Using ESSEX History is a three-year project to improve the quality of American History instruction in Essex County's middle schools and high schools through teacher seminars and summer institutes on the people, places and events of
Essex County, Massachusetts.

Rebecca Nurse Homestead

Field
Resources

Explore early settlement, maritime and industrial sites in Essex County.



Find out more..

Jan Maetzliger

Lesson
Plans

Developed by teachers using primary and field resources available here and throughout Essex County.

Find out more..

List of Import Tariffs from 19th Century

Primary
Resources

Documents, online here and available through our partners, for teaching any American History class.

Find out more..

Seminars and Institutes

General Institute Information

Using ESSEX History (UEH) is designed to increase teachers' knowledge, understanding and appreciation of key events and issues in American history through an intensive, ongoing professional development program. All Essex County's middle and high school American history teachers are invited to participate and contribute to a renewal of American history that will lead to increased student interest and achievement in U.S. history courses.

Through a week-long institute held on site at various historic sites and archives, Salem State College's American history faculty and other content experts will provide Essex County's middle and high school teachers with the increased content knowledge that will allow them to improve the quality of instruction given to their students. Institute topics are selected to meet the self-reported needs of teachers in Essex County, correlate with the Curriculum Framework, and make use of existing sites and sources from the Essex National Heritage Area and National Archives and Records Administration- Northeast.

    Daily seminars include:

  • - Discussion of assigned reading materials (provided at least one month prior to seminar).
  • - Information about the latest understandings and complexities of the subject.
  • - Identifying and analyzing canonical and local primary sources (several important textual and/or visual primary sources) related to the theme.
  • - Discussion and assistance in developing engaging, content-rich, primary-source based lesson plans and how they can relate to the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework.
    • - Breakfast & Lunch

Time will be provided, in and out of the classroom, for one-on-one work with experts from Salem State College, the Essex National Heritage Commission, the National Archives, and the education staff members of the museums and historic sites hosting the academic sessions

By participating in all five workshops and completing academic requirements for each day, participating teachers will earn 30 PDPs, a stipend of $1000 and three graduate-level credits awarded by Salem State College. If you work for a year-round school, UEH will also reimburse school districts for substitute teachers.

Stipends and pdps are contingent upon full attendance and submission of complete homework assignments and lesson plans. Please allow 3-4 weeks processing after due date.


Using ESSEX History Themes

Using ESSEX History will address four core themes in American history. These four themes are listed below. Teachers will find materials that relate to specific topics linked to the appropriate heading. Any subjects that relate to more than one theme will be linked to all of the appropriate headings.