Elementary
Native Americans Uses for Plants & Natural Resoures
Learn how the Native people of Nevada used the natural materials and resources that were available to them for clothing and shelter. (Grade: 4)
Cultural Rhythm: Drums — Sesame Street
Introduce different instruments from across South America and explore the music of a different culture. (Grades: PreK-1)
First Fish — Molly of Denali
Explore Alaska Native culture and values using "First Fish," an 11-minute animated story from the PBS KIDS series Molly of Denali. (Grades: K-2)
Being a Good Citizen
Learn from students what it means to be a good citizen at their school. Students demonstrate how taking responsibility for jobs in the classroom is a privilege! (Grades PreK-2)
Buster's Egyptian Adventure
Students join Buster Baxter on a trip to Egypt in this interactive geography lesson. Students learn about Cairo, ancient Egypt, the pyramids and the Nile River. (Grades: 2-3)
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark - PBS World Explorers
Over a period of two years, Lewis and Clark successfully crossed the entire western half of the United States, mapping out the region while exploring its resources. (Grades: 4-8)
Around the Block Activities — Arthur
Explore how people are alike and different, the activities will help children understand and appreciate what we share in common and what makes each of us unique. (Grades: PreK-2)
The Four Seasons
Learn about the seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter. Why do we have seasons? Learn about how the tilt of the earth affects climate in different parts of the world. (Grades: K-3)
I Wanna See the States
Pop band HelloGoodbye sings about the 50 States of America. All 50 states are mentioned in one song that focuses on the people, culture, or geography of each region. (Grades: 2-6)
Arthur’s Park Game
Practice taking action to improve your world by playing Arthur's Park. (Grades: PreK-2)
Rosa Parks
This interview with civil rights activist Rosa Parks describes her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. (Grades: 3-12)
Galileo: Sun-Centered Universe
In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about the two opposing worldviews and the strong piece of evidence Galileo offered to support the heliocentric theory. (Grades: 3-12)
Speaking Out — Arthur
Francine discovers chemicals from lawn fertilizer are causing fish to die, she's determined to raise awareness about the dangers of poisoning the environment. (Grades: PreK-2)
The Latino Festival Song — Sesame Street
Mando sings about many different Spanish-speaking countries in the world like Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and more! (Grades: PreK-1)
An Artist in the Family
This video segment takes students into Manuela’s home for a close look at her grandmother’s paintings to learn some of her techniques and about life in Columbia. (Grades: PreK-5)
Know Ohio: How Ohio’s Cities Got Their Names
Explore how some Ohio cities were named after settlers, figures in history, other cities from around the world or by incorporating words from other languages. (Grades: 3-8)
A Letter to My Brother
Students read a letter written by a soldier during the Civil War about his experiences. Students write a letter of their own to describe a personal experience. (Grades: 4-7)
Map Borders
Learn about map borders and complete an interesting hands-on activity. (Grades: PreK-4)
Communication Innovators
Explore the great advances in long-distance communication that resulted from the innovations of Samuel F. B. Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, and Guglielmo Marconi. (Grades: 2-5)
Meet the Helpers | Doctors are Helpers: In-Depth
Dive deeper into a doctor's career and find out how this Helper assists in emergency situations. (Grades: PreK-3)
Cultural Connections — Arthur
Providing daily exposure to various cultures enriches your children's experiences. Enable them to appreciate and share their heritage in this activity from Arthur. (Grades: PreK-4)
From Kitty Hawk to the Heavens
Over the last century, airplane design has progressed rapidly from the Wright Flyer demonstration in 1903 to the launch of SpaceShipOne a century later. (Grades: 2-5)
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
Use XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM video clips, teaching tips, and historical figure biosketches to support students’ literacy and social studies skills. (Grades 1-2)
The Sawyer Show | Take The Stage
Sawyer, a student in history class, imagines himself hosting a talk show with guests George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dolores Huerta. (Grades: K-2)
Middle School
Auschwitz | Murals of the Holocaust
Jamner tells the story of how his mother and her family were discovered in hiding and sent to Auschwitz. (Grades: 6-12)
Know Ohio: How Ohio’s Cities Got Their Names
Explore how some Ohio cities were named after settlers, figures in history, other cities from around the world or by incorporating words from other languages. (Grades: 3-8)
Getting the Nomination
There are a lot of people who want to be president. But when we vote, there's only a few names on the ballot. This video helps to understand the nomination process. (Grades: 6-12)
What was "Freedom Summer"?
