Educator Programs
Powerful Content. Engaging Instructional Strategies.
From civic learning to core curriculum, we’ve got you covered. Our professional development programs provide rich and unique experiences with history. Connect with the Museum’s exhibitions and resources. Engage with staff and experts.
Teacher Workshop | Teaching the Legacy of Emmett Till
Tuesday, January 14, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Earn up to 6 PD hours; $25
Hosted by CHM in collaboration with Facing History & Ourselves, this session offers participants the opportunity to delve into US civil rights history, examine the use of media to push for racial justice, explore CHM’s exhibition Injustice: The Trial for the Murder of Emmett Till, and reflect on how history connects with identity and experiences today. Please note that ticketing is through Facing History & Ourselves—you will be purchasing through their website.
Apply Now
Virtual Teacher Book Club
Saturdays, January 25 and March 1, 9:00 a.m.–noon, with asynchronous engagement between
Earn up to 21 PD hours; $50, cost includes 2 books
Engage with teachers as we read and discuss The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon and The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson.
In The Rock and the River, follow the fictional story of Sam Childs as he navigates life as the 13-year-old son of a civil rights leader and what it means to be a good sibling to an older brother who has joined the Black Panther Party, unbeknownst to their parents. To complement The Rock and the River, we will also read The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History for a deeper dive into the formation and impact of the Black Panther Party.
Online engagement will draw on the Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s–70s exhibition and highlight a selection of CHM’s classroom resources related to the era. Zoom sessions and online engagement foster rich discussions, practical resources, and instructional strategies to teach the history of social justice movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
Register Here
NEH Summer Institute | Rethinking the Gilded Age and Progressivisms: Race, Capitalism, and Democracy, 1877 to 1920
July 6–25, 2025
The Chicago History Museum, University of Illinois Chicago, and Loyola University Chicago invite you to apply for our National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute, “Rethinking the Gilded Age and Progressivisms: Race, Capitalism, and Democracy, 1877 to 1920.” Thirty grade 6–12 teachers from across the country will gather in Chicago to learn from top Gilded Age and Progressive Era scholars, tour historic sites, explore archives and museums, and design classroom materials. Participant stipend: $2,850. Applicant webinar: January 14, 2025. Applications due: March 5, 2025.
Learn More & Apply
Customized Planning with CHM Education Staff
Our educators are here to match Chicago History Museum resources to your needs, answer questions, and help brainstorm ideas. Simply email school programs staff and let us know what you’re working on. We’ll set up a FREE, one-hour Zoom meeting with you to share materials and answer questions. We look forward to meeting you and learning about all the amazing work you are doing! 1 PD hour per session.
Please email both Heidi Moisan moisan@chicagohistory.org and Megan Clark clark@chicagohistory.org to make an appointment.
In-Service Programs
Are you interested in a custom in-service experience?
We’re happy to plan with you. To get started, email Heidi Moisan, senior school programs manager, at moisan@chicagohistory.org.
Teacher E-news
The Museum publishes a regular e-newsletter for educators. Subscribe today to receive timely information about new classroom resources and professional development opportunities.