of the topic; lists focus questions; features literacy links; and provides information and student activities, dividing the topic into: "Beginning the Topic,""Developing the Topic," and "Culminating the Topic." It suggests assessment activities, offers extended/correlated activities, and lists extensive topic resources. Appended are sample worksheets. (BT)

Addresses the use of children's literature within the social studies classroom on the topic of memory boxes. Includes discussions of four books: (1) "The Littlest Angel" (Charles Tazewell); (2) "The Hundred Penny Box" (Sharon Bell Mathis); (3) "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge" (Mem Fox); and (4) "The Memory Box" (Mary Bahr). (CMK)

A comprehensive handbook on investigating the history of your community, family, local institutions, and cultural artifacts, this fully updated second edition provides insights on how to find and use published, unpublished, visual, and material records; collect information through interviews; connect individual investigations with broader historical issues; and use photographs, documents, and objects in a study. It is designed to be a resource for both professionally trained and self-taught historians. Chapters in the handbook are: (1) "Why Nearby History?"; (2) "What Can Be Done Nearby?"; (3) "Traces and Storytelling"; (4) "Published Documents"; (5) "Unpublished Documents"; (6) "Oral Documents"; (7) "Visual Documents"; (8) Artifacts"; (9) "Landscapes and Buildings"; (10)"Preserving Material Traces"; (11) "Research, Writing, and Leaving a Record"; and (12) "Linking the Particular and the Universal". Appendixes are: (1) "Forms to Request Information from Federal Agencies"; (2) "Sample Gift Agreements"; (3) "Sources of Archival Storage Products and Information"; and (4) "Using the World Wide Web (WWW) in Nearby History." (BT)

Presents a lesson where the students participate in a simulation of the process at Ellis Island in order to understand the feelings people underwent during immigration. Explains that the students choose and research a character, either fictional or a relative, and act out the experience of entering Ellis Island. (CMK)

Describes a lesson in which students read a letter from the Web site "Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities during the American Civil War," an interactive archive of digitized primary sources. Students search the site's 1860 population census to learn about Thomas Garber and his family. Students also learn about life in the 19th century. (CMK)

This manual provides a general introduction to folklore and folklife. Certain articles herein may be used in a basic activity-oriented approach to the study of folklore, beginning at the fourth grade level. Other articles proved a more in-depth study of folklife and of the means by which folk culture is preserved and shared. The teacher must determine which materials are appropriate for age and ability groups. Some activities describe rather sophisticated projects for students. The table of contents contains the following: (1) "Editor's Note" (John Ball); (2) "Introduction to Teachers Manual" (Ralph Rinzler); (3) "Introduction to Folklore" (Susan Kalcik); (4) "Introduction to Folk Music" (Thomas Vennum); (5) "Occupational Folklife" (Peter Seitel); (6) "Family Folklore" (Steven Zeitlin; Ann Bay; Amy Kotkin; Holly Cutting-Baker); (7) "Children's Folklife" (Kate Rinzler); (8) "Folklore in Your Own Community" (Jack Santino); (9) "Ethnic Folklore" (Susan Kalcik); (10) "Material Folklife" (Henry Glassie); and (11) "Festivals and Folk Festivals" (Susan Kalcik). (EH)

This unit was developed to help students gain a sense of personal identity by examining their heritage. This is accomplished through a study of their genealogical beginnings, their county, and their ancestors' way of life. Part I of the unit engages students in activities investigating their background such as writing an autobiography, interviewing adult relatives, studying local folklore, and creating an ancestors gallery. Part II of the unit involves students in a study of their county. Ripley County, Indiana is the focus of this unit, but the activities could be easily transferred to any other county. Activities include drawing a county map, detailing the origins of the county, and studying the early families and their religions. Part III of the unit is a study of pioneer life. Topics studied are: homes, transportation, education, food, crafts, medicine, towns, clothing, and holidays. (SM)

