The History Connected Project
_edited_j.jpg)
The History Connected Project
Cornerstone Curriculum · Core Challenges · Context & Commentary · Curated Collections
Curated Collections
Bringing together the best free resources from across the web.
Lesson
Library
Reading Like a Historian (DIG) Classroom-ready inquiries emphasize sourcing, corroboration, and evidence-based interpretation
Full curriculum with rich source sets and repeated inquiry routines that emphasize claims, evidence, scale, and causation
Supports the Inquiry Design Model (IDM), offering compelling questions, curated sources, and inquiry blueprints
Blends inquiry with argument writing through scaffolded lessons
Lessons that help students examine historical and contemporary issues, think critically about choices, and engage in ethical reasoning.
Video
Vault
Extensive library of videos segments taken from popular PBS series, including Ken Burns in the Classroom
Britannica World History Videos
Concise videos covering a wide range of world historical topics from ancient civilizations to modern global events
Untold History
Highlights overlooked, marginalized, and lesser-known stories from history through partnerships with major historical institutions
Smithsonian History Video Archive
Features visually engaging short pieces that cover archaeology, cultural history, science-history intersections, and major world events
Retro Report Video Library
Connects historical events to contemporary issues through documentary-style videos
TED-Ed History Lessons
Short, animated history lessons that introduce concepts clearly and creatively
Tech
Tools
A primary-source platform with built-in historical thinking activities for all eras of American history
A multimedia timeline creator that helps students visualize chronology, change over time, and cause-and-effect relationships
A design tool that empowers students to create infographics, posters, videos, and historical narratives
GIS investigations that use interactive maps to help students examine geographic context
An interactive mapping tool that enables students to explore geography and build spatial understanding
Contemporary Commons
Council on Foreign Relations Education
Provides free, nonpartisan, multimedia resources on global affairs and foreign policy
Offers tools like the Checkology platform to teach students how to spot misinformation and think critically about news
The Economist Educational Foundation
Develops weekly Topical Talk lessons created with Economist journalists
Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective Magazine
Features monthly essays by historians that analyze contemporary political, social, and cultural issues in their long-term historical context
Offers high-quality resources about the American past drawing on partner projects such as Bunk and American Panorama
Podcasting the
Past
Teaching Hard History
A podcast from Learning for Justice that tackles the difficult histories of slavery, Indigenous removal, and systemic racism through expert interviews and classroom strategies.
Thinking Historically About . . .
Experts unpack the essential questions students should be asking as they challenge how we understand the past and its relevance today
Ben Franklin’s World
An interview-driven podcast focused on early American history, featuring leading scholars whose research opens windows into political culture, society, and everyday life
Amarica’s Constitution
Hosted by Akhil Reed Amar and Andy Lipka, this podcast offers deep, accessible conversations on constitutional history, landmark decisions, and the stories behind the founding document
Visions of Education
A social studies–focused podcast examining teaching practice, civic education, and scholarship, connecting theory to real classroom application
PD
Portal
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Provides online courses, seminars, and summer institutes for teachers to deepen knowledge of U.S. history and effective pedagogy
National Council for History Education
Supports history educators through conferences, workshops, and publications focused on academic history and K-16 history education
Library of Congress
Offers workshops and webinars to support history educators in teaching with primary sources
National Humanities Center
Provides webinars and institutes on primary sources, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary approaches
National Constitution Center
Offers lesson plans, professional development webinars, and interactive tools for teaching the Constitution and civic literacy