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 Short-Handled Hoe

History is imbedded in the smallest objects. In this lesson, students [...] »

Roads to Antietam

You're a Union general on the eve of Antietam. You know Lee's plans. What [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Using Primary Sources with English Language Learners

Primary source analysis activities can help include English Language [...] »

Talking History

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

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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 [...] »

Adapting Documents for the Classroom: Equity and Access

Documents are riddled with difficult vocabulary. Don't be afraid to adapt [...] »

Religion and the Civil War: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

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

Document-Based Whole-Class Discussion

Classroom discussions need not be argumentative and unproductive. Discover a [...] »

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 [...] »

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Ask a Master Teacher

Exploring Historical Fiction

Make the Lewis and Clark expedition and life on the Oregon Trail come alive [...] »

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