This video introduces the events of 1964, when over 700 students, black and white, came to Mississippi to help black citizens combat forms of discrimination. (Grades: 7-12)
Kal Penn: Gandhi's Salt March
Actor and comedian Kal Penn’s was influenced by his maternal grandfather who marched with Gandhi in the Salt March, a protest against British imperialism. (Grades: 6-12)
George Washington | 60 Second Presidents
As far as Presidents go, none set more precedents than George Washington. Take a quick look back at the legacy of our very first leader. (Grades 4-12)
The Gold Rush (Ken Burns—The West)
In this activity, students will learn about the environmental and social changes brought about by the Gold Rush. (Grades: 6-12)
American Creed: Condoleezza Rice’s Family Matters
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy come together to ask: what ideals do we share in common? (Grades: 6-12)
The Inca's Sacred City of Cuzco
At its height, the Inca ruled an Empire of 12 million people. The video describes a ceremonial network that allowed the Incan government to monitor its vast expanse. (Grades: 6-12)
Rosa Parks
This interview with civil rights activist Rosa Parks describes her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. (Grades: 3-12)
False Equivalence: Why It's So Dangerous
False equivalence: what does it mean, and why is it helping to spread misinformation online? (Grades: 6-12)
Should We Get Free Money from the Government?
When the robots come to take our jobs, what are we going to do to keep a roof over our heads? That’s the question the universal basic income (UBI) hopes to answer. (Grades: 6-12)
The Powers of Government
In this interactive lesson supporting literacy skills, students learn about the three branches of the United States government. (Grades: 5-8)
March 12, 2020 - News Quiz
This episode features stories about the 2020 presidential primaries, NASA's new Perseverance rover, a COVID-19 update, artificial intelligence and more. (Grades: 4-12)
The Bolshevik Revolution - Lasting Effects
The images in this media gallery depict the transformations that occurred in Russia between 1914 and 1920. (Grades: 6-12)
A Letter to My Brother
Students read a letter written by a soldier during the Civil War about his experiences. Students write a letter of their own to describe a personal experience. (Grades: 4-7)
Free Speech vs. Hate Speech
College campuses across the United States have found themselves at the center of a raging free speech debate. Can college campuses ban speakers? (Grades: 6-12)
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark - PBS World Explorers
Over a period of two years, Lewis and Clark successfully crossed the entire western half of the United States, mapping out the region while exploring its resources. (Grades: 4-8)
Cedar Trees & Totem Poles of Pacific Native Americans
Learn about the spiritual relationship between the Native American people of the Pacific Northwest and the cedar tree. (Grades: 6-12)
Suffrage - Soldier and Citizen
This excerpt from the full length documentary Soldier & Citizen gives a brief historical overview of the woman suffrage movement. (Grades: 5-12)
The Politics of College Programs in US Prisons
Since federal funding for prison education programs was eliminated, BPI is one of a limited number of college degree granting programs available in U.S. prisons. (Grades: 6-12)
Mission US—A Cheyenne Odyssey
Players become Little Fox, a Northern Cheyenne boy whose life is changed by the encroachment of white settlers, railroads, and U.S. military expeditions. (Grades: 6-8)
The Electoral College: Why Such a Big Debate?
With a new presidential election coming up, there’s lots of chatter about the value of the electoral college with critics asking is it time to get rid of it? (Grades: 6-12)
Galileo: Sun-Centered Universe
In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about the two opposing worldviews and the strong piece of evidence Galileo offered to support the heliocentric theory. (Grades: 3-12)
High School
Up Close: Young People in World War II | Youth in WWII
Discover how World War II affected the lives of young people, at home and on the battlefield, in Europe and America, through this unique interactive experience. (Grades: 8-12)
American Creed: Condoleezza Rice’s Family Matters
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy come together to ask: what ideals do we share in common? (Grades: 6-12)
The Inca's Sacred City of Cuzco
At its height, the Inca ruled an Empire of 12 million people. The video describes a ceremonial network that allowed the Incan government to monitor its vast expanse. (Grades: 6-12)
What was "Freedom Summer"?
