Educators

Discover the basics of architecture and Chicago’s important role in architectural history though artifacts and design-and-build projects. The Art of Construction Taking on the roles of architect and builder, students will explore architectural artifacts and then use their creativity and cooperative skills to design and construct their own buildings. Download The Art of Construction. Discovering More

Discover Chicago’s beginning as a fur-trade outpost in the early nineteenth century. Treasure Chest Students will read a historical fiction story called “Trading Mystery” to learn what life was like in early Chicago during the fur-trade era. Students will then analyze and share their impressions of a “treasure chest” full of early Chicago artifacts. Download More

Investigate artifacts from these remarkable decades to learn about the fads and fancies that shaped Chicago in the late twentieth century. Smiley Face Circle Stories Students will explore artifacts from the 1970s to learn about the fads and fancies that shaped this remarkable decade. They will then write collaborative “circle stories” about the objects. Since More

History in Your Hands is an innovative, object-based instructional resource. The Chicago History Museum partnered with nineteen Chicago Public School teachers to develop classroom artifact kits and accompanying learning activities through the History Connections and Artifact Collections project. The resulting lessons span a broad range of topics and themes in Chicago and United States history and More

Inspired by the Museum’s collection, local classroom teachers wrote and tested History Lab lesson plans. They are grouped into twelve topics. Lessons from each unit may be used independently or as a set. Each lesson includes a lesson plan, student materials, and reproductions of artifacts and/or photographs from the Museum’s collection. These materials may be downloaded, More