Educators Blog

Making the Civil War Relevant
5/22/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

Students often don't see the connections between the past and present.  This blog entry  - from AARP! - actually may provide ideas for teens. 

Topics: Civil War, Education, Military conflict
Comments: 0
New Unit Plan Created: A Map Study of the Battle of Gettysburg
5/16/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

With the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Gettysburg quickly approaching, HSP has posted a lesson plan which discusses the Battle of Gettysburg, using primary sources from its own archives!

Topics: 19th century, Civil War, Environment and Nature, Military conflict
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Using Baseball to Discuss Civil Rights
5/13/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

Hit a home run with your students using sports to discuss historical issues!  With baseball season underway and the movie 42 in theaters, it's a great time to use the sports to discuss civil rights.  The story begins before Jackie Robinson was born though.

Topics: African American, Civil Rights, Recreation and Sport, Women
Comments: 0
Teaching Philadelphia History
4/26/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

Philadelphia history can be used by teachers everywhere to explore many aspects of American history:

Topics: Philadelphia
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Online History Teaching Tool Goes Live
4/1/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

No April's Fool joke:  HSP just launched a new website resource that will be an excellent teaching tool for anyone covering the Depression.  Closed for Business features over 300 primary source documents relating to a bank closure in Philadelphia during that period.

Topics: 20th century, Banking, Business, Depression, Economics, Philadelphia
Comments: 0
HSP Offers Summer Teacher Fellowship
3/19/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

Expand your skills and learn about American history while being a Teacher Fellow at the Historical Society of Philadelphia this summer.

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Registration Opens for Teacher Institute
3/15/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

The successful Thrift Teacher Institute of last summer will be offered again this year!  For five days in July (July 14-18), teachers of all grades and disciplines may join together at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to learn about thrift.  We will explore its historical roots and contemporary applications in ways that integrate the subject into lessons in history, civics, family & consumer science, financial literacy, and language arts. 

Topics: Business, Economics, Education, Government and civics, Women
Comments: 0
Another Resource for Using "Lincoln"
2/22/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

The Pennsylvania Department of Education through its Standards Aligned System  website provides Learning Communities around subjects of common interest.  Sally Flaherty who oversees Social  Studies has one with lots of resources for teaching about Gettysburg.

Topics: Civil War
Comments: 0
Genealogy: A Personal Appoach to History
2/15/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

Do you use family history in your classroom as a way of personalizing history lessons?  Or do you, the teacher, want to create your own family tree outside of the classroom?  Either way, HSP has many resources for you.

Topics: Education, Genealogy
Comments: 0
Portraits for President's Day
2/8/13
Author: Beth A Twiss Houting

Can you see what the Washington family is admiring on the table?  It is a map of Washington D.C. This print was made in 1798, so the City was still under construction.  Congress held its first session there on November 17,1800.  But the commissioners in charge of construction  had decided on September 9, 1791 to name the City after the first president.

Topics: Politics
Comments: 0