Teaching U.S. History Beyond the Textbook: Six Investigative Strategies, Grades 5-12

About the Book

"Williams' passion for helping teachers look at content in new ways is precisely what we need. This book challenges educators to think outside the box."
-Dennis Denenberg, Professor Emeritus
Millersville University

"This is not your typical social studies methods book. Williams' highly readable prose shows a deep respect for the marriage of American history content and teaching."
-Elaine Wrisley Reed, Retired Executive Director
National Council for History Education

Turn your students into history detectives with these innovative teaching strategies!

Written by a history educator, this exciting guide provides a unique approach that makes it easy for middle and high school teachers to engage students' critical thinking in history and social studies.

Using a "CSI approach" to history, the author's six powerful strategies tap into students' natural curiosity and investigative instincts. Students become detectives of the past as they ghost-hunt in their neighborhoods, solve historical crime scenes, prepare arguments for famous court cases, and more. Each ready-to-use technique:

• Demonstrates how students can use primary and secondary sources to solve historical mysteries
• Includes sample lessons and case studies for Grades 5-12
• Aligns with national standards, making the book useful for both teachers and curriculum developers
• Features review questions, reflections, and Web and print resources in every chapter for further reading

Incorporate these strategies into your classroom and watch as students discover just how thrilling and spine-chilling history can be!

Table of Contents:
Foreword by James Percoco Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction: History Education: A Matter of Life or Death? 1. Haunted History: Revealing the Hidden Past Discovering Haunted History What Is Haunted History? Constructing HOST Files A Sampling of HOST Files Questions for Review and Reflection References Resources and Further Reading On the Web 2. The CSI Approach: Making Students Detectives What Is the CSI Approach? Constructing Cold Cases A Sampling of Cold Cases Questions for Review and Reflection References Resources and Further Reading On the Web 3. Historical Fingerprinting: Analyzing Primary and Secondary Sources Learning to Think Like a Historian What Is Historical Fingerprinting Constructing a Historical Fingerprinting Kit A Sampling of Historical Fingerprinting at Work Fingerprinting the Declaration of Independence Fingerprinting the Preamble to the United States Constitution Fingerprinting Political Cartoons Dusting Secondary Sources Questions for Review and Reflection References Resources and Further Reading On the Web 4. The Intersection: Reconstructing Historical Accidents What Is the Intersection? Setting Up the Intersection A Sampling of Historical Intersections Questions for Review and Reflection References Resources and Further Reading 5. Meet SCOTUS: Engaging Students in the Drama of Court Cases What Is SCOTUS? Using SCOTUS A Sampling of Court Cases References Resources and Further Reading On the Web 6. ESP + C: Providing a Student Mental Organizer and Writing Strategy What Is ESP+C? Using ESP+C A Sampling of ESP+C Questions for Review and Reflection References Resources and Further Reading On the Web Conclusion References Further Reading Index

About the Author :
Yohuru Rashied Williams is an associate professor of history at Fairfield University and the vice president for history education of the American Institute for History Education. He is the author of Black Politics/White Power; editor of A Constant Struggle: African-American History from 1865 to the Present; and coeditor of In Search of the Black Panther and Liberated Territory: Toward A Local History of the Black Panther Party. Williams began his educational career as a high school history teacher in Washington, DC, where he first began to develop many of the ideas included in Teaching U.S. History Beyond the Textbook. After earning a PhD in history from Howard University, Williams served as director of social studies education at Delaware State University, training preservice history teachers, and in 2002 was tapped as a consultant for the National Council for History Education. A sought-after, dynamic speaker, Williams has been conducting seminars and colloquia for history teachers around the nation since 2005.

Review :
"No longer is history something to be ingested and regurgitated on a test, but rather something that absorbs the intellectual imagination of the learner. That is a rare quality in good teaching. The author has done a marvelous job of bridging what are otherwise conflicting paradigms."
"This book offers experienced social studies teachers endless ideas and inspiration to revitalize their classrooms so that students look forward to learning social studies, especially learning experiences placed in their own communities." "An excellent guide for making history a compelling subject to students through the use of sleuthing and crime analysis metaphors and techniques. Any teacher using the models outlined in the book will find his or her classes more exciting for all involved.” "Williams presents engaging and unique strategies from his broad range of experience. The connections between historical events and the polemics and mysteries of crime scenes make history learning a thrill." "This is not your typical social studies methods book by any means. Williams′s highly readable prose shows a deep respect for the marriage of American history content and teaching." "Williams′s passion for helping teachers look at content in new ways and with clever devices to engage their students is precisely what we need. This informative and well-designed book challenges educators to think outside of the box." "Great teachers are national treasures, and Yohuru Williams is one of them. In this book he shares ideas and teaching methods. He also includes some terrific historic vignettes." "Williams is one of the most knowledgeable and exciting history education presenters in the nation. Finally, teachers will have the opportunity to read, digest, and implement these fantastic teaching methods into their lessons."