The Foundation for the
National Archives and the National Archives recently announced the official launch of a new website, www.DocsTeach.org. The website, created with the support of Texas Instruments, was introduced to the education community in September, and teachers nationwide
quickly responded with enthusiasm and resounding participation.
DocsTeach started with a collection of primary source documents, a group of seven interactive tools, and two dozen sample activities. In less than six months, teachers across the nation have created and shared more than 1,700 additional educational activities.
The website, created with the help of Second Story Interactive, features seven tools designed to teach specific historical thinking skills—weighing evidence, interpreting data, focusing on details, and more. Each employs interactive components including puzzles, scales, maps, flow charts, and others that teachers and students can tailor to their needs.
On the site, teachers can 1) browse or search for documents and activities, 2) customize any activity to fit the needs of a unique classroom, 3) create a brand new activity with its own web address from scratch, using one of seven distinctive tools, and 4) save and organize activities in an account to share with students. After participating in an activity, the site allows students to submit their work to their teacher via e-mail.