Welcome to Teaching Materials

Gelatin silver print, Grass seed plants being examined, 1960, Flickr Commons

Case studies grab attention, but how can you be sure you're also teaching the big picture?

A Larger Global or Interregional Story
In Ask a Master Teacher

Help students think about where evidence for history comes from.

The Boston Massacre: Fact, Fiction, or Bad Memory
In Lesson Plan Reviews
Photography, Musical Instruments, 2005, Flickr CC

Looking for a way to spice up your lesson plans? Try incorporating folk music!

Let's Get Folky
In Ask a Master Teacher

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
Prequel to Independence

Teach your students about causality with this useful activity.

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Building the Erie Canal

Cutting through New York from the ocean to the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Electronic Schoolhouse / La Escuela Electronica

Explore materials on the Latino experience in New York from 1861 to the [...] »

Targeting Content and English Language Objectives
Photo, English club First meeting Dover Library, Sept. 13, 2010, RTLibrary

Build your students' language skills and historical understanding by using [...] »

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Incorporating 20th Century US Environmental History in the 6-12 Classroom

This guide consists of curated primary and secondary sources to help [...] »

Writing to Learn History: Annotations and Mini-Writes

A pen or pencil in your student's hand is an excellent tool for teaching [...] »

Religion and the Civil War: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students understand the how religious beliefs shaped Americans' [...] »

Stop Action and Assess Alternatives

Teach students to explore contingency with this great lesson plan idea.

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Interpreting Political Cartoons in the History Classroom

Political cartoons are often conceptually complex, but offer valuable [...] »

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Ask a Master Teacher

Teaching the Transcontinental Railroad

From Chinese immigrants to the Golden Spike, explore the history of the [...] »

Browse Questions »