It is said that the defeat of Nazi Germany was sealed on Omaha Beach. One hundred and sixty-thousand troops landed within 24 hours on a 50-mile front. Students are introduced to the overall objective of D-Day and how its story is preserved through primary sources. They then apply that knowledge through examination of documents and artifacts from Omaha Beach.

In 1954, the United States Supreme Court handed down the unanimous, landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision that rocked the nation to its core by proclaiming "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." The established doctrine of "separate but equal" in public education was rejected, ending 60 years of legal separation of the races in public schools. The ramifications for the Jim Crow South were staggering and, for some, unthinkable.

Following World War II, many Americans kept souvenirs of lost loved ones or their time in the war. Many of these articles were stored in boxes or trunks and then tucked away in attics, basements, and garages for decades. In this program, students critically evaluate images, documents, and a variety of artifacts from the 101st Airborne's part in the D-Day invasion and liberation of Western Europe.

Our IKEducators can deliver this program to you virtually through IKE Online, or in-person to Kansas classrooms via IKE Express. Our programs are always FREE.

Students will examine closely an image of Eisenhower talking with soldiers before D-Day, to observe details, reflect, and interpret what the source conveys. How does this photograph represent leadership in general and American ideas about leadership in particular? Students will also examine the scene in a variety of contexts and explore how context affects the perception of an image.

By carefully examining letters written to President Dwight D. Eisenhower during the Little Rock Crisis on both sides of the issue, students will better understand the role of the President of the United States. Specifically, they will learn how Eisenhower balanced what he saw as his legal duties as president with the opinions and beliefs of the people of the United States.

Students examine primary sources related to decisions Eisenhower made throughout his early life: his family's role, his time at school in Abilene, and eventually applying to West Point. Of particular interest: Eisenhower’s options, how these options were shaped by the circumstances of Eisenhower’s early life, and the role of resilience. This lesson invites students to delve into key primary sources to develop a factual understanding and demonstrate critical thinking in sourcing evidence and supporting an argument in a well-crafted letter of recommendation.

Students examine a variety of sources, including maps, photographs, and newspaper articles to learn about the historical context of Eisenhower’s boyhood home of Abilene, Kansas. How did Abilene become the kind of town that Eisenhower’s parents would choose for raising a family? How might growing up in the midwest have influenced Eisenhower? How does this transformation relate to the modernization of the United States that began during the late-19th century and accelerated in the early-20th century? How do these primary sources indicate change over time?

History changed when the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik I satellite in 1957. That launch marked the start of the space race and ushered in new scientific developments, like the creation of NASA. Students will examine primary sources, generate a timeline of key events, and test engineering skills as they create and launch a (soda straw) rocket.

Crucial sources of enemy information were obtained by surveillance, code-breaking, and subterfuge throughout World War II. Intelligence agencies helped the Allies win the war by slipping behind enemy lines to serve as spies or working to break Axis message codes and steal critical information. In this program, students explore the Code Talkers, Native American men who served in the U.S. military and used their native languages to create codes that were never broken, even after the end of the war.

Shortly before the D-Day invasion, Dwight D. Eisenhower outlined instructions for the most comprehensive effort in history by an army to fight a war while also trying to minimize the damage to cultural treasures and monuments. Just after World War II, Ike was introduced to the hobby of painting and enjoyed it thought the rest of his life. In addition to learning about this merge of art, history, and Eisenhower, students will "paint like Ike" and finish a painting Ike left incomplete upon his passing.