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Graphic Witness
Grades
9 to 12
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Visual arts and social commentary come together in this site that looks at human history through the lens of artists and illustrators. Topics include graphic arts in wartime, 19th century...more
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Visual arts and social commentary come together in this site that looks at human history through the lens of artists and illustrators. Topics include graphic arts in wartime, 19th century news illustrations, and art under duress. Use this site to provoke discussion, guide reflective writing, or inspire personal artistic expression. These compelling images would make very effective anticipatory sets when projected in the classroom.
In the Classroom
Use the images to create a visual discovery activity in your classroom - for example, use the collection of drawings to teach the events of WWII to your students. Share the images on the interactive whiteboard or projector, with students filling out reflections about each image. Reflections should focus on what they observe, infer and predict about each image. After showing a few of the more powerful images, have a class discussion as to what students wrote in their reflections. Going back to each image - what did we learn? What can we assume? What does this picture tell us about this event? You would be surprised about the emotional impact students learn, in addition to the content. This would be a good activity to do as a review, when students are able to use the information from class to project about the images. A great resource for a US history course.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The White House Tour - Google Maps
Grades
K to 12
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This White House tour uses Google Maps street view tools to "tour" the inside of America's home. Use the circle tool in the lower left corner to rotate around the ...more
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This White House tour uses Google Maps street view tools to "tour" the inside of America's home. Use the circle tool in the lower left corner to rotate around the room, and click on objects to get a closer view.
In the Classroom
Take your students on a virtual field trip! This is a great way for kids to "visit" the White House. Include it during inauguration week or any time you are studying U.S. government. Show the website using a projector, and have students write a tour script or a tale of something that might happen in the White House. Younger students might want to write a story from the President's dog's (or other pet's) point of view! Before using the site, you should familiarize yourself with how to use the Google Maps street view tools to navigate through the house. Better yet, have a student operate the tour on the whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Universcale - Nikon
Grades
2 to 12
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Want to make more connections between the smallest things in the world and the largest? Universcale has an opportunity to view vast differences in size using a slider and images ...more
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Want to make more connections between the smallest things in the world and the largest? Universcale has an opportunity to view vast differences in size using a slider and images from the largest of things (planets, etc.) to the smallest (portions of atoms). Additional information is provided with the images. Choose "Full Screen Mode" or "Normal Screen Mode." Grasp the physical differences and presence of various objects in the living world around us.
In the Classroom
Have individuals or groups work to identify object size and make connections not only about size, but other physical properties. Use creative writing for students to express what they feel as they are moving through the size differences. What a great way to teach proportion on math class! Identify the sizes to determine increases or decreases, proportion, scientific notations, etc. Identify how the understanding of a specific item has changed throughout history. To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic (comparing two items) to share using Lucidpress, reviewed here. Even elementary teachers can use this "viewer" to help students understand science concepts of size. Try it on an interactive whiteboard and have students operate the controls.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Political Science - MIT Open Courseware - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grades
9 to 12
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High school government and history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum...more
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High school government and history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.
In the Classroom
AP history or government students may find MIT's online political science course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, students and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History - MIT Open Courseware - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grades
9 to 12
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High school history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and...more
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High school history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.
In the Classroom
AP history students may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, students and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Woody Guthrie: Bound for Glory - Museum of Musical Instruments
Grades
6 to 12
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The Museum of Music History offers this online exhibition about the songs and life of singer Woody Guthrie. There are lyrics, music samples, and background information on the singer's...more
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The Museum of Music History offers this online exhibition about the songs and life of singer Woody Guthrie. There are lyrics, music samples, and background information on the singer's life and life during the great depression. This one would be a great adjunct to a study of either folk music or the Depression.
In the Classroom
Use this site to shed some more light on the famous singer who created one of the great patriotic songs in American history. Introduce this site on the interactive whiteboard before allowing them to explore it on their own or in groups on classroom computers. If using a follow-along or graphic organizer, teachers could tailor this lesson to be a focus on the Great Depression and how it affected different types of people. If using a graphic organizer we recommend Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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This Day in the Civil War
Grades
4 to 12
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Those interested in the Civil War will enjoy this one. The simple timeline offers a comment about the events of the day drawn from Civil War history. From the menu ...more
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Those interested in the Civil War will enjoy this one. The simple timeline offers a comment about the events of the day drawn from Civil War history. From the menu on the right, find interesting topics like Civil War Facts, Trigger Events of the Civil War, The Reason for Secession, and others, with links to additional information.
In the Classroom
At the beginning of a unit on the Civil War, introduce this site to your students on your interactive whiteboard or with a projector. Depending on the age of your students you could divide the menu topics up for small groups to report on, or you could take one topic and divide the information up for small groups of younger students to report on. After individuals and small groups have finished researching their topic, enhance student learning by having them use one of the multimedia tools listed here. Click the tool name to access the review: Genially, Microsoft PowerPoint Online, Animatron, Renderforest, and Canva Inforgraphic Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Core Documents of U.S. Democracy - Government Printing Office
Grades
7 to 12
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Access current and historical U.S. government documents with the click of a mouse. This electronic collection includes the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Gettysburg Address, Emancipation...more
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Access current and historical U.S. government documents with the click of a mouse. This electronic collection includes the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation, as well as Supreme Court decisions, the Budget of the United States Government, and so much more. Selected and authenticated by the Government Printing Office's GPO Access service.
