In this activity, students will examine an historical newspaper, a piece of historical fiction, and their social studies textbooks for accounts of the civil rights movement, and then define 'equality' and 'discrimination'. They will then use these definitions to look for instances of eq

Use or create maps to explore your local area, along with discussion tips for kids and families. Part of an OurStory module entitled Full Steam to Freedom, this activity includes strategies for using online maps or making your own map of a trip and tips for making the most of those exper

Make your own constellation commemorating an American woman, like Maria Mitchell. Many cultures have used constellations to remember the stories of heroes, like the Greeks and some American Indians. Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled

Special summer edition: Going on a road trip? Along the way, listen to this special edition of the History Explorer podcast series. It’s a compilation of some newer and older podcasts around the theme of perhaps the most common car ride entertainment—music.

Find out about your local government through planning a short field trip, and then think about how you could make a difference in your community.  The activity guide also includes tips for reviewing the experience once you're back at home or in the classroom. Included in an OurStory module f

This teacher tip-sheet includes information about how the Collect Stars activity can be used in a classroom.  It will help students cite the origins and outcome of the War of 1812 and be able to place the creation and preservation of the Star-Spangled Banner in a chronologi

Think of three symbols to represent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and create a window decoration with those symbols. Included in an OurStory module entitled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nonviolence, this activity is designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together thr

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie is a work of children's literature about a young heroine who runs her family's lighthouse during a fierce storm. Included in an OurStory module entitled Life on the Water, this activity includes four strategies that will help adults and ch

Use this guide to actively read The Little Chapel that Stood, a picture book about September 11, 2001. Part of an OurStory module entitled September 11, 2001, this activity includes discussion prompts, a glossary, and background information. OurStory is designed to help children

Mama Went to Jail for the Vote is a work of historical fiction about a girl whose mother joins the suffragists in working to win the vote for women during the early 1900s. Part of an OurStory module entitled Winning the Vote for Women, this activity includes strategies that will