between decades and centuries. By the intermediate and middle grades, students have begun to make sense of historical time, but find the study of history itself remote and irrelevant to their own lives. Teachers must make every effort to portray them as experiences, not just facts. The portrayal of history as experience brings history to life, creating a learning environment where students find the study of history meaningful and fascinating at the same time. The thematic curriculum strands allow children to include themselves and their families in their growing understanding of history as relevant and alive. Thematic strands include: Culture; Time, Continuity, and Change; People, Places, and Environments; and Individual Development and Identity.

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