Smithsonian American Art Museum: "Inventing a Better Mousetrap"
Take a look at artifacts from the past—what might they be? Teachers model questioning objects in this Smithsonian exhibit on inventions.
Smithsonian American Art Museum: Close Observation
Close observation and an inquisitive mind are all the tools you need to start analyzing primary sources! Teachers model analyzing works of art.
Beyond Words
Transcibe WWI era newspaper images and increase access to historical collections.
Digital Public Library of America
Search more than 4,500,000 primary sources from across the country from one website!
Integrating Language Arts and History
Elementary teacher Karen Eanes hooks her students with engaging historical fiction, art, and primary source excerpts on George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware.
Crop It
Use this four-step learning routine to deeply explore visual primary sources.
Reading Photographs: A Dusty Street
When and where was this photo taken? See what clues you can spot!
Lewis Hine: Caption Critique
Does a caption change the meaning of a photograph?
Columbus Day: Stories of Exploration
Which tales of daring exploration do you believe?
To the Source!
Where do historians turn for historical evidence?
Primary and Secondary Sources through Video
Can video help me teach about primary and secondary sources?
How to Introduce Students to Primary Sources
Introducing your students to primary sources for the first time? Watch fourth-grade teacher Marty MacKenzie guide her students through analyzing John White’s drawings of the Powhatans.
Online Primary Source Collections
Check out these sites for excellent primary source material.
Primary Source Sets on the Web
Check out these sites for primary sources grouped into sets by topic, grade-level appropriateness, and other factors.
Interactivity
Teach students how to utilize primary sources with this game from Annenberg Media
Ron Gorr's Trifecta: Primary Sources, Technology, and Student Interaction in One Activity!
How can you bring 21st-century teaching into curriculum you’ve already developed and use? AP U.S. History teacher Ron Gorr substituted online and in-person research and discussion for a quiz and a lecture.
Let's Get Folky
Looking for a way to spice up your lesson plans? Try incorporating folk music!
Joe Jelen on Document Cameras
You don’t have a smartboard, but overheard projectors aren’t quite flexible enough for you. What to do? High-school teacher Joe Jelen introduces the document camera.
Old Political Cartoons
Poking fun and puncturing pomposity—how can you interpret political cartoons?
Bookmark This! America, the Story of Us on History Channel
America, the Story of Us: not your typical history documentary.
Teaching about Vietnam
The topic is broad and multifaceted; online materials abound.
Bringing Primary Sources into the Classroom
H.S.I: Historical Themes Investigation guides students and teachers through document analysis.
Teaching About Haiti
Why is the history of Haiti and of America’s relationship with that country important today?
The People Speak: To Zinn or Not to Zinn
Howard Zinn is controversial and he makes students think.
Primary Sources, Historical Reenactments, and Twitter
A new approach to leading your students through primary sources.
Bookmark This! World War II Interactive Collection: Free From Footnote (December only)
Digitized primary resources on World War II—free access during December!
Thanksgiving: The Real Backstory
Historians dispute the date of the first Thanksgiving. Is there a definite time and place?
Bookmark This! Google Scholar: Finding the Laws that Govern Us
Search for federal and state district, appellate and supreme court opinions—full-text and related cases.
Bookmark This! History and Headlines
This online magazine brings the perspective of history to today’s events.
SCIM-C: Historical Source Analysis
Virginia Tech’s short video shows how to analyze primary sources and put them in context.
Anacostia Community Museum
What is community? What does it do for us, and how does it shape who we are?
Teaching the Cuban Missile Crisis
Teaching about the Cuban Missile Crisis generally begins with the political and diplomatic perspective.
Bring "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" into the Classroom
The new PBS film series talks about fascinating people and places we often don’t pay attention to.
Primary Sources: 100 Milestone Documents
Consolidated access to pivotal diplomatic, legal, and political primary source documents.
Bookmark This! Gilder Lehrman's History Now
It’s all about the American Revolution.
ROTFLOL?* President John Quincy Adams Twittered?
Media change, but do the messages?
Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 marks the independence day for five Latin American countries and the start of Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States.
Bookmark This! Our Courts Especially for Middle School Students
Is it possible to excite and engage your students in learning about the judicial system?
Bookmark This! New and Improved Websites and Lesson Plans
Don’t miss this new website on the the aftermath of emancipation and new materials on EDSITEment.
Lincoln Bicentennial: A Teachable Moment (updated February 24)
An ongoing reference to exhibits, events, lectures, reenactments, ceremonies, and other tributes commemorating the significance of Lincoln’s life and his presidency during this 200th-year anniversary.
Learn About Mexican American History
This website weaves the voices of Mexican Americans into the history curriculum.
National Museum of American History
On November 21, 2008, the Smithsonian Museum of American History (NMAH) reopens its doors.
Quoting Economic Policy
Milton Friedman and Herbert Hoover are excellent sources.
Teaching about Presidential Elections
A wealth of historical material exists on the web to support teaching about presidential elections.
Teaching Resources for Constitution Day
Constitution Day is September 17.
Teaching about Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. Materials for all classroom levels are plentiful.
Using Maps as Primary Sources
A 4th-grade teacher shows strategies for encouraging and supporting student analysis of maps.