Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

What was it like to live in Salem, MA during the infamous Witch Trials? This interactive site places a visitor in the role of a Salem resident who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the witchcraft hysteria. Will she survive? Enter this chilling online drama and find out. The navigation is a bit awkward throughout the site - look for the scroll bars on each page indicating additional text to the right or below. Much information appears in explanatory "windows" so make sure that pop-ups are not blocked on this site.

tag(s): massachusetts (8), salem (5)

This site gives students a very personal glimpse of the Ellis Island experience through the eyes of the more than 40 million immigrants who passed through its doors. Vintage photographs, videos, and audio interviews document each step of the process, and provide a riveting account of this period in American history. The video takes time to download and uses the Quicktime plug-in. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): ellis island (6), immigration (68), migration (45)

It's not the flashiest Civil War site, but if you're looking for a kid-friendly resource, this one won't disappoint you. You'll find nine standards-based lesson plans and one final exam; a concise, well-written overview of the pivotal events, people, and places that shaped the War Between the States - perfect for the elementary classroom. Added recently are several articles and a quiz for Juneteenth. Older students can use it as a helpful research and review tool.

tag(s): civil war (139), Juneteenth (22), lincoln (66), slavery (79), states (124)

This ten minute video gives a brief historical overview of legislative and executive responsibilities. Display full screen for projection in the classroom or use with headphones in the computer lab.

tag(s): courts (20), supreme court (27)

National Geographic for Kids offers this Underground Railroad site, explaining how the Underground Railroad got started, followed by a big map, describes the journey's dangers, and introduces Agents of Change, Fugitive Slave laws, and more. Though text heavy, this site does have a few interest-catching images, and the text is in simple, understandable language for students to read.

tag(s): abolition (7), slavery (79), underground railroad (15)

Follow the development of slavery in America from its beginning in 1619 to Reconstruction. This companion site to a PBS special examines the climate in which the institution existed and brings some very human, very compelling stories to light. Features include historical essays and personal narratives, primary source documents, sound files depicting the music in slave life, an interactive timeline, and audio recordings of interviews with former slaves. Though some of the features require Flash, there is still some excellent information to learn. The website is not maintained but can still be used.

tag(s): africa (148), african american (115), slavery (79)

Drag each state to its correct position on the map. This interactive game keeps track of "average miles of error" and challenges students to learn more about names and locations of states. No hints are provided.This site requires FLASH.

tag(s): map skills (63), maps (220), states (124)

The National Archives has created an intriguing site that reveals some little known information about this historic document. Discover the number of signers who were born in Europe, meet the signer who was a musician, and find out who was the youngest at the time of the signing. A special feature allows you to add your own signature to the document. Also includes a time line detailing the creation of the document.

tag(s): american revolution (82), declaration of independence (16), evolution (89)

American military conflicts, from the War of Independence to the War in Iraq, are presented in this beautifully designed multimedia exhibit that examines their effect on American society and our nation's history. Click on the interactive time line to access photographs, artifacts, and text that provide succinct and riveting overviews of each conflict. This site would make an excellent independent computer lab activity. To enhance the experience, develop some essential questions and a "road map" to guide your students - then turn them loose. Downloadable teacher's manual available. A few of the images still require Flash, however, there are many that don't and there is a lot of information to learn.

tag(s): civil war (139), vietnam (38), world war 2 (161)

Although this informational site is heavy on text, it is filled with answers to 20+ questions that kids typically ask about Native Americans.

tag(s): cultures (180), native americans (108)

This companion site to a History Channel special provides some outstanding background information and multimedia presentations documenting the complex and tragic events of the War of 1812. Even if you don't view the program, the video clips, timelines, lists of key players, and connections to the world news of the day are worth investigating.

tag(s): pennsylvania (6), war of 1812 (15)

Voting methods in the United States are examined in this beautifully designed on-line exhibit created by the Museum of American History. The varied practices within individual states are explored as well as the historical evolution of our ballots and voting systems. Use this site to help students understand the Florida 2000 crisis, as well as the role technology and innovation have played in shaping our experiences at the polls. Although this resource was created for the 2000 election, the background information is valuable for teaching about elections in general and for comparing elections as part of U.S. history. There is a lot of information to learn from this site, even though some of this site requires Flash.

tag(s): college (45), elections (82), electoral college (22)

It's July 20, 1969 and millions of Americans are glued to their television watching Neil Armstrong take that first historic step on the surface of the moon. This multimedia NASA site recreates that Apollo 11 mission, from its launch to its splashdown. Students can view vintage photographs, listen to the mission's audio recording, browse news articles, and tour the video gallery.

tag(s): moon (73)

Art, Literature, U.S. History - Works by some of the greatest photographers of the 20th century are represented in this massive collection of powerful images documenting memorable events in American politics and culture. Project selected photos in class to introduce an event in history, inspire student photographers, or introduce a writing prompt. The sight is searchable and quite user-friendly. A fee is required to download images.

tag(s): photography (130)

Access current and historical U.S. government documents with the click of a mouse. This electronic collection includes the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation, as well as Supreme Court decisions, the Budget of the United States Government, and so much more. Selected and authenticated by the Government Printing Office's GPO Access service.

tag(s): american revolution (82)

Although this site is a companion to a PBS series by the same name, many of the activities can be used independently to tap into your students deductive reasoning abilities. Prowl through the rooms of a virtual house to investigate clues and determine its age; open a time capsule to examine its contents and decide when it was originally buried; and learn about the many techniques used by historical sleuths, including forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, timber dating, and document examination. Some very creative interdisciplinary connections between science and historical research can be drawn from the resources on this site. Let your imagination run with this one!

tag(s): anthropology (10)

These eight, high-quality mini-movies highlight true stories of historical significance using scenes and portraits from Early America. Titles include "The Ben Franklin Story," "Declaring Independence," "The Treason of Benedict Arnold," "Paul Revere - Messenger of the Revolution," and more! Project in the classroom, or take your students to the computer lab for an impressive multimedia experience. A high speed connection is a must! The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.

tag(s): colonial america (95), declaration of independence (16), franklin (12), video (266)

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.

tag(s): civil war (139), gettysburg (15)

This site contains some riveting resources that would be valuable for use in a 20th century American History class. The "Teachers' Web" up and running and the oral history interviews, available as audio files, are wonderfully revealing primary sources. If you are interesting in presenting the Vietnam War from a very personal, human perspective, consider using this on-line archive. The site also provides a collection of historical photographs and tips for conducting Oral History interviews - an unforgettable learning experience for your students!

tag(s): 1960s (26), 1970s (10), asia (116), vietnam (38)

The 50th anniversary of the historic Brown vs. the Board of Education decision is commemorated in this site that traces the history of segregation, the battle for education, and the events leading to the Supreme Court decision. Visit the teacher's guide (click on Resources) to find downloadable unit and lesson plans (aligned to national standards) which address the time period from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. Teacher briefing sheets and student handouts are included - in fact, nearly everything required for an engaging and purposeful learning experience is there! This site is an online companion to a Smithsonian National Museum of American History exhibit. If you can't take your students to Washington, take them to the computer lab or project this site in class, and spend some time with this outstanding resource.

tag(s): africa (148), african american (115), segregation (18)