History/Social Studies Curriculum
“Separate but equal” laws segregated society and culture in the United States for the first half of the 20th century. After World War II, the tide began to turn and one place where Americans saw a change was in professional sports. In 1946, African American baseball player and military veteran Jackie Robinson became the first black man to play on a white team in a segregated league. With support from his wife and community, he broke that “color barrier” during spring training in Daytona Beach, Florida, at the City Island Ballpark.
Robinson earned the title Rookie of the Year in 1947, played in the World Series in 1955, and was a passionate Civil Rights activist when his athletic career ended. The “City Island Ballpark” is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its association with him and renamed in his honor. This lesson explores Jackie Robinson’s life and the events of 1946, racism and “Jim Crow,” pop culture’s influence on a nation of laws, and the historic beachfront ballpark.
This lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and other curricula that examine African American history and civil rights in the United States following World War II.
Explore the history, arts, and culture of Filipino Americans in the United States. From veterans to Tony award winners, from labor movement leaders to gold medalists, we invite you to discover the rich and diverse stories, people, and history of Filipino American culture.
Explore all of the resources the National Women’s History Museum has created. There are lesson plans, biographies, posters, primary sources, and more. You can search by topic, theme, or resource type.
The 1619 Project, inaugurated with a special issue of The New York Times Magazine, challenges us to reframe U.S. history by marking the year when the first enslaved Africans arrived on Virginia soil as our nation’s foundational date. Here you will find reading guides, activities, and other resources to bring The 1619 Project into your classroom.
Designed for grades 5-8 but customizable for all ages, virtual field trips allow students to travel the world and explore natural environments without leaving the classroom. Each virtual field trip contains a video, teacher guide, and student activities.
No permission slips required. These virtual events let educators take students to amazing places and give them remarkable experiences, without ever leaving the classroom.
The Zinn Education Project promotes and supports the teaching of people’s history in middle and high school classrooms across the country. Based on the lens of history highlighted in Howard Zinn’s best-selling book, “A People’s History of the United States”, the website offers free, downloadable lessons and articles organized by theme, time period, and reading level.
For units to have purpose, they need to grow as living documents. We encourage teachers to adapt these units and then come together and share their ideas and experiences towards this curriculum through the Knowledge Base of New Visions.
Engage students with Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, a PBS KIDS series based on the Ordinary People Change the World books by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos. The show follows the adventures of Xavier Riddle, his sister Yadina, and their friend Brad as they travel back in time to meet real life historical figures when they were kids.
Use these video clips, teaching tips, and historical figure biosketches to support students’ social-emotional, literacy, and social studies skills.
Participate in this scavenger hunt to learn about the Ancient Olympic Games
Get up close and personal with parks through virtual tours. Learn more about the history of these legendary places and how essential their protection and preservation is in ensuring these sites are enjoyed for generations to come.
Using a map of the United States, an atlas, or another resource, students can go on a geography scavenger hunt.