2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the National 

Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). One of the key 

provisions of the Act created the National Register 

of Historic Places, the nation’s official list of cultural 

resources worthy of preservation. Listings in the 

National Register represent the tangible legacy of 

our history—from archeological sites to commercial 

districts and from grand landmarks to modest 

roadside diners. These places define what it means 

to be an American and provide a wonderful 

educational resource for teachers and students.

A Lesson Plan from the 

National Park Service 

for Middle and High 

School Levels

Written by the Staff of Heritage Education Services, 

National Park Service

The National Register—administered by the National 

Park Service, an agency within the United States 

Department of the Interior—is the foundation of a 

national preservation partnership established by the 

NHPA. National recognition can focus attention on a 

historic place that may have been taken for granted or 

ignored for decades and act as a catalyst for community 

revitalization. Preserving these places can bring new 

investment to old neighborhoods, promote economic 

development and attract tourists. Learning from them 

can instill pride in the community and its history.

Today more than 84,000 historic places around the 

country are listed in the National Register. Since many 

listings are neighborhoods or other “historic districts,” 

these listings include more than 1.4 million individual 

historic properties important to their communities, 

states, or the nation as a whole. Each week more 

historic places are nominated for listing. You may be 

surprised to learn that people at the grassroots level 

(including teachers and students) can launch the 

process of listing a site in the National Register!

As students complete the activities below, they will build 

background knowledge through interactive experiences 

designed to help them examine their local history in 

thoughtful and engaging ways. Activities are appropriate 

for social studies, U.S., state, and local history classes 

and courses on government, civics, art/architecture, and 

English. Students will practice a range of skills by:

n Analyzing primary sources

n Accessing the online resources of the National Park 

Service

n Identifying historic places in their communities, state, 

or region listed in the National Register

n Investigating why these places were considered 

worthy of preservation

n Exploring what roles these places play in their 

communities today

n Considering if and how preserving these places has 

helped achieve the goals of the NHPA and benefited 

their communities

Students will have a chance to complete a final project to 

share what they’ve learned with classmates and, perhaps, 

with their local community. 

TIME REQUIRED

Time to complete the lesson will depend on the depth to 

which teachers wish to pursue each step. Steps 1, 2 and 

the first part of 3 can be completed in one or two class 

periods. Visiting and researching sites will work best as out 

of class assignments. Inviting a guest expert will affect the 

length of follow-up class discussions. Final project options 

also may vary in complexity.

INTRODUCTION TO THE EDUCATOR

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BEFORE BEGINNING 

ACTIVITY 1, THE TEACHER WILL:

n Use the online research tools at the National Register 

website to find properties in your community that are listed 

in the National Register of Historic Places.

 – On the web page “National Register of Historic Places 

Program: Research” (http://www.nps.gov/nr/research/), 

download the “Spreadsheet of NRHP List” file (MS Excel 

2010 spreadsheet) with links to the scanned nominations. 

Search the document for your state, county, or city and 

print out the lines containing information about your local 

historic properties. 

n If there are no local properties listed in the National Register 

or you do not wish to request and obtain National Register 

documentation, use Alternative Activity 2.

n Obtain copies of selected National Register nominations to 

assign to students (or you might decide to make this step 

part of the activity by involving your students in the selection 

of nomination documentation to request).

– Nomination documentation includes a detailed 

description of the property, a statement of significance, 

a bibliography, at least one map and one photograph, 

and other information.

– Ideally include in your selection at least one historic 

district—such as a historic commercial area or a residential 

neighborhood—and as much of a variety of other kinds of 

places as possible.

n You can involve your students in the selection of historic 

places they would like to study. One way to do this is to 

have students review curriculum standards for the class 

year and pick a place that corresponds to one or more of 

those standards.

n Copies of nominations are available from State Historic 

Preservation Officers (SHPOs). Contact them by phone or 

email well ahead of time to explain exactly when and why 

the copies are needed. You can find a list of SHPOs, with 

contact information at http://www.nps.gov/nr/shpolist.htm. 

