History from K-4: What Can We Really Do?

Abstract

The short answer is “quite a bit.” In this article, the author makes the case for a K-4 history program that is ambitious in scope while varied and energetic in style. She argues that in the past educators have underestimated the interests and abilities of young children. She maintains that history is the riveting story of the human past, and that no one loves a good story more than a young child. The article is both theoretical and practical. Analyzing the Massachusetts History and Social Curriculum Framework as well as the Core Knowledge Sequence, as they apply to elementary instruction, the author delineates the scope of a good K–4 program and describes and evaluates principles and methods of teaching history to young children.