See Also:
- National History Day 2009, Using resources from the National Archives in Boston (Waltham).
More...
- America on the Homefront: Selected World War II Records
- The Ship Mount Vernon,
Records of a Salem Vessel in 1803 Exhibit
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Primary Source-Based Lesson Plans on Salem
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Using Essex History
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Encounters and Exchanges in U. S. History
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Teaching American History: Finding the Truth, and Dispelling the Myth
Free Curriculum CD-ROMs now available
For Educators
We are an active supporter of education initiatives throughout New England, with special emphasis on assisting teachers in the use of primary source documents in the classroom. Our primary goal in the area of education is to make every student in New England aware of the National Archives and Records Administration before they graduate from high school. We also offer classes for college and university students.
From offering FREE workshops to teachers at which they may earn Professional Development Points, to judging National History Contests; from linking each New England States' US History curriculum standards to primary source documents in NARA's holdings, to visiting classrooms (and hosting classroom visits), read further to learn more about our ambitious programs.
- Visit Us!
- Teachers' PDP Workshops (FREE)
- Summer Programs for Teachers
- America Votes: Our Power and Responsibility, Educational Materials
- Documents and US History Standards
- Use our Resources
- Have you heard of National History Day?
- Digital Classroom
- College and University Professors
We welcome visits from teachers who want to learn more about what we have to offer. We also welcome teachers who want to bring their whole class along, too! To schedule a class visit, please contact the Teacher Liaison at waltham.archives@nara.gov or toll free on (866) 406-2379. There is no admission fee or fee to use the National Archives.
In the meantime, here are some things you need to know:
Research Resources Available
- Conference room
- 7 computers with Internet access
- 26 microfilm readers
- 3 microfilm reader-printers
- More than 89,700 rolls of microfilm, covering the entire United States
- Almost 30,000 cubic feet of original documents and records, covering New England
Photocopying
- The staff will copy archival documents for $.50 per page
- Arrangements can be made with the Archives Director before the class visit to discuss handling copying fees for large groups
Details, Details, Details
The National Archives building is handicapped accessible. ADA microfilm readers and internet access computers are available.
There are rest rooms and a pay phone on site, and a small lunchroom with vending machines (snacks and drinks only).
A number of family style and fast food restaurants are located within a 5-10 minute drive of the facility.
Ample parking is available for buses.
We are proud to present FREE workshops to teachers and to be able to provide 10 Professional Development Points (PDPs). We are currently only registered in Massachusetts, but we plan on becoming a PDP provider in each New England State, so check back often. Non-teachers are also welcome at these workshops, so bring a friend!
The name of our PDP program is "Using Historical Documents at the National Archives". Participants will learn how to conduct research in an archive and will be able to assist their students with these skills. Participants will also learn what sort of information is found in various Federal records and how to access that information.
The course consists of five 2-hour workshops (10 hours total). Teachers must take "Application of Research Methods" and any 4 of the other 2-hour workshops in order to earn the 10 PDPs. The "Application of Research Methods" workshop may be taken at anytime after at least 2 other teacher workshops have been completed.
Topics will vary throughout the year with each offering, but include Archival Research, Records Relating to African-American Research, Custom House Records of New England, Immigration & Naturalization, Census Records, Local History in Federal Records, and Application of Research Methods.
See our Teachers' PDP Workshop Schedule, Summer Programs for Teachers and our Teachers' PDP Workshops Topics, or contact us at waltham.archives@nara.gov or toll free on (866) 406-2379 to find out when the next PDP course will be offered.
Documents and US History Standards
We have created CD-ROMs linking history curriculum guidelines for each New England state to "Our Documents: 100 Milestone Documents," a cooperative effort using selections from the National Archives' nationwide holdings chronicling U.S. history to 1965 (www.ourdocuments.gov). These CD-ROMs are free to anyone, but are designed especially for educators from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
To receive your FREE copy of one of these CD-ROMs, please contact us at waltham.archives@nara.gov or toll free on 866-406-2379, and indicate which state you are interested in. Please provide your mailing address.
Have You Heard of National History Day?
National History Day is a nationwide history competition for students in grades 6-12. Each state holds contests to determine which students will compete in the finals, held at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. Often, a teacher can combine their regularly scheduled lesson plans with the contest.
We help judge student contests in each New England state. Additionally, we award certificates for "Best Use of Primary Sources" in each contest. Other organizations also offer prizes, including cash awards.
Learn more about National History Day at http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/.
College and University Professors
We welcome visits from professors who want to learn more about what resources we have to offer. We welcome professors who bring their whole class along, too. National Archives staff can also visit your classroom.
Our college and university programs include instruction in how to conduct research in an archive, as well as what sort of information is found in various Federal records and how to access that information, covering a variety of historical subjects. Please see our Workshop Topics for more information.
If you want to request a topic which isn't listed, or to schedule a class visit, please contact the Teacher Liaison at waltham.archives@nara.gov or toll free on (866) 406-2379. There are no admission or speaker fees.
Title: My Family History and Me
Goals: (long term) Students will learn about their ancestors and the era they lived in. Students will become familiar with conducting research and working with historical records.
Objectives: (how goals will be reached) Students will learn about the mission of the National Archives. Students will be encouraged to think critically about what the census data reveals about the era their ancestors lived in. Students will locate an ancestor in the census after conducting the proper research.
Description: This program consists of two parts: An initial classroom visit by NARA staff (50-60 minutes) followed by a class visit to the National Archives on Trapelo Road (2-3 hours). Students should have already received an introduction to family history research from the teacher. Prior to the visit to the Archives, the teacher should ensure that each student has an ancestor to look up (or a famous individual if the student's family was not in the United States prior to 1920).
Classroom Visit: NARA staff will begin with a short, simple explanation of NARA's mission, and the role of our regional archives. Staff will briefly discuss the Federal census (ask students why the census is taken, how it's taken, etc.) and explain why census records are useful to family researchers. Using a PowerPoint slide show or overhead projections, NARA staff will simulate an actual search for an example family (from an area familiar to the students) in the 1920 census, including using the Soundex system and census catalogs. After locating the example family, staff will show the full census page to ask questions encouraging critical thinking. Examples of questions may include "What conclusions may be reached from the occupations listed", "Is the neighborhood urban or rural", "What sort of family relationships are shown".
Archives Visit: The students should visit within 1-2 weeks after the classroom visit. Students, teachers, chaperons, and staff will meet in the conference room for orientation. Staff and other adults need to ensure that each student has an individual to research, the state where the individual was living in 1920, the proper Soundex code, and the roll number of the Soundex from the catalog. Staff and other adults will assist students with finding microfilm rolls and using microfilm readers.
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