Lesson plans

Teachers are welcome to download and use the following lesson plans, which were developed for PBS television series that were produced or co-produced by WETA.

America at a Crossroads

America at a Crossroads

America at a Crossroads is a series of documentaries that explore the challenges confronting the post-9/11 world — including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America’s role overseas.

In Search of Myths and Heroes

In Search of Myths and Heroes

Michael Wood explores the history behind some of the most well-known myths in the world in the television series In Search of Myths and Heroes. Lesson plans are available for each episode: The Queen of Sheba; The Search for Shangri-La; Arthur: The Once and Future King; and Jason and the Golden Fleece.

Ken Burns: America' Storyteller - The War | Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9
The Jewish Americans

The Jewish Americans

The lesson plans for the PBS series The Jewish Americans explore immigration, identity and the way Jewish life fits into U.S. history. The lesson plans also examine issues of assimilation, discrimination, and change in the immigrant experience. Four lesson plans are available.

The War: show-mezzanine16x9

THE WAR

To accompany the television series THE WAR, WETA PBS developed a lesson plan for history teachers called "In Their Words: Exploring World War II Through the Power of Story." The 26-page lesson plan is designed for grades 6-12 and can be downloaded below. (Also be sure to see the For Educators area of THE WAR website on for additional lesson plans, snapshot activities, a search and explore database, and more.)

Other teacher resources

Teachers won't want to miss the rich educational resources available from the following websites. Also explore the websites for WETA's national education projects, which include ReadingRockets.org, LDOnLine.org, among other award-winning services.

PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and interactives perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans. You can search, save, and share with ease. Best of all, PBS LearningMedia is free for educators. Register today!

StoryMaker

Powered by PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs

Projects, lesson plans, storytelling resources and tutorials just for you. StoryMaker is a powerful learning platform developed by PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs to build the next generation of media creators.

Journalism in Action

Powered by PBS NewsHour Classroom

Media literacy website for grades 6-12 on the history of journalism in America with interactive lessons and news stories.

PBS NewsHour Classroom

Current events ready to go for students grades 6-12! Lessons based on the PBS NewsHour with focus on civics, social studies, ELA, science, art, and media literacy.

Links for Parents & Educators

The following are additional links and resources for helping children get ready for success in school.