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Google Doodles - Google
Grades
3 to 12
8 Favorites
2 Comments
Love Google Doodles, those fun and spontaneous changes to the Google logo? View the gallery of Google Doodles on this site. Click About on the top menu to learn the ...more
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Love Google Doodles, those fun and spontaneous changes to the Google logo? View the gallery of Google Doodles on this site. Click About on the top menu to learn the background of Google Doodle. View the Doodle Archive with the newest Doodle appearing first on the page. Click the information button (i) for each doodle to bring up an information box. Click More Doodle Details to go to the Doodle page or click Search for to learn more about the topic or date. Move from one Doodle to the other by clicking the forward or back arrows on each Doodle page. Click Doodle4Google to view the Google contest. The competition typically takes place during the Fall. Click Classroom Activities for ideas on sparking and nurturing creativity in kids of all ages. Check back to find the next Doodle4Google contest for students.
tag(s): artists (82), creativity (90), drawing (60), gifted (65), STEM (279)
In the Classroom
This amazing collection of Doodles can be used to spark thinking in a variety of classes. Use the Doodles to teach a little history. View the resources about the event, person, or country that inspired the Doodle. Encourage thinking with your gifted kids by sharing the whole gallery for exploration or a specific Doodle. Use these Doodles to spark a new project idea or challenge kids to create a simple "doodle" as a new way to report on a historic figure or a content idea. Think your students will be intimidated making a computer Doodle? Consider creating a Doodle using any computer art software or simply creating one on paper. Use these ideas in Science to show the scientific inventions or concepts. In social studies, use Doodles to showcase specific events here and around the World. When looking at perspectives of people around the world, create doodles that can show more than one point of view. Write paragraphs or stories based on Google Doodles. Use Google Doodles in STEM initiatives at your school. Don't forget Art or Gifted programs! Get your students excited about the making of the Doodles and what code writing can do! Use tools such as Scratch, reviewed here, or Tynker, reviewed here, to practice coding.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Annenberg Learner - The Annenberg Foundation
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The Annenberg Learner Foundation's goal is to advance excellent teaching in American schools. Annenberg Learner's multimedia resources help teachers increase their expertise in their...more
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The Annenberg Learner Foundation's goal is to advance excellent teaching in American schools. Annenberg Learner's multimedia resources help teachers increase their expertise in their fields and improve teaching methods in all grade levels in all subjects. There are video resources for all subject areas. Find lesson plans for all subjects by grade level. A variety of interactives accompany lessons or can also stand alone. Follow the monthly updates and blogs for the latest information.
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tag(s): art history (89), butterflies (13), conversions (36), critical thinking (117), dna (43), earth (186), environment (246), geometric shapes (135), immigrants (34), medieval (32), native americans (95), patterns (62), periodic table (46), renaissance (38), rocks (35), russia (35), south africa (13), spelling (98), statistics (120), volcanoes (56), weather (161)
In the Classroom
In your classroom, explore the interactives available to enhance your lessons. Use the lesson plan library to add a new twist to your subject matter. Organize a professional study of your area of concentration for your department or grade level.
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Museum of Endangered Sounds - Brendan Chilcutt
Grades
4 to 12
1 Favorites
1 Comments
We all know about endangered plants and animals, but what about endangered sounds? The Museum of Endangered Sounds offers a collection of sounds unfamiliar to many young people. Click...more
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We all know about endangered plants and animals, but what about endangered sounds? The Museum of Endangered Sounds offers a collection of sounds unfamiliar to many young people. Click on any thumbnail to hear sounds such as the ka-ching of a cash register, dialing a rotary phone, the sound of dial-up Internet, or the click and winding of a film camera. Although the collection is quite small, it is worth a visit for a trip back to the past! Warning: the clip with TV Snow features a provocative photo. You may want to avoid that example with an immature audience.
tag(s): 1960s (26), 1970s (10), 1980s (7), inventors and inventions (77), sounds (42)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard and speakers to launch your modern history or technology unit. Include it in a unit on inventions and inventors or even in "sounds of the decades." Challenge students to research and find other "endangered" sounds from the past. Have them interview parents and grandparents to discover long-missing sounds. Create a class wiki museum of more endangered sounds and images. Challenge students (and parents) to find these items (in real life) and bring them in to share. Have students include sounds from the museum as part of a multimedia project. Use this site to launch discussions about the impact of technology and its rapid changes on such things as home design, economics, and even clothing. Share this site as part of Grandparent's Day activities and have grandparents share memories of these and other obsolete objects.Comments
Really neat site...Just be forewarned that there's a racy photo of a girl in a bikini on the old TV sound part. You don't see it until you click on the TV. Other than that, cute stuff.Angie, GA, Grades: 4 - 6
Editorial Note: Yes, we saw that racy photo also. It is mentioned in our review already, towards the end of the description.
