K-5 Teaching Resources

Educators often think of the National Archives as a place with resources for teaching the secondary grades or even older students. But elementary age students can work with primary sources too!

When using any type of primary source, ask students to break it down in four steps:

  1. Meet the Document
  2. Observe its parts
  3. Try to make sense of it
  4. Use it as historical evidence
Analyze a Written Document

You can find downloadable worksheets that walk elementary students through these exact steps to analyze various types of primary sources at www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets. Worksheets are available for the following primary source types (PDF files):

You can find many primary sources to choose from on DocsTeach.org – our online tool for teaching with documents from the National Archives.

Family tree

We also have fun ways to engage kids in family history! You can download family trees and charts for kids of all ages at www.archives.gov/education/family-history.

Plus find instructions for making a “food family tree” based on family members’ favorite foods!

For online history, civics, and primary source-analysis activities for K-5 students, check out DocsTeach. These resources focus on skills like sequencing and finding clues in historical objects, and topics like symbols and national monuments. You can ask students to work on them independently, or use them in a full-class or virtual meeting setting by sharing your screen and walking through activities together.

Find activities such as:

Students in a Distance Learning Program

You can also schedule live online learning programs with National Archives staff to learn about voting, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and more.

These free, interactive programs for grades 3-5 feature primary sources and align to national standards:

  • Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote
  • The Charters of Freedom: Building a More Perfect Union
  • The Constitution at Work: Elementary Edition
  • Superhero Bill of Rights!

2 thoughts on “K-5 Teaching Resources

  1. This web site is amazing! I can’t wait to utilize every valuable tool, photo and bit of historical information when my 9-year-old finishes 3rd Grade and we begin “Summer School” together.
    Thank you!
    Shawna

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