The Mystery of History - Original Sources

Scholars learn about September 11th, the day the World Trade Center was attacked, with the help of primary sources. As pupils listen to a first-hand account from survivor, Tom Canavan, they pinpoint character traits that make him a hero...

Learn about the California Gold Rush from an institution that has been in place since the early days of the American West: Wells Fargo History Museum. From domain-specific vocabulary review to group research projects, an expansive packet...

Here you'll find an extensive textbook chapter on Australia's indigenous people and the impact of European settlers on aboriginal tribes. The text includes several images, graphs, primary and secondary sources, follow-up questions, and a...

Young historians explore food, how it was prepared, and the variety of public places it was eaten in the 20th century. They combine this information with their knowledge of history in order to create riddles. The focus of the lesson is...

Pupils discover the multicultural nature of California during the Gold Rush through extensive primary source analysis, examining firsthand accounts of multicultural tensions and discussing the concept of California as a bilingual state...

Students research the events surrounding the Alamo in 1863, and explore the differences between primary and secondary sources of information. They brainstorm lists of items used to research a subject and categorize them as primary or...

Students explore the usage of primary sources, what they are and how they originate. Artifacts are compared and contrasted as part of this historical inquiry as questions are formulated and conclusions drawn.

Explore connections within and between informational texts with this lesson about encyclopedia articles. Middle schoolers write encyclopedia articles focusing on topics in American history. They discuss how to determine credibility...

Learners of all ages solve historical mysteries. Elementary learners research historical topics by organizing information presented by their instructor, formulating hypotheses, and considering solutions to mysteries presented about...

Want to create an exciting mystery activity? Investigators will identify the elements of a mystery, review mystery stories, then write their own mysteries. They engage in forensic science experiments related to mysteries and learn to ask...