History Harvest is an innovative, collaborative approach to historical teaching and learning created and directed by Dr. Patrick D. Jones and Dr. William G. Thomas, III, in the Department of History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. History Harvest is community-based, student-centered, artifact-driven and skills-oriented. Since 2010, History Harvest has been adapted and used by educators across the country, and beyond, at the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as in upper-elementary, middle and high schools.

This site is organized into four main areas. The first introduces and explores the History Harvest concept, what it is and how it has developed over time. The second is oriented toward teachers who are interested in implementing the History Harvest model in their classroom. The third is the UNL History Harvest archive, which houses many of the artifacts we have digitized during our various harvests here on the edge of the Great Plains. And, the fourth section includes short videos, audio segments and other media resources created by students and project team members from collected materials.

Welcome to the History Harvest. Please take your time, look around, put these materials to use and share the link with others who might want to join what we think of as a “people’s history” project.