Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction

by Nikki Mandell, Bobbie Malone

Thinking Like a Rethinking History Instruction by Nikki Mandell and Bobbie Malone is a teaching and learning framework that explains the essential elements of history and provides "how to" examples for building historical literacy in classrooms at all grade levels. With practical examples, engaging and effective lessons, and classroom activities that tie to essential questions, Thinking Like a Historian provides a framework to enhance and improve teaching and learning history. We invite you to use Thinking Like a Historian to bring history into your classroom or to re-energize your teaching of this crucial discipline in new ways.


The contributors to Thinking Like a Historian are experienced historians and educators from elementary through university levels. This philosophical and pedagogical guide to history as a discipline uses published standards of the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the National Council for History Education, the National History Standards and state standards for Wisconsin and California.

 

Genres: History, Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, American History, School

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jackie Preisler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. It may be helpful for new teachers, but this felt like relatively known information for seasoned educators. It discusses how to think like a historian and provides engaging activities rather than teaching history like a series of facts.

[Margot Note · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! I wish this was available to teachers when I was in school.

"History is a discipline; a way of thinking that encourages students to analyze historical evidence, evaluate it, and then demonstrate their understanding of evidence. Teaching and learning history requires repeated practice with these essential elements in the discipline" (1).

"History is a discipline of inquiry and analysis. 'Doing history' is an active process of asking good questions about the past, finding and analyzing sources, and drawing conclusions supported by the evidence" (3).

"Most fundamentally, history is not the past. It is a study of the past" (3).

"History evidence comes in two forms: secondary sources and primary sources. Secondary sources are comprised of information or explanations produced after the historical event by people who were not involved in the historical event. Secondary source information and explanations are based on primary sources and other secondary sources. Primary sources are comprised of information or explanations produced at the time of the event and by people who were involved in the historical event. Secondary sources provide context, ideas, and information that are essential to understanding the primary sources" (4).

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the history-curriculum building process. Lots of examples and step by step guides. I ended up skimming alot of it, but expect to go back to their thorough rubrics for evaluating lessons.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource.

9 primary sources out of 10.