Teaching U.S. History as Mystery by Zevin

Take a new tack on teaching U.S. history:
Have your students examine primary sources for clues.
Suggest that they consider facts as evidence.
Show them how to follow the trail of the thought processes of historians for solutions.
Turn them into sleuths unraveling the mysteries of U.S. history

What better way to engage students in grades 7 through 12 than to encourage them to investigate history as a puzzle, a set of dilemmas, a collection of conflicting viewpoints - in short, a mysterious and provocative subject. Expert investigators themselves, David Gerwin and Jack Zevin have assembled a collection of cases - both real mysteries and purposely constructed classroom problems - with techniques for solving them. In addition, they have incorporated these major features to help you to teach:

• rankings for history mysteries as minor, medium, or major in complexity
• methods for drawing students into problem solving to promote literacy
• guidelines and examples for manufacturing mysteries
• classroom activities and decision-making exercises, including Detective Work and You Decide
• consistent use of materials that promote higher-order thinking skills (analysis, interpretation, viewpoint, and judgment).