New & Noteworthy

Digital Classroom

Teaching with technology—everyone is talking about it, but what does it mean for your classroom? Whether you are a digital native or new to using technology, find free resources, ideas, and examples of successful practice in our newest feature, Digital Classroom. Watch our introductory video here.

Elementary

Teaching in Action: Editorial Cartoons

Editorial cartoons provide great opportunities to engage in historical thinking. Watch as a 4th-grade teacher models historical analysis & students analyze political cartoons related to Brown vs. Board of Education. A lesson plan, primary sources & worksheets accompany the video created through a Virginia Teaching American History grant. Watch here.

Middle

Building the Erie Canal

Thomas Jefferson called it “little short of madness,” but New York Governor DeWitt Clinton believed in his dream to connect the East Coast to the Great Lakes through the Erie Canal. In this lesson from Teachers' Domain (PBS), students explore how the Erie Canal impacted the geographic, economic, and political landscape of the U.S. Learn more.

High

Women’s Reform Movement

The 1848 Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments reflected the voices of all supporters of women’s rights—or did it? Historian Ronald Walters goes beyond the textbook, examining how sources point to a richer picture of women’s rights that went beyond voting rights and included diverse concerns over social issues. Read more.

Primary Sources

Tech for Teachers

After the Day of Infamy: “Man on the Street” Interviews Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor

The day after the Pearl Harbor attack, the Archive of American Folk Song sent a telegram to fieldworkers in 10 locations throughout the U.S. asking them to collect “man-on-the-street” reactions to the bombing and U.S. declaration of war. Step back in time and listen to or read transcripts of everyday Americans expressing varied opinions on the war and political issues of the day. Explore here.

VoiceThread

Imagine a web-based tool that allows you and your students to collaborate on projects combining images and video with text and audio commentary. VoiceThread, a tool that the American Association of School Librarians described as an “exceptional value to inquiry-based teaching and learning,” does just that. Learn how to get started and look at examples of how other educators have used VoiceThread in their classroom. Read more.