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History-in-a-Box Kits
Educator Notebooks

History-in-a-Box Kits

Bring the resources of the North Carolina Museum of History into your classroom through History-in-a-Box kits! These multidisciplinary teaching tools provide you with background materials, reproduction artifacts, lessons, and activities that tie North Carolina history with language arts, science, math, and visual art.

All kits are available for loan for three weeks. Please help the museum offset the cost of shipping with a voluntary contribution of $5 per kit (you also pay return UPS shipping). Teachers in the Raleigh area can save shipping costs by picking up and returning kits to the museum.

Order a kit (online or by mail)

From Earth and Fire: North Carolina Pottery

Create interdisciplinary lessons and encourage students to connect with history! Watch the video From Earth and Fire: North Carolina Pottery and use pieces of pottery and historical photographs to learn math, language arts, and science. This project was made possible through the support of the North Carolina Humanities Council and the North Carolina Arts Commission.

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7; Language Arts Goals 1, 2 and 4
Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 5 and 6; Language Arts Goals 1, 5, and 6; Math Goals 1 and 2

North Carolina and the Civil War

Explore the Civil War in North Carolina through touch objects that tell stories of a soldier on the battlefront and a woman on the home front. The companion video features a young soldier relating his wartime experiences. Resources for teachers include background materials, lessons, and activities.

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 4, 5, and 6; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; Math Goal 1
Grade 8: Social Studies Goal 4; Language Arts Goals 1, 3, and 6; Math Goal 1

From Farm to Factory: Agriculture and Industry in North Carolina

For most of its history, North Carolina has had a predominantly rural economy. New technology that made farming more efficient also led to the growth of industry in the state. In recent years, the state’s economy has turned sharply away from agriculture. Learn the factors—who, what, where, when, and how—that contributed to the shift from farm to factory. Identify objects, analyze historical photographs, study geography and its relationship to food, and learn about life in a mill village, the effects of child labor, and the importance of technology today and in the future.

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7; Language Arts Goals 1, 4, and 5; Mathematics Goals 1 and 4
Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 3, 5, 7, and 8; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, 3, and 4; U.S. History Goals 4, 5, and 7

Colonial North Carolina

Geography played a major role in the settlement patterns of colonial North Carolina. Explore colonial family life and learn about the cultures of four groups that settled in the state’s three regions. Examine reproduction artifacts, play with toys, and listen to period music. Learn about clothing, housing, cooking, education, and trade. This project was made possible through the support of the North Carolina Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

Grade 3: Social Studies Goals 2, 3, 4, and 5; Language Arts Goals 3 and 4; Dance Goals 5 and 7; Music Goals 8 and 9
Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7; Language Arts Goals 3 and 4; Dance Goals 5 and 7; Music Goals 8 and 9

Everyday life changed during World War II as families were separated, food and goods were rationed, and travel and pleasure driving were curtailed. North Carolinians from the mountains to the coast helped the war effort by volunteering, by salvaging and conserving, by growing victory gardens, and by buying war bonds. Use the scrapbook of memories, the stories of North Carolinians, and objects, images, and words of the period to teach about the changes that this war brought to our state.

Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 6 and 9; Language Arts Goals 2 and 4; U.S. History Goal 10

Primarily North Carolina

What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source? Artifacts, photographs, and documents from North Carolina’s past help students explore the raw materials used to understand history. Discover what objects and spaces tell about life and society. Working with primary sources gives students skills and confidence in research, writing, and interpretation.

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7; English/Language Arts Goals 2, 3, and 4
Grade 5: Social Studies Goal 4
Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; English/Language Arts Goals 1, 2, and 4
Grade 9: Social Studies Goal 1

North Carolina from the Mountains to the Sea

Travel the state of North Carolina to discover its diverse geography, history, economy, traditions, and culture. Three History-in-a-Box kits with stories, maps, images, objects, and music engage students as they connect with their fascinating state and understand their sense of place. Funding for this project was provided by GlaxoSmithKline.

• The Coastal Region
  The Lost Colony, pirates, lighthouses, the land, and the sea are part of the Coastal Plain’s history. Discover the culture, traditions, and experiences that are unique to this part of North Carolina.
  

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, and 4
Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

• The Piedmont Region
  Farming, manufacturing, and education helped to build the Piedmont into the driving force it is today. This region is now the center of North Carolina’s government. Learn how economic and technological innovations have spurred the growth of the Piedmont.
  

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, and 4
Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

• The Mountain Region
  Difficult terrain once set the Mountain region apart—only American Indians and the hardiest settlers first made their homes there. Developments in transportation, first through railroads and later through highways, eventually connected the Mountains to the rest of the state. Explore the traditions, geography, and industry of this wonderful part of North Carolina.
  

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, and 4
Grade 8: Social Studies Goals 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Educator Notebooks

Educator Notebooks are priced at $15 each; $12 for Associates.

• North Carolina Legends
  

North Carolinians love our legendary historical figures. Learn the myths and realities of characters such as Blackbeard and Flora MacDonald. This handy resource guide is designed for fourth-grade social studies, language arts, and math educators.

Grade 4: Social Studies Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; Language Arts Goals 1, 2, 3, and 4; Math Goals 1, 2, and 4

Notebook Order Form (online or by mail)

If you have any questions, please contact the Educational Media Center at 919-807-7984 or e-mail kaitlin.lloyd@ncdcr.gov

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