PBS LearningMedia Social Studies Collection

The PBS LearningMedia Social Studies Collection offers a rich library of free educational resources spanning U.S. history, world history, civics, government, geography, and economics for students in grades K-12. Drawing from PBS acclaimed documentary programming and partnerships with museums, archives, and educational institutions, this collection brings history and social studies to life with primary sources, documentary footage, and expert perspectives.

The collection features content from some of the most celebrated PBS series, including American Experience, Frontline, American Masters, and Ken Burns documentaries. These professionally produced videos are edited into classroom-appropriate segments and paired with discussion questions, vocabulary guides, and assessment tools that make them ready to use in any learning environment.

For elementary students, the collection includes age-appropriate introductions to community, citizenship, maps, and American symbols through engaging videos and interactive activities. Middle school resources explore world cultures, ancient civilizations, the American Revolution, westward expansion, and the Civil War with a mix of primary source documents, video content, and guided lesson plans.

High school resources dive deep into U.S. and world history, government and civics, economics, and contemporary issues. Students can examine primary source documents, analyze historical photographs and maps, watch documentary segments, and engage with interactive timelines that connect historical events to present-day contexts.

Every resource is aligned to national and state social studies standards and includes teacher support materials. The collection is particularly valuable for homeschool families who want to incorporate high-quality documentary content and primary sources into their history and social studies curriculum without purchasing expensive textbook packages.