For Teachers

The following activities were developed to assist teachers and parents managing a shift to remote learning during COVID-19. They include a fact checking activity for the movie National Treasure (currently available on Netflix), a Declaration of Independence word search (adapted from our "Which Words are in the Declaration of Independence?" activity), and a lesson on blackout poetry that uses the Declaration as its text.

• Click to download PDF of National Treasure Fact Checking Activity
• Click to download PDF of Word Search Activity
• Click to download PDF of Blackout Poetry Activity

Teaching the Declaration through Reflection

Teaching with John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence

• Click to download PDF of handout
• Click to download PDF with resources for teachers
• Read the blog post, "Unsullied by Falsehood: No John Trumbull"
  

Teaching the timeline of the Declaration of Independence

• Click to download black and white timeline
• Read the blog post, "Delegate Discussions: The Lee Resolution(s)"
  

Teaching the words in the Declaration of Independence

• Click to download PDF of handout with resources for teachers
• Click to download PDF with relevant words highlighted on the Dunlap broadside
  Note: p. 1 is the Dunlap broadside, p. 2 has all the words in this activity underlined, and pp. 3-27 have all occurrences of individual words underlined (in the column order from the activity)
  

Teaching about signers of the Declaration of Independence who also signed other founding documents

• Click to download individual graphics: Articles of Association, Olive Branch Petition, Articles of Confederation, United States Constitution
• Click to download black and white PDF of all graphics
  

Teaching when and how the Declaration of Independence spread through the newly United States

Teaching different perspectives on the Declaration of Independence

• Click to read and download the "Fresh Takes on the Declaration of Independence" e-book, featuring 24 scholars of American history
• Encourage students to take the Fresh Takes Challenge! Have them read and briefly reflect on the Declaration of Independence.
  

Teaching with movies and TV shows

• Read the blog post, "Presenting the Facts: 1776"
• Read the blog post, "Presenting the Facts: National Treasure"
• Read the blog post, "Presenting the Facts: John Adams Miniseries"
  

Video Game in Development