Providing free education tools and materials for teachers, interpreters, students, and lifelong learners inside and outside the National Park Service is one important way we support the agency's mission. The value of America's cultures and diverse heritages may be lost if it's not passed on to the next generation or experienced by the present one. Want to inspire young people to grow into responsible citizens? Looking for more resources to craft interpretation or educational programming plans? See the related resources below or visit our Education &Training page for more.
The National Park Service offers free, online lesson plans through its Teaching with Historic Places lesson plan series. The series includes lessons about engaging places where American women made history as pioneers, activists, entrepreneurs, humanitarians, and more. TwHP lessons align with national curriculum standards and each lesson contains primary and secondary sources, including readings, maps, and images, and recommended activities.
Lessons featuring the topic can be found on this page. Here is a sampling of what we offer:
- Adeline Hornbek and the Homestead Act: A Colorado Success Story
Discover how Adeline Hornbek, a single mother of four, defied traditional gender roles to become the owner of a successful ranch under the Homestead Act.
- First Lady of the World: Eleanor Roosevelt at Val-Kill
Examine how Roosevelt's activities at home reflected her interest in humanitarianism, as epitomized by her leadership in the creation of the UN's Declaration of Human Rights.
- The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House: African American Women Unite for Change
Learn about Mary McLeod Bethune and how she and the organization she founded promoted political and social change for African American women.
- Lafayette Park: First Amendment Rights on the President's Doorstep
Learn how a group of determined women selected Lafayette Park, across from the White House, to demonstrate for their right to vote, providing a First Amendment model for many others.
The Places Where Women Made History travel itinerary highlights some of the places on the National Register of Historic Places where sites of women's history are preserved.
Last updated: March 22, 2016