Teaching U.S. History Beyond the Textbook
Six Investigative Strategies, Grades 5-12
Foreword by James Percoco
"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!
"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."
Although this is not the subject area that I will be teaching I liked the activities that could be adapted to any historical study.
