716 american-history results | sort by:
return to subject listingDrawn to Art: Tales of Inspiring Women Artists - Smithsonian American Art Museum
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): art history (89), artists (82), comics and cartoons (53), women (142)
In the Classroom
Share this site with students as you research different types of art, inspiring women, or diverse cultures. Ask students to select one of the featured artists to explore further. Many of the comics portray events from specific periods of history, such as World War II and the Civil War. Include them with your lessons about these events to provide a human and artistic perspective of the period. Challenge students to create a comic featuring their favorite artist inspired by this collection. Use artificial intelligence (AI) image generators such as Bing, reviewed here to create the comics by providing instructions to include the artist and background in the artist's style..You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Reading Treks: A Walk in Harlem (Ana & Andrew) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 3tag(s): black history (130), cross cultural understanding (167), harlem (9), new york (24), reading strategies (101), renaissance (38), virtual field trips (96)
In the Classroom
Investigate many suggested classroom uses for this resource in the Instructional Guide (PDF). With younger students, use Padlet, reviewed here as a video response platform for students to share what they learned and what surprised them about the Harlem Renaissance and the artist's described in the book. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Patsy Mink - My Hero
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): biographies (95), heroes (25), politics (114), women (142)
In the Classroom
Include this biography of Patsy Mink in lessons on heroes, women in history, famous politicians, the 1900s, or influential Hawaiians. Use a curation tool such as Symbaloo, reviewed here or 3x3 links, reviewed here to share articles, videos, and activities easily with students. Use Timelinely, reviewed here to engage students and extend learning by adding information to the YouTube video included on this site. For example, use the 20th Century America (1945-2000) TeachersFirst Special Topics Page, reviewed here to find additional historical context to learn about women's political roles during the 1970s, then include a link to those resources on the video using Timelinely. As an alternative to a book report or written research project, provide students with different opportunities for sharing what they know at the end of your unit using Choice Boards. Activities to include might be creating interactive timelines with Canva Timeline Infographic Templates, reviewed here, a web site created with Google Sites, reviewed here, or an explainer video made with Animaker, reviewed here. Learn more about incorporating choice boards into any classroom by watching the archive of OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Choice Boards for Differentiation (Part 1), reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virginia Geographic Alliance - Radford University
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Visit the Virginia Geographic Alliance to find teaching materials that provide information specific to Virginia and the Atlantic coast to include when teaching geography, states, and American history lessons. Curate and organize your teaching resources into collections using Wakelet, reviewed here. As you gather resources and include them in your lessons, consider ways to incorporate technology to enhance instruction. For example, engage students in lessons by creating quizzes using Quizizz, reviewed here. Create a quiz as an introductory activity for use as a preassessment before introducing a new unit on American states. Enhance learning using Pear Deck, reviewed here to create interactive and engaging content. As a final assessment, provide choices for students to demonstrate understanding using technology tools such as Site 123, reviewed here, to create an informational website or Animaker, reviewed here to design an animated video.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New American History - University of Richmond
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), black history (130), branches of government (63), civil rights (200), civil war (136), colonial america (94), colonization (21), constitution (89), elections (82), emancipation proclamation (11), environment (246), great depression (30), immigrants (34), immigration (68), inequalities (24), native americans (95), primary sources (119), racism (79), segregation (18), underground railroad (15), womens suffrage (46), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
This site is an excellent resource for American History teachers; be sure to add it to your collection of teaching resources. Each lesson provided by New American History includes several ideas for using digital tools within the teaching tips; take advantage of these ideas to engage students in learning and differentiate instruction for learning styles and abilities. Google Jamboard, reviewed here is often suggested for use as a teaching tool; however, Jamboard will be shut down at the end of 2024. Use Figjam, reviewed here as an alternative. Figjam allows members to migrate Jamboards into projects in just a few steps. As students complete activities such as KWL charts, use the graphic organizer templates found at Canva Edu, reviewed here to share students' ideas. Extend learning by asking students to use Canva tools to show what they know by creating infographics, presentations, flyers, and other multimedia projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Voices of U.S. - Why We Serve Virtual Field Trip - Discovery Education
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
First, use Padlet, reviewed here and ask students to list what they know about Veterans Day, making columns for history, Memorial Day, the different divisions of the military, and why people serve in the military. Next, introduce this virtual field trip on your whiteboard or projector using Clipchamp, reviewed here to pare down the virtual field trip video to what is appropriate for your age group. Finally, enhance learning by asking students to go back into Padlet and input what they've learned about Veteran's Day and why people serve.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens - The Smithsonian Institution
Grades
K to 12tag(s): alphabet (52), animals (288), colors (63), countries (73), egypt (49), folktales (34), habitats (87), insects (68), inventors and inventions (77), light (53), makerspace (43), museums (47), musical instruments (49), nutrition (137), oceans (149), plants (148), puzzles (142), seasonal (17), space (216), stars (70), STEM (279), summer (29), water (102), weather (161), webcams (15), women (142)
In the Classroom
