1711 american-history results | sort by:
Washington Crossing the Delaware - WGBH
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): art history (109), presidents (145), washington (32)
In the Classroom
Have students select a figure from the painting (using the labeled sections on the site) and write a journal entry or short narrative from that person's point of view. Using the interactive commentary on historical accuracy, students can make a T-chart using Online Productivity Suite, reviewed here comparing facts vs. artistic choices in the painting. Students recreate the scene with a modern twist--imagining a different setting, era, or group of people crossing for a cause. They can draw, write, or perform their reinterpretation.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
American Experience: School Integration - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): 1950s (32), civil rights (218), racism (80), segregation (20)
In the Classroom
Show students historical photos from the integration era (such as the Little Rock Nine or protest scenes). Students can analyze what they observe, infer emotions, and compare them to a modern-day school setting. In small groups, have students research key events in school desegregation and create a collaborative timeline (digital, using Timelinely reviewed here, or physical) with brief descriptions and images. Have students research a current issue related to educational equity (ex., school funding, access to AP courses, or discipline disparities) and compare it to challenges faced during desegregation. Inspired by the real stories in the collection, students can create a short video using Powtoon reviewed here or digital story using Genially reviewed here that highlights a person or event from the school integration movement, using historical facts and personal reflection.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Valuing our Veterans - Van Andel Institute for Education
Grades
K to 8tag(s): veterans (29)
In the Classroom
Students can use Podcast Generator reviewed here to create a thank you podcast for veterans. Students can use Seesaw reviewed here to answer the reflection questions. In addition, students can pick a war and create a timeline of important events using Time Graphics Timeline Maker reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Grace Abbott - Unladylike 2020
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 20th century (169), women (176), womenchangemaker (67)
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 Grace Abbott to another woman featured on the site. Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post questions and comments about Grace Abbott.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents in American History - Library of Congress
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): 1920s (25), 20th century (169), constitution (101), noregistration (17), primary sources (118), womens suffrage (63)
In the Classroom
Engage students with primary documents by creating a HyperDoc or a Choice Board to explore. Within the external links embedded in this site is a framework from the National Archives called DocsTeach and many more links that can be converted into lesson plans. Teachers can also pair this site with the National Historic Site of Women's Rights. Using Storymap JS, reviewed here ask students to create a timeline of Women's Suffrage, to analyze photographs or summarize a subtopic of the 19th Amendment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
American Experience: The Natural Environment - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): california (18), earth day (60), environment (249), roosevelt (17), water (102)
In the Classroom
After viewing a clip about Rachel Carson, students can create an informational poster using Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here or digital slides using Google Slides, reviewed here highlighting her contributions, the environmental movement she inspired, and modern parallels. Students are assigned roles (ex., conservationist, industrialist, community member) to debate an environmental policy decision from one of the featured stories. Inspired by historical environmental activism, students can create a podcast, using Buzzsprout, reviewed here or Spotify for Podcasters, reviewed here addressing a current environmental issue in their community or globally.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
American Experience: Government - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): atomic bomb (9), bill of rights (36), branches of government (66), coal (7), cold war (36), courts (25), presidents (145), stock market (13), vietnam (39), world war 1 (83), world war 2 (168)
In the Classroom
In small groups, have students role-play founding delegates and "reimagine" part of the Constitution for today's world, using background knowledge from the videos. After exploring a short video clip on a U.S. government topic (ex., branches of government or the Bill of Rights), students can summarize what they learned in a one-minute oral presentation or written response. Students can choose a civic issue (voting rights, checks and balances, due process) and create a short video using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here or moovly, reviewed here explaining its importance, using inspiration and facts from the collection.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Margaret Chung - Unladylike 2020
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): women (176), womenchangemaker (67), world war 2 (168)
In the Classroom
Students can document the medical accomplishments of Margaret Chung using Canva's Timeline Infographic Templates reviewed here. Students can research the various timeline periods/wars that Margaret Chung lived through by using Kiddle reviewed here. Students can learn more about the comic book "Real Heroes," which features Margaret Chung.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
American Experience: Politics - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cold war (36), kennedy (21), mccarthyism (2), politics (120), presidents (145), roosevelt (17), space (231), womens suffrage (63)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
American Experience: Civil Rights - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): civil rights (218), racism (80)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Gladys Bentley - Unladylike 2020
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1920s (25), 20th century (169), women (176), womenchangemaker (67)
In the Classroom
Students can use Kiddle reviewed here to research more information about the time that Gladys Bentley lived in. Students can learn about other Harlem Renaissance artists. Finally, students can use Figma reviewed here to compare Gladys Bentley to another female musician.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents in American History - Library of Congress
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): 20th century (169), bill of rights (36), constitution (101), history day (38)
In the Classroom
Engage students with primary documents by examining the 18th Amendment, as well as the links provided for the Volstead Act and the 21st Amendment. Use these resources to teach key content vocabulary words such as ratification, prohibition, amendment, and statute. Use Connections reviewed here to hook students on word games while fostering language skills and background knowledge for American law and government. Students can deepen their knowledge of these topics by creating a picture or photo timeline using ReadWriteThink reviewed here, or MyLens reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The Gilded Age - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): industrialization (11)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Timeline: Causes of the American Revolution - WGBH
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (89), colonial america (97), timelines (58)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
American Experiences: Biographies - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): biographies (97), famous people (31), kennedy (21), 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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
History.com - History.com
Grades
K to 12tag(s): cold war (36), colonial america (97), great depression (30), holidays (228), immigration (79), space (231), womenchangemaker (67), world war 1 (83), world war 2 (168)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
OK2Ask: 3 Cool Tools for Timelines - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12Timelines are powerful visual tools that can transform how students understand chronology, cause and effect, and the evolution of ideas in any subject area. In this hands-on workshop, we'll explore three versatile, free timeline creation tools you can implement at any grade level. You'll learn how to use timelines not just as presentation tools, but as dynamic frameworks for student inquiry, collaboration, and assessment. Discover strategies for scaffolding student comprehension from introduction to assessment while empowering learners to make connections between events, identify patterns, and visualize change over time. Whether you're teaching history, science, literature, or another subject, you'll leave with practical approaches to integrating interactive timelines that engage students and provide valuable insights into their understanding. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Design learning experiences that use timelines to scaffold student comprehension in any subject area. 2. Evaluate three free timeline creation tools based on their specific classroom needs and learning objectives. 3. Create an implementation plan that integrates timeline activities into their curriculum. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): OK2Askarchive (71), professional development (270), timelines (58)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Once registered, find additional reference materials, tutorials, and how-to information to help you review or extend your knowledge from the session in the handout posted on the session landing page. Resources may include additional ideas and examples on integrating the tools and strategies shared in classroom instruction. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
George Washington's Mount Vernon - The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): american revolution (89), presidents (145), virtual field trips (132), washington (32)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Charlotta Spears Bass - Unladylike 2020
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): african american (117), womenchangemaker (67), womens suffrage (63)
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
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form