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Tour the U.S. Capitol - US Government
Grades
6 to 12
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This site from the Architect of the U.S. Capitol offers historical information as well as a collection of photos showing key features. There is also an "interactive tour," but the ...more
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This site from the Architect of the U.S. Capitol offers historical information as well as a collection of photos showing key features. There is also an "interactive tour," but the site navigation is complex enough that you should probably do some serious previewing before turning students loose on this one.
In the Classroom
If teaching about initial plans for the construction of DC and how those developed, use the images from this site to compliment a class discussion or lecture. Within the teacher and students page, there are numerous images that detail L'enfant's original ideas for DC. Teachers can incorporate these in graphic organizers or even a slide-show over the interactive whiteboard.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour - National Park Service
Grades
7 to 12
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The story of the decisive battle of Gettysburg is told through battle images, tactical diagrams, biographies and eyewitness accounts. Distinctive sections provide insight on each day...more
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The story of the decisive battle of Gettysburg is told through battle images, tactical diagrams, biographies and eyewitness accounts. Distinctive sections provide insight on each day of the battle and allow visitors to "tour" the actual sites involved in the conflict. Students can experience the historical value of primary source information when they click on "Voices of Battle" link, which includes reminiscences from those who witnessed the bloodshed. While this site provides a beautifully detailed account of the battle, students may become bogged down by the extensive text. Use as a resource for in-class research, or as the focus of a Web hunt activity.
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North Dakota - North Dakota.gov
Grades
4 to 12
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Find basic facts about the state of North Dakota. Especially helpful is the information included
"https://www.ndtourism.com/information/north-dakota-state-symbols", about the state's...more
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Find basic facts about the state of North Dakota. Especially helpful is the information included
"https://www.ndtourism.com/information/north-dakota-state-symbols", about the state's symbols. Be sure to explore the menu list at the bottom of the home page which includes information about the state's tourism, parks, arts & culture, and much more.
In the Classroom
Share this site with students researching information for state reports. Rather than having students create traditional reports, replace these by making them online! Use PicLits. Take student learning a step further by modifying and having students use a tool such as Zeemaps. This site allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location on a map (Alabama) where the report takes place. Explore the site with students when learning about different states, ask students to tell what they know then compare it to information provided on the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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War Letters - PBS
Grades
9 to 12
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Teach American history through the words of those who were there. This fascinating site focuses on personal narratives from men and women who captured the horror, sadness, and intensity...more
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Teach American history through the words of those who were there. This fascinating site focuses on personal narratives from men and women who captured the horror, sadness, and intensity of war. Experiences from the American Revolution to the Persian Gulf War are reflected in featured letters. Although this site is designed around a companion PBS special, much can be learned from the on-line materials without viewing the program. Visit the Teacher's Guide for suggestions on using personal narratives in history class. Other features include a gallery of wartime cartoons, an interactive timeline (1775-1994), and a military postal history trivia game.
In the Classroom
History, Civics, Economics and Geography teachers will love the free lesson plans and activities offered in the "Teacher Guide" section. Beyond that the site also offers games and movie clips that would help make the site a useful lecture supplement or learning center.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Budget Simulator - Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12
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So often we hear impassioned cries for causes that deserve more governmental funding. At the same time, we know that the government already spends more money than it has. A ...more
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So often we hear impassioned cries for causes that deserve more governmental funding. At the same time, we know that the government already spends more money than it has. A balanced federal budget seems little more than a fantasy. Do students think they can do better? This simulation exercise (it's too important a topic to refer to as a game), guides students through the difficult choices our governments needs to make if it is to balance the federal government. Cut the military? Cut healthcare spending? Cut services for the needy? Once you've made the choices, the simulator will deliver the outcome: were you able to balance the budget by cutting over $1.3 billion in spending?