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Remember Pearl Harbor - New York Times: The Learning Network
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Remember Pearl Harbor is a lesson plan for teaching about Pearl Harbor using historic articles and social media. The complete lesson includes many ideas for deep student learning such...more
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Remember Pearl Harbor is a lesson plan for teaching about Pearl Harbor using historic articles and social media. The complete lesson includes many ideas for deep student learning such as creating a gallery walk, a Twitter project, and a historic headlines project. Click on highlighted links to get access to all resources included on the site including Common Core Standards. If your district blocks YouTube, some links may not be viewable.
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tag(s): japan (56), pearl harbor (14), roosevelt (15), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plan for use in your World War II unit or Pearl Harbor lesson. Use this site to differentiate activities for students. Be sure to "mine" the links within the site for additional resources to add to your current lesson plans. Exchange paper and pen brainstorming by having students or groups collect ideas and findings about the Day That Will Live in Infamy using Padlet, reviewed here. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. Extend student learning and have them create a simple infographic about Pearl Harbor using Venngage, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Junior Rangers Online - National Park Service
Grades
3 to 8
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0 Comments
Join the National Park Service and become a Junior Ranger Online! Don your ranger hat and go for a virtual tour and watch videos. Explore the online interactives, including visits ...more
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Join the National Park Service and become a Junior Ranger Online! Don your ranger hat and go for a virtual tour and watch videos. Explore the online interactives, including visits to the Everglades and Aztec Ruins National Monument in New Mexico. Choose from over 150 printable activities that offer opportunities to explore careers, build monuments, and learn about national parks across the United States. Learn how to complete activities and receive a Junior Ranger Badge and Certificate from the National Parks Service. The National Park Service also offers materials for educators, although they are a little difficult to find. Select the Menu icon with three bars and click on Educators or go here. Find lesson plans and activities using a keyword search and filters by subject, grade level, and Common Core Standards.
tag(s): animals (288), landmarks (20), national parks (28), plants (148), virtual field trips (96)
In the Classroom
Use the Educator's resources to find many curriculum connections and alignment to Common Core. Introduce one of the WebRangers' multimedia resources to your class on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site as a precursor activity to an actual trip to one of the parks or as you study states and their major landmarks. Use this in science class as you study animals and habitats. Explore the landmarks in your own city or town and create multimedia presentations about them like the ones shown here. In the Teacher's Resource Guide, find the link to their Twitter account. Even if students are unable to physically visit and explore parks, use the virtual visits to learn about the National Parks around the country and offer students the opportunity to earn Junior Ranger certificates. Create a map using Google My Maps, reviewed here, and add places visited by your class throughout the school year. In addition to labeling locations, add images, videos, and student text to share information about each location.
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Women, Their Rights and Nothing Less - Newseum Digital Classroom
Grades
9 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
The Newseum pulls together an enormous collection of primary sources about the women's suffrage movement, with rich resources for using these primary sources in an educational setting....more
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The Newseum pulls together an enormous collection of primary sources about the women's suffrage movement, with rich resources for using these primary sources in an educational setting. There is an interactive timeline, a "media map" that plots primary sources on a US map for a visual representation of the geography of the movement, and nearly a dozen lesson plans (including videos) that feature the use of primary sources to broaden understanding. The site requires registration to use, but there is no cost.
tag(s): civil rights (200), women (142), womens suffrage (46)
In the Classroom
It can be tempting to relegate resources like this one to a special unit during Women's History Month, but the primary sources here need to be integrated throughout any study of civil rights in general and the importance of universal suffrage to a modern democracy. While the sources may all be related to the fight for votes for women, much of the content is also relevant in understanding the social and political history of the United States, particularly during the 19th and early 20th century. The lesson plans are comprehensive and include printable discussion guides and worksheets, as well as extension activities. They are standards aligned and Common Core compatible. For the extension activities, consider asking students to create a multimedia project rather than an essay. Enhance learning by using either Sway, reviewed here, or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Both of these tools will allow students to create a multimedia magazine or booklet and modify classroom technology use. You may also want to require students create a magazine cover using Magazine Cover Maker, reviewed here, to summarize info in their magazine with titles and as a way for them to double check and make sure they are not missing any requirements.
