Resources

The Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) offers free education resources for teachers along with other materials to encourage students to participate in the political process. Teachers can download K-12 and adult leveled lessons on topics such as the political process, foundations of American government, the presidency, and political beliefs and behaviors. Teachers can sign-up for YLI’s E-Congress program that allows students to learn about Congress by writing original legislation. YLI’s online mock election activity uses electronic ballots tailored to each student’s home legislative district.

Based on the "Inquiry Design Model" that emphasizes student inquiry in social studies instruction - including U.S. history. These free lessons, or “inquiries,” are K-12 leveled and also cover all other sub-disciplines of social studies (Ancient/European/World history, Civics/U.S. government, geography, economics), as well as state history, local history, and human rights. Each instructional inquiry is framed around a compelling question, and all related formative/summative performance tasks, subject matter-specific texts, and suggestions for extending the inquiry are included.

Based on the "Inquiry Design Model" that emphasizes student inquiry in social studies instruction - including world history. These free lessons, or “inquiries,” are K-12 leveled and also cover all other sub-disciplines of social studies (Ancient/European/U.S. history, Civics/U.S. government, geography, economics), as well as state history, local history, and human rights. Each instructional inquiry is framed around a compelling question, and all related formative/summative performance tasks, subject matter-specific texts, and suggestions for extending the inquiry are included.

Based on the "Inquiry Design Model" that emphasizes student inquiry in social studies instruction - including economics. These free lessons, or “inquiries,” are K-12 leveled and also cover all other sub-disciplines of social studies (Ancient/European/World/U.S. history, Civics/U.S. government, geography), as well as state history, local history, and human rights. Each instructional inquiry is framed around a compelling question, and all related formative/summative performance tasks, subject matter-specific texts, and suggestions for extending the inquiry are included.

Based on the "Inquiry Design Model" that emphasizes student inquiry in social studies instruction - including geography. These free lessons, or “inquiries,” are K-12 leveled and also cover all other sub-disciplines of social studies (Ancient/European/World/U.S. history, Civics/U.S. government, economics), as well as state history, local history, and human rights. Each instructional inquiry is framed around a compelling question, and all related formative/summative performance tasks, subject matter-specific texts, and suggestions for extending the inquiry are included.

This website saves time when needing an overview or a graphic representation of an event or period in American history. The outlines can serve as a scope and sequence for various topics and the charts consolidate a substantial amount of historical information that can either be projected or printed as a PDF document. The available outlines and charts cover a wide-range of time, from pre-Columbian Americans to recent American history.

Based on the "Inquiry Design Model" that emphasizes student inquiry in social studies instruction - including Civics/U.S. government. These free lessons, or “inquiries,” are K-12 leveled and also cover all other sub-disciplines of social studies (Ancient/European/World/U.S. history, geography, economics), as well as state history, local history, and human rights. Each instructional inquiry is framed around a compelling question, and all related formative/summative performance tasks, subject matter-specific texts, and suggestions for extending the inquiry are included.

EconEdLink offers free economic and personal finance lesson materials for all levels of students. The lessons include a teacher and student version and are designed to be delivered in a variety of formats and classroom settings. Lessons can be searched by resource type, economic concept/subject, and by standards. In addition to lessons, EconEdLink offers computer-based interactive lessons and a number of videos and a comprehensive glossary to reinforce content.

Offers free access to lesson plans, essays, and multimedia resources, including videos and oral histories, from the National WWII Museum education collection. The classroom materials are leveled for middle and high school students and can be searched by subject and type of resource. Topics include the war in Europe and the Pacific, the impact on the homefront, and the legacy of World War II. The collection also offers lessons that explore the impact of the war on scientific innovations.

Includes free downloadable K-12-level lesson plans developed by master teachers, including graduates of the George Washington Teacher Institute, as well as by Mount Vernon educators and historians. The lessons can be searched by grade level, type, and theme, and are dedicated to teaching about the life and legacy of George Washington. The educational materials explore Washington’s world and topics range from Washington’s inauguration to his views on slavery.

The mission of Vote Smart is to provide free, factual and unbiased information on candidates and elected officials at the federal, state and local levels. Vote Smart provides candidates' biographical information, voting records/positions on various issues, endorsements, speeches, and contribution history. There are links related to ballot measures, election contacts, and voter registration by locality. For teachers and students, Vote Smart offers a free K-12-level government curriculum and an online “Government 101” tutorial with informative overviews on all aspects of American politics.

With a strong emphasis on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the National Constitution Center offers a wide range of educational materials for classrooms at all levels. Resources include lesson plans, engaging and interactive video games, hands-on arts and crafts activities related to the Constitutional period, and opportunities to explore historical documents and primary sources. In addition, there are web interactive exercises that explore the concept of rights in the U.S. and the world and an online interactive Constitution.

SERP’s Social Studies Generation is comprised of three units, including a civics-related unit called "Complex Questions Related to American Democracy." Written for the middle school level, the lessons provide opportunities for students to read, write, discuss, and build arguments. Brief activities for ELA, math and science are also included in each unit.

SERP’s Social Studies Generation is comprised of three units, including "Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome" and "Experiences of Two Children in War Torn Sudan." Written for the middle school level, the lessons provide opportunities for students to read, write, discuss, and build arguments. Brief activities for ELA, math and science are also included in each unit.

A paid subscription publication that highlights current news and events and offers a wide range of print and online activities. Print issues of the magazine are published 14 times during the school year, and the subscription includes teacher’s guides, lesson plans, and differentiation tools. Also included are activity sheets, assessments, videos, and access to comprehensive digital resources for student use.

Affiliated with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the Ruth A. Meyers Center for Indigenous Education maintains a repository of website resources for lesson plans specific to Minnesota’s Indigenous people, resources for lesson plans about American Indians, tips when considering the use of texts and literature about Indigenous people, terminology guides, and links to further research and materials related to Native Americans' experience in the U.S.

America in Class offers standards-aligned history and literature lessons. Lesson topics include major events, movements, and themes from specific time periods in American history. In addition to the lessons, teachers can access other primary and secondary sources for class discussion. The materials are adaptable, but are more appropriate for GED and Adult Diploma students.

This comprehensive website has multiple lesson plans and assessments that cover a wide range of social studies topics, including World History. The "Reading Like a Historian" curriculum engages students in historical inquiry, while the "Beyond the Bubble" history assessments measure students' historical thinking skills. The "Civic Online Reasoning" activities assess students’ ability to critically evaluate online content.

This comprehensive website has multiple lesson plans and assessments that cover a wide range of social studies topics, including U.S. History. The "Reading Like a Historian" curriculum engages students in historical inquiry, while the "Beyond the Bubble" history assessments measure students' historical thinking skills. The "Civic Online Reasoning" activities assess students’ ability to critically evaluate online content.