This video introduces the events of 1964, when over 700 students, black and white, came to Mississippi to help black citizens combat forms of discrimination. (Grades: 7-12)
False Equivalence: Why It's So Dangerous
False equivalence: what does it mean, and why is it helping to spread misinformation online? (Grades: 6-12)
Gideon vs. Wainwright
Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for a crime and was not able to afford legal representation. Can a person without economic resources could defend themselves & win? (Grades: 9
Should We Get Free Money from the Government?
When the robots come to take our jobs, what are we going to do to keep a roof over our heads? That’s the question the universal basic income (UBI) hopes to answer. (Grades: 6-12)
Auschwitz | Murals of the Holocaust
Jamner tells the story of how his mother and her family were discovered in hiding and sent to Auschwitz. (Grades: 6-12)
March 12, 2020 - News Quiz
This episode features stories about the 2020 presidential primaries, NASA's new Perseverance rover, a COVID-19 update, artificial intelligence and more. (Grades: 4-12)
The Bolshevik Revolution - Lasting Effects
The images in this media gallery depict the transformations that occurred in Russia between 1914 and 1920. (Grades: 6-12)
Rosa Parks
This interview with civil rights activist Rosa Parks describes her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. (Grades: 3-12)
LBJ and The Great Society
Through newsreel footage, photos and interviews, this segment surveys the civil rights & social welfare legislation that President Lyndon Johnson championed. (Grades: 9-12)
George Washington | 60 Second Presidents
As far as Presidents go, none set more precedents than George Washington. Take a quick look back at the legacy of our very first leader. (Grades 4-12)
Galileo: Sun-Centered Universe
In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about the two opposing worldviews and the strong piece of evidence Galileo offered to support the heliocentric theory. (Grades: 3-12)
The Gold Rush (Ken Burns—The West)
In this activity, students will learn about the environmental and social changes brought about by the Gold Rush. (Grades: 6-12)
Suffrage - Soldier and Citizen
This excerpt from the full length documentary Soldier & Citizen gives a brief historical overview of the woman suffrage movement. (Grades: 5-12)
The Politics of College Programs in US Prisons
Since federal funding for prison education programs was eliminated, BPI is one of a limited number of college degree granting programs available in U.S. prisons. (Grades: 6-12)
Red Scare Crackdown — The Bombing of Wall Street
Learn how the U.S. government cracked down on terrorism threats and left-wing activism in America during the “Red Scare” of 1919–1920. (Grades: 9-12)
Free Speech vs. Hate Speech
College campuses across the United States have found themselves at the center of a raging free speech debate. Can college campuses ban speakers? (Grades: 6-12)
President Theodore Roosevelt—Policy Statesman or Bully?
Evaluate Theodore Roosevelt's legacy in foreign affairs with these selections from Ken Burns' The Roosevelts. (Grades 7-12)
Bessie Coleman — Unladylike 2020
Explore how Bessie Coleman became the first female black pilot and the first African American to hold an international license to fly in this digital short from Unladylike2020. (Grades: 7-12)
Cedar Trees & Totem Poles of Pacific Native Americans
Learn about the spiritual relationship between the Native American people of the Pacific Northwest and the cedar tree. (Grades: 6-12)
Getting the Nomination
There are a lot of people who want to be president. But when we vote, there's only a few names on the ballot. This video helps to understand the nomination process. (Grades: 6-12)
Having a Strong National Government
This video segment from The Supreme Court highlights the partisan battles between the Federalists and Thomas Jefferson, a strong opponent of Federalism. (Grades: 9-12)
Kal Penn: Gandhi's Salt March
Actor and comedian Kal Penn’s was influenced by his maternal grandfather who marched with Gandhi in the Salt March, a protest against British imperialism. (Grades: 6-12)
The Electoral College: Why Such a Big Debate?
With a new presidential election coming up, there’s lots of chatter about the value of the electoral college with critics asking is it time to get rid of it? (Grades: 6-12)
Reconstruction: The Black Codes
The end of the Civil War brought about the freedom of four million slaves. The era of Reconstruction that followed sought to remedy the inequities of slavery. (Grades: 7-12)