Add Fun Stuff for Kids and Teams to your science and art bookmarks to use across many different content areas. For example, one activity is called Journey Through an Exploded Star; share a link to this interactive with students to explore before introducing lessons on stars and supernovas. Ask students to share their learning and add questions using IdeaBoardz, reviewed here. Create an IdeaBoard with two columns (or more if desired), then share the link with students to share information and questions with peers. Encourage student engagement in animal-related learning by introducing them to the Art Meets Science Collections. Afterward, ask students to create multimedia projects incorporating animals as art to showcase scientific concepts like habitats, conservation, and human interactions. Find many different templates and presentation ideas at Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Understanding & Celebrating Juneteenth - National Museum of African American History and Culture
Grades
K to 6tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (200), Juneteenth (22), slavery (78)
In the Classroom
Use this document as a resource for understanding Juneteenth while taking advantage of the suggestions for discussing slavery and civil rights in age-appropriate ways. Share this information with parents to help them understand the history of Juneteenth. As you talk about the questions found in this article, use Draw.Chat, reviewed here to add and share student comments and add images to enhance understanding. For example, ask students to describe "freedom" and then use text boxes to add their comments. During your discussion, upload images that depict freedom in several different forms. Extend learning by asking students to write and share stories using the prompt found in this document to tell about positive changes they would like to make in the world. Use PDFescape, reviewed here to write the stories, then, use PDF to Flipbook Converter, reviewed here to turn their PDFs into an online flippable book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Visualizing History - Clio Visualizing History
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): history day (39), native americans (95), womens suffrage (46)
In the Classroom
Engage your students in learning about history with interactive maps, multimedia resources, and primary and secondary sources. All students, especially visual learners, will find these resources help them connect with historical events and figures more personally to make history feel more relevant and engaging. Enhance learning by having students create a timeline of historical events using Padlet, reviewed here. Use the exhibits as writing prompts to analyze historical information. Have students explore an exhibit as a resource for a research project, then create a multimedia presentation of their findings using Genially, reviewed here, where students will have a choice for their presentation format.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What is Juneteenth, and Why is it Important? - Ted-Ed
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (200), Juneteenth (22), slavery (78), texas (7)
In the Classroom
Share this lesson with students to complete at school or as a flipped learning lesson. On their own or with a partner, have students answer the multiple-choice and open-answer questions by clicking on "Think." Then, consider having small student groups read the additional information inside the Dig Deeper section and investigate the links with the information. Following that, have groups share the information with other class members. For a mini project like this, consider using the tools available at Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here for students to create presentations, infographics, and other visual media. Another project suggestion would be to have small groups of students investigate the story of Juneteenth further through different perspectives, such as that of a soldier, Texas citizens, or children. You could have them produce an animated video using a program like moovly, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The British Are Coming! Using Literature to Bring the American Revolution to Life - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), book lists (165), colonial america (94), colonization (21), franklin (12), heroes (25), virtual field trips (96), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site with ideas about the American Revolution to engage students through literature. Some books and activities include links to lessons and teachers' guides that provide additional information and classroom support. Use Curipod, reviewed here, to quickly create engaging lessons and activities related to your book studies. For example, Curipod can create slides with themes such as lesson hooks, what do you infer? and exit tickets; use any of these options to generate ideas for discussion questions based on the theme of any books shared in this article. Enhance student learning by creating timelines based on information in the books read. ReadWriteThink Timeline, reviewed here, is easy for students of all ages to use for creating and sharing timelines.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Judy Huemann - Life and Legacy of the Mother of the Disability Rights Movement - The Huemann Perspective
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): bias (27), character education (77), disabilities (31), women (142)
In the Classroom
Include this site with other resources featuring women role models, biographical topics, and career exploration information. Since this website has extensive information from around the web, consider using a curation tool such as Padlet, reviewed here, as a resource to share information and sources with students. While "Patient No More" is for high school and beyond, there are parts that can be pulled out for your elementary students. For instance, there are videos you can use with Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add comments and discussion questions for younger students. In addition, there is an observation chart where students wander around their environment, recording where there are examples of accessibility or a lack of accessibility.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maya Angelou - Unit - Kids Disover
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): african american (110), authors (105), biographies (95), black history (130), poetry (191), women (142)
In the Classroom
This unit is geared for 5th-6th grade readability (Lexile level 750-890). Introduce your students to this unit on your interactive whiteboard or a projector. The first part, Tough Beginnings, is very interesting, describing that Maya didn't speak for five years and why. Once you get through that part and the Think Piece that goes with it, let students read the rest in pairs or small groups. For the Think Piece(s), create a class Google Jamboard, reviewed here, where students can record their answers and include sticky notes and images. Depending on the age of your students, you may want to create a guided reading activity using Read Ahead, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Women Advancing Equality - Patsy Mink - The Asian America Education Project
