For Teachers

The Chicago Historical Society proudly introduces its newest instructional resource, My Chicago, made possible by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Inspire the kids you work with to discover Chicago and connect the city’s past to their lives today. My Chicago comprises ten activities for children ages 6–12, using the symbols and design of the Chicago flag to explore the city’s rich and diverse history. My Chicago illustrates the themes of Chicago’s past and present by drawing on the collections of the Chicago Historical Society, including a variety of photographs, documents, and images of artifacts. Visit the "Downloads" portion of the site to print out a copy of the activity guide. See Chicago's first train engine - the Pioneer locomotive - at the Chicago Historical Society

Components of the activity guide include:

• Student worksheets that can be combined to make a scrapbook of students’ work and creativity. Students can share this keepsake of the My Chicago program with adults at home.
• A timeline that places events and topics in a larger context
• Narratives to distribute to students. Read aloud the narratives as students follow along as an introduction to the subject.
• Vocabulary lists and questions that keep students engaged and on track with the content
• Activities, a series of ten interactive lessons that explore the city of Chicago

Instructors are encouraged to adapt the activities to best meet the needs of the children with whom they work. These flexible topics and materials can be tailored for individual after-school environments. Any activity can be split over several days, or students can complete some portions at home.

The "Games" portion of the site includes six online activities for your students that complement the activity guide components and support your after-school instruction. Suggested age levels are noted on the main Games page.