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The Year We Had Two Thanksgivings - Marist College
Grades
5 to 12
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Learn the story behind the year with two U.S. Thanksgivings from this simple, yet interesting site. The short article tells the tale of President Roosevelt's journey to declare the...more
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Learn the story behind the year with two U.S. Thanksgivings from this simple, yet interesting site. The short article tells the tale of President Roosevelt's journey to declare the official date for all states to celebrate Thanksgiving. View several documents, including letters and telegrams to the president voicing opinions on setting an official date for Thanksgiving.
tag(s): primary sources (119), roosevelt (15), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
Use information from the article and documents as part of any lesson about Thanksgiving. Share the documents as part of a unit on primary resources. Print and share documents with students and challenge them to present an opposing point of view or write a reply from President Roosevelt. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast different points of view. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook "as" President Roosevelt or one of the writers of letters to the president.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Photogrammar - DSL University of Richmond
Grades
6 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Take a visual tour of 90,000 historical US photographs (many related to agriculture) taken between 1935 and 1945 via this interactive map. Browse and find photos several ways: click...more
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Take a visual tour of 90,000 historical US photographs (many related to agriculture) taken between 1935 and 1945 via this interactive map. Browse and find photos several ways: click on any highlighted map area to find images; use the sliding bar to narrow down the time frame for available images; or choose from selected photographers. Use the top menu for many more search options. Most of the images are in the public domain so can be used as part of multimedia and other projects. Click on the "call number" on an individual photo page to see whether there are any limitations.
tag(s): 1930s (20), 1940s (14), agriculture (48), maps (207), photography (118)
In the Classroom
Share images from the map to compare and contrast life in your location now versus in the 1930's and 1940's. Display images on your interactive whiteboard to compare photographs from different parts of the country. Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects exploring American life following the Depression Years or on the home front during World War II. Have students choose an angle or area of emphasis to investigate, such as home life, work, farms, building, etc. Have students create timelines using Sutori, reviewed here, with images, text, and collaboration. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about life as an American in the 1930's and 1940's.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cartoons for the Classroom - The Association for American Editorial Cartoonists
Grades
6 to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
Cartoons for the Classroom offers over 400 one-page downloadable lessons featuring two or three political cartoons related to current events and several questions for discussion that...more
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Cartoons for the Classroom offers over 400 one-page downloadable lessons featuring two or three political cartoons related to current events and several questions for discussion that relate to those cartoons. Alternatively, download the cartoons alone along with space to "draw" your own conclusions. Also find an evaluation form for you and your students use. Click "Home" on the top left of the list to go to the home page and "Interactive Lessons - Updated Every Monday" (usually a political comment). A picture is worth a thousand words, and editorial cartoonists have been boiling down the foibles of politicians and public figures throughout history. One needs only to know about Thomas Nast and his cartoons of Boss Tweed during the 19th century to know that cartoons have a deep impact on political discourse.
tag(s): comics and cartoons (53), politics (114), satire (6)
In the Classroom
These one-page discussion starters could help students keep up with current political issues, provide an opening or closing activity, or serve as an enrichment activity for students who move through other assignments more quickly. Available either with or without guiding questions, and covering a wide range of relevant and timely topics, they are perfect to keep as a Plan B or for an emergency substitute teacher activity. Elsewhere on the site are links to Weekly News Videos with prompts for discussion, and other information about political cartooning through history; most of these latter links connect to outside sites so be sure and preview carefully. In an art class, create a "political" option during a line drawing unit for current events enthusiasts to draw their own political cartoons. Include these cartoons during a unit on humor and satire in an English/Language Arts class or gifted program.
