Civil behavior is required for civil society and a civil classroom. Web articles about why, how, and where children and young adults should learn manners are common. But can lessons on polite behavior in the classroom mask important truths that should be addressed rather than concealed? A common classroom rule is “Show respect to others.” But … Continue reading Classroom Manners: Analyzing behavior with primary sources
Nostalgia – a sentimental longing for the past. Many primary source texts and images suggest the past was a better place. But was it really? The word comes from Greek roots: nostos means to return home, aliga/alegein means pain, to care about, longing. Homesickness is a similar feeling – a longing for home. Historical sources are often nostalgic, … Continue reading Beware of nostalgia in primary sources
Looking for primary source images for social studies lessons? Beware of Google image searches – you may get more junk than historical sources. Knowing the date and original context of a historical image is essential for a good primary source lesson. If you locate an interesting image on the internet that does not include historical … Continue reading Primary Source Images: Context Matters
“What did you do and see on your pilgrimage?” This question was probably the medieval equivalent of “What did you do on your vacation?” If your curriculum includes history of the European Middle Ages, studying medieval pilgrimage can offer insight into the lives pre-industrial people as well as our own modern motivations for travel. Mixed … Continue reading Pilgrimage as a Medieval “Vacation”
What did you do on your summer vacation? Teachers often start the school year by asking students about their summer vacations. Modern media is full advice about how, when, where, and what to do on a vacation. Vacationing is such a popular media topic that it appears everyone takes a vacation. But many families are unable … Continue reading The problem with asking students “What did you do on your summer vacation?”
Did bundling, as pictured in the movie The Patriot (2000) really happen in colonial America? Yes! Examining historical relationship etiquette can provide students with insight into their own behavior. In 1811, an English dictionary described “bundling” as “a man and woman sleeping in the same bed, he with his small clothes, and she with her … Continue reading An Eighteenth Century “Date”- Bundling
Your local library, historical society, or university archives is a treasure trove of primary sources from your community – letters, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, local publications, and all sorts of other ephemera. In most cases, these local institutions are thrilled to work with teachers developing place-based lessons. The staff will know about local history and have … Continue reading Hotels in the Nineteenth Century: Place-based Primary Sources
What are ephemera? Ephemera are everyday documents that are usually discarded – tickets, calendars, advertisements, cards, etc. Ephemera are excellent primary sources for the classroom! These items can help tell the story of an individual or a family. These primary sources also tell a larger story about the history of hobbies, leisure, advertising, or about … Continue reading Advertising Ephemera: Primary Sources for the Classroom
New technology calls for new etiquette. What are the rules of etiquette for texting? for Twitter? for other types of social media? Why do good manners in communication even matter? Ask your students to explore these questions and make comparisons to “old” manners and technology from the past. Telephone Etiquette of the 1950s This 24-page … Continue reading Telephone Etiquette in the 1950s