Welcome to Teaching Materials

Using Visuals to Build Interest and Understanding
In English Language Learners
Google Translate
In English Language Learners

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
Labor Unions in the Cotton Mills

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

Locate Yourself on a Map of the Americas

Young students locate themselves on a map and explore spatial relationships [...] »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Talking History

Students shy or hesitant to speak up? Check out these tips to get students [...] »

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 [...] »

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Concept Formation

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

Truth in Transit: Crafting Meaningful Field Trips

Leave your students with intellectually and emotionally significant memories [...] »

What Is an "Inquiry Lesson"?

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

Incorporating 20th Century US Environmental History in the K-5 Classroom

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

Stop Action and Assess Alternatives

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

[...] »

Ask a Master Teacher

Deciphering Primary Source Documents
Letter, Handwritten letter signed by Victor Séjour, Victor Séjour, NYPL Digital

Create scaffolding and careful preparation of documents to promote student [...] »