By Becky Brown and Dr. Michele Clouse  (Ohio University)

A common struggle with teaching history – at any level – is helping students connect to people living hundreds or even thousands of years ago in vastly different cultures. While daily life in the 21^st century is markedly different from many of the times and places studied in your typical high school World History course, today’s students can readily identify with the disruptive effects of disease and epidemics. 

The Department of History at Bowling Green State University recently explored the histories of disease, health, and medicine through a professional development workshop provided for Northwest Ohio Social Studies teachers. Through a series of speakers, discussion groups, and resource sessions, middle and high school teachers shared knowledge and teaching techniques to help one another grapple with teaching a challenging, but timely, topic in history.