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Past/Present - Experience History From the Inside Out - Center for New American Media and Muzzy Lane Software
Grades
5 to 11
2 Favorites
0 Comments
The Past/Present interactive will project you into the world of 1906 labor disputes and immigration. Set in a New England mill town, the characters are an immigrant female worker and...more
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The Past/Present interactive will project you into the world of 1906 labor disputes and immigration. Set in a New England mill town, the characters are an immigrant female worker and a male manager. These two must use critical thinking skills to make decisions that can affect their families and the community. Learn about organized labor, industrialization, and immigration in the Progressive era. Learn how to use primary sources and build historical thinking and teamwork skills. From the menu at the top, click on play to find a video on Vimeo or YouTube to get you started. Clicking on the Teachers tab will give you plenty of information about how to get started, assignments, and even a peek at the ending in case you run out of time. The Students tab has the student home and assignment documents (in PDF format).
tag(s): 1900s (73), critical thinking (117), game based learning (181), immigrants (34), immigration (68), industrialization (11)
In the Classroom
Prepare to use this activity in your classroom by thoroughly exploring the documentation and videos before you plan to use it. Introduce this interactive to students on a projector or whiteboard using the demo videos and videos about Anna and Walter. Next, have students pair up and sign up for an account. One must be Walter, and one must be Anna. The characters both meet the same townspeople and participate in the same global events, but the roles and social positions are different, so they will have different tasks. Pairing students will allow for maximum participation in post-activity discussions.
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Voting America: United States Politics 1840-2008 - University of Richmond
Grades
7 to 12
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Find interactive maps examining the results of elections from 1840 through 2008. With US politics increasingly dominated by election year strategizing, a historical look at how Americans...more
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Find interactive maps examining the results of elections from 1840 through 2008. With US politics increasingly dominated by election year strategizing, a historical look at how Americans have voted in both Presidential and Congressional elections can provide useful context. In a democracy, the power of popular elections to affect the lives of all citizens cannot be understated. In order to understand how changes in population--demography and distribution--have affected popular elections, it's important to see those changes in perspective. On this site, you can look at Presidential elections or Congressional elections, as well as population maps focused on African American and White population changes over the time period. Most of the maps are based on an advancing time line that maps data over time. For Presidential elections, there are also more detailed maps for each separate election.
tag(s): congress (38), elections (82), electoral college (22), maps (207), presidents (133), timelines (56)
In the Classroom
These maps, powerful when projected on an interactive whiteboard (or projector), make the impact of changes in population demographics and distribution visual. The maps might also provide a good resource for students studying a particular President or time period. Challenge students to create a newspaper about what they have learned (about the President or time period). Use a tool such as Zinepal (reviewed here). Click to "Start with a blank e-Book."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Highlighting Our History: American Revolution Read-alouds PLUS for the Common Core - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 6
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This "Read-alouds PLUS" article will show you how you can infuse social studies content, specifically the Revolutionary Period, using the power of daily read-alouds. Practice Common...more
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This "Read-alouds PLUS" article will show you how you can infuse social studies content, specifically the Revolutionary Period, using the power of daily read-alouds. Practice Common Core Standards for the English Language Arts while helping your students understand our history and heritage. If you fear that social studies has taken a back seat to tested content, be sure to share this collection with your students. The article includes book suggestions as well as discussion questions and writing activities connected to CCSS Standards. Don't miss our other articles on implementing Common Core in elementary. Some of the book selections may not be ones that your students can read on their own, but they will work well as read-alouds in your social students curriculum.
tag(s): american revolution (82), book lists (165), commoncore (75), writing prompts (58)
In the Classroom
Mark this article in your Favorites and take the book suggestions with you to the school library (or search for interlibrary loans). Consider using this as part of a "Then and Now" or "Past and Present" focus in kindergarten or first grade, or with middle elementary students as part of a unit related to the Revolutionary War. Take a look at the suggestions for connecting the read-alouds to CCSS-aligned writing prompts or for short, focused research projects to include as follow-up.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Stuff You Missed in History Class - Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey
Grades
7 to 12
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Explore interesting history tidbits and background information about world events including topics from Atlantis to Vikings. Scroll through the list of topics and find links to various...more
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Explore interesting history tidbits and background information about world events including topics from Atlantis to Vikings. Scroll through the list of topics and find links to various podcast episodes with archives going back to 2008. Click to play the episodes or download any episode in mp3 format using the download link. Episodes are approximately 30 minutes in length. You can also search for specific topics using the search tool.
