History Time

A Newsletter for Kansas Educators

November 2025

The Big Day is Almost Here!

The Kansas Museum of History officially reopens on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Join us for a special reopening event featuring musical performances, roaming entertainers, food trucks, and plenty of photo opportunities. Doors open at 9:00 am and performances are scheduled for 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm.

Admission to the museum will be FREE Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23. The museum will be open on Sunday 1-5 p.m.

Kansas Day 2026: Save the Date!

Kansas Day is right around the corner! If you're planning on bringing your students to the Kansas Museum of History on Thursday, January 29, 2026, stay tuned for a registration page in next month's History Time newsletter. Each Kansas Day offers a unique celebration of our state and is jam-packed with activities and hands-on history!

Standards Based Lesson:

Notable Kansans

Standard #3: Societies are shaped by beliefs, ideas, and diversity. 

Are you thinking about using Veterans Day to teach Kansas history? This lesson encourages students to explore the impact of 10 notable Kansans - including Dwight D. Eisenhower - who made significant contributions in the 1930s and 1940s. Each Read Kansas! card contains primary sources about each Kansan. After reading the cards students will work cooperatively to research "the rest of the story." Each group will develop a presentation for the class, which answers the question, "Why was this person a notable Kansan?"

Make and Take: Hardtack

Ever wanted to eat like a Kansas soldier of the past? Well now's your chance! As recently as World War I, hardtack was the staple food of traveling armies, who called it "sheet-iron," "tooth-dullers," "crown-breakers," or "worm castles." Soldiers dipped the hardtack in hot coffee to soften it. Soaked in water or coffee, hardtack was easier to eat. All modern crackers are dimpled in the manner of hardtack, which was pricked with nail holes to keep it compact and breakable.

History Day 2026 Resources

History Day is an opportunity for students in grades six through twelve to learn valuable research skills while exploring topics that interest them. Students choose a topic that best fits the annual History Day theme and then build a project through a careful analysis of primary sources.

The 2026 History Day theme is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History to coincide with the Semiquincentennial - the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The State Archives is a wonderful tool for research and has compiled a list of helpful topics, resources, and links to make History Day as easy as possible.Our archivists are also available to help students identify and access material for their History Day projects.

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.