American History is amazing, rich and engaging when done right. Reading stories like Johnny Tremain, Across Five Aprils, or The Grapes of Wrath are a wonderful way to experience another time and place.

There are also a number of excellent online resources to help your students immerse themselves in the past.

 

1) Mission U.S.

These interactive experiences take players on a choose your adventure style trip through moments in history.

For Crown or Colony – Set in 1770 Boston

Flight to Freedom –  Set in 1848 Kentucky

A Cheyenne Odyssey –  Set in 1866 Great Plains

City of Immigrants –  Set in 1907 New York

Our from the Dust- Set in 1929 Depression

 

Created by WNET, New York’s public TV station, the games are free to play. An educator’s guide and classroom video are available for each episode as well.

 

2) Mount Vernon Virtual Tour

Explore George Washington’s beloved home Mount Vernon without leaving your living room. This exceptional virtual tour takes you into the famous house. Video game style movement will engage students while they learn about our first president’s life.

 

3) Eagle Eye Citizen

Solve interactive puzzle challenges while you learn about US History and source documents. Designed for middle and high school age students to solve and create their own challenges while learning to think critically about civic participation.

 

4) Interactive Tour of Ellis Island

 

Explore the place more than 12 million immigrants first set foot in America. Hear first-hand stories and see historical photos and films as you learn more about this truly historic place.

 

5) National Geographic Pearl Harbor Interactive Map

Zoom in on Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941—a “date which shall live in infamy”—with an interactive map, eyewitness accounts, a timeline, and in-depth stories from National Geographic. Explore this turning point in American History with sights and sounds from the day.