Eighth-grade American history educator Eric Langhorst describes how he uses articles from a magazine produced by the Daughters of the American Revolution—American Spirit—in his classroom.
Eighth-grade American history educator Eric Langhorst demonstrates how he uses Google Maps in class to show students historic sites.
As Elihu Root once put it, we study war "not to promote war, but to preserve peace." Indeed, it is impossible for students to learn U.S. or world history without frequent reference to war. The Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center presents two webcasts with Jeremy Black, one of the world's most distinguished historians of war, and enabled students from the online and live audiences to "interrogate" this guest as well.
The process explored a wide range of questions: How important is technology in war? How important is morale? What were some of the great errors on the battlefield? Who were the greatest commanders? Why were the 13 American colonies able to defeat the British, the world's greatest power, in America's Revolutionary War? Why did the U.S. play such a crucial role in World War II?
The session is divided into morning and afternoon sections, and is offered in video and audio formats.
The lives and works of 13 renowned American poets are interpreted through dramatic readings, archival photographs, dance, performances, and interviews in this inspiring series. Illustrative poems in each program are accompanied by insights into their historical and cultural connections. The series covers the terminology of poetry and the larger role of poets in American and world literature studies. Poets include Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Elizabeth Bishop. This video instructional series on American poetry is appropriate for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; it consists of 13 one-hour video programs and coordinated books.
Constitutional issues come to life in this Emmy Award-winning series. Key political, legal, and media professionals engage in spontaneous and heated debates on controversial issues such as campaign spending, the right to die, school prayer, and immigration reform. This series will deepen understanding of the life and power of this enduring document and its impact on history and current affairs, while bringing biases and misconceptions to light. This video instructional series on the American Constitution is appropriate for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; it consists of 13 one-hour video programs and coordinated books.
"A Biography of America" presents history not simply as a series of irrefutable facts to be memorized, but as a living narrative. Prominent historians—Donald L. Miller, Pauline Maier, Louis P. Masur, Waldo E. Martin, Jr., Douglas Brinkley, and Virginia Scharff—present America's story as something that is best understood from a variety of perspectives. Thought-provoking debates and lectures encourage critical analysis of the forces that have shaped America. First-person narratives, photos, film footage, and documents reveal the human side of American history—how historical figures affected events, and the impact of these events on citizens' lives. This video instructional series on American history is appropriate for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; it consists of 26 half-hour video programs, coordinated books, and a website.
"American Passages: A Literary Survey" is a 16-part American literature course. The video programs, print guides, and website place literary movements and authors within the context of history and culture. The course takes an expanded view of American literary movements, bringing in a diversity of voices and tracing the continuity among them. The materials, which are coordinated with the Norton Anthology of American Literature, can be used as the basis of a one- or two-semester college-level course or for teacher professional development.
Using clips from more than 300 of the greatest movies ever made, this series explores film history and American culture through the eyes of over 150 Hollywood insiders, including Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, and Michael Eisner. In-depth treatments present film as a powerful economic force, potent 20th-century art form, and viable career option. "American Cinema" connects subjects such as history, business, and English with other studies. In addition, it is a perfect vehicle for developing visual and media literacy skills and can be used as a springboard for creative-writing endeavors and media production. This video instructional series on film history for college and high school classrooms and adult learners includes 10 one-hour and three half-hour video programs and coordinated books.
These workshops help high school teachers develop activities and lessons with documents that deal with controversial topics in American history. Topics include Colonial America, the American Revolution, the Lowell System, Emancipation, the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, the Census, Public Health: Typhoid Mary, and Korea and the Cold War.
The workshops have structured activities that can be customized for sessions ranging in duration from 45 minutes to two hours. Group activities are designed for teachers to discuss and critically think about documents. Videos contain visuals that illustrate the compelling narratives told by top scholars. Previously taught lessons using the documents are also included. Additional print and Web resources are provided.
Free registration is required to stream videos and download all workshop materials, including comprehensive facilitator guides. Certificates of Participation to those working in groups are available and may be used for inservice or recertification credit. Colorado State University offers graduate-level semester credits, for a fee, to those who complete the sequence of sessions and the required assignments.
Historian Gary Nash serves as lead advisor for this professional development series that begins with pre-contact Native American history and continues through Reconstruction.
America's History in the Making is designed to enrich middle school and high school teachers' American history knowledge, while introducing teaching methods that will help them develop their own classroom applications. America's History in the Making is composed of 11 units, each containing video and text materials, Web interactives, and hands-on activities built around primary and secondary source materials. The materials can be used as standalone units or as a full four-credit professional development course.
Free registration is required to stream videos and download all workshop materials, including comprehensive facilitator guides. Certificates of Participation to those working in groups are available and may be used for inservice or recertification credit. Colorado State University offers graduate-level semester credits, for a fee, to those who complete the sequence of sessions and the required assignments.