Abstract
The relationship between narrative and historical understanding in a literature-based, sixth-grade history program was studied using the techniques of naturalistic inquiry—participant observation, structured and unstructured interviews, and daily observation logs. Analysis of the data indicated that response to history was influenced by teacher manipulation of the classroom context, the children's expressed need to know, their desire to explore the border areas of human experience, and the emotional impact of historical narratives. Children responded to the subjective nature of history as literature, retaining a degree of subjectivity as they investigated historical topics and wrote reports. Children demonstrated strong interest in history that demonstrated the possibilities of human behavior.

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