In the Classroom
Use this as a resource for research projects or papers, particularly those debating a specific court decision or amendment. Useful resource for a US government class!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Big Picture - Boston.com (Part of the Boston Globe)
Grades
6 to 12
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This website offers large, poignant, and significant pictures from different current events and history. The pictures are stunning and definitely help tell the story which further...more
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This website offers large, poignant, and significant pictures from different current events and history. The pictures are stunning and definitely help tell the story which further enhances student understanding. The site can be searched by category or by archived dates. Although this site doesn't appear to be updated on a regular basis, it is updated at least once every few months. Note: the images are large so may take a while to load! It is worth the wait.
You are able to post comments. You may want to preview the comments before allowing students to view. Posting comments requires an email address. Check your school's acceptable use policy regarding student email use. Rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
You are able to post comments. You may want to preview the comments before allowing students to view. Posting comments requires an email address. Check your school's acceptable use policy regarding student email use. Rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
In the Classroom
This site would be great for a multitude of subjects and may be best implemented with an interactive whiteboard or projector. One suggestion is to show a picture on the board as students enter the room and pose one question about it. It would create a great prompt for discussion or journaling. Students could also access pictures and create their own stories or presentations of the actual events. Students could create a news story and post it to the classroom wiki where available. Do you want to learn more about wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Benjamin Franklin: An Extaordinary Life, An Electric Mind - PBS
Grades
7 to 12
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Learn about the colorful life and world of Ben Franklin through this series of eight downloadable lesson plans that explore the statesman's many talents and contributions. Topics include...more
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Learn about the colorful life and world of Ben Franklin through this series of eight downloadable lesson plans that explore the statesman's many talents and contributions. Topics include Poor Richard's Almanack, superstition vs. science, volunteerism and citizenship, colonial "broadsides" and almanacs, the art of invention, and more. Aligned to National Standards.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities hosted on this site! This would be a great resource for an early American history class, be sure to save it as a favorite on your computer!
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Civil War Classroom Activities - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
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Based on the Ken Burns PBS production that aired in 1990, this collection of lesson plans is complete, thought-provoking, and covers a wide range of topics whose relevance extends well...more
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Based on the Ken Burns PBS production that aired in 1990, this collection of lesson plans is complete, thought-provoking, and covers a wide range of topics whose relevance extends well beyond the war itself. Designed for use in grades 7-12, these one- and two-period lessons are well-annotated, include lots of web links, and come complete with downloadable PDF files. Students will find these an interesting set of source ideas for reports and the like, and teachers will be able to take this content in many different directions. Well worth a look!
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities offered in this site! The majority are somehow tied into the video, but there are some that also are broad enough that showing the video is not necessary.
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Days of Infamy - American Radio Works
Grades
6 to 12
3 Favorites
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Here's a web site comparing American reactions after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the attacks on the World Trade Center. The real substance of the presentation is a series ...more
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Here's a web site comparing American reactions after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the attacks on the World Trade Center. The real substance of the presentation is a series of slide shows of commentary and "person in the street" reactions to the two events. Transcripts are also available.
In the Classroom
There are four special topics, Getting the News, Patriotism, The Enemy Among Us, and Sacrifice. Each topic has a slide show and additional information. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a topic to investigate. Use the Cooperative Learning Jigsaw method (small groups), reviewed here. Those with larger classrooms may have a topic or two assigned to two different groups.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ancient China Online Games and Activities - Mr. Donn
Grades
1 to 12
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Though we don't often recommend "lists" of links, this site hosts 19 links to games about or related to Ancient China. The games vary in age level and topic, ranging ...more
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Though we don't often recommend "lists" of links, this site hosts 19 links to games about or related to Ancient China. The games vary in age level and topic, ranging from Tangram squares, to review games and Calligraphy how-to's.
In the Classroom
Browse through this site to find activities to fit your specific class during a unit on Ancient China. After you've found games that can work, save them as favorites on classroom computers and use them as learning centers or stations. This would be a great way to review before an assessment or immediately after a lecture introducing the topic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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America's Founding Documents - National Archives
Grades
6 to 12
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Though part of a larger site about America's historic documents, this collection of biographies of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention will find plenty of use by itself....more
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Though part of a larger site about America's historic documents, this collection of biographies of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention will find plenty of use by itself. These delegates wrote our Constitution, but today's students know very little about any of them. Find the details of each man's life here!
