The featured poster in our most recent eNews issue comes from a teacher-friendly album of downloadable and easy-to-share images, each accompanied by teaching notes. 

December 18, 2020 Update: Newly added to the Kindergarten unit: Mystery #4, HOW DOES A TRADITION BECOME A HOLIDAY? about Juneteenth. 

"What has excited my kids most is the chance to be detectives. They look forward to the days of the week when they get to hunt for clues."

-2nd Grade Teacher

November 16, 2020

Pairing Picture Books with Primary Sources: Primary Source Sets from Missouri School Librarian Tom Bober Feature Disability History

Bober’s new Primary Source Podcast compliments his KnowledgeQuest blog posts on picture books and primary sources

People familiar with the work of Emerging America will know that our Accessing Inquiry project and clearinghouse of resources offers one of the best available archives of accessible lesson plans that address topics related to people with disabilities across American history.

NOTE: First developed at Emerging America, History's Mysteries has become Private i History Detectives, a product of iCivics. 

We are preparing to teach an upcoming section of our course, Accessing Inquiry for English Learners through Primary Sources, and reflecting on what specialists in English language acquisition tell us about making history and social studies accessible. 

In 2010, when Emerging America first focused on teaching strategies using primary sources to engage and support English Learners, we built the course content around immigration history, expanding the investigation to include the history of American communities that speak languages other than English. A key part of making curriculum accessible to all learners is teaching topics, concepts, and skills that are directly relevant to their lives. Not all English Learners are immigrants, of course. Yet many are, and today’s volatile politics of immigration impact all English Learners. 

See 2023 expanded update on this article. 

Announcing the Reform to Equal Rights: K-12 Disability History Curriculum - open February 28, 2023!   Free - 23 lessons - 200+ primary sources - inquiry-based - focus on agency by disabled advocates - Link here for the disability history curriculum. 

Facing the Crisis in Social Studies and Civics Education

Following years of decline in the teaching of History and Social Science, especially in grades K-5, and neglect of civics by schools at all grades, the Massachusetts Legislature and Board of Education each took decisive action in 2018. New state History and Social Science standards elevate civics in the context of inquiry-based Practice Standards, and the Civic Engagement Act mandates opportunities for civic action by all learners.