2025 Virtual Summer Institute for Teachers Day Three

This session presents information about the Texas History for Teachers Project with the University of North Texas. Our goal is to create a complete Texas history curriculum for the 7th and 4th grades, filled with rich primary sources from the Portal to Texas History. Our curriculum is focused on meeting the needs of learners at all levels and is freely available online for educators and students. Educators will learn about what our project offers including the types of lessons, how the materials are presented, how we have incorporated differentiation into our lessons, and how the materials can be used in their own classrooms.

The Texas Historical Commission operates over 40 historic sites across the state. Of these, over two dozen have trained educator/interpreters who plan and deliver programs, events, and tours for visitors of all ages and interests. You'll learn about the in-person learning opportunities for you and your students, how our sites function as primary sources, and the many ways that you can connect with and utilize our sites and their rich Texas History content, no matter where you're located.

There is no scarcity of historically significant military leaders during World War II, but what is commonly overlooked is the similarities and differences between them. This session will highlight substantial military leaders and show great ways to compare and contrast them. Comparing and contrasting is a topic seen in educational standards nationwide and subject-wide. Though comparing and contrasting is a vital topic, it isn’t the most exciting. This session will show how to spice up these lessons!

What makes a good leader, and how is leadership discussed in the classroom? In this session, participants will discover how to find and utilize primary sources that focus on leadership. Topics covered throughout the session will include where to locate primary sources, how to select sources, tips on using primary sources in lessons, and how the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site currently uses sources in their lesson plans.

Segregation is a tough topic to discuss in the classroom, but it is not a topic to be shy away from, especially when learning/teaching about World War II. This session will provide information about the infamous segregated units from the Second World War and a how-to guide on tackling this tough topic in your classes.

A digital archive that’s more than Texas—it’s where the museum’s collections are being digitized for national access. Teachers will learn how to pull rare documents, images, and artifacts straight into their classrooms.

Special Feature: The International Spy Museum will highlight their educational resources, lesson plans, and activities that teachers can use!

In this webinar, Jon Parshall will be looking at the incredible speed with which Earnest King assessed the emergent operational possibilities post-Midway. King grabbed them with both hands and went on to create what would be the decisive campaign for the first half of the Pacific War: the struggle for Guadalcanal.

Jon Parshall saw his interest in the Imperial Japanese Navy develop early in his childhood. As an adult, that passion led him to create the foremost website devoted to the Imperial Navy, combinedfleet.com, which he founded in 1995. Parshall’s book, Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway, coauthored with Anthony Tully, is the definitive account of that pivotal battle in the Pacific.