You can also find out more about locating nominations at 

http://www.nps.gov/nr/research/. 

A historic lighthouse in Lime Kiln Point 

State Park on San Juan Island, Washington 

Credit: National Park Service photo by Beth Boland

CORRELATION TO 

NATIONAL STANDARDS

UNITED STATES HISTORY STANDARDS 

FOR GRADES 5-12:

Era 9: Postwar United States (1945-early 1970s)

Standard 3: Domestic policies after World War II

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL 

STUDIES (NCSS) CURRICULUM STANDARDS 

FOR THE MIDDLE GRADES:

Theme III: People, Places and Environments

Standard G: The student describes how people create 

places that reflect cultural values and ideals.

Standard I: The student describes ways that historical 

events have been influenced by, and have influenced, 

physical and human geographic factors.

Standard K: The student proposes, compares and evaluates 

alternative uses of land and resources.

Theme IV: Individual Development and Identity

Standard B: The student describes personal 

connections to places.

Theme VI: Power, Authority and Governance

Standard C: The student analyzes and explains ideas and 

governmental mechanisms to meet wants and needs of 

citizens, regulate territory, manage conflict and establish 

order and security.

Theme X: Civic Ideals and Practices

Standard E: The student explains and analyzes various forms 

of citizen action that influence public policy decisions.
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Step 1 

Why Should We Preserve 

Historic Places?

Divide the class into two groups.

GROUP 1: Give each student in Group 1 a 

copy of the first section of the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966, as amended 

(see page 6) and ask them to read it carefully.

n Ask the students to answer the 

following questions: Who created this document, 

when and for what purpose?

n Ask the students to work together to rewrite each 

of the paragraphs in their own words 

to explain why it is important to preserve historic 

places.

GROUP 2: Ask students in Group 2 to go to the

http://www.nps.gov/nr/ website to learn more 

about the National Register of Historic Places. 

Ask them to write short explanations about: 

1. what types of places qualify for listing 

2. how properties are listed

3. the results of listing

Have each group of students give an oral report of 

their findings to the other half of the class. Then have 

the class as a whole work to combine their information 

into a single list of benefits of preserving historic 

places. Post the list in the classroom for use later.

Step 2

What Are the Special Places 

in Our Community?

Give each student a copy of the list of National 

Register properties in their community or county. 

Ask them to study the list and lead them in a class 

discussion of the following questions:

n According to the National Historic Preservation Act 

of 1966, “the Register is composed of districts, 

sites, buildings, structures and objects.” What type 

or types of historic properties do you think are in 

your community?

n Chronologically, when was the first place listed? 

What kind of place do you think it is? Why do you 

think that particular place was the first one in your 

area to be listed?

n Do you already know any information about any 

of these places?

n Are there other places in the community you think 

should be listed in the National Register?

Step 3

What Can We Learn About/From 

Historic Places?

Divide the class into small groups. Give each group 

a copy of the National Register nomination for one 

property or district.

n Ask students to read the nominations carefully and 

to fill out the Nomination Worksheet (see page 7).

n Ask students to visit the properties they are 

investigating, either individually or together and to 

fill out the Observation Worksheet (see page 8).

n If possible, students should take photographs, 

including one with them in the picture.

n Local history sections of public libraries, local 

historical societies, local preservation commissions, 

state historic preservation offices and the internet 

can be good sources for information to use in 

completing the worksheets.

n Consider asking a representative from a local 

history organization to come to the class to 

answer students’ questions.

Storefront in the historic University Place 

community in Lincoln, Nebraska

Credit: National Park Service photo by Beth Boland

ACTIVITY 1
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Step 4 

How Has Preservation Affected 

Our Community?

Ask each group of students to look again at the list the 

whole class created at the end of Step 1. Have them 

work together to determine how the preservation of 

the properties they have studied is related to the goals 

and benefits Congress identified in each paragraph of 

the section of the National Historic Preservation Act 

they read. Have each group report their conclusions 

to the class.

