Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0, Volume 2

“Will undoubtedly earn a place in many American history classrooms." —The Journal of Social Studies Research

"Clearly and imaginatively written… Students will find a refreshing departure from the staid historical writing that sometimes plagues other history texts." —Theory & Research in Social Education

Now thoroughly updated and extensively revised for use in today’s history classrooms, this time-honored classic has never been more important than right now. The new edition, Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0, presents an engaging approach to teaching U.S. history that promotes critical thinking and social responsibility. In Volume 2 students investigate 19 significant historical episodes, beginning with the era of expansion and reform and ending with problems facing Americans in the contemporary era. Each carefully researched story examines an ethical decision made by an individual or group from the American past, and is guaranteed to excite students’ imaginations and spark lively classroom discussions involving core values of American democracy—liberty, equality, life, property, truth, and diversity. The discussions aim to develop more mature moral reasoning by students while deepening their knowledge of American history. Each chapter contains five types of learning activities: Facts of the Case, Historical Understanding, Expressing Your Reasoning, Key Concepts from History, and Historical Inquiry.

In Volume 2, students can grapple with such ethical dilemmas as:

• Should Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton have supported the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
• Was investigative journalist Nellie Bly justified in lying to gain access to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum?
• Was Woodrow Wilson right to call for entry of the United States into World War I?
• Should interned Japanese Americans have volunteered to serve in the United States Army during World War II?
• Should Hollywood director Elia Kazan have named communists in his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee?
• Should Representative John Conyers have introduced legislation for reparations to African Americans?

You can also purchase a comprehensive Instructor’s Manual that includes the rationale for the teaching approach, guidance for selecting chapters, direction for leading classroom discussions of ethical issues, suggestions for assessment and grading, answers for the learning activities, and more!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The authors are available, at no fee, to conduct professional development programs for teachers and/or administrators regarding teaching with RDV 2.0. Visit www.rdv2.org for more details, including author contact...read more...