Unlocking the Past

Author Interviews

Listen to your favorite middle grade and YA authors of historical fiction and non-fiction discuss their writing process, the importance of studying history and more.

Diverse Historical Book Lists

Books are a form of political action. Books are knowledge. Books are a reflection. Books change your mind. ~Toni Morrison

Detail from book cover Freedom Roads: Searching for the Underground Railroad

Themed Booklists

The Era of Abraham Lincoln, Slavery, and the Civil War

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry and photography vividly depict Civil War battles, the Underground Railroad, and Lincoln’s tumultuous presidential term.

Detail from cover Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of Stamped from the Beginning

Themed Booklists

Race and American History

The history of race in America encompasses questions of freedom, justice, and equality. Explore current and past struggles over racial equity through a collection of non-fiction novels.

Themed Booklists

Those Who Risked Their Lives in WWII

Read about the underground resistance movement and brave individuals who helped shelter Jews, from the perspectives of both the rescuers and the survivors. These books are an excellent complement to history units on World War II.

Ideas to Tweak Your Instruction

Looking for new ways to engage students in studying history? Be inspired by the creative ideas shared by fellow middle and high school teachers, as well as experts in the field.

immigrant adults and children walking across land a landscape of the American flag.

Content-Area Literacy

Text Set: Immigration

We hope this text set fosters understanding, empathy, and a high level of engagement for your students as they explore the complexities of the immigrant experience through varying perspectives.

Content-Area Literacy

Real World History

Real World History: A DC public school invites students to develop their skills as historians as they study the Great Migration of African-Americans from the rural south to big cities.

cork board with middle scratched to reveal the title "What's Your Story?"

Historical Fiction and Oral Histories

Let’s discuss how historical fiction and oral histories enhance the history units you teach.

word history spelled out with people standing next to historical items

Content-Area Literacy

Content-Area Literacy: History

The ability to read historical documents including contemporary explications about societal, economic and political issues provides a direct link to literacy as preparation for citizenship.

Identifying key ideas and supporting details
These 6th grade students work on their own and with partners to navigate a text about Ancient Egypt. The teacher helps her students to identify key ideas, discuss details, and draw inferences from what they’re read.

Using multiple sources of information
Watch as this 11th grade history teacher orients her students to the vast array of materials on the Civil War, including images, maps, and texts. Next, students use graphic organizers to help navigate the written texts.