In the Classroom
This would make a wonderful class team competition. Consider dividing the class into groups, or even pitting different sections of the same course against each other. Encourage the students not to breeze through the choices too quickly. The site might be useful for mature younger students if they have the attention span required to make careful and reasoned choices. Another option is to complete this activity as a class on an interactive whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Moving Images Collection - Early Motion Pictures - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12
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This site has film clips of American Factories, The McKinley Era, New York circa 1900, San Francisco before and after the earthquake, and other indexed historical early films. The clips...more
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This site has film clips of American Factories, The McKinley Era, New York circa 1900, San Francisco before and after the earthquake, and other indexed historical early films. The clips are long, so take a few minutes to download, but the results could illustrate a history lesson or a communications study. This site also links to Edison's early motion picture and sound recordings. Students can also use these for primary research for National History Day or other major projects.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector. Because the clips are long, make sure to preview them to help decide whether to play the whole thing or just portions. This videos would be great to use during a study of Edison, or even the content covered in the videos. It could lead to a very interesting conversation as to the value of videos as resources, and what criteria we should judge them by.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Newshour Classroom - PBS NewsHour Productions LLC
Grades
7 to 12
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Find news and resources for grades 7-12 at PBS Newshour Classroom. Search the site by Subject Area, Videos, Arts and Media, Science, and more. Explore news articles written for students...more
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Find news and resources for grades 7-12 at PBS Newshour Classroom. Search the site by Subject Area, Videos, Arts and Media, Science, and more. Explore news articles written for students with the background and context needed to understand complex topics. The Daily Videos are ad-free and have related stories along the right side of the page. Read the current events news stories and follow the Extra Twitter feed. Don't miss the many free lesson plans including current events, American history, health, government, holidays, and more. Lesson plans are all aligned to the Common Core standards. Lesson plan topics vary from "Personal reflections on the poetry of Maya Angelou" to "Selma to Montgomery: An introduction to the 1965 marches" and countless others! Look for the Student Voices and Student Reporting Labs for those who would like to be published or to help a local PBS station produce the news.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Watch the news together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to watch independently on laptops or at a learning station. Use any video or article as a current events writing prompt. Challenge students to create blog posts about them. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Don't forget the many free lesson plans (already aligned to Common Core standards). Click on the Lesson Plans link to explore the countless topics available (Poetry, Veterans, Elections, Ebola, Civil Rights, and more). For articles and videos about conflicts and tension, extend student learning by having your students engage in a debate using a tool such as Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates. Keep your class up-to-date on the news using this site. Provide this link on your class website for students (and families) to access both in and out of your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Humor's Edge: Cartoons by Ann Telnaes - Library of Congress
Grades
9 to 12
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This site features the Pulitzer Prize-winning talent of Ann Telnaes, a contemporary political cartoonist who accurately depicts the drama and news of the day with clarity and wit. Use...more
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This site features the Pulitzer Prize-winning talent of Ann Telnaes, a contemporary political cartoonist who accurately depicts the drama and news of the day with clarity and wit. Use these online examples from Library of Congress exhibit to introduce current political issues or challenge your students to design their own political cartoons.
In the Classroom
Use the images on this site to discuss the role political cartoons can play in US government. Select a few of Telnaes's images, displaying them over the projector. Have a class discussion about the images, discussing perspectives, effects and what is being portrayed by the cartoons. This is a great way to discover how humor can affect opinions, and dissect how it is done.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Museum of American History - Interactive Flag - Smithsonian Institute
Grades
K to 12
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This site provides a comprehensive look at the Star Spangled Banner. The site lets you interact with the Star Spangled Banner by clicking on various "hot spots". You can play ...more
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This site provides a comprehensive look at the Star Spangled Banner. The site lets you interact with the Star Spangled Banner by clicking on various "hot spots". You can play a game called Collect the Stars that requires you to collect 14 stars by answering quiz questions. You can sing your own version of the national anthem and contribute your own photos to the flag mosaic. There is also a link to educational resources (click resources). You can also click on the link at the bottom of the page "How to Use This Resource In Your Classroom."
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the Explore the Flag section on the site as a whole group activity. Have students explore the site independently or in small groups. If used independently put the site on a classroom computer and use as a center. To use in small groups, set up a game show format. Using the Star Quiz game, break students into groups and ask the questions. Whichever team collects the most stars wins. In addition, take individual or group photos and submit them to be part of the flag mosaic. Additional ideas can be found in the provided educator resources.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Private Art - A collection of letters to and from home
Grades
6 to 12
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This is a collection of letters exchanged between one soldier and his family. The material is indexed chronologically and is easy to retrieve and use, though the site is probably ...more
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This is a collection of letters exchanged between one soldier and his family. The material is indexed chronologically and is easy to retrieve and use, though the site is probably more technically complex than necessary. Nice use of graphics and illustrations.
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Minnesota
Grades
4 to 12
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The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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South Dakota
Grades
4 to 12
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The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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Great Lakes Maritime History Project - Wisconsin Historical Society
Grades
6 to 12
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Created by the Wisconsin Historical Society, this site gives users access to a database of images of commerce on the Great Lakes over the past 150 years or ...more
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Created by the Wisconsin Historical Society, this site gives users access to a database of images of commerce on the Great Lakes over the past 150 years or so - primarily dealing with Wisconsin. The contents include photographs, digitized documents, advertising posters, and other material that chronicles traffic on the lakes. Both the search and keyword features are more awkward than they should be, and this likely will relegate this site to use by interested teachers only. It's a pity; there are interesting items here.
