Get access to free, downloadable history lesson plans for grades 3rd-12th. Fill out the form below to receive instant access to ALL of the following resources. Continue to check back as we release new resources periodically.
In These Uncertain Times: Time Capsules
2nd-5th Grade | This lesson invites students to participate, from home, in the MAH's exhibition In These Uncertain Times by creating a time capsule that will capture their shelter-in-place story through objects of their choosing.
Día de Los Muertos
6-12th Grade | Learn about Día de los Muertos, a prehispanic Indigenous tradition and celebration with engaging activities, craft tutorials, and discussion questions. This lesson plan is written in English y Español.
London Nelson: A Will to Educate
3rd-5th Grade | Learn about London Nelson and the lasting legacy he left behind in Santa Cruz County. By introducing assignments, discussions, and activities around slavery, you will gain a sense of empathy regarding Nelson’s life.
Dear Watsonville: Recording our Family Histories
K-12 Grade | This lesson plan invites participants to learn about the first Filipino farm workers to settle in the Pajaro Valley from the 1930s to the present.
Community Builder: Journalists
3rd-5th Grade | Learn about people and places that made Santa Cruz County history and think about how journalists fit in to make change within the community.
Tombstone Tales from Evergreen Cemetery
3rd-8th Grade | Understand the large impacts early settlers had in shaping Santa Cruz County through interactive activities and discussions.
Pride & Identity: An Exploration of Queer Santa Cruz
6th-12th Grade | Get introduced to the MAH's virtual exhibition, Queer Santa Cruz, in a way that highlights the importance of having a visible and accepted identity in the Santa Cruz queer community.
Get the Lesson Plans
Fill out this brief form to receive instant access to all FIVE lesson plans sent directly to your email. Please email us at info@santacruzmah.org if you have any questions or concerns.
“I worked on the journalist lesson plan with two 3rd graders and it was awesome. We had a great conversation about the power of journalists and environmentalists (a new word for both kids!).”
Karah Ammann, Marine field ecologist at UCSC and a mom
Sign Up for MAH Field Trips
We've gone virtual! Bring your class or home school network together online to connect with art and history digitally. Students will join Education & Outreach Manager, Oscar Paz, via video chat to unpack Santa Cruz County’s history and discover how they too can build a more connected and meaningful community from home.
In 2022 the MAH received a grant from the California State Library to digitize and archive the LGBTQ+ history in Santa Cruz County. With these funds, we also developed free educational resources for the general public using the collection. We are thrilled to present the MAH Trunks as interactive learning tools that are full of activities for educators to use with students in kindergarten to 12th grade.
With these trunks, our goal is to support educators to help students learn LGBTQ+ history. We believe that students should be able to understand this material instead of learning through negative stereotypes and myths.
As a result, we hope that these resources will create an empathetic, respectful, and inclusive learning environment for everyone.
To Learn more about the Queerstory project and view the online archive click HERE
photo credit: Daris Jasper
Watch the video to learn more about the Trunks and check out the calendar to reserve a trunk today!
“My 9-12 grade class studied critical identity this year and it brought up a lot of questions about gender and sexual orientation...The Queerstory trunk gave me a chance to pick up the conversation without creating any new curriculum...The whole experience was soft and positive. I recommend it for any setting for any age.”
Sarah Webb — Art 1 Ethnic Studies Teacher
Educational Videos
Join the MAH on Youtube with new educational videos. First up, join Oscar in the historic Evergreen Cemetery to learn more about the traditions and history of Día de los Muertos. Stay tuned for new releases coming soon!
In celebration of the MAH's new online educational resources, learn how one local teacher has adapted to meet the needs of her students, and prepare them to be thoughtful and engaged digital citizens.
Learn about the significance of cempazúchitl (marigolds) in celebrating Día de los Muertos and follow our step by step guide to making your own out of tissue paper at home.
Check out our September Community Craft Project to celebrate snail mail! Get more information on sending mail to loved ones and local firefighters as well as saving the post office and how to vote by mail.
Juneteenth is a celebration commemorating the ending of the enslavement of African Americans – learn more about this moment in history and how it is celebrated in Santa Cruz.
Consider making a gift or becoming a member to ensure a sustainable and resilient MAH. Your contribution directly supports these educational resources and connecting our community through these uncertain times.
