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
Abraham Lincoln

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

My Piece of History

Even the recent past was very different from the present. Students analyze [...] »

English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Reframing English Language Development
The storming of Chapu[ltepec] Sept. 13th [1847]

Discover how to teach English learners history and historical thinking.

[...] »
Why Did It Happen? Making Claims about Cause and Effect

A shift in writing is required, often using new language tools, when making [...] »

Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
What Is an "Inquiry Lesson"?

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

Rethinking "Westward Expansion": A Guide for Preservice Teachers

Help students reconsider the how the expansion of the United States from [...] »

Webquest, Inquiry, and Lincoln’s Views on Technology

Searching for new, exciting ways to engage your students in the classroom? [...] »

Crop It

Use this four-step learning routine to deeply explore visual primary sources [...] »

Ask a Master Teacher

Understanding Civic Republicanism
Photography, Statue--Athena,  21 May 2007, Jeffrey Cuvilier, Flickr CC

In order for students to grasp the importance of American civic [...] »