ExplorePAhistory

ExplorePAhistory offers teachers a wide variety of educational resources for incorporating Pennsylvanian history into the U.S. history classroom. The site is divided into three main sections: Stories from PA History, Visit PA Regions, and Teach PA History. Educators will find the first and third sections particularly useful for designing lesson plans. In the Stories section, 34 thematic sections trace the history of the Keystone State. The Teach section also offer over 100 lesson plans that can be searched by historical period, subject, grade level, and discipline, or by keywords.

Teachers should not discount the VisitPA section of the site. Although designed as a way to attract tourists to the state, the regional subsections provide educators particular stories and featured markers that provide depth to Pennsylvania history.

ExplorePAhistory's simplicity and teacher-centered resources makes it a useful site for exploring U.S. history through the history of one of America’s oldest and most influential states.

ExplorePAhistory is a collaborative project between the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the U.S. Department of Education, Pennsylvania Public Television Network, the William Penn Foundation, and several state agencies. Additionally, the project’s education materials are a product from a Teaching American History (TAH) grant with Ridgeway School District and history professionals across the state.