The CSS Alabama was a 1,050-ton screw steam sloop of war.
House Detectives: Finding History in Your Home
Grade Range: 4-12
Resource Type(s): Reference Materials
Date Posted:
9/2/2008
This printable guide shows students how to research the place where they live and can be used as a tool for individual or small group research. It will help them conduct research on their home or local building, describe their research process and summarize their conclusions based on analysis of the research. This activity is one of the educational resources included in the online exhibition entitled Within These Walls.
National Standards
Historical Thinking Standards (Grades K-4)
Historical Thinking Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation
3A: Formulate questions to focus their inquiry or analysis.
3B: Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors, and institutions.
3C: Analyze historical fiction.
3D: Distinguish between fact and fiction.
3E: Compare different stories about a historical figure, era, or event.
3F: Analyze illustrations in historical stories.
3G: Consider multiple perspectives.
3H: Explain causes in analyzing historical actions.
3I: Challenge arguments of historical inevitability.
3J: Hypothesize influences of the past.
3B: Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors, and institutions.
3C: Analyze historical fiction.
3D: Distinguish between fact and fiction.
3E: Compare different stories about a historical figure, era, or event.
3F: Analyze illustrations in historical stories.
3G: Consider multiple perspectives.
3H: Explain causes in analyzing historical actions.
3I: Challenge arguments of historical inevitability.
3J: Hypothesize influences of the past.
Standards in History (Grades K-4)
Topic 1: Living and Working Together in Families and Communities, Now and Long Ago
1: Family Life Now and in the Recent Past; Family Life in Various Places Long Ago
1A: The student understands family life now and in the recent past; family life in various places long ago.
1B: The student understands the different ways people of diverse racial, religious, and ethnic groups, and of various national origins have transmitted their beliefs and values.
2: History of Students' Local Community and How Communities in North America Varied Long Ago
2A: The student understands the history of his or her local community.
2B: The student understands how communities in North America varied long ago.
1A: The student understands family life now and in the recent past; family life in various places long ago.
1B: The student understands the different ways people of diverse racial, religious, and ethnic groups, and of various national origins have transmitted their beliefs and values.
2: History of Students' Local Community and How Communities in North America Varied Long Ago
2A: The student understands the history of his or her local community.
2B: The student understands how communities in North America varied long ago.
Topic 2: The History of Students' Own State or Region
3: The People, Events, Problems, and Ideas that Created the History of Their State
3A: The student understands the history of indigenous peoples who first lived in his or her state or region.
3B: The student understands the history of the first European, African, and/or Asian-Pacific explorers and settlers who came to his or her state or region.
3C: The student understands the various other groups from regions throughout the world who came into the his or her own state or region over the long-ago and recent past.
3D: The student understands the interactions among all these groups throughout the history of his or her state.
3E: The student understands the ideas that were significant in the development of the state and that helped to forge its unique identity.
3A: The student understands the history of indigenous peoples who first lived in his or her state or region.
3B: The student understands the history of the first European, African, and/or Asian-Pacific explorers and settlers who came to his or her state or region.
3C: The student understands the various other groups from regions throughout the world who came into the his or her own state or region over the long-ago and recent past.
3D: The student understands the interactions among all these groups throughout the history of his or her state.
3E: The student understands the ideas that were significant in the development of the state and that helped to forge its unique identity.
Topic 3: The History of the United States: Democratic Principles and Values and the People from Many Cultures Who Contributed to Its Cultural, Economic, and Political Heritage
4: How Democratic Values Came to Be, and How They Have Been Exemplified by People, Events, and Symbols
4A: Demonstrate understanding of how the United States government was formed and of the nation's basic democratic principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
4B: Demonstrate understanding of ordinary people who have exemplified values and principles of American democracy.
4C: The student understands historic figures who have exemplified values and principles of American democracy.
4D: The student understands events that celebrate and exemplify fundamental values and principles of American democracy.
4E: The student understands national symbols through which American values and principles are expressed.
5: The Causes and Nature of Various Movements of Large Groups of People into and within the United States, Now and Long Ago
5A: Demonstrate understanding of the movements of large groups of people into his or her own and other states in the United States now and long ago.
6: Regional Folklore and Cultural Contributions That Helped to Form Our National Heritage
6A: The student understands folklore and other cultural contributions from various regions of the United States and how they help to form a national heritage.
4A: Demonstrate understanding of how the United States government was formed and of the nation's basic democratic principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
4B: Demonstrate understanding of ordinary people who have exemplified values and principles of American democracy.
