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
Divining America: Religion in American History

Use this essay on Jewish immigration to flesh out a unit on the Civil War or [...] »

Locate Yourself on a Map of the Americas

Young students locate themselves on a map and explore spatial relationships [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Increasing Participation in Whole-Class Discussions

English Language Learners often have difficulty contributing to class [...] »

Scaffolding with Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are helpful for students with limited English proficiency [...] »

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Adapting Documents for the Classroom: Equity and Access

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

Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students

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

Stop Action and Assess Alternatives

Teach students to explore contingency with this great lesson plan idea.

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Document-Based Whole-Class Discussion

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

9/11 and Commemoration: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students understand the events of 9/11 and how such events are [...] »

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Ask a Master Teacher

Bridging the Gap Between Ancient and Modern Democracies
Photo, Toga, November 10, 2007, Olga Díez (Caliope), Flickr, creative commons

To most students, "histories" are entirely separate—different civilizations [...] »

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