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[quote=Anonymous]In my school district there were 3 pushes in history...1st grade, 4th grade, and 7th.

1st grade was colonial history (Pilgrims).  4th grade was local state history/regional history. 7th grade social studies was ancient pre-history.  How did human societies form and anthropology type stuff.

What I have seen is that kids tend to learn a lot about the history of their state in elementary school.  But if you move, you're not knowledgeable about your new place and overeducated on your old place.  For me it was things like the California Gold Rush and Donner Party and Spanish Missions.  That got zero coverage back east.  Western PA was all about Colonial stuff including the French & Indian War.

Where I am now, there's been somewhat of a retrenchment from teaching Colonial stuff 1950s style. So the white settler/hero stuff about our state had to make room for more material about Native Americans, the Underground Railroad and other topics that include different races.  They do a pretty good job of it.  It does seem to reduce historical content.  Here's an example from 2nd grade, three years apart.  My older boy did a hero report on an 1800s white male doctor who worked in our state.  My younger boy did a hero report on a contemporary white female children's book author.

Oregon Trail study definitely was a game driven phenomenon/trend.  It was after my time.  We discussed wagon trains in general but didn't stress specifically the route.
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