Integrate HistoryLink.org Into Your Classroom

This Education Resource feature -- identifies some of the resources available on HistoryLink.org and provides samples of motivating activities to use HistoryLink.org in the classroom. 

There will be many individual approaches to using these resources in the classroom and HistoryLink.org is very interested in sharing these ideas with others.  Educators are asked to submit their lesson plans, curricula, or ideas for using HistoryLink.org to education@HistoryLink.org.

2009-2011 Curriculum Materials prepared by:

Patricia Filer, HistoryLink.org Education Director
Catherine Roth, HistoryLink.org Education Intern

Integrate HistoryLink.org into your Classroom: Audio-Enhanced Essays

Oral histories are important and unique primary sources. They reveal intimate stories, relevant comments, and meaningful answers -- related by important historical figures as well as by everyday people who are often overlooked in our history books. Hearing the actual voice of someone who has lived through a significant event or era can bring history to life. It can also greatly enrich insight into the personality and character traits of the person being researched. Exploring and analyzing oral history interviews and other audio files, such as news reports, speeches, or music, are also a great means by which to enhance a written report, article, or essay and can lead to further research possibilities.

Lesson plans designed to integrate the audio-enhanced essays on HistoryLink.org ask students to listen to selected HistoryLink.org essays and interpret the value of hearing real voices describe their personal experiences with historical events or persons. Students will be provided with an appropriate model for enhancing their own projects with audio files by using the format established by HistoryLink.org.

Integrate HistoryLink.org into your Classroom: Today in Washington State History

Students should understand that recent events -- even if they seem insignificant -- will be considered history to the next generation.  This curriculum uses the Today in Washington History feature on the HistoryLink.org website to bring the relevance of everyday history into the classroom.

Today in Washington History is a regular HistoryLink.org feature that is updated daily so that the featured timeline essays are tied to the current date. It is important for students to understand that all aspects of history are important. Each event, circumstance, or personal story has contributed in some manner to the development of the world, state, and local government, educational, cultural, and social organizations, neighborhoods/communities, and families.

Download
Curriculum

Integrate HistoryLink.org into your Classroom: Counties and Towns

Each of Washington state’s 39 counties has a unique informational cyberpedia essayon HistoryLink.org titled County Thumbnails & Cities & Towns thumbnails. By using thisfeature on the HistoryLink.org website, an educator can easily find basic and historically relevant information that is unique to their specific county, city or town -- if an essay currently exists. 

Students should be informed and historically savvy citizens and representatives of their communities. Students will understand that current events influence the significance of a county, city, or town’s role in developing history and that most encyclopedic entries are updated when necessary and possible.

Download
Curriculum