CURRICULAR RESOURCES
Innovative lesson plans, activities, resources, and online exhibits feature archival materials to fit your classroom needs.
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- Topic: International Relations, Space
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Showing 1 - 18 of 53 Results
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This interactive picture book about cellist Pablo Casals's historic performance portrays the importance of the arts in the Kennedy White House, and the power of music to strengthen commitments to peace and freedom.
Lesson Plans & Activities
Subject: The Arts, Civics and US Government, US History
Grade: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Time: 0-1 hour
Primary source material and classroom activities reveal why exploring space was a priority for the Kennedy administration.
Resource Guides / Packets
Subject: Civics and US Government, Science, US History, World History
Grade: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Students can use outlines of astronauts to make one-of-a-kind portrait collages.
Hands-On History Activities
Subject: US History
Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Time: 0-1 hour
Students can learn how to suit up for space, and then color a spacesuit and create an astronaut puppet.
Hands-On History Activities
Subject: US History
Grade: 1, 2, 3
Time: 0-1 hour
Written for upper elementary to adult readers, this narrative summarizes the life and legacy of the 35th president of the United States.
Resource Guides / Packets
Subject: Civics and US Government, US History
Grade: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Students learn about gender discrimination in space exploration by analyzing a letter to President Kennedy from a female aviator training to be an astronaut.
Lesson Plans & Activities
Subject: English Language Arts, US History
Grade: 5, 6, 7, 8
Time: 0-1 hour, 1-2 hours
Explore photographs of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Media Galleries
Subject: The Arts, Civics and US Government, US History, World History
Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Explore photographs and documents related to gifts to the Kennedy White House.
Media Galleries
Subject: US History
Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Annotated bibliographies of both recommended biographies and literature about American history. Includes guidelines for critically analyzing biographies and history-based literature.
Resource Guides / Packets
Subject: English Language Arts, Science, US History, World History
Grade: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Students learn about the historical context of the inaugural address and then analyze the speech from three perspectives—a young civil rights activist, a Soviet diplomat, and a Cuban exile.
Lesson Plans & Activities
Subject: US History
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Time: 0-1 hour
Explore photographs and objects from JFK's trips to Ireland in 1947 and 1963.
Media Galleries
Subject: US History
Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
On December 25, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s most powerful space observatory, was launched. This massive telescope was named after the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968. The Kennedy Library’s website has extensive materials by and about Webb that can be useful for curricular materials and students’ online research.
Resource Guides / Packets
Subject: Science, US History
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Students consider the language a president might use in trying to create the right balance in tone for both American and foreign audiences when discussing US involvement in other parts of the world.
Lesson Plans & Activities
Subject: US History, World History
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Time: 0-1 hour
The free JFK Challenge! app for iPad brings American history to life for kids by turning them into astronauts and Peace Corps volunteers. Students may fly to the Moon or help people around the world through these unique and engaging activities from the JFK Library.
Online Exhibits and Digital Interactives
Subject: Civics and US Government, US History
Grade: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
This section of the website contains topic guides on the significant events that occurred during President Kennedy's years in office. These essays are intended to give an overview of challenges and issues that defined Kennedy's administration, and include relevant primary source material.
Resource Guides / Packets
Subject: The Arts, Civics and US Government, Economics, Science, US History, World History
Grade: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Explore photographs and documents related to JFK wearing hats in a variety of personal moments and presidential duties.
Media Galleries
Subject: Civics and US Government, US History
Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
This interactive, biography-based program introduces elementary students to the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy using archival material from the collections of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. In a follow-up activity, students consider the quote “Ask not what your country can do for you…” and create an illustration that shows how they are helping their family, neighborhood, school, or community.
Guided Programs
Subject: Civics and US Government, English Language Arts, US History
Grade: 3, 4, 5
Time: 1-2 hours
Students do a close reading of four primary sources related to the US Space Program in 1961, analyzing how and why public statements made by the White House regarding space may have differed from private statements made within the Kennedy administration.
Lesson Plans & Activities
Subject: US History
Grade: 9, 10, 11, 12
Time: 1-2 hours