History Time

A Newsletter for Kansas Educators

May 2025

Bleeding Kansas Episode 5: Constitutions and the Road to Statehood

The long awaited final episode of our Bleeding Kansas series is finally here! The politics of Kansas Territory are perhaps the most difficult element of Bleeding Kansas to understand; in just seven years we had ten different territorial governors, wrote four different state constitutions, and had two different territorial governments operating at the same time. We break this chaos down into an easy-to-understand video, with hard-hitting questions to make your students engage in critical thinking. Each video in this series closely aligns to the Kansas Journey textbook.

Kansas History Resources to

Inspire Your Classroom

Summertime brings the perfect opportunity to recharge, refresh, and get inspired! If you are looking to revitalize your classroom activities or explore new lesson plan ideas for the upcoming school year, the Kansas Historical Society has you covered.

Browse our award-winning lesson plans for kindergarten through high school, and discover the unique hands-on materials offered through our Traveling Trunk program. A vast collection of educational videos that cover a variety of Kansas history topics is also available.

We are happy to support you and your classroom by providing resources that share Kansas history in fun and engaging ways!

Sunflower Summer

Sunflower Summer is back for another year! This program offers free admission to attractions across the state. School-aged children in Kansas are eligible for the program. A free ticket voucher is also available for one adult who accompanies the student(s). The 2025 program will run from Saturday, July 12 to Sunday, August 3. Participating venues will be announced in June. For information regarding changes to the 2025 program visit SunflowerSummer.org or download the mobile app.

Sunflower Summer is a FREE program for Kansas families brought to you by Kansas Tourism. #ToTheStarsKS #SunflowerSummer

Historic Sites Reopen for Summer!

Dive deeper into the stories that have shaped Kansas, by visiting one of the 16 historic sites maintained by the Kansas Historical Society. Spread across the state—from Studley to Fort Riley, Council Grove to Kansas City, each location brings the rich and varied history of the Sunflower State to life.

Step into the shoes of everyday Kansans like John Fenton Pratt, who ran a sheep ranch at Cottonwood Ranch, or explore the pivotal era of Bleeding Kansas through the story of John Brown. Whether you are interested in learning about life on the frontier, political conflict, or personal tales of perseverance, our sites provide unique learning opportunities.

All sites are now open for the summer season, so start planning your visit today! Please note that some are only open seasonally, so be sure to check site hours of operation prior to your arrival. Ready to begin your adventure? Visit our website for more details and embark on your journey to explore Kansas history!

Reserve Your Trunk for Next School Year!

It’s never too early to reserve a traveling trunk for the next school year! We are currently accepting trunk reservations for the 2025-2026 school year. Traveling resource trunks provide educators with hands-on materials, primary sources, and complete lesson plans for an engaging and adaptable experience. Trunk availability becomes limited in the fall and around Kansas Day, so make sure to reserve a trunk now while you still can! Visit our website for more information about our traveling trunks and the reservation process. Reservations are made on a first come, first serve basis.

Don't Forget!

State Historic Sites now have free admission! Look for one in your area. Call ahead as some are only open seasonally.

Read Kansas! lessons are available free of charge for primary, intermediate, middle, and high school students while supplies last.

A variety of virtual tours, videos, and Nearpod lessons are available to use in your classroom. 

Traveling resource trunks are available to borrow. Reserve one now for the school year.

The Kansas Museum of History is closed for renovations. Although the museum is not available for field trips, our staff is here for you.

Zephyr, our newest publication, provides information on events, programs, updates on the museum renovation, and highlights a variety of state historic sites.