Welcome to Teaching Materials

Digital image, black and white, Spy Shadow, 2010

Paring down a larger idea to answer one specific question.

Researching for a Research Topic
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Students are often disconnected from the past. Why not immerse them in historic study by building off things they already know?

Establishing Connections: Teaching the Progressive Era
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Negative, Powder monkey by gun..., 1864-1865, Library of Congress

You don't have to wait until middle school to teach military history.

Elementary Military History Resources
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Spotlight on Elementary Education

History is made by those who are unafraid to push the envelope and redefine the society in which they live. Encourage your students to examine the men and women who worked to make America what it is today with this creative activity. FIND OUT MORE »

Lesson Plan Reviews

Evaluate key elements of effective teaching Watch the INTRODUCTORY VIDEO
The Progressive Era

Explore the ins and outs of turn-of-the-century labor law, business, housing [...] »

Abraham Lincoln and the Jews

Students learn about the sixteenth president's relationship with Jewish [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Summarizing and Paraphrasing
Photo, Year 3~Day 106 +77/365 AND Day 837: U.S. History, Old Shoe Woman, Flickr

Paraphrasing and summarizing exercises help ELL students improve at [...] »

Increasing Participation in Whole-Class Discussions

English Language Learners often have difficulty contributing to class [...] »

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students

To engage with a source, ask, "What do I know, what do I want [...] »

Mormons and Westward Expansion: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Teachers guide students to create interactive digital maps detailing the [...] »

Concept Formation

In order to understand topics, you must first understand concepts. Learn all [...] »

Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students

Using the premise of a mystery, elementary students act as history [...] »

What Is an "Inquiry Lesson"?

Hypothesize, test, and acknowledge how sources form different "pictures of [...] »

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Ask a Master Teacher

Setting the Tone: Introducing Students to World War II
Photo, Flowers for soldier in a tank, 1945, Nationaal Archief, Flickr Commons

Whichever lesson you pick, make sure it meets your learning goals.


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