If you happen to be looking for federal primary sources from Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, or Illinois, a good spot to check is the Chicago office of the National Archives and Records Administration. Records available include bankruptcy records, Chinese Exclusion case files from Chicago and St. Paul, Michigan and Illinois Selective Service System Name Index records, and naturalization records. Other topics represented in the collections include, but aren't limited to, African American history, Depression era history, disasters, espionage, and maritime history.

Consider looking through the site's finding aids to get a sense of the collections available on location.

When visiting, be ready with an official photo ID and willingness to fill out a short form concerning your interests. Leave your pens behind (pencils are permitted), and prepare to leave your belongings in a locker or in your car.

Looking for more directed opportunities? Check out the archives' upcoming events. If you teach in Illinois or Indiana, you may even be eligible for continuing education credit.

In addition to the aforementioned public programs, there are workshops designed specifically for teachers. Find them (and more opportunities) under the Workshops heading.

Archivists are ready and willing to help your students define their research topics and select appropriate primary sources, for National History Day projects or other endeavors.

The National Archives and Records Administration: Rocky Mountain Region offers access to federal photographs, paper documents, architectural drawings, and maps created in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana between 1847 and the 1990s, as well as to archival materials from North and South Dakota created after 1972. Topics represented include homesteading, Indian agencies, reclamation projects, mining, naturalizations, the World War II homefront, territorial court records, railroads, bankruptcy, genealogy, and national parks, among others.

With so many topics, how can you find what you need? Luckily, the region offers a list of online finding guides, specific to their holdings.

In addition, the region offers tours of the facilities, presentations of their holdings and services to students, and internship opportunities. Tours and presentations require appointments, and presentations can be made at the Lakewood, Colorado, facility or elsewhere. Availability of presentations made anywhere other than the main facility is subject to travel budget considerations.

NARA's Rocky Mountain Region branch is dedicated to providing professional development opportunities for educators. With advance notice, the archives provides three workshops—"Using Online Resources of the National Archives," "Hands-On History: Incorporating Primary Sources in the Classroom," and "Finding Primary Source Documents at the Rocky Mountain Regional Archives." All workshops are free. However, off-site workshops outside of the Denver metro area may require payment of travel and expense fees.

Archivists are also available to assist in student research for National History Day projects and other undertakings.

The archives is currently creating primary source document lessons for each of its constituent states. Each lesson includes one or more primary sources, background information on the source, suggested teaching activities, and a description of the document's relationship to national and state standards. Lessons are available in CD and .PDF formats.

The National Archives and Records Administration is divided into numerous regional subdivisions—one of which is the Pacific Region. This region has three locations, all within the state of California—San Bruno, Laguna Niguel, and Perris. The San Bruno and Perris locations are open for public research.

The San Francisco/San Bruno location holds federal records from California, with the exception of the Southern portion of the state; Nevada, with the exception of Clark County; Hawaii; American Samoa; and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Topics with strong representative materials include environmental issues, Naval history, Native American history, and Asian-Pacific Immigration. Available records include photos, architectural drawings, and maps dating from the 1850s through the 1980s. The location offers occasional public programs.

The Perris/Riverside location holds federal and court records from Arizona; Clark County, Nevada; and southern California. Topics with strong representative materials include Naval history, Native American history, westward migration, civil rights, and Asian immigration. Materials date from approximately 1850 through the 1980s. This location also offers public programs.

Visitors are asked to call ahead, have an ID ready, and be willing to leave personal belongings in a locker.

Students are encouraged to visit to apply for internships, learn to find and use primary sources, and/or discover National History Day contests.

Educators may visit to learn of FREE educational resources, curriculum-specific primary sources, and/or National History Day.

Finally, if you teach grade four, five, seven, eight, eleven, or twelve in California, there's a fantastic resource available to you online. Teaching History in California selects state standards from each of these years, and provides related background information; primary sources; transcriptions; worksheets; PowerPoint presentations; additional documents, such as maps, timelines, and vocabulary lists; and/or teaching activities. Also, consider taking a moment to engage your students in an introductory activity on primary sources.

According to its website, the Department of the Interior Museum "educates the public and DOI employees about the current missions and programs of the Department of the Interior, the history of the Department, and the art and architecture of its headquarters building in Washington, DC." It maintains some original 1930s exhibits as well as updated exhibits, and the building features murals and other works of art.

The museum offers exhibits, guided tours (which may be accompanied by scheduled outside speakers), lectures, workshops for children, and occasional recreational and educational events.

The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum traces the history of the automobile industry in the United States, as well as displaying changing exhibits of vehicles drawn from the museum's collection. The museum also houses the Museum of Bus Transportation on its lower level—according to the website, "the largest collection of buses on display under one roof in the United States."

The museum offers exhibits; guided tours for school groups of all grade levels; "Little Wheelers," a literacy-based program for 3-5 year olds; outreach presentations and materials for rent; and other recreational and educational events.

The North Carolina Transportation Museum interprets the history of transportation in the state, by train, automobile, and other vehicles. Its 57-acre site was once a steam locomotive repair facility, and the depot and roundhouse remain.

The museum offers exhibits, train and turntable rides, programs and self-guided and guided school groups, outreach presentations, a traveling trunk for rent, homeschooler days, camps, and other recreational and educational events.

The Noble Maritime Collection, according to its website, mission "is to preserve and interpret the art, writings, and historical maritime artifacts of the distinguished marine artist, John A. Noble; to continue Noble's legacy of celebrating the people and traditions of the working waterfront of New York Harbor; to preserve and interpret the history of Sailors' Snug Harbor in its collections, exhibitions and programs; and to operate a maritime study center inspired by John A. Noble and the mariners of Sailors' Snug Harbor."

The center offers exhibits, programs for school groups (grades K-7), traveling maritime libraries for loan, camps, and other recreational and educational events

The Museum of Nuclear Science and History, according to its website, is "the nation's only congressionally chartered museum in its field," tracing the history of nuclear research, development, and application.

The museum offers exhibits, programs and guided and self-guided tours for school groups, outreach presentations, and professional development for educators.

The Atomic Testing Museum traces and interprets the history of nuclear testing in the U.S. and of the Nevada Test Site.

The museum offers exhibits.

The Strategic Air and Space Museum displays aircraft and introduces visitors to aviation history.

The museum offers exhibits, programs and guided and self-guided tours for school groups, flight simulators, camps, and other recreational and educational events.