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tag(s): archeology (26), black history (130), civil rights (200), civil war (136), cross cultural understanding (167), mental health (36), native americans (95), podcasts (103), religions (85), vikings (10), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Use podcasts from Stuff You Missed in History to enrich current lessons or lure students into thinking history can actually be "cool." Provide a link on class computers or your class website for students use. Have students use a mapping tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here, to create a map of one of these events (with audio stories and pictures included)! Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about one of the people in these lesser known historic events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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40 Maps That Explain World War I - Vox
Grades
7 to 12
2 Favorites
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It is hard to believe that World War I began over 100 years ago. Explore "The War to End All Wars" through a series of maps, both contemporary and historical. ...more
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It is hard to believe that World War I began over 100 years ago. Explore "The War to End All Wars" through a series of maps, both contemporary and historical. The collection provides extensive insight into the causes, progress, and impact of World War I. Each map is accompanied by a brief explanation of what it illustrated. Each map can then be opened as an image alone in another tab/window and is then zoomable. Some of the historic maps are static; others have interactive features. The maps are organized into categories: Background, War Breaks Out, Major European Battles, the War Outside Europe, Technology, Allied Victory, and Consequences of the War. There are hyperlinks to further information embedded in the explanatory material with each map.
tag(s): europe (77), map skills (56), maps (207), world war 1 (78)
In the Classroom
These maps are perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard. If you are teaching World War I, these maps need to be among your "go to" bookmarks for illustrating important highlights about the War. Consider also providing a link to the maps as part of materials students can access to learn more, as extra challenge, or for independent or group projects. The maps illustrating important technology first used in World War I will fascinate students who enjoy learning how things work. Have students create a multimedia presentation about the aspects of WWI that fascinate them most.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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JFK American Experience - PBS American Experience
Grades
7 to 12
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This site accompanies an episode of the PBS production American Experience, taking a new look at the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It was created in remembrance of ...more
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This site accompanies an episode of the PBS production American Experience, taking a new look at the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It was created in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of his assassination. The site combines primary sources with more scholarly articles examining the political context of his presidency and the policies and events we associate with that presidency. The primary source collection is rich and diverse, and there is also a nice contextual timeline of world events between 1961 and 1963. The teacher reference guide is designed primarily to be used in conjunction with viewing the American Experience episode itself, but includes important questions for discussion that are appropriate even for students who have not watched the full film.
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tag(s): 1960s (26), civil rights (200), kennedy (20), presidents (133)
In the Classroom
The 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy provides an opportunity to refresh students' knowledge of JFK as a man and a President. What important policy innovations can we attribute to his Presidency? How might the remainder of the turbulent decade of the 1960s have been different had he lived? And from a different perspective, while we all want to romanticize the legacy of "Camelot" and the glamour of the Kennedy family, what were his failings? This site provides some rich primary sources to include in a discussion of the Kennedy Presidency, as well as a brief preview of the American Experience film itself. Whether you choose to view the episode with your class or not, you are certain to obtain excellent information at this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Big History Project - Big History Project LLC
Grades
8 to 12
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Big History Project is a free, online social studies course designed for secondary students tracing from the Big Bang through the history of humanity. This course takes a VERY broad...more
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Big History Project is a free, online social studies course designed for secondary students tracing from the Big Bang through the history of humanity. This course takes a VERY broad view of the "big picture" to provide greater perspective in how we see history. View course information in 2 sections with 10 units covering a time span of 13.7 billion years. Each unit contains between 20-30 modules including projects, discussion topics, and assessments. All are aligned to Common Core Standards. Other course offerings include Project Based Learning activities, videos, animations, infographics, and much more. A simpler, shorter version of the course for the general public is available under "Not an educator?. Click on "Check out our public course." You will need to sign up for a free account to view this resource.
tag(s): agriculture (48), geologic time (11), industrialization (11), Project Based Learning (26), Research (84), solar system (109)
In the Classroom
Use Big History Project as a complete year-long course in your high school. Adapt portions of the project for use within current classroom content. Share videos or use lessons or animations as part of any unit. If you employ Project Based Learning activities, use the three PBL learning activities embedded within the project. Be sure to read through the FAQ provided on the site for guidance on using the Big History Project in your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Created Equal - National Endowment for the Humanities
Grades
9 to 12
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Four documentary films related to the Civil Rights Movement, available to stream either in part or in their entirety, form the centerpiece of this effort from the National Endowment...more
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Four documentary films related to the Civil Rights Movement, available to stream either in part or in their entirety, form the centerpiece of this effort from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The films cover time periods beginning with the Abolitionist Movement and continuing through the Freedom Marches and the turbulent 1960s. Explore the meaning of freedom and equality in the United States with relevance still today. There are teacher resources for using Created Equal in the classroom.
