Deanna McDaniel, a teacher at Genoa Middle School in Westerville, was selected by National History Day (NHD) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to serve as one of the 15 contributors to the new textbook Building a More Perfect Union.
The 15 educators chosen to contribute lesson plans represent NHD affiliates in California, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Korea, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Building a More Perfect Union will contain a collection of lesson plans and essays as part of the NEH’s initiative to advance civic education and the study of U.S. history and culture in preparation for 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The book will also assist middle and high school social studies teachers in engaging students with primary sources and themes of democracy and citizenship throughout United States history.
“An understanding of civics and our nation’s history is vital to a healthy democracy,” says NEH Acting Chairman Adam Wolfson. “As we prepare to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary, the National Endowment for the Humanities is pleased to partner with National History Day to make these lesson plans and resources on U.S. history, culture and government widely available at NEH’s EDSITEment website to help engage and inform young citizens.”
With two introductory essays and 15 primary source packed lesson plans, Building a More Perfect Union explores events, legislation and civic actions that have moved the country toward a more perfect union. The book and its materials are available for free download via NHD’s and NEH’s websites.
McDaniel’s lesson plan, “The Equal Rights Amendment: Debating a More Perfect Union,” challenges students to identify the major arguments of varying women’s movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Students are encouraged to compare and contrast the different organizations’ missions and actions to find similarities and differences.
McDaniel’s lesson includes guiding questions, inquiry-based activities, different viewpoints and supplementary materials. Each lesson in the book also includes prompts for students to connect themes and concepts to other lesson topics in U.S. history.
“Ms. McDaniel has contributed to a collection of resources unlike anything we have ever put together at NHD,” says Dr. Cathy Gorn, National History Day executive director. “The bedrock benchmarks of National History Day classroom materials shine through in every lesson plan; but further, thanks to our longstanding partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities and the guiding principles offered by its ‘A More Perfect Union’ initiative, we have the unique opportunity both to further the NHD mission of improving the teaching and learning of history, and to support the NEH’s enduring commitment to tell America’s story.”
Sarah Grace Smith is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
