Hundreds of PreK-12 teaching and learning resources that support developmentally appropriate skill-building and leverage both well-known and lesser-known stories in American history are freely available online for use in the classroom and at home
February 26, 2025
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Museums can be powerful places for early learners and their families, school-aged groups, and even those who consider themselves lifelong learners to explore topics of interest across subject areas, including art, history, culture, and science. Established by an act of Congress in 2003 and opened to the public in 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C. is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. Since its founding, the museum has told the American story through the lens of African American history and culture.
No matter where you are located though, there are free, online teaching and learning resources available to you developed by the museum’s education staff. During Black History Month (February) and beyond, these multimedia resources have supported teachers, students, and families in celebrating the contributions of African Americans in shaping our nation.
At their core, these resources spotlight both well-known and lesser-known moments of history by utilizing objects, documents, imagery, and videos to enhance content knowledge, hone historical thinking skills, and inspire users to see themselves as changemakers who have a voice today and into the future. The resources tell stories of African Americans including individuals and their achievements in their respective fields, but also spotlighting the power of the everyday person and the collective. In designing these resources, the NMAAHC Education Team focuses on the developmental stages of the learners they aim to support, while leveraging the rich stories of the museum’s collections, curatorial expertise, and regular feedback cycles from PreK- 12th grade classroom teachers nationwide.
For Early Learners, their caregivers and families, NMAAHC aims to build a strong foundation for historical thinking skills early on. In a video series called “Learning Together,” educators introduce careers that might align to the interests of the child. For example, inspired by fictional characters that may have piqued children’s curiosity, children learn about the role of a chef prominently featured in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.” NMAAHC Early Childhood educators include opportunities to connect to the historical collections of the museum to introduce legendary New Orleans-based chef Leah Chase’s story, but also introduce a practicing chef today who can answer their questions, followed by a hands-on art activity inspired by their discussion that can also serve as a tangible reminder of the learning experience.
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Within the “Joyful ABCs” series, each letter of the alphabet offers an opportunity to introduce sounds and sound-making, support emergent literacy skills, and draw on the stories of the museum to reinforce positive character traits and build a healthy sense of self and understanding of others. Resources include printable activity booklets and companion videos, featuring NMAAHC Early Childhood educators as the hosts, that are perfectly paced for young learners, serving as an introduction to historical topics and literacy skills. Activities often use common household supplies and include step-by-step instruction for adults.
Online resources also include thematic groupings of digitized collection objects, such as milliner Mae Reeves’ hats, that are paired with a set of guiding questions for caregivers to ask to help hone young learners’ skills in color recognition and comparisons.
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Through its North Star digital initiative, the museum offers three series of resources that support visual literacy and historical thinking skills: Read Between the Brushstrokes, Learning History through Objects, and Becoming a Historian.
- The “Read Between the Brushstrokes” series contextualizes the museum’s visual arts collections, honing skills in visual literacy and historical thinking, while expanding students’ ideas of how to “read” historical sources. Each multimedia collection of resources centers on a single artwork, paired with guiding questions that help learners investigate composition and context, leading to opportunities for whole-class conversations. Examples of artworks featured include the painting, Walking by Charles Henry Alston (1958), which portrays the role of women and children in the bus boycotts of the 1950s.
- The “Learning History through Objects” series invites learners to analyze and interpret artifacts and primary sources. The series allows students to learn about the past through the lens of tangible objects from different time periods and experiences within African American history. Object-based learning is a pedagogical approach that many museum educators use in the galleries, but by providing access to digitized collections in the classroom, teachers can support learners in thinking about all the questions an object might help them answer about a specific period, place, or person.
- The “Becoming a Historian” series focuses on the interpretation skills of a historian, including perspective-taking, comparison, and cause and effect. Through detailed facilitator notes, the NMAAHC Education Team models how to employ these strategies using historical case studies told through the museum’s collections as a guide. These collections of resources are a great way for educators to be introduced to transferrable classroom strategies and learners to practice these strategies with relevant examples across history.
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Resources also feature biographies that deepen our understanding and ongoing interpretation of historical figures, such as Harriet Tubman, who is likely best known throughout history for her integral role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. What many students may not know is that she also served as a spy in the Union Army during the Civil War and she was a strong supporter of the Suffrage Movement.
In addition to a focus on humanities, the museum’s stories can serve as a springboard for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning. STEM Labs offer students a chance to experience hands-on experiments and simulations inspired by African American scientists, researchers, and innovators. Examples include an history and gardening lessoninspired by experiments of George Washington Carver, acoustic activities that help students explore the science of sound inspired by innovations from Dr. James West, and a celebration of stories of African Americans who have served in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in space, from behind a desk, and in the laboratory.
Guided by a wealth of museum collections, common themes of history, and a passion for connecting young people to powerful stories, new resources are released on a regular basis. While these resources are a perfect entry point for teachers looking to celebrate Black History Month, the museum also offers connections to other holidays and commemorations, ranging from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Black Birders Week to Juneteenth, World Kindness Day(November 13), and Kwanzaa. The wide range of topics covered across these resources demonstrates the many ways that the collections and stories of NMAAHC can be included in lessons across all subject areas any day of the year.