Investigate artifacts from these remarkable decades to learn about the fads and fancies that shaped Chicago in the late twentieth century.

Smiley Face Circle Stories
Students will explore artifacts from the 1970s to learn about the fads and fancies that shaped this remarkable decade. They will then write collaborative “circle stories” about the objects. Since many of today’s teachers grew up in the ’70s, students have the opportunity to gain insight into their teachers’ own childhood experiences, to develop historical empathy, and to better understand the relationship between past, present, and future. Download Smiley Face Circle Stories.

Stampin’ Around Chicago
To learn about the fads and fancies that shaped the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, students will explore artifacts from these iconic decades then create a postage stamp inspired by what they have learned.
Download Stampin’ Around Chicago.

Kidding Around in the 1980s
By sampling the pop culture of the 1980s through movies, music, toys, and magazines, students will make personal connections with how kids entertained themselves in that era. Download Kidding Around in the 1980s.

Back to the Future
Inspired by the 1985 movie Back to the Future, students will write a story imagining what it would be like to travel back in time and meet their parents as elementary school students. Download Back to the Future.

Tips for Assembling Your Artifact Kit
Our tips and resources will help you build an artifact kit to use with these lessons.

Local teachers wrote the History in Your Hands lessons as part of History Connections and Artifact Collections, a project made possible by a generous grant from the Polk Bros. Foundation.