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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
Abraham Lincoln

This lesson leads students to see how Lincoln's life in Springfield [...] »

Labor Unions in the Cotton Mills

Introduce students to the importance of oral history while simultaneously [...] »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Using Non-Linguistic Representations to Strengthen Historical Thinking

Discover alternatives to writing based student activities. Why not encourage [...] »

The Struggle for Time: Using Persuasive Essays to Teach Elementary History

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

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students

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

Tramping Through History: Crafting Individual Field Trips

Go forth, and contextualize! Give students the opportunity for solo [...] »

Rethinking "Westward Expansion": A Guide for Preservice Teachers

Help students reconsider the how the expansion of the United States from [...] »

Comanche Nation and "Manifest Destiny": A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students better understand the history behind the term "Manifest [...] »

Writing to Learn History: Annotations and Mini-Writes

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

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Using Visual Fine Arts to Enrich Understanding
Poster, Clough, S.T., 1938, 4300 Euclid, Library of Congress

The socio-cultural impact of historic events or time periods and the [...] »