452 history-culture-americas results | sort by:
Ken Burns Classroom: The Civil War - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): civil war (141)
In the Classroom
Use short video clips and primary sources from the collection to create a gallery walk. Students can rotate through stations featuring different individuals' perspectives (soldiers, enslaved people, nurses, etc.). Have students analyze a short segment from the documentary and identify how Ken Burns uses narration, archival images, music, and quotes. Divide students into groups to represent different historical figures or regions. Debate topics could include states' rights vs. federal authority or the causes of the war. Students can choose a real or fictional character who lived during the Civil War and write journal entries reacting to the events depicted in the documentary. Consider creating the journals digitally using Book Creator, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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American Experience: Politics - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cold war (38), kennedy (25), mccarthyism (2), politics (120), presidents (151), roosevelt (17), space (236), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
After watching a short clip on a historical political event (ex., the women's suffrage movement or the emergence of political parties), have students choose 3-5 objects, quotes, or images they'd place in a time capsule to represent that moment. Have students analyze how a documentary clip presents a political issue, such as civil unrest or voting rights, focusing on tone, imagery, and historical context. They answer guided questions or write a reflection. After exploring historical movements such as women's suffrage or civil rights, students can create a plan for a modern social or political movement, including its goals, slogans, and strategies. Students research early U.S. political parties featured in the collection and compare their platforms with today's major parties. They present findings through infographics using Timeline Infographic Templates, reviewed here or Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Experience: Civil Rights - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): civil rights (216), racism (79)
In the Classroom
Select 6-8 key videos or images from the collection and post them around the room with short discussion prompts. Students rotate in small groups, viewing each and responding on sticky notes or in journals. Students choose a civil rights leader featured in the collection (ex., Rosa Parks, John Lewis, or Fannie Lou Hamer) and create a character map using Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here or MindMup reviewed here that includes the person's motivations, actions, challenges, and legacy. Students watch a short documentary segment and analyze how film techniques (music, narration, visuals) shape viewer understanding. They answer guided questions about the historical content and storytelling strategies. Students write a letter from the perspective of someone living during the civil rights era -- such as an activist, student, or community member -- reacting to a key event, such as the March on Washington.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Gilded Age - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): industrialization (12)
In the Classroom
Students can complete the lesson available from PBS. Students can use Sutori reviewed here to create a timeline of the period. Students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast the Gilded Age to another period in United States history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Timeline: Causes of the American Revolution - WGBH
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (84), colonial america (96), timelines (57)
In the Classroom
Have students research and add 2-3 events they believe belong on the timeline, justifying their choices with historical sources. Assign students to compare one colonial grievance to a modern-day protest or policy debate, drawing parallels in the cause, public reaction, and resolution. Challenge students to choose one timeline event and write a script for a news broadcast from the colonists' perspective. They can record it using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here or Mootion, reviewed here. Using the timeline entries, have students create a cause-and-effect map using Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here that links specific British policies (ex., Stamp Act, Tea Act) with colonial responses (ex., boycotts, protests).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Experiences: Biographies - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): biographies (93), famous people (35), kennedy (25), mark twain (9), railroads (16), roosevelt (17)
In the Classroom
Select 5-6 figures from the collection and provide students with brief, intriguing clues about each person's life. Students can guess who each person is before viewing the corresponding video segments. Have students write and perform a mock interview with one of the featured individuals, using facts from the collection to script questions and answers. Students can select a modern figure, compare their life, work, and impact to one historical figure from the collection, and present their findings in a Venn diagram using Venn Diagram Creator, reviewed here. After watching a documentary clip, students can create a timeline using Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here or Padlet, reviewed here highlighting the person's early life, achievements, challenges, and legacy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History.com - History.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): cold war (38), colonial america (96), great depression (31), holidays (246), immigration (81), space (236), womenchangemaker (79), world war 1 (84), world war 2 (167)
In the Classroom
Use virtual tours or videos from the History Channel to explore historical landmarks or events. Afterward, students can write a reflection or compare and contrast the historical site with others they've studied in class and use Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here to make a diagram showing their findings. Students can compare a History Channel documentary to other historical depictions in the media, analyzing the accuracy and bias of each. Have students create a multimedia project using Adobe Express Video Maker reviewed here that either supports or critiques a historical portrayal, using History Channel resources as a reference point.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ghosts of Machu Picchu - PBS Nova
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): architecture (79), engineering (134), south america (79)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post questions that they still have about Incan civilization. Students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to visit the location. Finally, students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast Incan civilizations to other civilizations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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George Washington's Mount Vernon - The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): american revolution (84), presidents (151), virtual field trips (130), washington (33)
In the Classroom
Have students take a virtual tour of Mount Vernon using the website's interactive features and assign small groups to explore different rooms or areas. Create a travel brochure template in Canva Edu, reviewed here for them to complete. Have the class write a "Letter to Washington" with a modern perspective on leadership. Extend learning by hosting a "Living Museum" Day, where students dress as their historical figure and present their experiences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Charlotta Spears Bass - Unladylike 2020
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): african american (117), womenchangemaker (79), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Keep reviewed here to take notes while watching the video. Students can use Figma reviewed here to compare Charlotta Spears Bass to another female change maker. Finally, students can use Sutori reviewed here to create a timeline of other women who became Vice Presidential candidates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Race Relations in the 1930s and 1940s - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): african american (117), black history (126), civil rights (216), segregation (20)
