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
The Debate in the United States over the League of Nations

Documents and audio files explain the range of early political viewpoints on [...] »

Transportation: Past, Present and Future

What pushes and pulls people into new ways of life? In this lesson, students [...] »

View All »

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 [...] »

World Digital Library
World Digital Library home page

Use this tool to translate primary source material!

[...] »
View All »

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Four Reads: Learning to Read Primary Documents

Teach your students to read like a historian with this guided four-step [...] »

Well-behaved Women [and Men] Seldom Make History

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

Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students

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

Using Old Maps as Tools to Explore Our World

Maps show far more than how to go from point A to point B! Discover how to [...] »

Webquest, Inquiry, and Lincoln’s Views on Technology

Searching for new, exciting ways to engage your students in the classroom? [...] »

View All »

Ask a Master Teacher

Teaching the Declaration without Overwhelming Students
Lithograph, Portraits & autographs of the signers of the Declaration of Independ

Is the Declaration of Independence challenging for your students? Check out [...] »

Browse Questions »