Explore Resources

Explore why the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution and its enduring impact on defining our rights. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “How does the Bill of Rights establish and continue to define the rights we have as Americans?” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source documents. This resource was originally developed for the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.

Explore  the motivations for the Louisiana Purchase, as well as the terms of the purchase and its consequences. In this interactive lesson from WGBH, students develop a written argument in response to the question “Do you agree that the Louisiana Purchase was a ‘most splendid’ event?” They gather evidence from videos featuring historian Ben Weber and from primary source documents, images, and maps. This resource was originally developed for the Writing in U.S. History collection, the Calderwood Writing Course: U.S. History.

In this interactive lesson supporting literacy skills in U.S. history, students watch video dramatizations that tell the story of the Spanish explorers who arrived in the Americas with Columbus and introduced European, African, and Asian plants and animals to the Western Hemisphere. Students explore how the Columbian Exchange impacted life on both sides of the Atlantic. During this process, they read informational text, learn and practice vocabulary words, and explore content through videos and engagement activities.

EDSITEment, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, provides free, high-quality humanities education resources for K-12 teachers and students. It offers a vast collection of lesson plans, interactives, and vetted websites covering history, literature, art history, and civics. Educators can utilize its extensive archive of primary sources and multimedia content to foster critical thinking and promote inquiry-based learning in their classrooms.

Learn With Us from the National Geographic Society offers a rich collection of educational opportunities designed to ignite curiosity and foster a deep understanding of our planet and its diverse inhabitants. This resource provides educators with engaging content spanning geography, history, and culture, empowering learners to explore global topics through authentic narratives and compelling visuals. Materials promote inquiry-based learning, leveraging stunning photography and firsthand accounts that serve as invaluable primary sources. It's an excellent hub for K-12 teachers seeking resources to bring the wonder of the world into their classrooms.

"History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on the Web" is an extensive online resource crafted to support educators in teaching U.S. history from K-12 through college levels. It provides a rich array of teaching materials, including lesson plans and primary sources, to facilitate engaging and inquiry-based learning experiences. This platform encourages students to develop critical thinking skills and historical literacy through its accessible digital content. It serves as a valuable tool for exploring diverse historical perspectives and building comprehensive U.S. history curricula.

The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) offers educators and students free access to millions of items from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. This extensive collection includes primary sources, historical documents, cultural artifacts, and multimedia resources, making it an invaluable tool for research and discovery. Teachers can leverage DPLA to enrich lessons across various subjects, fostering deeper inquiry and critical thinking skills while exploring America's cultural heritage. It serves as an excellent Open Educational Resource for K-12 and higher education, supporting diverse learning objectives.

Facing History and Ourselves offers educators a rich collection of resources to teach history, ethics, and social justice, empowering students to grapple with complex historical events and their contemporary relevance. The platform provides comprehensive lesson plans, teaching strategies, and multimedia content designed to foster critical thinking, empathy, and civic responsibility. Teachers can find materials that encourage students to explore identity, membership, and justice, connecting past events to present-day issues. This resource supports educators in creating an inclusive classroom environment focused on moral reasoning and active citizenship.

The Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) offers a robust collection of free, research-based history lessons designed to cultivate historical thinking and critical analysis skills in students. Each lesson, part of their "Reading Like a Historian" curriculum, provides primary source documents and detailed teaching materials to engage students in meaningful historical inquiry. Educators can access ready-to-use lesson plans that emphasize document analysis, evidence-based reasoning, and understanding multiple perspectives, empowering students to evaluate historical sources critically and construct evidence-backed arguments. This invaluable resource supports teachers in shifting classrooms from passive reception to active investigation, enhancing students' ability to interpret historical events and sources.