Have a general discussion about how successful 

historic preservation activities in their community 

have been in achieving the purposes of the NHPA.

n How has preservation benefitted the community?

n How might the destruction of these places 

affect the appearance of the community?

n What stories about the history of the community 

and its residents would be lost?

n How has preservation contributed to economic 

growth in the community (i.e. by providing 

jobs, enabling businesses to stay downtown, 

creating homes for new companies, encouraging 

tourism, etc.)?

n How does the history of these places and the 

stories they tell contribute to community pride?

n Why is it important that many of these properties 

are still “living parts of community life”?

Step 5 

How Can We Share With the Community?

Have the class work together on a project to share 

what they have learned with other students and, 

perhaps, the wider community.

Projects students could consider would include:

n A PowerPoint presentation to other classes in their 

school, the PTA or the local historical society.

n A walking or driving tour of the historic places 

they have studied, perhaps working with the local 

Chamber of Commerce or Visitors and Convention 

Bureau to create a brochure for distribution to both 

residents and out-of-town visitors.

n A collection of exhibits on each historic place 

or an exhibit on the impact of preservation in 

their community. Arrange to have the exhibit(s) 

displayed in the school corridors, the school library, 

the local historical society, the town library, or other 

places in the community. These exhibits might be 

either posters or three-dimensional displays.

n A web-based travel itinerary linking text and photos 

to a local map. They can find examples of more 

elaborate itineraries on the National Register’s 

“Discover Our Shared Heritage” website at 

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/. Students’ finished 

itineraries could be posted on or linked to school 

or community websites.

The Teapot Dome Gas Station 

building is a National Historic 

Landmark in Zillah, Washington

Credit: National Park Service photo by Beth Boland

ACTIVITY 1 CONT’D
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Step 1 

Same as Step 1 in Activity 1

Step 2 

Lead a brainstorming exercise to identify

1. older places that help make the students’ 

community unique 

2. local places that may be historically significant

3. places that should be protected

Encourage students to think about a variety of 

places in addition to houses. Many communities have 

mobilized to protect parks, bridges, barns, schools, 

commercial districts, residential neighborhoods, 

archeological sites and many other kinds of properties 

that they value and don’t want to lose.

Step 3 

Ask the students to go online to download and 

search the “Spreadsheet of NRHP List” file to 

determine whether any of these places are listed 

(http://www.nps.gov/nr/research/).

Step 4 

Divide the class into small groups or ask students 

individually to visit one of the places they have 

identified. Ask students to fill out the Observation 

Worksheet for this place and (if possible) take 

photographs, one with them in the picture. According 

to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 

“the Register is composed of districts, sites, buildings, 

structures, and objects significant in American history, 

architecture, archeology, engineering and culture.” 

Ask students to identify what resource type their 

place is. Ask students, based on the information they 

have so far, to decide whether they think the property 

meets the criteria required for listing in the National 

Register. What kind of significance do they think it is 

likely to have?

Step 5 

Ask students to conduct research in the local library, 

the local historical society or on the Internet to see 

if they can find any more information on the 

importance of their properties. Then ask them to 

prepare a written description and statement of the 

historical significance. They may also be able to find 

information from their state historic preservation 

offices, which maintain inventories of historic 

properties. They can find contact information for 

these offices at http://www.nps.gov/nr/shpolist.htm. 

You may want to ask a representative from the local 

historical society or the local preservation commission 

or the state historic preservation office to visit the 

class to answer the students’ questions.

Step 6 

After they have completed their research, ask the 

students to look again at the list of preservation 

benefits they created in Step 1. Lead a class discussion 

about how preserving the properties they have 

studied would help achieve the goals and benefits 

Congress identified in each of the paragraphs of the 

section of the National Historic Preservation Act they 

read. How do they think people in the community 

would react if they learned that these places were 

going to be demolished? How would they themselves 

react? How would the destruction of these places 

affect how the community looks? What stories 

about community history would be lost? How might 

preserving them contribute to economic growth in the 

community, county, or region? How do these places 

contribute to community pride in its history? Why is it 

important that these properties continue to be “living 

parts of community life”?

