A New Look at History.

This publication contains background reading material, photographs, sketches, and exercises to help elementary students study and compare objects and aspects of past and present life in the United States. The rationale for the approach underlying the publication is that by listening to folk songs and ballads or by talking with a senior citizen about past events, a child can come to understand that history is all around him. Students are involved in many activities. They study the characteristics of roof styles prevalent during colonial times and then go out into their community to photograph or make sketches of roofing on both old and new homes, study floor plans of colonial homes and contrast these with the layout of their own home to disucss differences in living styles, plan a Sunday meal for seven during the winter of 1798, and choose four streets in their town to write about and discuss why the street was so named and any pertinent historic anecdotes. Other areas and topics explored through the exercises include architectural decoration--colonial to Victorian, chairs, portraits and old snapshots, coins, stamps, quilts, flags, oral history, general stories, trains, and cars. Although intended for use by elementary students, the ideas in this resource can be adapted for secondary students. (Author/RM)