This brief unit plan and teaching guide was developed by Dr. John Bickford, Professor of Social Studies/History Education at Eastern Illinois University and Editor-in-Chief of The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies, in collaboration with Citizen U. The plan, developed in conjunction with this (Dis)ability History primary source set, includes teaching notes and is targeted to early and upper elementary students. TEACHER BACKGROUND America’s history of safeguarding the civil … [Read more...]
Teaching Now: Learning About (Dis)ability in History – An Inquiry for Elementary Students
May 16, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Learning from the Source: (Dis)ability History
May 9, 2022 by Leave a Comment
This primary source set is targeted to elementary students and includes background information and thinking prompts. It was curated mainly by Dr. John Bickford, Professor of Social Studies/History Education at Eastern Illinois University and Editor-in-Chief of The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies. Access the unit plan that utilizes this primary source set. Click each source to view it larger. Primary Source 1 Pre-reading: This is a button. It has a short … [Read more...]
Teaching Now: Separating Myths from History
November 19, 2021 by 2 Comments
This unit plan and teaching guide was developed by Dr. John Bickford, Professor of Social Studies/History Education at Eastern Illinois University and Editor-in-Chief of The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies, in collaboration with Citizen U. It presents a lesson plan with teaching notes targeted to early and upper elementary students. TEACHER BACKGROUND Children—and adults!—will be shocked to learn most of their Thanksgiving facts are fables, not history. This short section … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning: The Wampanoag, the Plimoth Colonists & the First Thanksgiving
November 18, 2021 by 3 Comments
This primary source set is targeted to elementary students and includes background information and thinking prompts. It was curated mainly by Dr. John Bickford, Professor of Social Studies/History Education at Eastern Illinois University and Editor-in-Chief of The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies, with the goal of helping students separate Thanksgiving myths from history. This set is also available as a Google document; get it here. Access the teaching guide for this source … [Read more...]
Portugal decreed that Jewish and Dutch settlers had three months to leave Brazil. Check out the Library's Today in History section 
Michigan joined the Union as the twenty-sixth state. Check out our 