In the Classroom
Use this site to teach about the evolution of transportation in the US and how that affected areas such as the Midwest and the Great lakes regions. Search this site for primary sources that could be incorporated into your classroom, illustrating the content. These primary sources could be used to teach both the content and historical thinking skills in your classroom. Divide students into 5-6 groups, with each group assigned a different primary source to read and evaluate. (Sources should come from various perspectives to make the game more interesting) Have the groups present quick summaries of their source to the class, making sure to mention who the author is and whether or not there could be bias. After all have presented, have each team pick a representative to argue in front of the class as to why their source is the most reliable and valid. After all have made their argument, have the class vote off the least reliable "survivor style" until you are left with just one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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We Shall Overcome - Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement - National Park Service
Grades
4 to 12
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This is the National Park Service's guide to American sites that were important in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. It includes travel information as well as ...more
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This is the National Park Service's guide to American sites that were important in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. It includes travel information as well as background on the sites and their significance.
In the Classroom
Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them explore the site with the intention of picking three to research further. The text portions are challenging, so you should pair weaker readers with a partner as they research on this site. Have students pick the three the think are most significant or symbolic, which will be presented in poster form. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here). This activity will teach students about some of the major events of the Civil rights movements in a way that provides relief from lectures.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jean-Antoine Houdan:Sculptor of the Enlightenment - J. Paul Getty Museum
Grades
9 to 12
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Houdan's work captured an historic period of revolution and unrest in France and America. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Napoleon are among his subjects. Rotate the sculptures...more
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Houdan's work captured an historic period of revolution and unrest in France and America. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Napoleon are among his subjects. Rotate the sculptures in this virtual museum exhibit to examine details and learn about the artist's techniques. Best suited for use with advanced art students.
In the Classroom
Share the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector to illustrate to students the more finite details of Houdan's work. Students can explore the site on their own if more help is necessary. This site would be useful not only for exploring Houdan, but for providing a 3D image students can attempt to analyze or model their own work after.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New Perspectives on the West - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
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This PBS site has ten lessons that examine "new perspectives" on the westward expansion of the United States during the Nineteenth Century. The lesson plans are part of a larger ...more
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This PBS site has ten lessons that examine "new perspectives" on the westward expansion of the United States during the Nineteenth Century. The lesson plans are part of a larger site, rich with additional resources for researching and teaching about the America's movement westward. Specific lessons touch upon topics such as the transcontinental railroad, Mark Twain, the creation of the literary "west," and the role influence of disease and natural disasters upon western lifestyles.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans on this site! Make sure to save it as a favorite on your desktop to allow for easy retrieval later on.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Kent State Shootings - Kent State University
Grades
6 to 12
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This site commemorates the shootings of students at Kent State University during Vietnam war protests in 1974. ...more
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This site commemorates the shootings of students at Kent State University during Vietnam war protests in 1974.
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Women and Social Movements in the United States - SUNY Binghamton
Grades
9 to 12
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Originally created at SUNY Binghamton, this site offers interesting perspective on the involvement of women in American social movements from the 1830s onward. Go straight to the "Teachers'...more
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Originally created at SUNY Binghamton, this site offers interesting perspective on the involvement of women in American social movements from the 1830s onward. Go straight to the "Teachers' Corner" for synopses and write-ups ordered chronologically. These can provide some interesting additional texture for American history elements already in your curriculum.
In the Classroom
One of the most useful parts of the site are the pre-prepared DBQ's that are seen predominantly in classes preparing for the AP exam. Use the Document Based Questions on this site to help students prepare and practice for their exam. Make sure to pass this one on to other AP teachers!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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U-Boat U-505 - Chicago Museum of Science
Grades
6 to 12
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We're not sure how a German submarine ended up at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, but this site will tell you about it. The contents include both an ...more
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We're not sure how a German submarine ended up at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, but this site will tell you about it. The contents include both an on-line tour of the boat and background information on the role of the U-boats in World War II, and what life was like inside these machines. Great fodder for a report or research project.
In the Classroom
Within the learning tools portion of the site are some brief but interesting interactive games that would make for great learning centers or stations during a lesson on the atlantic front of WWII as well as a lesson on the new technology that was being utilized by either side. Allow students to complete the site individually on classroom computers - just be sure to save it as a favorite on the computer to allow for easier retrieval of the site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List - Inventors and Inventions - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Use this CurriConnects list to find books related to Inventions. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels...more
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Use this CurriConnects list to find books related to Inventions. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles''® to match with student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly.
In the Classroom
Build student literacy skills, reinforce what students are learning about Inventions, and help students build the important reading strategy of connecting what they read to prior (classroom!) knowledge. Share this link on your class web page or wiki so students can select independent reading books to accompany your unit on Inventions. Don't forget to share the list with the school and local libraries so they can bring in some of the books on interlibrary loan. CurriConnects are a great help for teachers who have lost school library/media specialists due to budget cuts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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