Welcome to Teaching Materials

Photography, Dr. T. Rice, Nov 1941, Jack Delano, LOC

Whether you use the telephone or Skype, there are a number of ways to contact modern historians.

Making Personal Connections to the Past by Finding Historians
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An interactive exploration of the decisions Abraham Lincoln had to make during his presidency.

The Multiple Dilemmas of Abraham Lincoln
In Lesson Plan Reviews
Photography, London Archive Research, 16 Sept 2008, Flickr CC

Have a specific topic you desperately need to locate primary sources for? We're here to help.

Locating Resources on Teachinghistory.org
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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
New Jersey's Quakers and the American Revolution

Did you know the Quakers were pre-Revolution abolitionists?...

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Abraham Lincoln

This lesson leads students to see how Lincoln's life in Springfield [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Supporting Text Comprehension and Vocabulary Development Using WordSift
screen shot-wordshift home page

Help English learners understand basic concepts with this interactive tool [...] »

Reframing English Language Development
The storming of Chapu[ltepec] Sept. 13th [1847]

Discover how to teach English learners history and historical thinking.

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Teaching with Timelines
Image, Squared Circles-Clocks, 25 Oct 2006, Leo Reynolds, Flickr CC

Construct an ongoing, shared classroom timeline in middle and elementary [...] »

Free Speech Teaching Guide 1: The Birth of the Modern First Amendment and How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed His Mind

This guide focuses on the history of free speech in one crucial year ( [...] »

What Is an "Inquiry Lesson"?

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

Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students

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

Tramping Through History: Crafting Individual Field Trips

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

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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 [...] »

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