Educator Resources

William Grimes – Seeking Freedom in Connecticut | Teach It | Grade 3 | Doing History
Account Book of James Stewart’s General Store | Teach It | Grade 3 | Doing History
Mapping the New World: Dutch Maps of the Colonies | Teach It | Grade 4&5 | Doing History
To Join, or Not to Join, George Washington’s Army | Teach It | Grade 5 | For the Common Good
New London’s Role in American Independence | Teach It | Grade 5 | Power of Place
Charter Oak: A Symbol of Independence | Teach It | Grade 5 | For the Common Good
The Fundamental Orders: Rules and Laws for Early Colonial Connecticut | Teach It | Grade 5 | Power of Place
Nathan Hale: A Connecticut Hero | Teach It | Grade 5 | Doing History

Governor Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. Defies the Embargo Act of 1807 | Teach It | Grade 8 | For the Common Good
A Petition for Freedom in 1779 | Teach It | Grade 8 | For the Common Good
Freedom and Liberty in 1776 | Teach It | Grade 8 | For the Common Good
Local Geography and King Philip’s War | Teach It | Grade 8 | Doing History

Mary Townsend Seymour: A Hartford Activist Fights for Equity | Teach It | High School | Tell Inclusive Stories
Church & State in the Land of Steady Habits | Teach It | High School | Doing History
LGBTQ+ History in Connecticut: Colonial-Era Laws and Legislation | Teach It | High School|Tell Inclusive Stories
Understanding the Census: Tracking Connecticut’s Black Population | Teach It | High School | Tell Inclusive Stories
Connecticut’s Complicity in Slavery | Teach It | High School |Tell Inclusive Stories
Telling Their Stories: African Americans in the American Revolution | Teach It | High School | Tell Inclusive Stories

Civics Education for Connecticut Students | Information on free or subsidized field trips to participating museums around the state – funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education

What Makes a Community? | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade 1-2
The Three Branches of Government | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade 3-5
The Legend of the Charter Oak | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade 3-5
Connecticut and the Revolution | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade 5-8

Civic Superheroes | Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford | Grade K-3
Connecticut’s Three Branches of Government | Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford | Grade 3-8

Amistad: Retold | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade 4-12
William Lanson and the Building of New Haven | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade K-12
Theatre for Everyone! New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade K-12

Since Time Immemorial: Native American Communities of the Eastern Woodlands | Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington | Grade 3-5

Sharing Your Voice | Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield | Grade K-3
What Makes a Community? | Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield | Grade 2-3
Exploring Local History | Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield | Grade 3-5
A Revolutionary Town | Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield | Grade 5

Growing Up In The Gilded Age | The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford | Grade K-3
To Make A Meal | The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford | Grade K-5
A Place For Every Thing | The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford | Grade 3-5

Your Proud Hometown History | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic | Grade 2-5
The Letter of the Law | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic | Grade 3-5
Stolen Sailors | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic | Grade 3-5

Then and Now | Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury | Grade 3
Learning to Look | Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury | Grade 4
Peoples of Waterbury | Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury | Grade 5

Civics Education for Connecticut Students | Free/Discounted field trips for Grade K-5 to:

• Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford
• Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford
• Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield
• Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic
• The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford

Connecticut’s Three Branches of Government | Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford | Grade 3-8

Connecticut and the Revolution | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade 5-8

Amistad: Retold | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade 4-12
William Lanson and the Building of New Haven | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade K-12
Theatre for Everyone! New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade K-12

Looking Eastward: Indigenous Perspectives on Colonialism | Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington | Grade 6-8

History & Future of Voting Rights | Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford | Grade 9-12
Agency in the Amistad | Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford | Grade 9-12

Amistad: Retold | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade 4-12
William Lanson and the Building of New Haven | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade K-12
Theatre for Everyone! New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre | New Haven Museum, New Haven | Grade K-12

Power of the Eighth Generation | Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington | Grade 9-12

Some organizations offer in school field trips that will bring the programs right to your students.

Me and My Community | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade K-2
The Three Branches of Government | Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford | Grade 3-5

The Legend of the Charter Oak | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic | Grade 1-5
The Unlikely Candidate | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic | Grade 1-5
State and Connecticut Town Symbols | Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic | Grade 1-5

Quinnetukut: Stories of Survival | Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington | Grade 3-5
When Cultures Collide | Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington | Grade 6-8
Power of the Eighth Generation | Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington | High School

More coming soon

Connecticut Council for the Social Studies: CCSS advocates and builds capacity for high-quality social studies by providing leadership, services, and support to educators.

Connecticut History Day: Teachers and students are encouraged to participate in CT History Day through the Connecticut Democracy Center and develop projects related to the 250th and the themes for this commemoration.
Red, White, & Blue Schools: The Red, White & Blue Schools program recognizes K-12 public and private schools that are going above and beyond in their delivery of civic education. By participating in this program, schools are promoting being active and engaged members of their communities.
Connecticut’s Kid Governor: Connecticut’s Kid Governor® empowers 5th graders to change the world. This ground-breaking approach to civics education immerses students in a real election for their state’s Kid Governor, a fellow 5th grader who will represent them during a one-year term of active leadership. The program teaches important lessons about state government, voting, elections, and civic participation.
Civic Star Challenge: iCivics & the Bill of Rights Institute have launched a program with resources for teaching the Declaration of Independence. Educators may use these resources and teach the themes of the challenge to become eligible for prizes.

2025 Summer Reading List: The Museum of the American Revolution has put together a Summer Reading List for 2025 young readers, covering books appropriate for ages 8 -14.

Educational Resources from the National Constitution Center: The National Constitution Center is the first and only museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution. Through interactive online tools, exhibits, rare artifacts, and live theater, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages. These free online resources support deep, engaging instruction in constitutional history—helping students explore the ideas, debates, and enduring principles that shape our nation. This PDF has links to a variety of resources for educators, including lesson plans and field trips (in person and virtual). Online resources include an Interactive Declaration of Independence and an America at 250 Civic Toolkit.

C-SPAN Classroom: Whether you are teaching in-person, engaging students in distance learning, or instructing through a hybrid model, C-SPAN Classroom has resources to support your curriculum! C-SPAN Classroom uses C-SPAN Television Networks’ coverage of Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Supreme Court, and programs on nonfiction books and American history to create digital tools for teachers, students, and the public to use in classrooms, in projects, or for research. This PDF has links to a variety of resources for educators, including lesson plans and professional development opportunities.

PBS LearningMedia: Resources for teaching the revolutionary period are available here. Also available is Ken Burns in the Classroom, which includes companion resources for The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein & David Schmidt.

MY AMERICA: Students can participate with others nationwide by creating fabric tiles which will be stitched together in a mosaic of the American flag.

National Museum & Center for Service: NMCS has published resources and toolkits for the 250th, including K-12, higher education, and community resources.