Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This interactive timeline shows the route Lincoln took to become the President. Use the links to dig deeper into Lincoln's life.
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tag(s): elections (82), lincoln (66), presidents (135)

Venture over 12,000 years into the past to look at the first people to live in the Canadian regions of North America. This site from a B.C. museum offers different levels of information, videos, and interactive media about the first peoples and their migration across the land bridge from Europe. The site is available in both English and French language. Instructor materials support use from primary to post-secondary levels. Watch native video greetings in several languages, learn about settlements, the geography and change of the actual water and land masses, the archaeology and dating of artifacts, and much more. The Site Map offers a good way to see the scope of the offerings.

tag(s): archeology (28), native americans (108)

International Museum of Women merged with Global Fund for Women making this site a powerful voice for women. Learn about women's issues from around the world and find out how Global Fund's grantmaking and fundraising are helping. Global Fund's recent campaigns include Artist Change Maker, Me, Too, International Day of the Girl, Girls Lead in Tech, Adolescent Girl Advisory Counsil, and more. Past projects have included IGNITE: Women Fueling Science and Technology, a global campaign and media project that explores the roles of science and technology in advancing gender equality. Read stories of activism, gender equality, and heroism. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.

tag(s): sustainability (50), women (151)

Annenberg Classroom Civics Games offer a small but excellent selection of games about the Constitution and related topics. Topics include Death Penalty, Citizenship, Discrimination, Immigration, Freedom of the Press, Free Speech, Guns, and many others. You can try to be the leader of the Legislative Branch. Choose three main issues and the most productive way to succeed in your cause. Most activities begin with a short video followed by questions. Most activities also include a glossary of terms used.

tag(s): bill of rights (33), branches of government (65), constitution (96), game based learning (205), supreme court (27)

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911 represents a turning point in the history of labor relations and workers' rights to a safe work environment. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the fire, and in tribute to the 146 young, immigrant workers who lost their lives largely due to unsafe working conditions, you'll find an overview of the fire and the circumstances that led up to it. There are a large number of historical images of the building itself, primary documents related to the event, newspaper accounts of the investigation and trial, brief biographies of the victims, as well as interviews with survivors (19 were women). Audio recordings of oral histories from three survivors, and transcripts of those interviews are a valuable resource.

tag(s): 20th century (62), immigrants (34), immigration (68), industrial revolution (22), industrialization (12), labor day (5), safety (68), women (151)

The 150th anniversary of the Battle of Appomattox commemorates the final battle of the American Civil War and the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. You'll find important facts about the battle, maps, videos, and images useful in highlighting this important event. Download the Appomattox Battle App for iOs or Google Play.

tag(s): 1800s (75), civil war (139), DAT device agnostic tool (147)

In 1912, the city of Tokyo, Japan donated 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington, DC, as a symbol of friendship. The trees, planted around the Capitol's tidal basin, have become part of a treasured tradition. Viewing the cherry blossoms in the spring draws millions of visitors. The Library of Congress offers a brief history of the cherry blossoms and connects cherry trees to their cultural significance in Japanese culture.

tag(s): japan (56), japanese (47), trees (18), washington (28)

Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin was a cultural phenomenon when it was published, and continues to be an important window into the mid-19th century anti-slavery movement prior to the American Civil War. Here you will find important cultural context for a fuller discussion of the novel and its impact on American society and history. Browse the site for a variety of primary source material, or interpret the work's significance through one of several lenses: Anti-slavery texts, the influence of "minstrel shows," 19th century Christian revivalism, or Victorian sentimentality. There are several high school level lesson plans to give you ideas for using the enormous number of audio, visual, and text-based resources available to supplement either a literary examination of Uncle Tom's Cabin, or a cultural-historical one. Be advised that much of the primary material reflects the 19th century views on race that prevailed at the time. It should be carefully viewed and used within a discussion of its context.

tag(s): 1800s (75), abolition (7), african american (115), civil rights (209), civil war (139), history day (39), racism (79), slavery (79)

The Washington Post offers an interesting timeline detailing events of the day of JFK's assassination as well as the effect on how the Secret Service protects the president. Scroll through the page to view the story from the president's arrival through the time Oswald flees the scene. Along the way listen to short audio clips from a former director of the Secret Service with how each event impacts changes to the security of the president.
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tag(s): kennedy (20), presidents (135)

In an age where digital maps are ubiquitous and take us down to house-by-house detail, we can forget how difficult it was to create accurate maps before satellite imaging. Historical maps are another tool for understanding the frame of reference of those who lived before us, and are important primary source documents. This collection includes over 50,000 historical maps, with an emphasis on 18th and 19th century maps of North and South America. The collection can be viewed from several platforms. Over 120 of the maps can be accessed using the Google Maps interface. A Georeferencer utility allows you to view a historical map laid over a modern map of the same area. And finally, the site's LUNA browser allows you to view multiple maps together, create embeddable links or Web Widgets that can be used in other applications, create slide shows of collections of maps, and annotate specific maps in the collection.

tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), map skills (63), maps (220), north america (15), south america (47)

Retronaut is an archive of historical photos, though not your typical photos. These images are sometimes quirky, and generally unexpected. Many have explanations about the period. View images of 1970's rock stars with their parents (Elton John, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton to name a few). See Selma's Children, What Parisian Fancy Ladies wore in 1906, history's first women aviators, and much more. Explore the site by Most Popular, Featured, or The Latest. Click on an image to view a "capsule" with other related images. Some of the images have links under them for attribution, and you can see and read even more about that topic. Under latest, this reviewer found topics that were just added five days before, so you may want to check back if you do not find what you're looking for. Warning: At the time of this review there were two topics that may be inappropriate for the classroom. Use the URL of the topic you wish to share in a new window or tab of your web browser.
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tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), advertising (26), cultures (180), images (263), maps (220), medicine (57), politics (118), transportation (30)

Where have you been? Create a color-coded map of the United States or Canada that highlights states that you have visited. Go through the list of states and choose a color for each state. There are four colors to choose from indicating your amount of time spent in that state. Just click on the state and then find your color. Or use the list of states found under the map. Choose an image width and pick the "Create" button to make your personalized image map. Save the map to your computer in png format. Please note: this is part of an individual's travel blog, and posts are not moderated for school use. Be sure to check out content links before sharing or student use. Or better yet, advise students NOT to click on any external links.

tag(s): maps (220), north america (15), states (124)

What was it like to be a sailor aboard the USS Constitution? Take an interactive tour of "Old Ironsides" and meet the sailors, see where they live and work, and learn about the ship from their perspective. Or, Meet Your Shipmates and find out about the men needed to crew a ship like the Constitution. You'll even meet the ship's dog! Finally, there is an interactive game, playable either as a one-time-only game, or by creating a log in and being able to save a game in progress. There are resources for teachers with lesson plans and suggestions for using components of the site for classroom activities. This activity is available for download on your iPad.

tag(s): transportation (30), war of 1812 (15), whales (11)

Click "Add to Cart," enter your credit card information, and a package arrives at your doorstep as soon as the next day. But it wasn't always that way. The Smithsonian Postal Museum provides a look at the history of package delivery in the United States, with an emphasis on the early 20th century. How did the US Postal Service deliver goods across long distances? Why did Congress authorize a government agency to deliver packages? And don't miss the section detailing some of the strangest packages ever mailed!

tag(s): transportation (30)

The Jewish Women's Archive exists to tell the stories of Jewish women, with an emphasis on North America. The Archive can be searched by name or by collection. Collections include categories like Women of Valor, Power Couples, Western Pioneers, and the Feminist Revolution. Filter results by date of birth, place of birth, topic, or occupation. Each profile includes a short biography, often an image, and links to further reading and resources. There is a rich Education section with lesson plans sorted by topic or keyword.

tag(s): biographies (94), jews (33), women (151), womens suffrage (52)

Get an overview of World War I through maps, audio, historical film, and archived newspaper reports. Listen as ten historians from various countries give a brief history through eclectic lenses. View the video to see soldiers transported on camels and warfare in the Alps. Choose from language options of English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic or Hindi. View interactives by clicking the pointing finger within the video. This site is a must-see for inclusion with any World War I lessons and units. Some may find some of the images disturbing. As always, it is best to preview!

tag(s): world war 1 (77)

Discover a wealth of information about the Bandelier National Monument, the Pueblo people in New Mexico and their historical significance beginning 15,000 years ago. Gorgeous pictures bring the history of the Pueblo people to life in screens with short, informative pieces to read. Be sure to click the "Learn About the Park" tab at the top to find virtual tours, multimedia, more images, history and culture, and other topics of interest.

tag(s): archeology (28), geology (62), native americans (108)

History on the Net contains a wide variety of resources for a broad range of history topics. Begin a search by exploring history topics or by searching resources such as online lessons or worksheets. Explore the Titanic, World War I, Vikings, Mayans, and so much more! Look through a large selection of reference materials: dictionaries, timelines, and more. History on the Net is a great starting point when looking for lessons and materials for teaching history across the ages!
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tag(s): african american (115), aztecs (9), battles (18), black history (133), britain (26), civil rights (209), cold war (30), egypt (56), elizabethan (13), greeks (46), mayans (23), myths and legends (37), native americans (108), olympics (45), romans (52), victorian (16), vikings (10), worksheets (69), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (161)

Discover some of the world's best online courses with Springboard's search engine. Enter what you want to learn into the search bar. Explore the offerings provided or browse by subject, university, or providers. Narrow results down by starting date, teaching method, or credentials. Each entry includes a short description of the course, fees (many are free!), start dates, length of course, and skill level required. Many classes also include reviews from other Springboard's users. Click the "Enroll" link to go directly to the course or save to your wish list after creating a free account. Some of the videos are hosted on YouTube. Most do not require Flash. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
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tag(s): professional development (385), search engines (48)