Living History presenters:
Karen Haas – A Living History presenter, reenactor, and storyteller, Karen enjoys both telling in modern times and bringing the past to life with living history presentations. Her effervescent style engages emotions, from the sublime to the ridiculous, in audiences both young and old. She has presented in a wide range of places: libraries, bookstores, schools, senior centers, churches, Pig War re-enactments, Medieval wedding receptions, and ghostly bonfires.
Check out her website for descriptions of her programs, as well as information on how to contact her.
Kevin Wood – Kevin Wood, currently of Oak Park, Illinois (Chicago area), portrays President Abraham Lincoln, one of our nation’s most beloved and esteemed historical figures.
Laura F. Keyes – Laura shares stories and voices from history. This is Historic Voices. Historic Portrayals and Illustrated Lectures are available year-round. She presents several historical characters, so check out her website for the people she portrays.
Other resources:
Picturing America – Picturing America was a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that brought masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Many of the art pieces have historical value both in the art and the subject matter. Resources and information are found here…
Read Like a Historian – The Reading Like a Historian curriculum engages students in historical inquiry. Each lesson revolves around a central historical question and features a set of primary documents designed for groups of students with a range of reading skills. This curriculum teaches students how to investigate historical questions by employing reading strategies such as sourcing, contextualizing, corroborating, and close reading. Instead of memorizing historical facts, students evaluate the trustworthiness of multiple perspectives on historical issues and learn to make historical claims backed by documentary evidence.
American History – Resources about local history, Oregon Trail and Lewis and Clark, as well as ancient cultures and their mythology, and information about the European Middle Ages and Renaissance.
American History Subject Library – Links to information on various historical events and eras.
Ancestry – Free Historical Lesson Plans – Family history projects for K12 students allow them to build powerful inquiry skills while learning from home. The sources and documents found on Ancestry gives students across the nation the opportunity to make connections to their ancestors, historical places, and events throughout time. Their research journey will provide powerful insights into their own family and bring their curriculum to life in relevant and exciting ways. The lesson plans that Ancestry has created target a number of core subjects, with educational topics ranging from the American Revolutionary War to the 1940 U.S. Federal Census. They have been written by teachers according to the History Standards administered by the National Center for History in the Schools at the University of California, Los Angeles under the guidance of the National Council for History Standards.
Authentic History Center – Historical artifacts, sounds, written letters, and diaries.
Calendar Converter – Convert calendar dates to various versions of calendars (Gregorian, Julian, etc.)
Calisphere – A World of Digital Resources – Lessons and primary sources related to various topics, including the Gold Rush, World War II, and the Japanese American Internment.
Digital Collections – Historical photographs and information on the skills needed to analyze a photograph.
Early American Leaders – Students examine the qualities of early American leaders and determine what qualities constitute a good leader.
From Revolution to Reconstruction: Biographies – Very detailed biographies with dates the person lived.
Global Connections – A family of sites created to help teachers and students learn more about events in the Middle East through readings, lesson plans, links, timelines, and maps.
History Detectives – Students use this PBS television site to interact with investigations and methods to study history, including activities and quizzes.
HistoryNet – Information and resources on various historical topics.
How Teachers Can Make The Most of Prohibition – Information and lesson plans related to Ken Burns’ documentary “Prohibition”, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
I Have No Money, Would You Take Wampum? – The history of wampum and trading and bartering practices.
The Lost Museum of P. T. Barnum – A re-creation of P.T. Barnum’s American Museum as a lens into mid-19th century New York City and antebellum America. The Lost Museum website offers visitors a visualization and spatial interpretation of this extraordinary institution as well as an innovative way to learn and teach about the many issues and events of the period. The heart of the website is the 3-D re-creation of P.T. Barnum’s American Museum, the pre-eminent cultural institution of 19th century America that was mysteriously destroyed by fire on July 13, 1865. It takes you, the visitor, into the virtual museum where you can roam freely among the four rooms that we have digitally re-created. There are some links between rooms, but you can also use the floor maps that are always available on screen. By moving your mouse or finger left and right, up and down when arrows indicate, you will move around the room. Selecting “hot spots” allows you to look more closely at some of the vast number of items and exhibits Barnum displayed in his museum. If you choose to solve the mystery of who burned down the museum, characters and clues will guide you back in time and place. P.T. Barnum himself sends you off on the search for a credible culprit.
Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony – The story of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s work on behalf of women’s suffrage and rights in general. Includes biographies, critical essays, writings and speeches, and lesson plans.
Retronaut – Visit this photo collection, punch in a subject or an era (from B.C. to the aughts), and tons of historic images, wacky inventions and other treasures will appear.
Rome Reborn – Aimed at students and the general public, Rome Reborn allows users to travel back in time and explore ancient Rome at the peak of its glory. Students can teleport from site to site, learning about the history of the Eternal City. The Time Warp tool allows students to toggle between ancient and modern views of the monuments.
Teaching American History.org – A multitude of links and resources for teaching United States History.
Smithsonian Learning Lab – A free interactive platform for learning with all of the resources available through the Smithsonian.
Smithsonian Education – Educators – From the Smithsonian Institution, this site includes grade level lesson plans, a resource finder for primary resources, and reasons/connections for various images and artwork.
This Day in History – Videos and information about what happened on “This Day in History”…
White House History – Information and teaching resources.
Women’s History Teaching Resources – Materials from the Smithsonian Institution, including audio and video clips, as well as art, science, history, and culture information.