In the Classroom
Have students select a photograph or document from the collection and complete a primary source analysis worksheet, focusing on context, audience, message, and historical significance. Using the primary sources, have students design a 1930s or 1940s-style newspaper front page reporting using templates on Canva Edu, reviewed here on an event or issue related to race relations, incorporating headlines, images, and articles. Ask students to write a fictional first-person account (as a soldier, worker, or community member) based on evidence from the sources, giving voice to underrepresented perspectives of the time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Eyes on the Prize - PBS Learning Media
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): african american (117), black history (126), civil rights (216), segregation (20)
In the Classroom
Assign students civil rights leaders or everyday individuals featured in the documentary. Students will research their background, contributions, and challenges, then present their findings as first-person narratives or digital posters using DesignCap Poster Creator, reviewed here. Use transcripts or footage from the series to practice analyzing primary sources. Students can identify the point of view, tone, historical context, and intended audience. Students can compare a civil rights issue covered in the series (e.g., voting rights, school integration) with a modern-day counterpart. They should analyze similarities, differences, and ongoing challenges, and share their findings in a short essay or presentation using Visme, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Museum Tour - Museum of the American Revolution
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): american revolution (84), virtual field trips (130)
In the Classroom
Create a scavenger hunt where students search the virtual museum for key artifacts, symbols (like the Liberty Tree), or quotes. Students can work in pairs to answer guiding questions tied to historical themes. After exploring a section of the museum, have students write journal entries from the point of view of a historical figure they encountered, such as a soldier, a Loyalist, a woman in wartime, or an enslaved person seeking freedom. Students can design their own mini "virtual exhibit" using images, text, and narration to showcase what they believe are the most important parts of the American Revolution, inspired by the museum's layout. This can be done using tools like Google Slides reviewed here or Canva Edu reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freedman's Bureau and Education: Teaching With Primary Resources - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): african american (117), civil war (141), primary sources (119), slavery (79)
In the Classroom
Provide students with letters, reports, or newspaper articles from the Freedmen's Bureau about education efforts. Have them work in groups to analyze the documents and answer questions such as: What challenges did freed people face in accessing education?, How did the Freedmen's Bureau support education?, and What biases or perspectives are present in the sources?. Students can investigate the history of African American education in their community or state. Have students present their findings in a timeline using Timeline Infographic Templates reviewed here or Timeline reviewed here and include if there were Freedman's Bureau schools in their area, and what historical events impacted education access. Have students research and compare education barriers during Reconstruction with modern challenges, including segregation or a lack of resources in underserved schools, and present the information in an infographic using Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Native Americans' Contributions to American Culture - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): native americans (130)
In the Classroom
Explore this collection featuring the fascinating impact of Native Americans. Look at each resource's "Classroom Use" section for creative ideas on weaving these materials into your lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hispanic Americans' Contributions to American Culture - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): hispanic (53)
In the Classroom
Help your students learn more about the countless contributions of Hispanic Americans. This list includes resources for all grades. Read each resource's Classroom Use section to learn ways to incorporate the information in your lessonsAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Unveiling Hidden Stars: remarkable Latino contributions in the history of the United States - UnidosUS
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): hispanic (53)
In the Classroom
Create cards with the names of lesser-known Latino figures on one set and their contributions on another. Students can work in pairs or small groups to match them correctly. As a class or in small groups, have students build a visual timeline featuring the historical events and figures mentioned in the article. Use Sutori, reviewed here or Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here and include images, dates, and impact statements. Students can review their current history textbook's index or chapters to see how (or if) Latino contributions are represented. They can compare it to information from the UnidosUS article.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Experience: Native Americans - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): civil war (141), native americans (130)
In the Classroom
After exploring topics like the Trail of Tears or Native American boarding schools, have students create a timeline using Timeline, reviewed here or Timelinely, reviewed here that includes both historical events and modern Indigenous rights movements or cultural revivals. After viewing a clip on government-run boarding schools, students can write a fictionalized journal entry from the perspective of an Indigenous child attending one of these schools, using historical details to guide their writing. Using inspiration from the We Shall Remain series, instruct students to create a digital collage using PhotoCollage, reviewed here or short video using Animoto, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Influential Hispanic Americans - Biography.com
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): famous people (35), hispanic (53)
In the Classroom
Create a list of fun facts (ex., "Find someone who won an Olympic medal" or "Find a person who was a Supreme Court Justice") and have students search the article to match each clue with the correct person. Choose two individuals from different fields, such as music vs. science, and have students complete a Venn diagram. The Venn diagram can be done on paper or online using Venn Diagram Creator, reviewed here. Students write an imaginary interview with a historical figure from the article. Have students create a list of five thoughtful questions and what the person might say in response.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Facts about US Latinos - Pew Research Center
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cultures (259), hispanic (53), population (53)
In the Classroom
Post key statistics from the article around the classroom. Students can rotate in pairs or small groups, reading and discussing each fact. Use prompts like "What surprises you?" or "Why might this be important?" Students write a short argumentative essay using statistics from the article to support a claim such as "Latino contributions are essential to the future of the U.S.". Using the article's breakdown of Latino origins (ex., Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban), students create a U.S. map showing where different Latino populations are most concentrated. Consider completing the map online using Google My Maps, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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