Posted on

Why It’s Important to Teach Asian American & Pacific Island History All Year Long

As this year’s Asian & Pacific Island Heritage Month comes to a close, History Unboxedยฎ is bringing you a guest blog post by Rachel Juliette on the importance of teaching Asian & Pacific Islander history, not just during the month of May, but the whole year through.   The U.S. has always had deep ties with Asia, but most schools donโ€™t discuss this in depth. Professor Sohyun An of Kennesaw State University tells TIME that Asians were part of the United States before many white European immigrants came to the country. Unfortunately, most K-12 American history texts barely discuss this…

Read more

Posted on

A History of Memorial Day: Celebrating those Who Died in Battle

Did you know that Memorial Day wasn’t always called Memorial Day? If you ask your parents or grandparents they might remember the holiday ย being called Decoration Day. It wasn’t until 1967 that the holiday became officially known as Memorial Day. It was established as a federal holiday on May 13th, 1938 and is celebrated on the last Monday in May. In this blog post we’ll talk about the history of Memorial Day and its origins in Decoration Day, and some ways that people celebrate the holiday that carry on the original spirit of honoring those who died in military service.…

Read more

Posted on

Learning Resources for Ancient Pompeii

I donโ€™t know about you, but when I think about what the city of Pompeii looked like immediately after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, I envision a city completely buried by ash and dirt. But the city wasnโ€™t completely buried, and tops of houses, sculptures, and other artifacts would have been poking up out of the dirt, giving those returning after the eruption a guide for where to dig. Survivors and grave robbers returning to the covered city after the eruption was over dug and tunneled in to get personal items and steal valuables. While the city…

Read more

Posted on

A Brief History of April Fools’ Day!

Would it surprise you to learn that April Fools’ Day, celebrated every year on April 1, has been celebrated for thousands of years in many countries and communities around the world? Today, April Fools’ Day is generally celebrated as a day of mischievous and (hopefully) harmless pranks put on by both individuals and mass media, but it hasn’t always been that way. Let’s explore the mostly true history of April Fools’ Day. Want more info on calendars? Check out our Calendars Unboxed downloadable lesson. Ready to leave the winter behind and dive into some Spring learning? Check out Spring Unboxed…

Read more

Posted on

The Benefits of Hands-On History Activities

Why Choose Hands-On Learning for History? You might have ended up here because you were looking for hands-on history resources.ย  But have you ever thought about why this style of learning is so important? Sure, it’s fun. But is it effective? Short answer: Yes! Children learn better when they have hands-on interactionsย with learning materials. Students who learn through hands-on activities develop a deeper understanding of the material. They remember more facts when they use hands-on materials. When students use more than one of their senses, they are better at finding meaning. This helps them remember more. Multi-sensory experiences build neural…

Read more

Posted on

Native American Heritage Month Teaching Resources

November is Native American Heritage Month.ย  In our American history boxes, we talk about the role of Native Americans in every box.ย  It’s only right. We need to talk about Native American history all year long, but next month is a perfect time of year to do a deep dive. Here are some resources for appropriate and respectful study.ย  Discussing appropriate terminology:ย  When discussing Native American cultures, it is always best to use the specific name of the group or nation you are talking about.ย  If you are discussing multiple groups, preferences vary.ย  There is no single answer to which…

Read more

Posted on

5 Ways to Bring History to Life in Your Homeschool

Are you looking for ways to bring the study of history alive in your homeschool?ย  Hands-on learning sparks student engagement and motivation. As homeschool parents, we love anything that brings kids to the table ready to learn!ย Read on for five fantastic ways to make history exciting for your learners through hands-on learning.FoodMaking and eating rock candyEveryone eats!ย  Make the people of the past more relatable by sampling some of their favorite dishes.ย  Sample fruits and vegetables native to the region you are studying.ย  Visit a restaurant featuring the cuisine of the country you are studying. Search for traditional recipes and…

Read more

Posted on

The History of Valentine’s Day!

Contributed by guest author, Grace Sammons Vintage engraving Amour tire de l’Almanach des Muses de 1807 (Love pulls from the Almanac of the Muses of 1807) As we enter the season of rose bouquets and heart-shaped candies, I thought itโ€™d be interesting to share the not-so-lovely story about how Cupidโ€™s holiday came to be what it is today. The history of Valentine’s day is a bit patchy, with not a whole lot of specific details, but the story is definitely worth a share. So, to start out this story, letโ€™s journey back to 269-270 A.D. during the reign of Roman…

Read more