Teaching History

1. Determining what to teach

1.1. Use Curriculum guides

1.1.1. Refer to State and National Standards

1.2. Democracy: Change and Continuity in American Democracy (colonial period, government civics, American Revolution, US Constitution, Civl War, slavery and civil rights

1.3. Culture: Gathering of people and ideas, races, traditions, cultures, led to development of America

1.4. World Role: Change role of America. Isolation or worldwide responsibility. Relationships with other nations. Foreign policy. World and regional wars. Consider geography, economic interests, democratic ideals, evaluate role of US in foreign affairs

1.5. Technology: transforming the economy, development of business and labor, impact of science and tech, market economy, urbanization

2. Historical Reasoning

2.1. Determining primary and secondary sources

2.1.1. absorb history rather than do history.

2.1.1.1. student as recipient vs. student as author

2.2. Help children figure out what happened, make sense, determine credibility

2.2.1. Encourage depth of understanding

2.2.1.1. meaning of artifacts

3. Teaching how to "do" history

3.1. students construct historical narratives themselves

3.1.1. use artifacts, primary and secondary sources, and historical fiction

3.2. Construct, compose, interpret, dramatize, re-enact, time travel

3.2.1. speech-ify

3.2.1.1. use song and dance

3.2.1.1.1. examine artifacts

3.3. Absorbing history

3.3.1. Discuss meaning of Primary Document

3.3.1.1. listening to historical narratives and discussing their meaning

3.3.1.1.1. role-playing

4. Wisdom is at stake

4.1. Helps develop better judgment

4.2. Builds empathy and self-knowledge

4.3. Enlarges the imagination

4.4. Empowers to take action

4.5. Provides the long-view

5. Develops a Sense of Time and Chronology

5.1. century, millennia, BCE, etc

5.1.1. place events in chronological order

5.1.1.1. understand time spans

5.1.1.1.1. long-term thinking

5.1.1.2. living wall software programs