EXTENSION PROJECT For a more ambitious 

project, the class may wish to consider preparing 

a draft nomination form for one or more of the 

properties they investigated for the state inventory or 

a National Register nomination. More information on 

preparing National Register nominations is available 

on the National Register website, http://www.nps.gov/

Nr/publications/bulletins/nhl/index.htm. Information 

on preparing nominations is also available from state 

historic preservation offices. Alternatively, the class 

might consider writing letters to local planners or 

working with local preservation organizations to 

preserve the properties they have identified.

The historic 

Wyuka Cemetery in 

Lincoln, Nebraska

Credit: National Park Service 

photo by Beth Boland

ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY 2
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ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY 2

Public Law 89-665, as amended

Section 1 (16 U.S.C. 470)

(a) This Act may be cited as the “National Historic Preservation Act.”

(b) The Congress finds and declares that-

(1) the spirit and direction of the Nation are founded upon and reflected in its historic heritage;

(2) the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our 

community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people;

(3) historic properties significant to the Nation’s heritage are being lost or substantially altered, often 

inadvertently, with increasing frequency;

(4) the preservation of this irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that its vital legacy of 

cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational, economic and energy benefits will be maintained and 

enriched for future generations of Americans;

(5) in the face of ever-increasing extensions of urban centers, highways and residential, commercial 

and industrial developments, the present governmental and nongovernmental historic preservation 

programs and activities are inadequate to insure future generations a genuine opportunity to 

appreciate and enjoy the rich heritage of our Nation;

(6) the increased knowledge of our historic resources, the establishment of better means of 

identifying and administering them and the encouragement of their preservation will improve the 

planning and execution of federal and federally assisted projects and will assist economic growth 

and development; and

(7) although the major burdens of historic preservation have been borne and major efforts initiated 

by private agencies and individuals and both should continue to play a vital role, it is nevertheless 

necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to accelerate its historic preservation 

programs and activities, to give maximum encouragement to agencies and individuals undertaking 

preservation by private means and to assist State and local governments and the National Trust 

for Historic Preservation in the United States to expand and accelerate their historic preservation 

programs and activities.

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1. What is the name of the historic place, as shown on the 

National Register Nomination Form? 

2. Where is the place located?

3. When was it built or created?

4. When was it nominated? 

5. According to the nomination, how was it used originally? 

6. Using information in Section 8 of the nomination, explain in your own words why 

people thought this property was significant enough to be listed in the National Register. 

Victorian row houses in the 

Cape May Historic District, 

New Jersey

Credit: National Park Service 

photo by Beth Boland

The historic “Lucy” building 

in Margate, New Jersey 

Credit: National Park Service 

photo by Beth Boland

NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION WORKSHEET
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1. Look carefully at the historic place. How would you describe it in general terms, 

such as size, shape, appearance, setting, condition and other characteristics? 

2. What kind of clues can you find about its age or evolution over time? 

3. How is it being used today? Do you think the current use is different from the original use? 

How can you tell? 

4. What hypotheses can you make about what people, events, or ways of life this place 

might have been associated with historically, based on what you can see? 

What kinds of information would you need to confirm or deny your hypotheses? 

5. If the place is vacant, can you think of any way it might be adapted for a new use? 

6. If it has been restored, who restored it and why? 

7. If it is open to the public as a historic site, what do visitors learn about why it is important? 

8. What does this place mean to you? 

9. How do you think the community would be affected if it were destroyed or substantially 

altered? What might replace it? How might the character and appearance of the 

community or neighborhood change? 

OBSERVATION WORKSHEET: HISTORIC PLACES