Welcome to Teaching Materials

English Language Learners often have difficulty contributing to class discussions. Discover ways to help.

Increasing Participation in Whole-Class Discussions
In English Language Learners
Photo, Flowers for soldier in a tank, 1945, Nationaal Archief, Flickr Commons

Whichever lesson you pick, make sure it meets your learning goals.

Setting the Tone: Introducing Students to World War II
In Ask a Master Teacher

Cutting through New York from the ocean to the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal changed lives.

Building the Erie Canal
In Lesson Plan Reviews

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
Jamestown: The Starving Time

Only 60 settlers out of 600 survived the winter of 1609–1610 in Jamestown [...] »

The Cost of Industrialization

Use the Triangle Shirtwaist fire to examine the benefits and costs of [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty
The Prayer at Valley Forge by Arnold Friberg

Find lessons about American heritage and the responsibilities of American [...] »

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 [...] »

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Religion and the Civil War: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students understand the how religious beliefs shaped Americans' [...] »

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

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

Tramping Through History: Crafting Individual Field Trips

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

Free Speech Teaching Guide 2: Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969): Defining and Arguing Hate Speech

This teaching guide includes a structured guide to explaining the case [...] »

Rethinking "Westward Expansion": A Guide for Preservice Teachers

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

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Ask a Master Teacher

Bridging the Language Barrier
Passport, Of Helga Rome, Signed 1937, JWA Commons, Flickr Commons

Vocabulary legends, guiding questions, and teamwork are all good solutions [...] »

Browse Questions »