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
Declaration of Independence: Rough Draft to Proclamation

How did the final version of the Declaration differ from Jefferson's draft [...] »

Civil Rights and Incarceration

What were the consequences of and motivations for Japanese American removal [...] »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande
Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande

Explore the music of Spanish-speaking residents of rural Northern New Mexico [...] »

Uncovering Human Agency
Photography, My Desk, 15 March 2006, Flickr CC

Use this strategy to help students discover historic actors—the people, [...] »

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
History of Education and Indigenous Americans: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Help students reflect on the purpose of learning history and of education in [...] »

1916 Children's Code of Morality: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers

Primary sources from the Library of Congress help students explore a [...] »

Applying KWL Guides to Sources with Elementary Students

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

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

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

Concept Formation

In order to understand topics, you must first understand concepts. Learn all [...] »

Ask a Master Teacher

Building a Class on Native American History
 Photo, "2007 Powwow," Cynthia Frankenburg, Smithsonian, Flickr Commons

Museums, colleges, and tribes are invaluable for gathering course-building [...] »