For Educators – Madison Historical

We welcome student contributions!

Here you’ll find a three-day lesson plan that introduces students to the online encyclopedia and digital archive. Feel free to try it yourself! We’d love to send our research assistants to conduct this three-day lesson plan, where students will digitize historical documents from home and conduct oral histories with parents, grandparents, and neighbors. We’ll bring all the equipment you’ll need! Contact Jason Stacy (jstacy@siue.edu) if you would like our research assistants to conduct this three-day lesson with your US history students. See this SIUE press release about a previous classroom visit if you are interested.

You always see these things in movies, but it is just a “wow” moment when you realize this actually happened and was used.

Zach U.

I was interested in learning a little about my grandpa’s childhood, which I previously knew little about.

Caleb L.

I liked this project, you learn about authentic items that we wouldn’t have seen if it wasn’t for this project

Allie S.

I enjoyed the idea of preserving history through the words of others.

Joel B.

Lesson Plan
Worksheets and Handouts

I was surprised when I learned that my grandma didn’t realize she lived through the Cold War.

Erin G.

I didn’t know my grandfather was in the military during the time of the Berlin Wall.

Nick N.

[I liked] being published on a local history site.

Domonique S.

I enjoyed learning about different aspects of America during World War II and how my family took part in it just like people in larger cities.

Brayden S.

Civic Memorial High School Class Visit

These artifacts were brought by students to be scanned as part of a three-day lesson offered by Madison Historical on April 20, 23, and 24 at Civic Memorial High School. The lesson was given to students in a junior American history class taught by Suze Gibson. Students also conducted four oral histories.