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
Midnight Ride of Paul Revere: Fact, Fiction, and Artistic License

Did Revere's ride really look like that? Use historical documents to analyze [...] »

Lewis and Clark: Same Place, Different Perspectives

How geography influenced interactions among Lewis, Clark, & Native [...] »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Using Visuals to Build Interest and Understanding

Using primary source images to help English Language Learners build [...] »

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
Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students

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

Tramping Through History: Crafting Individual Field Trips

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

Incorporating 20th Century US Environmental History in the 6-12 Classroom

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

Comanche Nation and "Manifest Destiny": A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students better understand the history behind the term "Manifest [...] »

Ask a Master Teacher

Slave Badges
wood engraving, The African slave-trade, 1884, LOC

Slave badges were used in Charleston to keep track of slaves. Can you build [...] »