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
The Boston Massacre: Fact, Fiction, or Bad Memory

Help students think about where evidence for history comes from.

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Building the Erie Canal

Cutting through New York from the ocean to the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal [...] »

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English Language Learners

Instructional strategies and resources for ELL
Google Translate
Screen shot, Languages supported by google translate, 1 april 2011

Looking to translate documents or text? Google Translate can help.

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Electronic Schoolhouse / La Escuela Electronica

Explore materials on the Latino experience in New York from 1861 to the [...] »

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Teaching Guides

Explore new teaching methods and approaches
Concept Formation

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

Truth in Transit: Crafting Meaningful Field Trips

Leave your students with intellectually and emotionally significant memories [...] »

Stating Your Case: Writing Thesis Statements Effectively

Thesis statements form the backbone of history essays and DBQs.

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Incorporating 20th Century US Environmental History in the K-5 Classroom

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

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

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

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Ask a Master Teacher

Contingency
Decisions, January 23, 2010, katietower, Flickr

What is contingency? What does it have to do with K-12 historical thinking [...] »

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