4C: The student understands historic figures who have exemplified values and principles of American democracy.
4D: The student understands events that celebrate and exemplify fundamental values and principles of American democracy.
4E: The student understands national symbols through which American values and principles are expressed.
5: The Causes and Nature of Various Movements of Large Groups of People into and within the United States, Now and Long Ago
5A: Demonstrate understanding of the movements of large groups of people into his or her own and other states in the United States now and long ago.
6: Regional Folklore and Cultural Contributions That Helped to Form Our National Heritage
6A: The student understands folklore and other cultural contributions from various regions of the United States and how they help to form a national heritage.
Topic 4: The History of Peoples of Many Cultures Around the World
7: Selected attributes and historical developments of various societies in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
7A: The student understands the cultures and historical developments of selected societies in such places as Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
7B: The student understands great world movements of people now and long ago.
8: Major Discoveries in Science and Technology, Their Social and Economic Effects, and the Scientists and Inventors Responsible for Them
8A: The student understands the development of technological innovations, the major scientists and inventors associated with them and their social and economic effects.
8B: The student understands changes in transportation and their effects.
8C: The student understands changes in communication and their effects.
7A: The student understands the cultures and historical developments of selected societies in such places as Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
7B: The student understands great world movements of people now and long ago.
8: Major Discoveries in Science and Technology, Their Social and Economic Effects, and the Scientists and Inventors Responsible for Them
8A: The student understands the development of technological innovations, the major scientists and inventors associated with them and their social and economic effects.
8B: The student understands changes in transportation and their effects.
8C: The student understands changes in communication and their effects.
Historical Thinking Standards (Grades 5-12)
Historical Thinking Standard 1: Chronological Thinking
1A: Distinguish between past, present, and future time.
1B: Identify the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story.
1C: Establish temporal order in constructing students' own historical narratives.
1D: Measure and calculate calendar time.
1E: Interpret data presented in time lines.
1F: Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration; explain historical continuity and change.
1G: Compare alternative models for periodization.
1B: Identify the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story.
1C: Establish temporal order in constructing students' own historical narratives.
1D: Measure and calculate calendar time.
1E: Interpret data presented in time lines.
1F: Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration; explain historical continuity and change.
1G: Compare alternative models for periodization.
Historical Thinking Standard 2: Historical Comprehension
2A: Identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative and assess its credibility.
2B: Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage.
2C: Identify the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses.
2D: Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations.
2E: Read historical narratives imaginatively.
2F: Appreciate historical perspectives.
2G: Draw upon data in historical maps.
2H: Utilize visual, mathematical, and quatitative data.
2I: Draw upon the visual, literary, and musical sources.
2B: Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage.
2C: Identify the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses.
2D: Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations.
2E: Read historical narratives imaginatively.
2F: Appreciate historical perspectives.
2G: Draw upon data in historical maps.
2H: Utilize visual, mathematical, and quatitative data.
2I: Draw upon the visual, literary, and musical sources.
Historical Thinking Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation
3A: Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas.
3B: Consider multiple perspectives.
3C: Analyze cause-and-effect relationships.
3D: Draw comparisons across eras and regions in order to define enduring issues.
3E: Distinguish between unsupported expressions of opinion and informed hypotheses grounded in historical evidence.
3F: Compare competing historical narratives.
3G: Challenge arguments of historical inevitability.
3H: Hold interpretations of history as tentative.
3I: Evaluate major debates among historians.
3J: Hypothesize the influence of the past.
3B: Consider multiple perspectives.
3C: Analyze cause-and-effect relationships.
3D: Draw comparisons across eras and regions in order to define enduring issues.
3E: Distinguish between unsupported expressions of opinion and informed hypotheses grounded in historical evidence.
3F: Compare competing historical narratives.
3G: Challenge arguments of historical inevitability.
3H: Hold interpretations of history as tentative.
3I: Evaluate major debates among historians.
3J: Hypothesize the influence of the past.
Historical Thinking Standard 4: Historical Research Capabilities
4A: Formulate historical questions.
4B: Obtain historical data from a variety of sources.
4C: Interrogate historical data.
4D: Identify the gaps in the available records, marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time and place.
4E: Employ quantitative analysis.
4F: Support interpretations with historical evidence.
4B: Obtain historical data from a variety of sources.
4C: Interrogate historical data.
4D: Identify the gaps in the available records, marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time and place.
4E: Employ quantitative analysis.
4F: Support interpretations with historical evidence.
