NCSS has selected a collection of classroom activities, teaching ideas, and articles from Social Education, Middle Level Learning, and Social Studies and the Young Learner. Browse the collection, or search by historical period and grade level using the search function below.
(Collections on other disciplines are under development.)
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May Madness! A Classroom Competition Merges Historical Research with Public Debate
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:02am—Isaac Cosby Hunt III
In this end-of-the-year project, AP U.S. history students wage a competitive battle to determine the most significant American of the twentieth century.
Printer-friendly versionExploring 350 Years of Jewish American History on the Internet
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:03amMichael J. Berson and Bárbara C. Cruz
For teachers who want to explore the rich history of Jewish involvement in the country’s social fabric, development, and politics, this article provides significant online and print resources.
The Dropping of Atomic Bombs on Japan
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:05amThomas Holmes
As the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki draws near, a classroom teacher shares four approaches to exploring this momentous event with students.
Letter in Support of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Teaching with Documents)
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:06am--Lee Ann Potter
Progress and development has sometimes led to the destruction of landmarks. The featured document highlights the struggle to preserve historic sites and leads students to consider the value of their own community’s landmarks.
The Art and Science of Diplomacy: A World War I Activity
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:06amJames J. Sheehan
This simulation of events leading up to World War I helps students understand the role of diplomats in managing international crises.
Resolution and Letter to Congress from the Constitutional Convention (Teaching With Documents)
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:08amLee Ann Potter
The U.S. Constitution is one of the most influential and most enduring constitutions in the world. Two little-known documents from the Constitutional Convention shed light on the Constitution's evolution.
Picturing Women: Gender, Images, and Representation in Social Studies
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:16am--Christine Woyshner
Photographs and drawings of nineteenth-century dress reformers provide an excellent jumping off point for studying images of women in history.
The Shadow War (Looking at the Law)
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:16am--Michelle Parrini and Charles F. Williams
A renewed U.S. government emphasis on espionage to guard against future terrorist attacks brings with it a host of legal challenges concerning the identification and exposure of covert agents and their legal rights.
Connecting with Our Pioneer Past: Letters from the Homestead
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:18am—Gary Fertig
In the process of creating homestead dioramas and writing letters from the perspective of pioneers, students learn how geography and natural resources affect the economics and social relations of a community.
Examining a Seven-Flag Chieu Hoi Pass: A Primary Document from the American War in Viet Nam
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:18am--Ted Engelmann
A close analysis of the Chieu Hoi pass, dropped over areas of Viet Nam to encourage enemy surrender, provides a unique approach to studying the Viet Nam war.
