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Around the World in 42 Hand Gestures - Work the World
Grades
2 to 12
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Scroll down the landing to learn about gestures from other cultures and share the discussion through the infographic on this site.Use as part of your language class or as an ...more
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Scroll down the landing to learn about gestures from other cultures and share the discussion through the infographic on this site.Use as part of your language class or as an activity to help students communicate with ENL/ESL peers. Gestures can have VERY differnet meanings in other cultures, so this site is a must before any foreign language trips abroad!
In the Classroom
ENL/ESL teachers will appreciate this free infographic hosted by Work the World. Be sure to save it as a favorite on your classroom desktop to allow for easy retrieval later on.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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WorldWise Schools - Teaching About Culture Lesson Plans - Peace Corps
Grades
2 to 12
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This site is a much-expanded remake of the Peace Corps collection of lesson plans and activities for cross-cultural understanding around the world. Teachers can search for lesson plans...more
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This site is a much-expanded remake of the Peace Corps collection of lesson plans and activities for cross-cultural understanding around the world. Teachers can search for lesson plans by topic, region of the world, grade level, or academic subject. All readings and materials are included (many as PDF - Acrobat Reader files). Many lessons include readings that would also work well for teaching reading comprehension, espceially for your less-than-proficient readers. Simply choose the area of the world, subject, and/or grade level for which you want a lesson plan, and you will see quite a list.
In the Classroom
Search for lessons on a specific region as you teach about it or use these selections as general readings for comprehension. Consider using a guided reading activity with a tool like Read Ahead, reviewed here. Read Ahead is perfect for introducing any reading passage to struggling readers, special education students, and ENL/ESL learners. The lessons may also be helpful in getting to know students who enter your classroom from other cultures. The lessons would be very helpful in developing background knowledge to understand cross-cultural literature selections in a language arts class.
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Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - Dave Leip
Grades
6 to 12
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This site has many interactive ways to learn about the history of U.S. elections: interactive maps, discussion boards, predictions, polling data, and much more. Some of the tools may...more
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This site has many interactive ways to learn about the history of U.S. elections: interactive maps, discussion boards, predictions, polling data, and much more. Some of the tools may invite less mature students to enter into discussion boards inappropriately. Even so, it is an interesting and useful resource for students studying the history of U.S. elections or political parties.
In the Classroom
Use some of the interactive maps on a projector or interactive whiteboard or enter into the discussion boards as a class with ONE shared posting and watch the responses as a group.
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NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: Checks and Balances in Supreme Court Nominations - PBS
Grades
7 to 12
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This site is affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and presents a lesson plan focused on Supreme Court nominations and the ongoing balance of power in the US ...more
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This site is affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and presents a lesson plan focused on Supreme Court nominations and the ongoing balance of power in the US government. There are excellent discussion guides, a link to streaming video from the NewsHour, with an accompanying transcript that can be distributed, and a PDF version of a Chicago Tribune article on the issue. There is a nice vocabulary list. There is a good handout on the process of nominating a Supreme Court judge and a worksheet that accompanies it.
In the Classroom
There is a really nice "balance of powers" exercise that goes way beyond a simple discussion of the Supreme Court. Students look at all three branches of government and determine which branch has power in a variety of contemporary situations. This lesson plan is good as a stand-alone, but also provides a lot of jumping off places for further discussion and adaptation. Use a projector, as the plan suggests, to share the short video clips, available in several formats.
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NewsHour Extra Lesson Plan: The United Nations and Reform - PBS
Grades
9 to 12
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This site, connected to the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, looks at efforts and rationale for reform at the United Nations. There is an overview of the history of ...more
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This site, connected to the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, looks at efforts and rationale for reform at the United Nations. There is an overview of the history of the United Nations, including a nice PDF handout for students. The second part focuses on some of the organizational challenges faced by the UN and asks whether the UN is addressing the issues it was designed for.
In the Classroom
The information provided is fairly dense, and the issues and discussion of reform are probably beyond the scope of a general history class. However, the historical information would be useful for a more general audience, and the questions related to reform would be suitable for an upper level class on civics, government or modern US history.
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Be A Historian - Industrialization - Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Grades
5 to 10
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This teacher friendly site has it all - thinking questions, facts, research activities and more! This site is designed for grades 6-8, but could be useful in grades 5-10. ...more
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This teacher friendly site has it all - thinking questions, facts, research activities and more! This site is designed for grades 6-8, but could be useful in grades 5-10. The students are taken back to the late 1800s by authentic pictures and creative learning activities. Topics include working women, railroads and other forms of transportation and mass production.
In the Classroom
Use the interactive graphic organizers for students to complete individual or guided learning experiences. These would also work well on an interactive whiteboard.
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American Writers - C-Span
Grades
6 to 12
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This beautifully crafted site provides students with in-depth information on American writers and their works. Students can use the site's search feature to zero in on an era in American...more
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This beautifully crafted site provides students with in-depth information on American writers and their works. Students can use the site's search feature to zero in on an era in American history, a specific author, or a book title. The site features many video clips from the companion C-SPAN series. A high-speed connection is a must.
