PowerPoint presentations exist in various formats.  Some PowerPoints exist for what would constitute an entire chapter of a United States History textbook, while other PowerPoints deal with smaller instructional units.  Each PowerPoint ends with review/recap questions.  Standard social studies vocabulary terms, important figures, etc., are included within each PowerPoint. 

Educators have permission to download the PowerPoints and adapt them for individual classroom use.  For example, you may decide to download the PowerPoint on the "African-American Civil Rights Movement" (available in the older PPT format as well as the newer PPTX format), but choose to add slides on events and people that you intend to cover.  The idea behind our PowerPoints is that they can be used "as-is" or modified to fit your instructional goals.

Note: We create our PowerPoints using Word 2007 (these are files with PPTX extensions).  We then convert them into Word 1997-2003 files (these are files with PPT extensions).  Sometimes, the PowerPoint gets jumbled up when put into PPT format.  You have two options if you are using a computer with an older version of Word.  If your computer does not have a newer version of Word, you should download a PowerPoint viewer. The second option is to click on the PDF version of the PowerPoint.  (The PDF version is also a way to look at the PowerPoint online before deciding to download it.)

Handouts take various forms, and are also called printables or reproducibles.  Forms include word searches, crossword puzzles, essay questions, examinations of primary sources, readings, and decipher puzzles.  They are each designed to complement the content of the unit, chapter, or section.  For example, after a test on a unit/chapter/section, a teacher might have kids work quietly on a puzzle dealing with the next unit to be studied (while other students complete the test). 

Because we recognize textbook shortages and other issues plaguing classrooms and schools, we have attempted to create handouts that can be completed without the use of other materials (such as books, atlases, etc.).  For example, we have tried to include word banks with our crossword puzzles. Here's a free Adobe Acrobat Reader Download for downloading and reading PDF files.

The internet is a virtual smorgasbord of images which teachers can legally use for non-profit purposes in their own PowerPoints and other teaching materials.  We have compiled and created our own images for you to use.  Each of our images comes with an informative description.

The same concept applies here as with our pictures.

Trivia questions are a tool to use when reviewing basic recall information with students.  They can be used in conjunction with our game boards.

We have provided links to websites with educative value.  We try to make certain that these websites are objective, official, and non-profit.  We don't accept money from sites that we link to in our course offerings.

We have countless games and practice tests that students can use for test-prep.

There are so many materials on this website that it is virtually impossible to describe and explain all of them here.  Please browse and enjoy yourself as you discover the wealth of teaching materials we have made available to you for free online.