E-raamat: Teaching U.S. History: Dialogues Among Social Studies Teachers and Historians

For middle and secondary school history teachers, Turk (social studies education, New York U.) et al offer an approach to teaching social studies that connects historians to social studies classrooms and teachers. They present seven chapters by scholars and educators who participated in the New York History Teaching Collaborative and collectively developed history lessons with historians and education professors in classrooms in New York from 2006 to 2008. They address key US history eras and events from slavery through the Civil Rights movement and methodological approaches like primary source analysis, role-playing, oral history, historical debate, and inquiry to create hands-on learning and engagement with critical thinking. Each chapter begins with an interview with a historian from the US and an essay on teaching the topic, followed by lesson frameworks and activities. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Teaching U.S. History offers an innovative approach to social studies teaching by connecting historians to real-world social studies classrooms and social studies teachers. In an unusual, even unprecedented, dialogue between scholars and practitioners, this book weds historical theory and practice with social studies pedagogy.

Seven chapters are organized around key US History eras and events from the time of slavery through the Civil Rights Movement and are complemented by detailed discussions of a particular methodological approach, including primary source analysis, oral history and more. Interviews with historians open each chapter to bring the reader into important conversations about the most cutting edge issues in U.S. history today and are followed by essays from expert teachers on the rewards and challenges of implementing these topics in the classroom. Each chapter also includes a wealth of practical resources including suggested key documents or artifacts; a lesson plan for middle school and another suitable for high school; and suggested readings and questions for further study.

Teaching U.S. History is a must read for any aspiring or current teacher who wants to think critically about how to teach U.S. history and make historical discussions come alive in the school classrooms where the nation’s students learn.