Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Wow, this website is amazing! Exploring Africa brings Africa into your classroom through numerous interdisciplinary lessons. There are 20 modules (within 4 general units of study). The general units include "Why Study Africa," "Studying Africa Through the Social Studies," "Studying Africa Through the Humanities," "Regional Perspectives," and "Country Case Studies." Each module contains a teacher version that includes objectives, focus questions, activities, background information, and more. These teaching and learning activities all follow the "5 E's" format: Engage, Explore, Explain, Expand, and Evaluate. The website also provides links for specific country information and current events.

tag(s): africa (170), diversity (46)

Art teachers and graphic design instructors trying to provide many examples of analogous and complementary color schemes will love this site. Your young artists will be fascinated that people are actually PAID to create and forecast new color palettes for all kinds of design and other applications. This site is a sharing space for professional color designers to post new color schemes they have created for architecture, web design, print, advertising, and any other use. It is the real world equivalent of a on line color "jam session." The home page often features a color scheme on a current topic, such as color inspirations from a seasonal picture.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): design (80), graphic design (50)

This site covers the Victorian period (roughly 1837 through 1901) and addresses everything from political and social history to gender matters, authors, periodicals, philosophy, religion, technology, and more. Since this covers much of the development of industry in the Western world, it is an invaluable source for studying the arts and humanities. History teachers who study the Industrial Revolution will like this site for its connections between technology and other areas of society. Note that music is included in the "theatre and popular entertainment" section. The composer of every high school student's favorite theme song, "Pomp and Circumstance," is included among the profiles. Can you find him/her?

tag(s): evolution (88), industrial revolution (22), victorian (16)

There is so much to explore on this site, you will need to place limitations on it! Digital Collections of everything from clothing to chronology, turns of the century exhibits, in the classroom activities, curricula, New England architecture and tools, manuscripts from people who lived in the time-- this site is truly a museum on the web made student-friendly. The activities section is full of ways to involve students with real objects from history. Students can actually hear some of the artists and writers reading their own words -- which is remarkable. If you teach American literature or history or are interested in artifacts from the past, this is a great site. If you choose, you or your students can create a login and save to "my collection."

tag(s): colonial america (95), england (49), slavery (80)

This comprehensive history/culture resource is the mother of all timelines with over 3000 years of history available in "synchronoptic" form, that is, in parallel timelines. Users can view by searching year, event, people, stories, subjects, events, political movements, and maps. Constant updates to the events section and additional "people" lines ensure the timeliness of this amazing site. (The site does NOT include people who are still alive). The span of the timelines and people, events, and cultures is extensive. Timeline elements are clickable for more information. We recommend the site for grades 6 and up purely because of the level of exposure necessary to appreciate all the information and because of the reading level.

tag(s): biographies (94), politics (118)

This crafty website provides students (and teachers) with directions to create paper toys. The patterns are printables on the web page. The website provides instructions for approximately 100 unique models. The types of models vary from monuments (such as the Chrysler Building or the Eiffel Tower) to holiday creations. There are printable instructions provided for each model. This website is a refreshing activity for art classes, social studies classes or any class seeking a creative method to use to re-create famous monuments and other objects or buildings.

tag(s): architecture (84), paper folding (3)

This lesson site for the novel Frankenstein offers a variety of activities, themes, a summary, discussion questions, and a lot more for this story. Monster stories are popular with teenagers, and Shelley's Frankenstein is not what they expect it to be. However, this website provides motivation for students to delve into and discuss the meaning of true "monsters."

tag(s): halloween (33), literature (221)

Over 2000 lesson plans are at your fingertips when you visit this site. Find lesson plans on these topics: Arts, Computer Science, Foreign Language, Health, Information Literacy, Interdisciplinary, Language Arts, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and Vocational Education.

tag(s): resources (83), substitutes (25)

Have a high speed Internet connection? (Most schools do) Then you MUST visit these 3D virtual tours of beautiful sites all over the world with your students. Read the Welcome message on the home page for directions and details, then explore the current features and several years of archives for 3D virtual tours from major world capitals to true "experiences" such as Times Square and white water rafting. Even the tour of a Banyan tree will amaze you. Bring the world into your classroom for geography, landforms, world cultures, foreign language study, or literary settings. Be in the midst of festivals or atop the Sydney Bridge.

