Background Knowledge for Teachers

Teachers often cite a lack of background knowledge as one of the biggest road blocks to implementing critical historical inquiries in elementary classrooms. Afterall, how can we teach what we don't know?

Listed here are resources teachers may want to spend some time reading/watching/exploring prior to beginning the project. However, with a dedication to learning alongside your students, a lack of background knowledge shouldn't keep you from uncovering more true and complex narratives alongside your students. We always have to be willing to say, "I don't know, how can we find out?"

Documentaries

Research Resources by Topic

Here you will find digital resources organized by topic. You can allow students to navigate this page to explore the resources.