A fifth grade unit presents the history of immigration to the United States from a legal perspective. The eight sections are suitable for a comprehensive unit but may also be used selectively. Section A contains teacher materials: a chronological chart tying immigration laws to historical and cultural events, an overview of immigration legislation, a series of circle graphs depicting U.S. immigration by region of origin, questions and answers about the citizenship process, a paragraph about photographer Lewis Hine, a vocabulary lesson, and a vocabulary list. Section B contains a lesson plan for examining the diverse national and cultural backgrounds of Americans. Section C is a lesson plan for exploring family roots through a personal history test, a family tree, and a family map. Section D contains seven lesson plans for studying immigration in the past. Cause and effect in immigration patterns, the immigration experience, and the impact of immigration are among the topics. Immigration today is the topic of Section E. Six lessons explore the citizenship and naturalization process, illegal aliens, and deportation. Five additional activities are provided in section F. Student tests and an answer key are contained in section G. The final section, section H, comprises a bibliography, including audio-visual materials; adult nonfiction; and student fictions and nonfiction. (LP)

Sketches out several projects and assignments that focus on the family and suggests some contexts that can be used to give them structure. Suggests that this is an appealing way to end the school year, offering strong material to keep students involved. (SR)

Compares the ability of teaching history thematically to excite students with traditional chronological approaches to history instruction. Argues that immigration provides an excellent model for learning thematically because it is one of the most personal and engaging topics. Presents a brief history of immigration to the United States along with teaching activities. (DSK)

Describes a series of activities presented at the 1996 Annual Cultural Diversity Celebration. The activities are designed to provide teachers with ideas that focus on family values, traditions, and homes. These lessons teach children that values such as love, caring, justice, and respect for human dignity are universal. (MJP)

Develops a unit of study depicting grandparent/grandchildren interactions and shows how social studies content and an exploration of grandparents around the world can be encountered through literature depicting such interactions. Includes goals and related National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) standards, themes, activities for different grade levels, and a bibliography of children's literature. (DSK)

Describes teaching methods used to prepare students for conducting oral history interviews. Fishbowl interviews consist of a behavior-modeling exercise where the teacher interviews a guest in front of the class. Examines other instructional techniques such as role playing and paired interviewing. (MJP)

Discusses three exercises for a home state course that tap the store of knowledge possessed by a classroom of home state residents. The exercises include a family migration history, a review of a home state novel, and a self-guided field trip. Includes exercise instructions and sample book list. (MJP)

Cemeteries dot the U.S. urban and rural landscape. They hold genealogical information and more. This guide suggests using cemeteries as an informative resource for classroom study. The guide outlines research strategies, provides additional information for interpreting and understanding cemeteries in rural and urban South Carolina, and contains illustrations. The guide is divided into 14 sections: (1) "Background" (Early Graveyards; Mid- and Late-Eighteenth-Century Graveyards; The Rural Cemetery; Summary); (2) "African American Burial Grounds"; (3) "Locating and Plotting Cemeteries"; (4) "Inscriptions"; (5) "Iconography" (Popular Symbols and Their Meaning); (6) "Gravestone Materials"; (7) "Form"; (8) "Classroom Activities"; (9) "Notes"; (10) "Word Search"; (11) "Parts of a Tombstone"; (12) "Documents"; (13) "Final Resting Places of the Great and Near-Great in South Carolina: A Selection"; and (14) "Published Cemetery Inscriptions in SC: A Selected Bibliography". (BT)

Based on the idea that a personal history is a gift to share and can restore the connection between generations, this book is animated by the belief that life has value and knowledge for others. The book traces the writing process of producing a personal history with supportive coaching, stimulating questions, shared memories, and evocative photographs. Following a preface, the book situates its chapters in chronological order, i.e.: "The Gift of 'Legacy'"; "Beginnings and Childhood"; "Adolescence"; "Early Adult Years"; "Marriage"; "Being a Parent"; "Middle Adult Years"; "Being a Grandparent"; "Later Adult Years"; and "Reflections." (NKA)

Describes an integrated curriculum for grade two at Metcalf Laboratory School, Normal, Illinois, that celebrates family histories and American immigration. Reports that the journey begins with the teachers sharing their own family backgrounds, followed by story reading, sharing the family history project with parents, collecting oral histories, reading about immigration, and displaying the project results. (PA)