In the Classroom
You can pick and choose not only which author you want, but what information you want to use. You can choose short video clips shown on a projector either as a lesson in themselves (using the suggested questions or ones of your own); you can create a webquest using a combination of both this site and other sites linked from it; or you can use this as a straightforward internet lesson, using the material presented on the site itself. It is easily expandable to history and you can watch the video, a video clip, or read the transcript. Video requires Real Player.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Cultures and History of America - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12
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This site accompanies an exhibition of 4,000 rare books, maps, documents, paintings, prints, and ojects focused on the early Americas from the time of the indigenous people of Mexico,...more
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This site accompanies an exhibition of 4,000 rare books, maps, documents, paintings, prints, and ojects focused on the early Americas from the time of the indigenous people of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean through the period of European contact, exploration, and settlement. There is a nice picture gallery of exhibits and a comprehensive bibliography.This site provides some nice visuals for a unit on indiginous peoples of the Americas. The picture gallery has some lovely maps from the Francis Drake expedition, and the information about buccaneers would provide a nice balance to the "Pirates of the Carribean" fantasy depiction of pirates.
In the Classroom
Use portions of this site on a projector in class or spend a day on a "web hunt" with students answering questions you give them to find within the site. There is plenty to explore.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Calendars through the Ages - Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement
Grades
6 to 12
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This information-packed site focuses on calendars through the ages. It includes sections on the astronomy of calendars (e.g. moon cycles), the history of calendars, differences among...more
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This information-packed site focuses on calendars through the ages. It includes sections on the astronomy of calendars (e.g. moon cycles), the history of calendars, differences among various international calendars, derivation of the names of the months, and loads of other trivia about calendars.
In the Classroom
Lots of great stuff for "did you know?" discussions or as an extension of a study of timelines and other graphic organizers of information. A few interesting visuals, but the strength of this site is in its information. Might be a good source for monthly bulletin boards or an enrichment area for gifted students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historic Park - National Park Service
Grades
3 to 12
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The National Park Service's overview of Seattle's Klondike Gold Rush Visitor Center contains links to some extremely comprehensive educational materials. Included is a integrated curriculum...more
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The National Park Service's overview of Seattle's Klondike Gold Rush Visitor Center contains links to some extremely comprehensive educational materials. Included is a integrated curriculum design for grades 3-6 consisting of 19 lessons blending history, language arts (writing and journaling), and geography. One of the lessons requires the use of the PBS film "Gold!" and one of the lessons involves a field trip to the Visitor Center. There are links to PDF versions of lesson documents, many hands-on project overviews, and comprehensive materials lists. The lessons would be easily adapted to students in higher grade levels.
In the Classroom
Teachers in upper grades could easily pick and choose from these lessons to flesh out a unit on the Gold Rush. The link to "History and Culture" takes you to a Washington State data base of photographs and newspaper clippings that could provide good primary source material for classroom use or for History Day projects on the Gold Rush.
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Blog Basics for the Classroom - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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This comprehensive tutorial gives all the details on using gated blogs safely in the classroom, including explanations of blogging basics, a TeachersFirst Step-by-Step on how to start...more
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This comprehensive tutorial gives all the details on using gated blogs safely in the classroom, including explanations of blogging basics, a TeachersFirst Step-by-Step on how to start one, complete charts of the features of several free blogging tools for teachers, and over two dozen ideas for how to use a blog with your students. Make "writing to learn" approachable and exciting. You will even find a customizable Blogger's Agreement to download and use with students and parents so everyone knows the expectations and consequences for your class blogs.
In the Classroom
You could use this step by step as the framework for a self-directed or "buddy" professional development project. Share it with your principal or professional development coordinator. USe the strategies and ideas here to start a blog for your class or for each student. Don't miss suggestions for a Teacher as Blogger so you can model blogging, too.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Explore Pennsylvania History
Grades
4 to 12
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Learn about Pennsylvania history, see and learn about historical sites within Pennsylvania, and find lesson plans for elementary through high school on this site. There are three different...more
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Learn about Pennsylvania history, see and learn about historical sites within Pennsylvania, and find lesson plans for elementary through high school on this site. There are three different avenues into the site, including the link to lesson plans (Teach PA History). Standards correlation is to Pennsylvania standards, but the content is appropriate for any history class studying the many events that occurred in Pennsylvania as part of U.S. history. Reading levels may be challenging for younger students.
In the Classroom
Follow a lesson ready-made plan or design your own web treasure hunt for students to read, see, and learn about history by navigating this site. You could also feature a "historical marker a day" as an anticipatory set on a projector during your units on PA history in Pennsylvania classrooms.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Black Wings: African American Pioneer Aviators - Smithsonian- National Air and Space Museum
Grades
5 to 12
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Inspire future aviators or encourage students to pursue their dreams with this site that traces African American aviators through the years. There are many images and short passages...more
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Inspire future aviators or encourage students to pursue their dreams with this site that traces African American aviators through the years. There are many images and short passages of text. The reading levels are not for younger students. Black Wings permits students to download and use images in their reports, as long as they are classroom projects, either printed or electronic, such as in PowerPoint or other tech tool. Images may not be published on web pages or burned to CD. Be sure to visit the What's New section for featured interviews with aviators. What a terrific and interesting primary source!
