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
Messages of Houses and Their Contents, 1780-1820

Examining changes in early American homes helps interpret the past. It [...] »

Three Perspectives on Native American Removal and Westward Expansion

Check out this lesson on arguments surrounding the 1830 forced removal of [...] »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Responding to English Learners’ Writing with the 3 P’s
Middle school student, VA

Use the three P’s (Preparation, Purpose, and Proficiency) to provide [...] »

Life, Liberty and Property: What’s the Big Idea?

Explore a lesson, designed especially for English Language Learners, that [...] »

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Using Blogs in a History Classroom

Setting up and maintaining a blog for your classroom is easy (and typically [...] »

Housing and Houselessness: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students understand the how policy and structural forces have shaped [...] »

Historical Agency in History Book Sets (HBS)

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

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

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

Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students

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

Ask a Master Teacher

Understanding Civic Republicanism
Photography, Statue--Athena,  21 May 2007, Jeffrey Cuvilier, Flickr CC

In order for students to grasp the importance of American civic [...] »