Welcome to Teaching Materials

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
Building the Erie Canal

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

John F. Kennedy and Service

Students learn about John F. Kennedy and his ideas about service as a prompt [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Increasing Participation in Whole-Class Discussions

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

World Digital Library
World Digital Library home page

Use this tool to translate primary source material!

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Well-behaved Women [and Men] Seldom Make History

Help your elementary school students get more out of historical biographies [...] »

Immigration from Asia Post-1970: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students understand recent immigration history by exploring photographs [...] »

Historical Agency in History Book Sets (HBS)

Looking for ways to use fiction in your elementary history curriculum? Read [...] »

Students Working in Local Historic Preservation

Engage your students in preserving local history! Use this teacher's [...] »

Using Historical Ephemera in the Classroom

Ticket stubs. Report cards. Photographs. All of these things have historical [...] »

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Ask a Master Teacher

A Larger Global or Interregional Story
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 [...] »

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