In the Classroom
Use this site and Read Ahead, reviewed here, as part of reading comprehension practice and find your students are actually interested in what they read. Have students create projects about their favorite aviator or aircraft on a poster using Genially, reviewed here, or PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Make sure students understand they have to give proper attribution to the images and information they use.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kazan, Miller, and the McCarthy Era - PBS- Anna Chan Rekate
Grades
10 to 12
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PBS provides this comprehensive set of lesson plans, including links and video clips to help your social studies or English students understand about the McCarthy Era and its impact...more
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PBS provides this comprehensive set of lesson plans, including links and video clips to help your social studies or English students understand about the McCarthy Era and its impact on the arts. Whether you are teaching The Crucible or the U.S. in the 1950s, this will help students understand the era in greater depth. Activities include Readers Theatre readings of the Crucible in your English class. The lesson series was written to accompany an episode in the PBS series American Masters, and some lesons include use of the video from this series.
In the Classroom
If you do not have time for all the lessons or do not have access to the fullvideo, there is a wealth of information for you to use as background and valuable links for planning shorter activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Inconvenient Truth: Take Action - Inconvenient Truth
Grades
6 to 12
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Take action against global warming and depletion of the ozone layer. Start by using this site's CO2 calculator to estimate your personal impact on the environment and check out the...more
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Take action against global warming and depletion of the ozone layer. Start by using this site's CO2 calculator to estimate your personal impact on the environment and check out the things you can do in your home and travels to improve your behavior.
Note: this site is the companion to the documentary An Inconvenient Truth and gets a large amount of traffic, making it very slow to operate at peak times. You may want to use it as a whole-class activity or at-home enrichment if it is running slowly for you at the time you choose to use it.
In the Classroom
Warn your students not to venture into the portion of the site where they are "purchasing" contributions to i=offset their CO2 emissions. Instead, ask them to figure out which of their behaviors causes the worst pollution. Have them do a family survey at home to calculate what the family can do.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dimming the Sun - NOVA/WGBH
Grades
6 to 12
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NOVA provides a wide array of information on global dimming, a crisis due to the masking effect of pollution on the true impact of global warming. See interactive timelines of ...more
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NOVA provides a wide array of information on global dimming, a crisis due to the masking effect of pollution on the true impact of global warming. See interactive timelines of global change, some creative pollution solutions, and more. There is a complete teacher's guide, including hands-on classroom activities and extensive related links. This site is a companion to the PBS television broadcast. Though a few links still require Flash, there is so much more information at this site that it is worth a visit
In the Classroom
Use this site as a starting point for your discussion of global warming and environmental issues or as a research source for student projects. The interactive timeline would display well on a projector or interactive whiteboard to give students the "big picture" they so rarely have on their own.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Art 21: Art in the Twenty-First Century - PBS
Grades
9 to 12
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See the many featured, twenty-first century artists and their work in slideshows and hundreds of streaming video clips that accompany the ninth season of this PBS series. The artists...more
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See the many featured, twenty-first century artists and their work in slideshows and hundreds of streaming video clips that accompany the ninth season of this PBS series. The artists speak quite articulately about their creative process and messages they wish to convey.
In the Classroom
Make this site a link from your teacher web page for your art students to explore for inspiration. Many of the video clips would also be great introductions to studio assignments, cultural discussions, or writing assignments if shown on a projector. Find Teacher Guides for Art 21 here.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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Weaving Art Museum
Grades
6 to 12
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See annotated details of ancient and more recent weavings from many cultures using the interactive "exhibits" of the museum. See work from Egypt, Kashmir, Persia, and many more. Decode...more
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See annotated details of ancient and more recent weavings from many cultures using the interactive "exhibits" of the museum. See work from Egypt, Kashmir, Persia, and many more. Decode some of the iconography in Asian carpets. Some exhibits are text-heavy, while others offer many plates and details for your art students to study and use as references. World cultures classes will be able to envision ancient times by looking at the beautiful images on this site.
In the Classroom
Include this on your classroom computer Favorites when students are beginning a weaving or printmaking unit so they can find inspiration in the graphical patterns and story-telling elements. This would also be a great way to introduce a weaving unit or a unit on ancient Asian civilizations on a projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Cave of Lascaux - France Ministry of Culture and Communication
Grades
4 to 12
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Take virtual tour of the famous cave paintings of Lascaux in France, read about their discovery, learn to interpret the drawings, and find out fragile environment of the caves. ...more
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Take virtual tour of the famous cave paintings of Lascaux in France, read about their discovery, learn to interpret the drawings, and find out fragile environment of the caves. The site itself is beautiful to explore, letting you experience the caves with a virtual "flashlight" as you enter.
In the Classroom
Use a projector to introduce the site, if you must, but allow your students to navigate this one alone or with a partner. The thrill of discovery through the site's design is more than worth any management challenges. Give the students a specific set of questions to answer and things to find, if you are concerned that they may not stay on task. Compare these primitive drawings to those found in other cultures and continents as you discuss common themes in religion and mythology.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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