Middle Level
The Colonial Convention: Teaching History as Perspective Taking
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 12:26pm--Mac Duis and Sandra S. Duis
Eighth grade students adopt the role of a character from the late Colonial era and present that character's perspective on issues of the day at a convention involving the 13 colonies.
This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 4.5 MB:
* http://members.ncss.org/mll/03/mll03.pdf
The Makah: Exploring Public Issues during a Structured Classroom Discussion
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 12:12pm--Bruce E. Larson
Students have to think on two levels: they must deliberate about a current issue (Native rights to small-scale whaling) and develop reasons to defend their thinking; and they must reflect on the discussion process itself.
- publications.socialstudies.org/yl/1001/100102.html
Using Children’s Diaries to Teach the Oregon Trail
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 9:30am--Richard M. Wyman, Jr.
Children traveling west with their families sometimes kept diaries. "precisely because they were trapped in the present moment," these young authors often viewed "their immediate world with a special clarity."
This URL downloads all 16 pages of Middle Level Learning as a pdf of about 3.5MB:
http://members.ncss.org/mll/01/mll01.pdf
Exploring the Explorers: Using Internet Resources
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 3:57pm--Cheryl Franklin Torrez and Gina Bush
Students investigate various sources to learn about the Age of Exploration--and think critically about what they are reading at the (sometimes mischievous) "All About Explorers" website.
Happy Birthday, Mr. President! New Books for Abraham Lincoln’s Bicentennial
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 3:53pm--Terrell A. Young, Barbara A. Ward, and Deanna Day
Discusses 15 books published in 2007-09, "any one of which would make an excellent addition to a classroom collection."
A Closer Look: The Representation of Slavery in the [em]Dear America[/em] Series
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 3:50pm--T. Lee Williams
A critical review of four books from this popular juvenile historical fiction series, focusing on their depiction of the experience and institution of slavery in the United States.
Reflecting on the Great Black Migration by Creating a Newspaper
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 3:33pm--Angela Hines
Students in third and fourth grade use historical fiction and primary source materials to create their own classroom newspaper about a historical era.
Rope Circles and Giant Trees: Making History Come Alive
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 2:13pm--Robert Millward
Students in grades 4-8 can get a feeling for what the colonial frontier was like when the lesson includes physical activity, paintings, artifacts, diaries, and discussions. (Includes 2-page color poster by Robert Griffing.)
Resources from National Museum of the American Indian
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Tue, 08/11/2009 - 3:12pmA brief, illustrated introduction to the exhibits and website of this great, national collection and learning center.
Talking with Children about the Columbian Exchange
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Tue, 08/11/2009 - 3:06pm--Lynette Field and Judith Y. Singer
The authors describe books for youth about 1) the early encounters between Native Americans and Europeans, and 2) cultural and economic wealth generated by the coming of horses to the continent, and 3) forced marches and separation of families.
