Help Students Analyze Primary Sources with Classroom-Based Activities

Reading Time: 5 minutes Primary sources have been part of my history teaching for a long time. Reading words from the past makes history pop in ways that secondary sources often only hint at. But only recently have I remembered how incomprehensible such sources can initially appear to our students. This summer, I took an […]

Hands-on Mapping Connects History with Geography

Reading Time: 5 minutes Developing geographic literacy is essential for fostering critical thinking, spatial awareness, and a deeper understanding of historical events. Hands-on mapping programs provide students with the opportunity to not only learn about where history happened but also engage with the content in a way that builds key skills like analysis, synthesis, and […]

Hearing History from Those Who Lived It: Collecting Oral Histories in the Classroom

Reading Time: 5 minutes In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other historical events, social studies teachers have a unique opportunity to inspire students to create their part of historical record. By collecting oral histories, students can engage in a hands-on process of ‘doing history,’ which can lead to academic and emotional growth. In […]

Education Trends to Look Out for in 2025

Reading Time: 6 minutes Education is a field that is forever growing and changing with the trends in society. This year saw the reelection of Donald J. Trump, who promised that if elected, he would be “closing up” the U.S. Department of Education and sending “all education and education work and needs back to the […]

10+ Inspirational Reads for Teachers this Winter Break

Reading Time: 6 minutes Winter break is a crucial time for educators to rest and recharge because of the demands of the teaching profession that requires significant physical, mental, and emotional energy. Taking time to kick back and relax is essential for overall well-being, long-term effectiveness, and longevity in the field. A rejuvenated teacher creates a […]

Literacy Across the Social Studies Disciplines: A Framework to Support Your Classroom

Reading Time: 6 minutes Literacy and social studies intersect in powerful and meaningful ways, as both subjects rely on the development of critical thinking, comprehension, and communication skills. Disciplinary Literacy is how learners successfully read, write, speak, listen, think, investigate, and participate in the unique language of each content area. To empower students to become […]

How Nystrom Atlases Can Support Geographic Literacy at All Grade Levels

Reading Time: 8 minutes In today’s interconnected world, geographic literacy is more essential than ever, empowering students to make sense of global dynamics, cultural diversity, and environmental changes. An atlas serves as a unique tool that fosters critical thinking, spatial awareness, and data interpretation skills. By guiding students through visual storytelling and spatial relationships, atlases […]

Unique Electorate and Presidential Facts to Explore in the Classroom

Reading Time: 6 minutes This past election day, Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States. Following his unsuccessful run for the presidency in 2020, a president serving non-consecutive terms has only happened one other time in the history of the U.S. presidency. This prompted us to think: what other unique facts […]

Elementary

  • Maps: Primary: ELS
  • Maps: Primary: Readiness
  • Maps: Primary: Outline World Map
  • Maps: Intermediate: Physical
  • Maps: Intermediate: Political
  • Maps: Intermediate: Continents and Oceans Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Wealth of Countries Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Precipitation Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Temperature Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Time Zones Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Land Use Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Population Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Outline World Map
  • U.S. History:1 Native Americans
  • U.S. History:2 Spanish Explorers
  • U.S. History:3 Explorers
  • U.S. History:4 The Great Exchange
  • U.S. History:5 European Settlements
  • U.S. History:6 Thirteen Britishi Colonies
  • U.S. History:7 Slevery In the Americas
  • U.S. History:8 Revolutionary War
  • State Map

Secondary

  • Maps: Intermediate: Physical
  • Maps: Intermediate: Political
  • Maps: Intermediate: Continents and Oceans Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Wealth of Countries Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Precipitation Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Temperature Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Time Zones Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Land Use Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Population Thematic
  • Maps: Intermediate: Outline World Map
  • Maps: Secondary: Land Use Thematic
  • Maps: Secondary: Population Thematic
  • Maps: Secondary: Political Relief
  • Maps: Secondary: Land Cover
  • Maps: Secondary: Scupltural Relief
  • Maps: Secondary: Growing Seasons Thematic
  • Maps: Secondary: Climate Thematic
  • Maps: Secondary: Tectonic Plates Thematic
  • Maps: Secondary: Precipitation Thematic
  • Maps: Secondary: Outline World Map
  • State Map

U.S. History

  • Native Americans
  • Spanish Explorers
  • Explorers
  • The Great Exchange
  • European Settlements
  • Thirteen British Colonies
  • Slavery in the Americas
  • Revolutionary War
  • American Expansion
  • Explorations of the West
  • Trails West
  • War with Mexico
  • Slavery Divides the Nation
  • Slavery and the Economy
  • Union and Confederacy
  • Civil War
  • Conflicts with Indians
  • Railroads Tansform the West
  • Industrial United States
  • Immigrants 1895–1929
  • World War I in Europe
  • Great Depression and Dust Bowl
  • World War II in Europe 1939–1942
  • World War II in the Pacific 1941–1945
  • Great Migration 1940–1970
  • Korean War
  • Cold War
  • Vietnam War
  • Persian Gulf War
  • A Shifting Population
  • Immigrants Sinve 1970

World History

  • New Babylonian Empire
  • Ancient Egypt
  • Chinese Dynasties
  • Ancient India
  • Athens and Sparta
  • Alexander’s Empire
  • Roman Empire
  • Barbarians and the Roman Empire
  • Silk Road and Eurasian Trade
  • Byzantine Empire
  • Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire and the Holy Roman Empire
  • Spread of Islam
  • World of the Crusades
  • China in the Middle Ages
  • Mongol Conquest
  • Rise and Fall of Shogun Japan
  • Exploration
  • Maya, Aztec, and Inca
  • European Exploration and Land Claims
  • African Empires and States
  • Rise of Ottoman Empire
  • Reformation and Counter Reformation
  • European Trading Empires
  • Rise and Fall of Mughal Empires
  • Independence in the Americas
  • Napoleon’s Europe
  • Europe After the Congress of Vienna
  • Africa Under Foreign Rule
  • World War I
  • World War II
  • Cold War
  • World Conflicts Since 1991

Texas

  • Spanish Explorers
  • Western Explorations
  • Trails West
  • War with Mexico
  • Indian Wars
  • Railroads & The West
  • Great Migration
  • population Loss and Growth
  • Native Americans in TX
  • Spanish Settlements
  • Republic of Texas
  • Energy Resources of TX
  • Texas Readiness Map
  • Texas Desk Map
  • Texas State Map