As the end of the school year approaches, explore primary sources from the National Archives!
And join educators in person and virtually with professional development opportunities this summer!
Civics for All of US
National Civic Education Initiative
from the National Archives
It is never too early to think about Constitution Day programming!
Free, Virtual Civics for All of US Constitution Programs for K-12 Students and Teachers
Schedule a free virtual program with National Archives educators to explore the big ideas of the Constitution through primary sources from the National Archives. Constitution Day is observed on September 17th to commemorate the day in 1787 when the Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Learn more about civics education from the National Archives through our Civics for All of US initiative, schedule a virtual program for this current school year using our registration tool, or send us an email to schedule a program for Constitution Day!
Second Annual Civics for All of US Teacher Institute
This summer, the National Archives will host the second annual Civics for All of US Teacher Institute, which will bring together K–12 educators from across the United States to learn how to use National Archives holdings to teach civics and American history.
This year, the Institute will be hosted in two sessions, each with 45 teachers, at the National Archives Building, during the weeks of June 24th and July 8th. The teachers will be immersed in hands-on sessions featuring strategies for teaching civics with primary sources and participate in special tours and activities at the National Archives. The educators will also visit the U.S. Capitol to learn about educational resources available from Congress, with sessions hosted by the House of Representatives Office of Art and Archives, and the staff of the Capitol Visitor Center.
Teachers- mark your calendars for next year’s Teacher Institute and look for more details in December!
The 2024 Civics for All of US Teacher Institute is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation.
DocsTeach
Our signature online tool for teaching with documents includes more than 13,500 primary sources spanning the course of American History
You can also find dozens of recently added photographs in support of our exhibit Power & Light: Russell Lee's Coal Survey (in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery in the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC). A new landing page with educational activities and primary source documents related to Labor History topics is now available online.
National History Day Teachers and Students! Stay tuned for our updated Get Ready for NHD 2025 page with resources and activities related to next year's theme, Rights and Responsibilities in History! Launching in mid-June!
New to DocsTeach or looking to familiarize yourself further with the free resources it offers? Check out our series of recorded self-serve mini-webinars! Each webinar is approximately 20 minutes and covers DocsTeach basics and tips for teaching with the site. And if you want to learn even more, you can request a webinar for you and your district. Just email us at distancelearning@nara.gov.
Young Learners Program
Join us monthly as we meet historical characters, exciting authors, and modern heroes. Perfect for classrooms, homeschoolers, and families.
National Archives Comes Alive! Young Learners Program:
Meet Lewis and Clark
Thursday, May 16, at 11 a.m.
Two hundred years ago, in May 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their Corps of Discovery expedition across the western portion of the United States. This expedition was made possible after the United States acquired land in the Louisiana Purchase. Come learn how Lewis and Clark prepared for the expedition and what they learned about the land, rivers, and people they encountered along the journey. Join the program here!
Meriwether Lewis is portrayed by Doug Thomas, and William Clark is portrayed by Steven Edenbo of American Historical Theatre.
Additional upcoming programs include:
The National Archives Comes Alive: Young Learners Program:
Meet Sojourner Truth, Thursday, June 20, at 11 a.m.
The National Archives Comes Alive: Young Learners Program:
Meet Mark Twain, Thursday, July 18, at 11 a.m.
Past guests have included Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Jr., Betsy Ross, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, and many more! A live question-and-answer portion allows viewers to interact directly with history.
Virtual Kid Detectives Family History Camp at the National Archives
Online, Monday, July 8 – Friday, July 12, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET
Ever wondered about your family’s roots and who is on your family tree?
This week-long camp will introduce the basics of family research. Discover how to use the resources of the National Archives to be history detectives into your past! The virtual camp is designed for young people ages 11–15.
To register, email education@nara.gov with “Family History Camp” in the subject line.
This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation.
Summer Professional Development Opportunities
Join National Archives Educators In person and Online
Primary Sources and Project-Based Learning at the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC
Monday, July 22 – Friday, July 26, 2024
In person on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at the National Archives
We will welcome K–12 educators for a research experience focused on exploring the National Archives. Participants will choose a research topic and use primary sources from the National Archives’ physical and online collections.
Learn about the National History Day 2025 theme Rights and Responsibilities and complete your own mini-research project to take back to your classroom. Explore free teaching resources including DocsTeach from the National Archives and Maryland Humanities’ TPS Inquiry Kits.
Participants will spend Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at the Archives and will participate remotely on Wednesday and Thursday.
Participants will receive complimentary lunch during onsite days as well as a $50 travel stipend.
Teaching with Primary Sources and Portraiture
Monday, July 29 – Wednesday, July 31, 2024
On-site at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and the National Archives
How do we teach a balanced, comprehensive, and complex history of the United States? Get ready for the school year with three days of collaborative learning and idea generation on teaching tough topics.
Come hear from historians and educators at the National Archives and the National Portrait Gallery as we explore themes of civil rights, labor history, environmentalism, and more. Through document analysis and reading portraiture strategies, we’ll shine light on previously unknown stories and consider the pressures and motivations that shaped historical controversies. Educators will leave with ideas and ready-to-use activities as they head into the start of the school year.
Teachers- join this event for free! Learn more and register here.
"I believe the only way to protect my own rights is to protect the rights of others." ~ President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5/19/1953
The National Archives and Records Administration and National Park Service are collaborating to host a civil rights conference. This event is a commemoration of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision and also an overarching civil rights discussion. As President from 1953 to 1961, Eisenhower served during a time of tremendous change for civil and human rights in America. The Eisenhower administration passed the first civil rights legislation since Reconstruction and created the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
Join us as we examine the Brown v. Board decision and discuss the full scope of civil rights. The conference will welcome a host of presenters including historians, civil rights leaders, civil rights attorneys, personal stories from those who lived it, and more. Conference schedule details will be posted in the near future.
Partners include:
William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Did you miss last month's 1936 Berlin Olympics webinar for teachers or do you want to send a recording to your colleagues?
Schedule a Student or Teacher Program from the National Archives!
Explore the different ways to connect
Through grade-appropriate inquiry-based offerings, National Archives educators guide students on an exploration of American history using primary source documents.
Check out our student museum field trip offerings at the National Archives in Washington, DC!
Learn more about these free student programs here, or contact us at fieldtrips@nara.gov. Don't forget to reserve your program at least 45 days in advance!
Join us in our Learning Center at the National Archives at New York City for teacher workshops and student field trip visits on a variety of historical topics.
To find out more about these free offerings, visit the links above or contact us at newyork.archives@nara.gov. Be sure to schedule your program three weeks in advance.
Not able to visit a National Archives location? Connect with a National Archives Education Program from anywhere!
Distance learning from the National Archives provides access to virtual field trip experiences for elementary through high school students across the world! To schedule a program, email distancelearning@nara.gov. Additional information is available on our distance learning page.
