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According to this article, long term papers in English and History classes are being shoved out because of standards limitations. Low income, middle class, upper class students all cannot write an essay to save their lives in college and beyond. Joellen and I were highly disturbed that the undergraduates in our Civil War class couldn't deal with footnotes and basic principles of writing. Professor Kraut was also infuriated. If there is anything more risking to our nation, it's poor writing!

I agree with you on the importance of writing longer research essays in high school. The process of writing a long essay is a thorough exercise in understanding something in your own way, and it can be so satisfying upon completion. (like that student in the piece that was GLoWing...i like that feeling)

This website deals with the History of Jim Crow and has many valuable resources for teachers. The History and Geography sections of this website are quite rich in information and I think well-organized and easy to use. The website provides the in-depth essays and/or other materials to be used in the lessons. The American Literature section provides some interesting unit and lesson plans for well-known books such as A Raisin in the Sun and To Kill a Mockingbird. The Teacher Resources section provides a variety of lessons… some involve images, music, literature, simulations, etc. Quite a few seem to incorporate the PBS series The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow. Overall, I am very impressed with this website. My favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird and I think the Unit on this book is interesting in the way they link it to an integrated literature/social studies unit on the case of the Scottsboro Boys and life in the 1930s.

The Holocaust History Project is a website dedicated to presenting information about the Holocaust. The site is an archive of primary sources including letters, essays, photographs, and much more. There is an incredibly compelling text and audio presentation of Heinrich Himmler speech to a secret meeting of a group of SS officers in 1943. Himmler's speech tells part of the story of the Holocaust. Any of the material on this site could be used to support a unit or lesson on the Holocaust. The site also has a "Q & A" section listing all the questions they are received and answered over the years. One can also submit a question on the "Question Form." As an activity, students could develop questions based on research and submit those questions. There are also several Youtube entries that could be used along side the information found on the Holocaust History Project Website. While there are many to select from, I found this one to be quite moving….check it out.on www.youtube.com. The title of the movie is 8. The Holocaust History Project. The movie ends with a sign that states "Think about what you saw."

So this site has a survey that students from different countries around the world have taken about citizenship. You can sign up for free as a teacher and there are two different projects. 1. Survey - See what your students think are the most important responsibilities of citizenship and how they compare to students in other places around the world. There is also a reflective essay assignment for students if you like. 2. Memory Bank - Students record stories of civic engagement from around their own neighborhoods and upload them to the site. Currently there are none up. But yours could be the first!

This website is provided by PBS for teachers to use to help with different classroom applications. It offers teachers the ability get classroom resources, start discussion boards with other educators, and professional development tools. 

Federalist Papers and the thoughts and writings of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay. I will use some of these materials in preparing my unit curriculum.

What does the site offer? How might teachers use it?

Marty Hittelman offers one of the most comprehensive, well rounded opinions on the current policy reforms being enacted. It covers everything, which might be something I think because I agree with it all, but just read it. It's pretty good.

This next post connects back to the lesson plan on interpreting political cartoons. This website - published through the Library of Congress - is nothing short of fantastic. Herbert Block's career covers an incredible span of the 20th century. Using this website as a resource, you can find insightful political cartoons of almost any event from the Great Depression to the Clinton era.