“Back to School” is just around the corner - and we at NationsClassroom are teachers’ biggest fans. And we’re not alone. The historic attractions on our tours love supporting teachers; in fact, most of the attractions offer virtual Classroom Resources designed to enhance learning without having to leave the classroom. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite “Educator Resources” from some of NationsClassroom’s most popular historical east coast destinations.
So even if a school trip isn’t in your immediate future this year, we encourage you to take a look at these resources designed to make learning history come to life in the classroom.
Education is at the core of the Smithsonian’s mission. The Smithsonian’s website offers resources ranging from informal education for students to lesson plans and professional development for teachers. The Smithsonian offers many resources to support educators in the classroom and at our museums, research centers, and zoo.
On their “teachers resources” page, there are many different resources that support inquiry-based learning and active engagement to spark students’ creativity and curiosity. Here are a few examples of the resources available for teachers and students:
- The Smithsonian Learning Lab allows students to create personal collections and individualized educational experiences.
- The digital Game Center of the Smithsonian Science Education Center offers fun experiences for the young STEM learner.
- Smithsonian's History Explorer offers hundreds of free, innovative resources for learning about American history.
Museum of the American Revolution:
Whether you’re bringing your students to visit the Philadelphia-based museum or simply looking for new activities to incorporate into your classroom, explore the Museum of the American Revolution’s modular pre- and post-visit materials, which are geared towards local and national standards.
Each guide includes thematic overviews, high-quality images, contemporary connections, provocative questions and student handouts to complete your lessons.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:
The Holocaust Memorial Museum provides educators with a wealth of resources tailored for classroom use—films, lesson plans, and curricular materials. Whether you’re an English/Language Arts teacher planning for a unit on Night or The Diary of Anne Frank, or a history World History teacher preparing for a World War II unit, the Holocuast Memorial Museum has resources to support and engage your students. In addition to content resources, this website provides guidance on sound teaching strategies for these sensitive classroom topics:
- Teaching about Antisemitism: These resources, including videos and podcast
episodes, support effective teaching about antisemitism and the Holocaust. - Lesson Plans and Curricular Materials: Strategies for teaching key Holocaust topics using Museum content and pedagogical approaches.
- Holocaust Encyclopedia: Browse articles on more than 800 topics including Auschwitz, Anne Frank, and Night.
White House Historical Association:
Learn and teach important stories of United States history through the lens of the White House using the White House Historical Association's Classroom Resource Packets. Adaptable to any twenty-first century classroom, these ready-to-use materials highlight resources from the White House Historical Association's Digital Library.
Colonial Williamsburg's teaching resources are designed to provide unique and relevant social studies resources for the classroom. These include primary source close reading materials, lesson units, hands-on artifact kits, educational games, books, and documentary and dramatic videos. We believe you will find these materials to be a resource that will enrich your curriculum and help inspire your students to discover the excitement of American history.
For information about school trips to the historic east coast, please browse our tours or contact us to let us know how we can help plan an unforgettable experience for your group.
