Teaching Historical Empathy

Historical empathy is an engaging approach to curriculum and teaching that encourages students to consider how historical contexts shaped the perspectives of people in the past. This book provides teachers with resources and strategies to help promote the use of historical empathy in classrooms. Teaching Historical Empathy: Bridging the Past and Present outlines instructional resources, curricular standards, and sample lesson plans for secondary teachers to promote historical empathy in their classrooms. Interdisciplinary connections between social studies and English language arts curricular design and instruction are explored through the application of literary analysis, digital media, music, films and documentaries, photographs, and place-based opportunities. "Teaching Historical Empathy: Bridging the Past and Present offers educators at all levels actionable steps to weave empathy into the larger patterns of history, through local history, and rich storytelling, then widening the lens to embrace all of our stories, via place-based learning and digital humanities tools and resources that allow students to see themselves in the story of US." - Annie Evans, Director of Education & Outreach, New American History at the University of Richmond