tag(s): images (263), landforms (39), virtual field trips (132)

Find a cliche and ideas for better ways to say the same thing using this simple blog site. The directions at the right (HOW TO SEARCH THIS PAGE USING INTERNET EXPLORER) tell you everything you need to know to locate a specific cliche and some terrific alternates to the overused expression. Many of the examples are also taught as idioms.

tag(s): idioms (30)

Art teachers and social studies teachers alike will love this well-organized site filled with images, lesson plans, and activities to use at home and at school. Click on a collection for lesson plans, family activities, and numerous images. There is also an interactive world map to accompany the collection so you can click to see where different artworks originated. The collections include: African American Art; American Art to 1900; Ancient Indian Art of the Americas; Arts of Africa; Impressionism and Postimpressionism; India, Himalayas and Southeast Asia; Modern and Contemporary Art; Renaissance and Baroque Art; Rococo to Realism.

tag(s): painting (54), sculpture (18)

If Blogspot sites are not blocked in your school, you can visit this artist's blog (actually a cluster of them) to see a new painting every few days, watch videos of how paintings were made, or click over to his oil painting Process blog to see the steps in that process. Although the site is intended for the artist to sell his paintings, his willingness to share his process and works will give your students a window into an artist's creativity and use of materials.

tag(s): oil (22), painting (54)

This is a good biography about Lucy Maud Montgomery. It gives a good, reliable overview biography as well as a listing of her published works.

tag(s): authors (108)

This site contains lesson plans and use suggestions for 5 classic movie favorites. It also has ideas for using those annoying movie previews found on DVDs and links to other sites about specific movies. Lessons include pre-watching activities, vocabulary support, internet exercises, and listening activities, so this site is highly appropriate for use with limited English speakers. Whether you are teaching film study, English, or ESL, this site has ideas for you.

tag(s): movies (56)

This website provides five lesson plans (ranging in grade levels K-12). A brief history of the holiday is provided, followed by five unique lesson plans. How about incorporating math with your Mother's Day lessons (see "Motherhood Math: Mothers in the Workforce"). Lesson plans are aligned with national standards and include language arts, math, technology, visual arts, social studies, and more. These lessons are ready to go and easy to use.

tag(s): mothers day (23), sociology (23), statistics (120)

NPR is amassing a collection of oral histories by traveling across the country and talking to average people. On this website, users can read or listen to the stories told by a wide variety of Americans. Click "Tell your story" to find Locations & Reservations for traveling Mobile Booths or directions to record on your own. The Do It Yourself guide includes tips on interview questions and an interview check list. Started in 2003, the site has many stories in its archives and frequently adds updates.

tag(s): digital storytelling (156), podcasts (118)

Find information on this site, not only for Washington State educators but for all teachers. This site has four Learning Goals that can apply to any student in any state. From the left menu, find resources like Talking to Young People About Race, Racism, and Equity, Open Education Resources, Special Education, Learning Alternatives, and others. Explore Learning Standards by subject and year of adoption.

tag(s): OER (43), racism (83), Special Needs (52)

National Art Education Association is a non-profit, educational organization, promoting art education through professional development, service, advancement of knowledge, and leadership.

A fairly fast moving webquest, this activity nonetheless provides opportunities to delve into the world of utopias. It also bases the evaluation of the final student project on four subject areas: social studies, language arts, art history and science. An Internet link goes to a cyberguide for the novel.

This site features art and cultural information of native Americans, focusing especially on the Eastern Woodlands region. There is information on , Birds & Feathers, Clay & Pottery, Leather & Clothes, Metalwork, Plants & Trees, Porcupine Quills, Stonework & Tools, and Weaving & Cordage. Some of the text passages may be a bit lengthy, but there are also interactive ways for students to get a "hands on" feel, such as with the beadwork interactive game. The sections under Special Features are certain to make the culture come alive for elementary and middle school students.