Why The Look Back
Taking a closer look at artifacts from the past can help us tell the stories that have shaped the communities of our state—as well as offer opportunities for us to connect those stories to our own experiences. The Look Back brings the histories of our state to life for learners today through era-forward episodes featuring interesting artifacts, discussion questions, and guides.
Educator Guides
Airway Beacon: World War I and the Great Depression
Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing in the history of aviation. Explore the navigation tools used during the years leading up to and shortly after the Great Depression.
Bowled Over: Vietnam Era
Roll into recreation in Wisconsin during the Vietnam War era through Earlene Fuller’s story.
Sovereignty and Silver: Midwest Allies in the Revolution
A British peace medal presented to a Menominee chief provides insight into how Native nations were involved in the Revolutionary War.
Circus World: Early Wisconsin
Step right up to see how the circus came to be in Wisconsin and how transportation innovations, business, and social issues were juggled under the big top.
Dice in the Dairyland: The History of Dungeons and Dragons: Modern Era
Get ready to roll with this adventurous exploration of how a game played around the world started in a small Wisconsin town.
Fallout Shelter Cuisine: Survival Food in the Cold War
Dig into the history of prepared survival foods and nuclear fallout shelters!
Fit to Print: The Progressive Era and WWI
Read between the lines of The Progressive Era and WWI through the printing of amateur newspapers.
For the Record: WWI and the Great Depression
Tune into the history of the Great Depression through the story of Paramount Records.
How Fur Trade Fashions Shaped Great Lakes History
Discover how the Great Lakes fur trade was about more than just the exchange of goods!
George Washington in Wisconsin? From Canvas to Icon
What can a portrait of George Washington produced in Philadelphia tell us about Wisconsin history?
Indigenous Copper Technology in the Western Great Lakes
The story behind one of the oldest metalworking traditions found anywhere in the world.
An Iron In the Fire: The Fur Trade Era
Spark your thinking about life during the Fur Trade Era through the making and use of a wrought iron toaster.
How Little Golden Books Changed Childhood
The story of the beloved children’s literature series Little Golden Books.
X Marks the Spot! Historical Maps of Wisconsin
Map out the history of early representations of the Great Lakes area!
Not Set In Stone: Early Wisconsin, Civil War, and Reconstruction
Get a different take on Lincoln’s legacy and the freeing of enslaved people through the Emancipation Group sculpture.
On the Move: Modern Era
Get your gears turning about life in the modern era through bicycles and bike making in Wisconsin.
Pottawatomie Lighthouse: Territory to Statehood
Get on the same wavelength as ship captains during the time before Wisconsin was a state with this towering tale of the Pottawatomie Lighthouse.
Posters and the Art of Student Protest in the Vietnam Era
Discover how activists channeled their creativity to express the political and social change they wanted to see!
QWERTY: How Wisconsin Holds the Keys to Typing History
The story of how a Wisconsin invention spread around the world and changed how we type.
Ripe for Change: Postwar Wisconsin
Travel back to the postwar era through the bunk beds that hold the history of migrant farmworkers in Wisconsin.
A Stitch In Time: Territory to Statehood
Sew your way through the time from territory to statehood with Margaret Miekel’s cross-stitch sampler.
Tall-tale Postcards: Progressive Era and WWI
Craft a new understanding of the myths and realities of life in the midwest over 100 years ago with tall tale postcards.
Time to Shine: Early Explorers
Set your clock to the time of early explorers through the story of the Le Maire Sundial and Compass.
How a Tintype Photographer Put The Dells on the Map
Get a snapshot of the history of H. H. Bennett and his photography studio in the Wisconsin Dells!
A Trunk Full of History: The New Deal and WWII
Unpack the New Deal and WWII through this Civilian Conservation Corps member’s trunk.
Waterlogged: First People and Nations
Dive into learning about First Nations in the area thousands of years ago through the dugout canoes recovered from Lake Mendota.
How Women in the Midwest Saved Baseball
Hit a historical home run and slide into the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League!
Tell us what you think!
Have a question? Inspired to share? Email Us!
education@pbswisconsin.org
Quotation
“Social studies is quick to be forgotten because of math and reading, but the length and content of these videos make them perfect for the classroom.”