The National World War II Museum in New Orleans is an invaluable place for resources!
Hands On History! Traveling Artifact Trunks -The National WWII Museum has launched Operation Footlocker, providing schools across the country with unique hands-on opportunities to explore the history and lessons of WWII by exploring WWII artifacts. These traveling trunks are designed to supplement WWII education in the classroom.
Each footlocker comes loaded with actual artifacts from WWII (not reproductions!). Of course, no weapons or ammunition are included. But there are ration books, V-mail letters, dog tags, sand from the beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima, wartime magazines, a high school yearbook from the early 1940s, and many other artifacts, both commonplace and surprising. Footlockers come complete with white cotton gloves for handling the artifacts and a teacher’s manual that describes each object and contains directions for conducting artifact “reading” sessions.
Turn your students into history detectives as they ponder the origins and uses of these real pieces of WWII history!
This Museum has a large list of teacher lesson plans and other resources- ready to use, engaging, and interactive.
The Museum hosts the International Conference on World War II. This year is the second of a five part 70th anniversary series- This year's focus is Stemming the Nazi Tide: The Beginning of the End 1942-1943.
Last year honored the first year of the war. Several of those session videos are online.
Last year honored the first year of the war. Several of those session videos are online.