Grades
1 to 8tag(s): bias (27), character education (77), racism (79), women (142)
In the Classroom
Use this lesson in your American history units or studies about famous women. Create a reading guide for your younger students and struggling readers using Read Ahead, reviewed here, then introduce this lesson on your interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Extend student learning by having them participate in a Screenpal, reviewed here video discussion to record their discussion with peers. Ask them to explain what they learned about Patsy Mink and women in general, then have them listen to and comment on their classmates' impressions. Use this Screenpal tool throughout the year to add students' thoughts about other famous people you study during the school year.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Civics Renewal Network - The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the Univ of Pennsylvania
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): branches of government (63), constitution (89), democracy (20), elections (82), electoral college (22), media literacy (106), politics (114), supreme court (27)
In the Classroom
Include the Civics Renewal Network with your other resources for teaching civics content. Include activities on this site as part of self-guided lessons created using Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here, or add to classroom lessons created with NearPod, reviewed here. Extend student learning by asking them to become creators using a digital storytelling tool such as Elementari, reviewed here. Elementari includes features that bring students' stories to life, such as animations, font choices, and drag-and-drop text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cesar Chavez: Labor Leader and Civil Rights Activist Video - PBS Learning Media
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): agriculture (48), hispanic (32), migration (45)
In the Classroom
Create a free PBS Learning Media account to add this video and resources to a learning activity. Then, easily add questions related to the video on a slide presentation that includes the video and other resources from PBS or your device. Assign Learning Media lessons to a class you create, to Google Classroom, or get a quick assign code to share with students to access the lessons without signing in. Creating and assigning a task with several learning activities works well with flipped and blended learning activities. Extend learning by asking students to research and learn about other Hispanic leaders. Ask them to share their knowledge by creating interactive images using Genially, reviewed here, explainer videos using moovly, reviewed here, or podcast episodes hosted on Buzzsprout, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): african american (110), black history (130), civil rights (200), diversity (37), racism (79), slavery (78), women (142)
In the Classroom
Include some of the suggested classroom uses for this resource found in the Instructional Guide (PDF). This book and the suggested activities work well as part of lessons on racism, slavery, and African-American history. Consider using the historical information from the book and other primary sources to create timelines with your students showing the important events during the story. Find various free online timeline creation tools located here. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to have students create simple videos using just photos and their own voices.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Juneteenth Activities and Lesson Plans for Students - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Shaped Staff
Grades
K to 12tag(s): 1800s (75), civil rights (200), emancipation proclamation (11), Juneteenth (22), slavery (78)
In the Classroom
Include the teaching ideas and activities provided on this site with your other lessons on Juneteenth, Emancipation, or slavery. Engage students in learning about Juneteenth by sharing a timeline of events leading up to Emancipation and beyond, including the recognition of Juneteenth nationally. Create your timeline using the timeline creator Wikipedia Timeline Generator, reviewed here, provided by Class tools. Extend learning by asking students to share their understanding of Juneteenth using a presentation tool such as Genially, reviewed here, to create interactive images and presentations. Once you are signed in, members can search Genially's Inspiration area to find a reproducible template for a Juneteenth interactive image.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Felt - Interactive Map Creator - felt.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): map skills (56), maps (207)
In the Classroom
Visualizing data and creating maps just became easier for teachers and students. Help your students understand current events worldwide by creating a map and embedding it on your classroom website or learning management system. For example, use maps in science to track migration patterns, explore climates, or map weather events. Teachers of students aged 13+ years can have students create and edit maps in real-time from anywhere. Build upon your student's knowledge by adding layers to your maps to show new information. Teachers of younger students can create maps for student viewing to map a story or show animal habitats.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Museum of the American Indian - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
K to 12tag(s): explorers (66), native americans (95), primary sources (119), professional development (409), thanksgiving (22), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark this site for use with lessons on Thanksgiving, using primary sources, or when teaching about Native Americans. Consider using curation tools such as Padlet, reviewed here, or Wakelet, reviewed here, to organize resources for easy retrieval. Padlet and Wakelet are also handy when sharing information and resources with students. As you begin your lessons on American Indians, begin with a formative assessment to gauge your students' understanding of the topic. Use an easy online quiz tool such as Baamboozle, reviewed here, to engage students in your learning activities. As you continue in your lessons, continue to motivate and engage students using Wooclap, reviewed here, to review information either in class or as a homework activity. Instead of testing to assess knowledge upon completing your unit, offer students the opportunity to share their understanding of content in various ways. Examples include creating an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, an explainer video made using Clipchamp, reviewed here, and an interactive map built using Google My Maps, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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