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
This is a great site to introduce the American Founding Fathers, or for reference around Presidents Day weekend. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector, during a lesson on the individual fathers. Have students look at the site and select one image that they think represents a particular Founding Father. Have students create a multimedia presentation using PowerPoint. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. To find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Pikwizard, Have students report a story on the founding fathers as if the issue of the constitution is a current one, and they are informing the public of its happenings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Declaration of Independence - National Archives
Grades
7 to 12
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The National Archives has created an intriguing site that reveals some little known information about this historic document. Discover the number of signers who were born in Europe,...more
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The National Archives has created an intriguing site that reveals some little known information about this historic document. Discover the number of signers who were born in Europe, meet the signer who was a musician, and find out who was the youngest at the time of the signing. A special feature allows you to add your own signature to the document. Also includes a time line detailing the creation of the document.
In the Classroom
Use the "Meet the founding fathers" section as the basis of character roles for a in-class town hall meeting, recreating the events of the constitutional convention. Assign students different roles, i.e. founding fathers, and have them use the biographies of this site to allow them to research who their role was and what their beliefs were for a debate as to whether or not to sign the Declaration of Independence. If students stick to their assigned perspectives, the town-hall meeting can be a great way to review the important reasons for independence and the various perspectives that existed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Presidency in Action - American Presidents - University of Virginia
Grades
6 to 12
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This is a thematic look at the conduct and evolution of the American presidency since the founding of the republic. It examines the executive structures that manage domestic, economic,...more
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This is a thematic look at the conduct and evolution of the American presidency since the founding of the republic. It examines the executive structures that manage domestic, economic, foreign, and legislative activities in more than enough detail for secondary students. Even a quick tour will demonstrate the current complexity of the executive branch. Be sure to check out Issues and Policy form the menu in the upper left corner.
In the Classroom
This site has a variety of uses within a US government or history classroom. To begin with, teachers can use this site as a resource for research projects; a source for speeches and writings, as well as a learning center during a unit on a particular president or time period. A very useful and flexible source that can easily be worked into your curriculum!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Watergate Revisited - Washington Post
Grades
7 to 12
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The unmasking of "deep throat," the shadowy informant in the Watergate saga, has prompted a new wave of interest in the sandal that changed American government forever. This retrospective...more
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The unmasking of "deep throat," the shadowy informant in the Watergate saga, has prompted a new wave of interest in the sandal that changed American government forever. This retrospective from the Washington Post provides not only a current summary, but a review of the original coverage, from the newspaper that broke the story.
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Have students explore the site with the intentions of creating a summary of the most important events. Have cooperative learning groups create online books using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Students can write the book from the perspective of Nixon or Deep throat...a great way to introduce the topic in a non-lecture format.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dream of Flight - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12
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Highlighting the incredible courage, ingenuity, and determination of Orville and Wilbur Wright, this Library of Congress site traces the importance of flight through history as it chronicles...more
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Highlighting the incredible courage, ingenuity, and determination of Orville and Wilbur Wright, this Library of Congress site traces the importance of flight through history as it chronicles the brothers' amazing achievement in Kitty Hawk, NC. Rich in text, photographs, and primary source documents, this electronic exhibit could form the basis for a teacher-created Web hunt, or serve as a visual supplement for a unit on American history and inventors.
In the Classroom
Within the section entitled "the dream" is a collection of primary resources that reflect society's obsession with flight. Print out or download these images separately on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Once students are in groups, assign each student a resource - with each group analyzing and interpreting the meaning of the pieces of art. After each group has dissected their resource, have a classroom debate as to which is the most reflective of human desire to fly? Which is the most inspirational? Which was the most scientific? Not only will the debate explore each of the sources but it will depend on students background knowledge of the history of flight. Because of this, this activity is probably best served at the end of a unit when it can be used as an informal review.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Modernism - Minneapolis Institute of the Arts
Grades
6 to 12
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This site from the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts is almost as good as a field trip. Stuffed with images, video clips, and text, it offers a presentation on Modernism ...more
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This site from the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts is almost as good as a field trip. Stuffed with images, video clips, and text, it offers a presentation on Modernism that runs from the British arts and crafts movement in the 1880s through to American Art Deco of the 1940s. There are images, text, and video narration for each segment, providing a nice evolutionary tour. Use the pieces together or individually as supplemental material for art history, or as an adjunct to an American or European history class.
In the Classroom
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study of modernism in the past two centuries. Use the site's images and virtual exhibits to showcase the movement being talked about to compliment your class lectures. Another useful item is that some of the exhibits have a quick video clip that can help introduce the idea to your class in a way that foreshadows the rest of your lecture. Make sure your technology allows for the videos to be seen and not just heard!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Calisphere - University of California
Grades
4 to 12
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Find an extensive collections of primary sources, including images and texts, from California history and culture. Many of these topics are part of a US history course, as well: Gold...more
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Find an extensive collections of primary sources, including images and texts, from California history and culture. Many of these topics are part of a US history course, as well: Gold Rush, World War II, etc. Materials are searchable and also organized into thematic collections for teachers.These collections include information on historical context and CA. standards.
In the Classroom
Teachers and students have permission to print, or download these collections for classroom use. Make bulletin boards or let students include the images in their PowerPoint or movie presentations. You do not have permission to place these images on a web page or use them for other purposes without specific permission to do so.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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