This article summarizes the plot of "Bonjour, Lonnie," a picture book about an orphaned African American Jewish boy's search for his roots; provides discussion questions; and outlines research and language arts activities in biography, art, civil rights, and family heritage. Includes an interview with the author, and highlights the 1997 Quilt Contest. (PEN)

This book examines the cultural universal of family and community from a multicultural perspective. The text is written for juveniles, and includes many color photographs. Chapters include: (1) "Families Are Everywhere"; (2) "The Americas"; (3) "Africa"; (4) "Europe and the Middle East"; (5) "Asia"; and (6) "Australia and the South Pacific." The volume concludes with a glossary and a 12-item list of further reading suggestions. (EH)

Providing a low-key, nonthreatening way for teachers and parents to build partnerships for kids, this book presents short, concrete activities in English and Spanish to foster communication between teachers and parents and between parents and children. While the activities in the book are designed for grade 5, none of the activities have grade-specific references; they can also be used in mixed-grade and ungraded classrooms. The activities in the book make it easy for parents to contribute a "homeside" to their children's schoolside learning. The activities in the book are introduced once or twice a month in class, completed at home, and then incorporated into a follow-up classroom activity or discussion. Typically these 15- to 20-minute activities in the book are reciprocal parent-child interviews or opportunities to share experiences and opinions. The book begins with a description of "homeside activities" and their benefits, guidelines for teachers, and a letter to parents. The 18 teacher pages and activities in the book are on topics such as everyday math, poetry performance, opinions, family folklore, group work, and school year collage. (RS)

Providing a low-key, nonthreatening way for teachers and parents to build partnerships for kids, this book presents short, concrete activities in English and Spanish to foster communication between teachers and parents and between parents and children. While the activities in the book are designed for grade 4, none of the activities have grade-specific references; they can also be used in mixed-grade and ungraded classrooms. The activities in the book make it easy for parents to contribute a "homeside" to their children's schoolside learning. The activities in the book are introduced once or twice a month in class, completed at home, and then incorporated into a follow-up classroom activity or discussion. Typically these 15- to 20-minute activities in the book are reciprocal parent-child interviews or opportunities to share experiences and opinions. The book begins with a description of "homeside activities" and their benefits, guidelines for teachers, and a letter to parents. The 18 teacher pages and activities in the book are on topics such as homework, winter feelings, family history, historical heroes, neighborhood maps, and school year summary. (RS)

Providing a low-key, nonthreatening way for teachers and parents to build partnerships for kids, this book presents short, concrete activities in English and Spanish to foster communication between teachers and parents and between parents and children. While the activities in the book are designed for grade 2, none of the activities have grade-specific references; they can also be used in mixed-grade and ungraded classrooms. The activities in the book make it easy for parents to contribute a "homeside" to their children's schoolside learning. The activities in the book are introduced once or twice a month in class, completed at home, and then incorporated into a follow-up classroom activity or discussion. Typically these 15- to 20-minute activities in the book are reciprocal parent-child interviews or opportunities to share experiences and opinions. The book begins with a description of "homeside activities" and their benefits, guidelines for teachers, and a letter to parents. The 18 teacher pages and activities in the book are on topics such as a new school year, at-home science, family artifacts, holidays, childhood friends, recess, and school year memories. (RS)

Argues that family stories encourage students to learn more about their heritage, acquire and refine literacy skills, and develop greater respect for the multicultural differences that make the students unique. Discusses starting with children's literature, collecting stories, sharing aloud, preserving the stories through writing, and celebrating authorship. (SR)

Contends that oral history is a way to involve students in thinking about and understanding history and the contemporary world. Includes a family history chart, recommendations for creating an oral history questionnaire, sample interview questions, and four student oral history writing models. (CFR)

As a means of integrating Appalachian culture and folklore into the curriculum, a fifth-grade social studies unit has students create a personal history book by studying the origin and history of their own name, developing their own memory stories, developing a family tree, studying family artifacts and old photographs, and interviewing family members. Includes 32 Appalachian resources. (KS)