Welcome to Teaching Materials

Photo, Student Reading, March 6, 2008, Old Shoe Woman, Flickr

When you want your students to think, rather than just remember.

Performance Assessments Requiring Historical Analysis
In Ask a Master Teacher

A shift in writing is required, often using new language tools, when making claims about historical events.

Why Did It Happen? Making Claims about Cause and Effect
In English Language Learners

To engage with a source, ask, "What do I know, what do I want to know, and what have I learned?"

Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students
In Teaching Guides

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
Propaganda and World War II

Help students understand wartime propaganda with this excellent lesson plan [...] »

The Short-Handled Hoe

History is imbedded in the smallest objects. In this lesson, students [...] »

View All »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
The Struggle for Time: Using Persuasive Essays to Teach Elementary History

From chanting to formal essay framing—discover creative ways to frame ELL [...] »

Supporting Text Comprehension and Vocabulary Development Using WordSift
screen shot-wordshift home page

Help English learners understand basic concepts with this interactive tool [...] »

View All »

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Students Working in Local Historic Preservation

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

Religion and the Labor Movement: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Engaging Library of Congress primary sources that connect religion and [...] »

Using Historical Ephemera in the Classroom

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

Free Speech Teaching Guide 4: Mandel v. Kleindienst (1972): Censorship via Visa

This guide traces the history of ideological visa denial to explore [...] »

Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students

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

View All »

Ask a Master Teacher

History is All Around Us
Photo, "The Browning school. . . ," March 1915, Lewis Wickes Hine, LoC

Looking for history right where you are. You'd be surprised how inspiring [...] »

Browse Questions »