Skip to main content

United States History Toolkit

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) in collaboration with institutions of higher education, social studies experts, cultural centers, and the 12 federally recognized tribes of Michigan that form the Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Departments came together to launch a Teaching American History Toolkit. Its purpose is to provide professional development regarding the teaching of the full and complex American history across subject areas including the histories of communities of color and other marginalized communities.

This toolkit provides educational leaders with guidance and resources for implementing professional development as aligned with Michigan’s academic standards regarding the teaching of the full and complex American history across subject areas. By using this toolkit, schools can support student learning through assisting educators with the teaching of and learning about comprehensive history by way of growing cultural understandings.

The MDE encourages educational leaders to utilize this toolkit for accessing resources to guide learning opportunities related to historical content implementation at the local level to build factual historical understandings, grow empathy, and boost student engagement across subject areas.

For further information around the toolkit please contact Toolkit Project Lead: Hannah Franklin Grisham, Ph. D., GrishamH1@michigan.gov or Social Studies Consultant: Scott Koenig, KoenigS1@michigan.gov

Begin exploring the toolkit resources below, or use the search bar to search for specific content.

How To Celebrate and Honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day

CreatorPaul Flores IV
The LGBTQ+ Identity: Teacher's Guide

"Understanding LGBTQ+ Identity: A Toolkit for Educators offers a series of digital media resources to help teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, and other educators understand and effectively address the complex and difficult issues faced by LGBTQ students. "These resources, intended for use in teacher professional development settings or with GSAs, feature short segments of video content from the groundbreaking PBS Digital Studios show First Person. First Person delivers candid personal narratives illustrating larger conversations about gender, sexuality, social norms, and identity development. "All video content is scaffolded by a suite of materials (informational text, conversation guides, discussion questions, and teaching tips) to facilitate their use in either classroom or professional development settings. The videos and accompanying educational resources are designed to help promote understanding, awareness, and self-esteem." - From the website

CreatorPBS, the Hetrick-Martin Institute, and the Human Rights Campaign.
PublisherPBS and the New York City Department of Education
Bias Busters: Cultural Competence Guide about Chaldean Americans

An excerpt answering 20-questions about Chaldean Americans ranging from their language, history, culture, and faith traditions. Full text linked on Bias Buster website.

CreatorMichigan State University School of Journalism
PublisherMichigan State University School of Journalism
Chaldean American Month

A 4 minute, 4-part YouTube playlist that explores: 1. Who are the Chaldeans? 2. Aramaic Language 3. Religion 4. Demographics

CreatorChaldean Community Foundation
PublisherChaldean Community Foundation
Subject7 – W3.2.1 Identify and describe the core beliefs of major world religions and belief systems, including Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Sikhism and Islam. 7 – W3.2.2 Locate the geographical center of major religions and map the spread through 1500 CE.
Chaldean History: Who are the Chaldeans?

A brief article outlining the over 5,500-year history of Chaldean people: from their beginnings in Mesopotamia to Metro Detroit becoming the second largest community of Chaldeans worldwide. The article also includes information about language, religion, and demographics.

CreatorChaldean Community Foundation
PublisherChaldean Community Foundation
Big Moves: This is the Rope Read Aloud

"The book This Is The Rope: A Story from the Great Migration is used as a read-aloud to prompt discussion related to ELA and Social Studies appropriate for the grade level. History, geography, and migration are all topics that are accessible as students identify key ideas and details from the text and images." - From Teaching Black History: Lessons from Educators

CreatorRané Garcia, Ph.D.
PublisherMichigan Department of Education
SubjectFrom the lesson plan: "ELA: Multiple connections can be made to the standards including elements of key ideas and details and integration of knowledge and texts for all grade levels. Social Studies: Multiple connections can be made to the standards including understanding history and human systems of geography. Here are some examples across the grade levels. 1-H2.0.2: Investigate a family history for at least two generations, identifying various members and their connections in order to tell a narrative about family life. 3-G4.0.2: Describe diverse groups that have migrated into a region of Michigan and reasons why they came (push/pull factors). 4-G2.0.2: Locate and describe human and physical characteristics of major U.S. regions and compare them to the Great Lakes region. 4-G4.0.1: Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to identify push and pull factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration."