Education
Discover dynamic education programs and curriculum resources about the history of our city, state, and nation.
Education Mission
The New-York Historical Society Education Division provides dynamic programming and curriculum resources for students and teachers in New York and beyond. Historical study sparks curiosity and creativity, promotes cultural understanding, and fosters an empowered citizenry to strengthen our democracy. Our staff of passionate professionals draws on our world-renowned collections to engage learners of all ages in the study of our collective past.
Education programs made possible through endowments established by:
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Hearst Foundations
The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation
Public funding provided by:
Institute for Museum and Library Services
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council
New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature
Important support provided by:
Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Ford Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Altman Foundation
Deutsche Bank
The Pinkerton Foundation
Barker Welfare Foundation
The Keith Haring Foundation
The Bay and Paul Foundations
The Alice Lawrence Foundation
The Henry Nias Foundation
Fred and Joan Pittman
Anonymous
Support the New-York Historical Society
Help us present groundbreaking exhibitions and develop educational programs about our nation's history for more than 200,000 schoolchildren annually.
Second Grade: How did geography shape our city?
Students spend the first half of this series developing their ability to learn about the past using artifacts, images, and maps and then apply their new skills to a study of how geography shaped the history of New York City.
They will learn how the Munsee, the first people of Mannahatta, shaped their lives around the natural resources of New York Harbor; how the harbor allowed the British to build New York into a trade capital of the colonial world; and how that same harbor welcomed wave after wave of immigrants to the U.S. in the 19th century. At the end of the series students will create a poster that traces the growth of the city in maps from the 16th through the 20th centuries.
- Session 1: Learning History with Objects
- Session 2: Learning History with Images
- Session 3: Learning to Read a Map
- Session 4: Learning History with Maps
- Session 5: Rural or Urban
- Session 6: Mannahatta
- Session 7: Colonial New York
- Session 8: Immigrant City
- Session 9: Culmination—New York’s Changing Geography
The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems
We are delighted to offer a one-off program that brings Mo Willems’ creative genius straight to your classroom! Our innovative and hands-on program will take your students’ love of all-things-Mo to the next level by teaching them how the simplest shapes and lines can convey robust characters, emotive stories, and much more!
Complete our booking form for more information or to start the scheduling process.
