Education Blog
New resources and ideas are added monthly
Find videos, activities and lesson plans to nurture curiosity and spark the discovery of history! This content can be used in the classroom or at home to keep students engaged and active. You can conveniently browse them by topic and/or grade level.
Ohio Village Virtual Field Trip is an interactive online experience that explores life during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Through this virtual field trip students help different Ohio Village characters achieve their mission. Characters in the experience represent people of different backgrounds and lived experiences of the time.
Learn more about dermestid, or flesh-eating beetles, from our curator Dave, and see how these insects help clean animal bones for display or study.
Join archaeologist Krista to learn about Ohio’s historic cemeteries and gravestones! Learn how to read a gravestone for information about the person buried there, and find out where you can visit a historic cemetery near you. Interested in checking out a cemetery near you? Pay close attention to Krista’s instructions on using the “mirror effect” to read the carvings on a worn or weathered stone. Then find an historic cemetery near you to investigate some headstones!
Learn about the history and chemistry of Soda Bread!
Ohio has a rich history stretching back thousands of years, and it is all in your backyard! Pick an Ohio Historical Marker about a historical person, place or event in your county and be ready to learn more about what makes Ohio so historic!
Learn about the variety of ways museums tell stories through exhibits. Discover the different tools exhibit designers use to tell stories as you visit a few exhibits at the Ohio History Center. Then check out the activity Using Dioramas to Tell Stories to guide you as you make your own diorama.
Join Dave, a natural history curator, and learn all about the giant animals that roamed Ohio during the Ice Age. Discover how these animals lived, and hear about a few ways our natural history curators learn information about these extinct animals, like from the fossils they left behind!
This crossword is all about John Glenn’s space travels. Once you complete it, check the Answer Key.
Learn the captivating story of John Parker. Parker, a former enslaved person, bought his freedom and settled in Ripley, Ohio, where he was a business owner, as well as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Join Mr. Parker as he shares stories of his time in slavery as well as his clandestine adventures.
LGBTQ+ history is a key part of Ohio’s story but is often underrepresented in scholarship and research. Ohio History Day and the Ohio History Connection are committed to sharing the colorful histories, viewpoints, and stories of the LGBTQ+ community. We invite you to join us in elevating the stories and history of the LBGTQ+ community in Ohio and beyond.
Make connections between Ohio’s industrialization and World War I, including immigration and the role of corporations in the war effort!
This lesson plan was written by Paul LaRue. A retired thirty-year high school social studies teacher, Paul has received numerous state and national teaching awards. He serves as a member of the Ohio World War I Centennial Committee.
New resources and ideas are added monthly
Important Note: As with any foraging, please proceed with caution and only eat foraged foods you are confident are safe to eat. Be sure to consult guides and experts to ensure the safest foraging experience. Foraging for food links us to our earliest ancestors. Edible leaves, nuts, berries, and mushrooms are just some of the […]
“Children should be seen but not heard,” goes the old adage. But what if we can help our students view their role in history differently? What if we taught students to view children not as mere background players in history, but as a key part of unlocking historical curiosity? Though children’s voices are often underrepresented […]
Hispanic and Latinx history is an intricate and expansive tapestry that encompasses a diverse array of experiences, cultures, and contributions that have shaped not only the United States but the entire Western Hemisphere. Far more than a singular narrative, this history spans centuries, continents, and countless stories of resilience, creativity, and influence. It includes the […]
This month’s blog post highlights a year-long project by an Ohio educator and their students, resulting in a published book of diverse student memoirs. Whether you’d like to replicate the project in detail or take inspiration from it, read on for a how-to guide on amplifying student voices. Special thanks to Sr. Pablo Chignolli, M.Ed. […]
Looking for ways to inspire your students to continue engaging with inclusive history this summer break? Encourage them to learn about Juneteenth! Challenge your students to learn a bit about the history of the holiday, attend Juneteenth celebrations and gain new insights through unique historical programs and activities, like those hosted by the Ohio History […]
Special thanks to our guest contributors at the Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission (OHGMEC) for writing this month's blog on teaching Genocide Awareness Month. “We heard that we were liberators, but all I could think was, too late, too late, too late. We saw more dead than alive.” Robert Stubenrauch, Combat photographer at […]