Artifacts Teacher Resources

The excavation of a cache of artifacts, believed to have been buried by Juana Maria, a Nicoleno Native American who lived alone on San Nicolas Island for over 18 years, is the focus of a unit that shows how archaeologists uncover...

Young history detectives investigate their family history through interviews, genealogical research, and family artifacts and heirlooms. They research family members who stood up for their beliefs, examine family treasures to discover...

The three lessons in the Civil War: Activity Pack collection provide young history detectives with an opportunity to examine artifacts the reveal African-American involvement in the United States Civil War. They watch videos to learn...

As part of a study of the history of the Chumash on California's Channel Island chain, class members view the documentary Once Upon a Time, respond to discussion questions, and create a timeline for the different waves of migration....

The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island documents the story of Juana Maria, who spent 18 years alone on the most remote island of the Channel Islands chain. After watching West of the West's documentary and reading two print resources,...

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War is a collection of 13 resources from a printable exhibition curated by the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Each resource begins with a summary and a table of contents. The resources...

A three-lesson unit from PBS’s History Detective series has young historians investigating women's contributions to American history. Young sleuths search for clues in artifacts, images, and videos. They hold a mock convention, create...

West of the West's Arlington Springs Man series documents the history of the archeological digs on Santa Rosa Island and the discovery of human and mammoth bones that challenge the once-popular theories of human migration to the...

Young historians study the Angel Island Immigration Station with activities examining primary and secondary source materials, maps, and websites. The unit begins with individuals creating a map of Angel Island, labeling sites on the...

Is it possible to combine many voices into one national identity? That is the question addressed by the unit module “My Part of the Story: Exploring Identity in the United States.” The unit consists of six lessons that ask high schoolers...

The California missions were established by the Franciscans with the hope of converting Native Americans to Catholicism. The three lessons in this collection present fourth graders with primary source documents, paintings, and drawings...