New & Noteworthy

A Few of Your Favorite Things

More history content, teaching videos, links to primary source materials…what are your favorite reasons for coming to Teachinghistory.org? And what would you like to see in the future? Be one of the first to share your opinions through our online survey and receive a free flash drive! Click here to share your thoughts.

Elementary

Historical Agency in History Book Sets

Historical fiction can be an exciting way to help young students enjoy history.
Learn how History Book Sets combine the power of fictional narratives with nonfiction to help students analyze historical agency—the ability of an individual or group to impact a moment in history. Read more.

Middle

Ask a Digital Historian: Beyond Google Searching

Looking for good websites filled with reliable images for teaching U. S. History? Do you wonder about copyright restrictions once you find those images? Read these suggestions for locating quality, copyright-free images in “Ask a Digital Historian.” Read more.

High

Declaration of Independence: Rough Draft to Proclamation

In this Library of Congress lesson, students closely read two versions of the Declaration of Independence—Thomas Jefferson’s “original Rough draught” and the final document adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776—and discuss the significance of the changed wording. Learn more.

Historical Thinking

Teaching American History

FDR’s Fireside Chats

According to Allida Black, Director of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, President Roosevelt viewed the Great Depression as a psychological issue as much as an economic one. He needed to build morale and support for his plan to get the nation back to work. Watch as Black analyzes one of Roosevelt’s best methods for outlining his vision to the American people—the Fireside Chat—and discover how historians view these speeches in the larger context of American history. View here.

Introducing Artifacts to Students (and Teachers)

Are text-based primary sources not capturing the interest of your students? Consider “teaching in 3-D” by introducing objects into your classroom. Watch as a museum educator and a project director from a TAH grant in Kalamazoo, MI, discuss the success they have had teaching both students and teachers to explore history through everyday objects of the past. View here.