Living History in the Classroom

Abstract

At a time when public education has moved toward standardized testing, and history in grades K-5 has been reduced to the actions of a few great men and federal holidays, living history programs are becoming increasingly important. Although such techniques are traditionally reserved for historic sites and large reenactments, the practice can be successfully applied on a much smaller scale. Living history interpretations, even the simplest of demonstrations, can be useful in teaching history to children.