tag(s): bill of rights (28), black history (130), civil rights (200), civil war (136), cultures (145), emancipation proclamation (11), segregation (18)
In the Classroom
The documentaries, or the excerpts presented, are all available to stream from the site. While they may be too lengthy to show in their entirety during one class period, they have also been divided into clips according to themes. For example, Equality is part of the full video about Law and the Strategy of Nonviolence. This makes them more adaptable for classroom use. Share the videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector, or flip your class using EdPuzzle, reviewed here, and have students watch clips at home and come back to class ready to discuss. EdPuzzle is a great way to take sections of videos and add your own voice or add questions within the video. Alternatively, you could use VideoAnt, reviewed here, to enhance student learning with students asking questions about the parts where they need clarification. The issues raised by these Created Equal documentaries may be easily incorporated into lessons related to the Civil Rights Movement, modern U.S. history, Black History Month, or civics and government. Use these videos as conversation starters in the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Totally History - totallyhistory.com
Grades
4 to 12
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Totally History offers a brief overview on many historical events and topics. Choose from categories including art history, U.S. history, world history, famous history, and the history...more
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Totally History offers a brief overview on many historical events and topics. Choose from categories including art history, U.S. history, world history, famous history, and the history of technology. Within each topic, find facts and a several paragraph overview of the content.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): american revolution (82), art history (89), civil war (136), presidents (133), religions (85), vietnam (38), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Totally History offers a starting point to find basic facts and information on many topics. Use material from the site to introduce any topic such as presidents or events in World or American History. Share with students to use as a resource for classroom projects and reports. Have students create timelines using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Timeline JS also offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps making it interactive. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president or any person or event in history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Legislative Explorer - Center for American Politics and Public Policy
Grades
9 to 12
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With so much data out there, how are we, as citizens, to manage this information to make good choices? The University of Washington's Center for American Politics and Public Policy...more
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With so much data out there, how are we, as citizens, to manage this information to make good choices? The University of Washington's Center for American Politics and Public Policy takes the massive amount of information about US legislative activity from 1973 to the present and helps us visualize the progress of bills through the legislative branch. Color-coded "particles" represent each bill on an interactive field for each two-year legislative session. Set the field in motion and watch bills move through committees and onto the floor of the House or the Senate. Notice how many "particles" (each representing a bill) remain clustered in committees throughout the legislative session and how many actually make it to the President's desk and become law. The animation is much more powerful (and informative) when you select an issue, a state, a legislator, a committee, or a party from the drop down menus, but the "big picture" visuals are also informative.
tag(s): advanced placement (26), branches of government (63), congress (38)
In the Classroom
Despite being fairly wonky (political geeks will LOVE this site!), Legislative Explorer will also help civics and government teachers present the overall picture of how a bill makes its way (or doesn't) through the legislative branch. On an interactive whiteboard (or projector), the visual impact of how many bills are proposed in a session is stunning. Once past that, however, students can research the activities of their local legislators, by name or by state. What issues matter enough to them to result in bill sponsorship? Alternatively, divide students into groups and have each group research a specific committee. What bills come to that committee? How successful is that committee in moving bills to the President's desk? How does the activity in the most recent Congress compare to that from 40 years ago? Have the issues changed?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inequality.org - Institute for Policy Studies
Grades
8 to 12
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Inequality.org aspires to be a portal for those seeking information on the impact of inequalities in areas such as income, health, race, and more. Choose the topic of Data and ...more
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Inequality.org aspires to be a portal for those seeking information on the impact of inequalities in areas such as income, health, race, and more. Choose the topic of Data and Statistics to view charts, graphs, and discussions of inequalities and changes over time. For example, you can view several videos with topics such as CEO pay, Tax the Rich Fairy Tale, and Wealth Inequalities. Although this site certainly has a one-sided point of view as its focus, it is one that is sure to get you thinking.
tag(s): inequalities (24), racism (79), statistics (120)
In the Classroom
Have students explore this website then search for alternate points of view. Use this information as a starting point for a classroom debate on current events, economics, racism, and more. Have students create maps using Zeemaps, reviewed here. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose various locations on a map to "map" the information given on this site. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here to compare and contrast different points of view. Don't be surprised if your more news-savvy students (or those whose parents discuss political views openly) have very strong opinions about the ideas on this site. What better way to spark a discussion in a government/civics class? This would be a useful site to share with your gifted or more able students during an election year and have them create a position paper or video for a fictitious candidate on one of the inequity issues. In a math class, use some of the statistics here to work with plotting and interpreting data. The topics are certain to engage student interest!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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