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
Evaluating the Validity of Information

Did the Chinese discover America before Columbus? How would or does this [...] »

Roads to Antietam

You're a Union general on the eve of Antietam. You know Lee's plans. What [...] »

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 [...] »

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 [...] »

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 [...] »

Writing to Learn History: Annotations and Mini-Writes

A pen or pencil in your student's hand is an excellent tool for teaching [...] »

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

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

Document-Based Whole-Class Discussion

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

Interpreting Political Cartoons in the History Classroom

Political cartoons are often conceptually complex, but offer valuable [...] »

Ask a Master Teacher

America: The Story of US
Screenshot, America: The Story of US, History.com

Remember that any historical story, of the U.S. or otherwise, can be useful [...] »