Independence

--Donna Kay Mau
A classroom activity (in geography/history/current-events) for September of any year. Other items recall the "mighty storms" of Galveston (1900) and St. Croix (1772)--which a young islander, Alexander Hamilton, witnessed and wrote about (see Handout p. 16).

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a black-and-white pdf of about 3.0 MB:   --> read more »

--Sandra W. Moss, M.D.
Book review of "An American Plague" by Jim Murphy. Also in this issue: Handouts and teaching ideas, such as handout/graph "On the Trail of an Epidemic: Yellow Fever in New Orleans, 1845-1860" and "Connect-the-Dots: Making Meaning from Historical Evidence" by Chris Edwards, which discusses smallpox and the Columbian Exchange.   --> read more »

--Thomas Ladenburg
Students learn the historical setting background of an event, but then must debate and "decide upon" the outcome before they discover what actually happened. This issue also includes "Teaching and Learning with Timelines" by Linda Tripp, Cindy Basye, Kathy Jones, and Vicki Tripp.

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 1.0 MB:   --> read more »

--Alan J. Singer
Students compare primary sources (included as handouts) to validate historical information. The ad is from the "New York Gazette," April 1, 1754, published in the slave-holding colony of New York.

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 1.2 MB:
* http://members.ncss.org/mll/28/MLL28.pdf

--Melissa J. Marks
Students link clauses in the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution with current events as reported in the news media. Does "promoting general welfare" include health care?

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 0.6 MB:
* http://members.ncss.org/mll/26/MLL26.pdf

--Stephanie Wasta
Three lessons that bring good resource material into the classroom and engage students in thinking critically about history and historical sources. Includes handouts and instructions for playing the Colonial Era children's game "Skin the Snake."

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 1.0 MB:
* http://members.ncss.org/mll/25/MLL25.pdf

--Steven S. Lapham and Drew Saunders
A wise man observes, learns, and grows. Also includes a related classroom activity about Ben's interesting personality: "Will the Senate Confirm 'Karl B. Fennin'?" by William E. Amburn.

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 1.0 MB:
* http://members.ncss.org/mll/22/MLL22.pdf

--Byron Augustin and Michael Bailey

Students get dirty making adobe brick, just like those in the Palace of Governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico--the oldest continuously occupied building in the U.S. Also includes quiz "Tough Stuff" building materials; and book review of "Mud Matters."

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 1.0 MB:   --> read more »

--Steven S. Lapham

Background and lyrics to a 1942 blues song about the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Also an article about Alexander Hamilton's close brush with big winds in 1772.

• This issue needs to be scanned. Steve will do.

--Mary E. Connor
Primary source material about, and brief biographies of, Jane Franklin Mecom, Phillis Wheatly, Mercy Otis Warren, and three others.

This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 2.2 MB:
* http://members.ncss.org/mll/07/mll07.pdf