In the Classroom

Public history resources aligned with Social Studies standards

Public history resources are designed to serve wide audiences, and this one fulfills that purpose; but The OE is particularly suited for the classroom. The entries are written by experts in their subjects, and meticulously researched and fact-checked. Over 600 contributors from around the state have given their knowledge, expertise, and their voices to this one-of-a-kind public history site. The topics are varied, the entries are short, and the list of subjects is growing. 

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By using The Oregon Encyclopedia in the classroom, teachers can address the following Oregon Department of Education Social Studies Standards:

State & Local History: Understand and interpret the history of the state of Oregon.

  • Understand and interpret events, issues, and developments in Oregon history.
  • Understand and interpret events, issues, and developments in local history.

Social Science Analysis: Design and implement strategies to analyze issues, explain perspectives, and resolve issues using the social sciences.

  • Identify, research, and clarify an event, issue, problem, or phenomenon of significance to society.
  • Gather, use, and evaluate researched information to support analysis and conclusions.
  • Understand an event, issue, problem, or phenomenon from multiple perspectives.
  • Identify and analyze characteristics, causes, and consequences of an event, issue, problem or phenomenon.
  • Identify, compare, and evaluate outcomes, responses, or solutions; then reach a supported conclusion.

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Primary Source Packets

The OE has developed primary source packets to support its mission to increase student access to and understanding of Oregon history and its place in the history of the United States.

The packets include:

  • An introduction to a historical topic or concept;
  • Several related primary source documents, digitized and annotated, from the OHS Research Library's Oregon History Project;
  • Relevant background reading by historians who have written for The Oregon Encyclopedia;
  • Document-based questions;
  • Further reading;
  • Oregon Department of Education Social Studies standards.

View them here.