How to Teach US History With Novels

Novels can ignite students' interests in U.S. history.

Teaching pre-college U.S. History can be challenging. Many middle school and high school students find the multitude of historical names and dates overwhelming and often question the relevance of the information they are asked to learn. Nevertheless, it is a history teacher's job to convey the importance of this discipline in shaping the students' outlook on their society, as well as their civic sense. An effective way to teach U.S. history is to adopt an interdisciplinary approach. Using historical novels and other relevant materials can make the study of history more entertaining and captivating for your students.

Instructions

Teaching U.S. History with the Help of Novels

1. Prepare a list of relevant books. A multitude of novels can help shape your U.S. history lessons in a manageable and attractive way, from Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", to contemporary books on the Vietnam War or the Iraq War. Not every historical novel is appropriate didactic material, but there are a host of children's historical fiction books that paint vivid pictures of every major period in the U.S. history. Public libraries or websites such as the "Federal Resources for Education Excellence" can help shape your book list.

2. Organize novels by period. Assign a selection of instructive and entertaining books to each historical period your curriculum covers. Novels like Avi's "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle," Joyce Hansen's "The Captive" and Esther Forbes' "Johnny Tremain" offer glimpses into Colonial and Revolutionary America, exploring topics such as slavery, the transatlantic voyages, settlement and the Independence War. Roland Smith's "The Captain's Dog" and Ann Rinaldi's "The Second Bend in the River" address life on the American frontier during the U.S. westward expansion, while books like "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson help explore 19th century life in industrialized America. There are many novels that dissect the American Civil War, such as Stephen Crane's "Red Badge of Courage." Countless titles deal with 20th century American history, touching on topics such as the Great Depression, race relations, the Civil Rights movement and America's involvement in global wars.

3. Devise compelling assignments. As students read the assigned historical novels, have them participate in entertaining in-class activities that can help them better digest the covered material. Students can engage in role plays, selecting various historical or fictional characters that have captured their interest the most to try to imagine American life from those characters' perspectives. They can reenact scenes from the novels or come up with scenes of their own. Students could also keep journals in which they create historical scenarios based on a character's predicament and era, or write stories about contemporary events, trying to predict their outcomes. Designing creative activities for your class is the best way to make history come to life.

4. Create a movie list. Contemporary students are often more interested in watching movies than reading books. One idea is to assign books that have corresponding feature films, or supplement the novel list with a few historical movies that explore some of the historical periods covered. Watching a film can be an amusing assignment that a student is more likely to take seriously. It is also an effective way to learn about the customs, issues and cultural perceptions of an era.

References

• "Federal Resources for Educational Excellence": U.S. History Resources
• "Morton Grove Public Library's Webrary": Historical Fiction for Teens