Classroom Materials

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Classroom Materials, Resources

Seven Strategies for Teaching Primary Sources

Partly hand-drawn, partly printed diagram of Böhme's image of the cosmology of the universe. The universe is represented through a large circle that takes up most of the page. Where the circle meets the four corners of the page are four key elements. Clockwise from the upper left, these are law (represented by a sword), Gospel (represented by a hand extending from a cloud and holding flowers), Resignation (represented by a man kneeling at an altar on which an offering is burning), and Self (represented by a man holding a quill pen and kneeling before an altar that is spewing clouds). Within the circle there is a XY axis with the human heart where the lines meet. Elements of the Christian Trinity are at the ends of three of the axes (the Father on left horizontal, the Son on the upright vertical, and the Holy Ghost on the right horizontal). Two large semicircles take up most of the plain. They mirror each other, both with their centers at the ends of the horizontal axes, and their edges running from the top of the vertical axis to the heart at the center of the axes to the bottom of the vertical axis. The left-hand semicircle is shaded. Within both are numerous numbered and labeled points representing various elements and aspects of the soul.

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
April 5, 2022

Classroom Materials, Resources

Why Inquiry-Based Learning?

The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind, is curiosity. Edmund Burke Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. Zora Neale Hurston Getting a student to ask a question is possibly…

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
April 5, 2022

19th Century, Activities, Classroom Materials, Middle School

The Second Great Awakening

Right hand page of a printed book. Reads, "for a minister to read his sermon--to turn over leaf after leaf, and at the conclusion say 'amen,' seemed to me like an 'empty sound and a tinkling cymbal.' I was not benefitted by his reading. It did not arouse me to a sense of my danger--and I am of the opinion that it had no better effect on the people of his charge. I liked to attend church, as I had been taught in my younger years to venerate the Sabbath day; and although young I could plainly perceive the difference between the preachers I had formerly heard and the minister at whose church I attended. I thought, as near as I can remember, that the Christian depended on the Holy Spirit's influence entirely, while this minister depended as much upon his learning. I would not be understood as saying any thing against knowledge; in its place it is good, and highly necessary to a faithful preacher of righteousness. What I object to is, placing too much reliance in it, making a god of it, &c. / Every thing went on smoothly for two or three years. About this time the Methodists began to hold meetings in the neighbourhood, and consequently a storm of persecution gathered; the pharisee and the worldling united heartily in abusing them. The gall and wormwood of sectarian malice were emitted, and every evil report prejudicial to this pious people was freely circulated. And"

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
April 5, 2022

Classroom Materials, Skills Lessons

Skills Lesson: Reading a Caption

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
April 4, 2022

Classroom Materials, Skills Lessons

Skills Lesson: Types of Photographs

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
April 4, 2022

Classroom Materials, Skills Lessons

Skills Lesson: Dating a Photograph

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
April 4, 2022

18th Century, Classroom Materials, Collection Essays, High School

American Indians in an Age of Empire and Revolution: Glossary

Rachel Banke, PhD
March 23, 2022

18th Century, Classroom Materials, High School, Lesson Plans

American Indians in an Age of Empire and Revolution, 1750-1783: Assessments

Rachel Banke, PhD
March 23, 2022

17th Century, 18th Century, Activities, Classroom Materials, High School

American Indians in an Age of Empire and Revolution, 1750-1783: Primary Source Activities

Rachel Banke, PhD
March 17, 2022

Classroom Materials, Skills Lessons

Skills Lesson: Types of Sources

Hand-drawn map of central and eastern North America labeled in French.

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
March 7, 2022

Classroom Materials, Skills Lessons

Skills Lesson: Reading a Transcription

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
March 7, 2022

Classroom Materials, Skills Lessons

Skills Lesson: Political Cartoons

A black-and-white line drawing of a giant, wheeled machine fronted with two outstretched hands pushes crowds of people off a cliff into a valley labeled "Unemployment Dump." The machine is labeled "Modern Machinery."

Hilary Mac Austin and Kathleen Thompson
March 7, 2022