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Native Americans' Contributions to American Culture - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Explore this collection featuring the fascinating impact of Native Americans. Look at each resource's "Classroom Use" section for creative ideas on weaving these materials into your lessons.Oh Pioneers! Interactive Westward Expansion Game - Mr. Nussbaum Learning and Fun
Grades
3 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): gold rush (17), simulations (23), westward expansion (40)
In the Classroom
Before playing the game, have students work in small groups to create a packing list for their journey west. They must choose a limited number of items (ex., food, tools, clothing, medicine) and justify their choices. After playing the game, they can reflect on whether their selections would have helped them succeed. Provide students with real pioneer diary entries, letters, or photographs. Have them compare these firsthand accounts to their game experience, identifying similarities and differences in challenges, decisions, and daily life. Have students trace the California Trail in Google My Maps, reviewed here. They can mark key landmarks, rivers, and danger zones they encountered in the game. Then, discuss how geography influenced travel decisions and survival rates.Mali Empire History - Cool Kid Facts
Grades
2 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): africa (170), archeology (30), cultures (226), maps (224), medieval (33)
In the Classroom
Set up different learning stations representing subjects studied in Timbuktu (astronomy, medicine, math). Students can rotate through the stations, completing mini-activities related to each subject. Students can research and build 3D models of Mali's famous structures, such as the Great Mosque of Djenne, using materials like clay, cardboard, or digital tools like Delightex (formerly CoSpaces) reviewed here or Tinkercad reviewed here. Have students compare the Mali Empire to another historical empire, such as the Roman Empire or the Incas, using a Venn diagram on paper or Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here, focusing on government, trade, culture, and legacy.Early American Civilizations- Maya, Aztec, and Inca - Core Knowledge
Grades
4 to 6tag(s): critical thinking (137), literacy (122), maps (224), south america (77), vocabulary (242)
In the Classroom
Make a Mystery Box by placing pictures or replicas of Maya, Aztec, and Inca artifacts (ex., a quipu, a pyramid, a codex) in a box. Have students pull an item, describe it, and infer its use before reading about it in the text. Students create a visual comparison such as a Venn diagram, poster, or digital infographic using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here or Canva Edu, reviewed here showing similarities and differences between the Maya, Aztec, and Inca. They can list areas like government, religion, architecture, and daily life. Students can write a first-person journal entry as a Maya scribe, an Aztec warrior, or an Incan messenger, describing a day in their life while incorporating factual details from the reader.Ghosts of Machu Picchu - PBS NOVA
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): archeology (30), south america (77), STEM (310), timelines (57)
In the Classroom
Have students explore the website's visuals, articles, and videos to "virtually visit" Machu Picchu. Then, in small groups, students can create a travel brochure or digital slideshow highlighting key features, historical significance, and unanswered mysteries. These projects can be completed online using Canva Edu reviewed here or Google Slides reviewed here. After learning about Machu Picchu's sophisticated stone construction and drainage system, students can design and test their own miniature stone wall models using clay, Legos, or sugar cubes, mimicking Incan building techniques. Students can compare Machu Picchu's engineering, society, and daily life to another ancient civilization (ex., Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome) and present their findings through a Venn diagram on paper or online using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here.Ancient Egypt and the Nile River Valley - Khan Academy
Grades
6 to 10tag(s): asia (136), egypt (59), myths and legends (42), pyramids (24), religions (114)
In the Classroom
Have your students take on the role of a pharaoh, making decisions about governing Egypt. Present students with real-life challenges (ex., a famine, a rebellion, or a need for a new pyramid) and have them decide how to respond. Students can create a map of Ancient Egypt, labeling key locations such as the Nile River, pyramids, temples, and major cities. Then, they can annotate the map briefly to explain how geography influenced Egyptian civilization. A digital map can be made using Google My Maps reviewed here or MapHubs reviewed here. Create a class language similar to hieroglyphics, and have students or the teacher write messages to each other. Have students explore Egyptian myths and gods, then create their own to write a story or skit about them.Writings of Ancient Maya - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
4 to 8This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Provide students with a chart of Mayan glyphs and their meanings. Then, give them a short "coded" message using real Mayan glyphs and challenge them to decode it. Doing this introduces them to the complexity of the Mayan writing system in a fun, interactive way. Hide "glyphs" around the classroom or school and have students work in teams to "excavate" and analyze their findings. They must hypothesize what the symbols might mean based on context clues and prior knowledge, like real archaeologists decoding ancient texts. In small groups or individually, students can create a mini "Maya codex" by folding paper in accordion style and illustrating a short story using glyphs and pictures. They can write a key to explain their symbols, like archaeologists do when deciphering ancient texts!Ancient Egypt Map Lesson Pack - Twinkl
Grades
3 to 7tag(s): asia (136), egypt (59), map skills (64), maps (224)
In the Classroom
Give students a blank map of Ancient Egypt and have them label key locations like the Nile River, Giza, Thebes, Memphis, the Red Sea, and the Sahara Desert. Add a challenge by having them color-code fertile land, deserts, and water sources to understand Egypt's geography. Students role-play as Egyptian traders or travelers journeying along the Nile. They will use a map to plan their route, deciding where to stop for food, trade, or religious ceremonies. They can write a travel diary entry describing their experiences. Make the travel diary online using a tool like WriteReader, reviewed here or Book Creator, reviewed here. Cut out sections of an Ancient Egypt map and mix them up. Have students work in groups to reassemble the map, identifying key landmarks as they put it together. Using clay, paper mache, or even a digital tool such as CoSpaces, reviewed here, students create a 3D model of Ancient Egypt, highlighting the Nile River, major cities, and famous landmarks.Tourism collection - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
K to 12tag(s): careers (182)
In the Classroom
Students can participate in the lessons that are available on the website. Students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to be a tour guide on a specific piece of land/area. Finally, students can use Book Creator reviewed here to create a tourism guide to the land/area that they are studying in social studies.Mayan Exploration Center - Mayan Exploration Center
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): central america (26), mayans (32), mexico (46)
In the Classroom
Students can use Google My Maps, reviewed here to virtually visit the area. Students can research the cities and create a Padlet reviewed here to post facts about the cities. Finally, students can create a 3D model of the city.Mayans - Teacher Planet
Grades
3 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): mayans (32), mexico (46), south america (77)
In the Classroom
Make a 3D model of a Mayan pyramid. Consider using technology such as CoSpaces, reviewed here. Have students make a Mayan calendar. Students can use Mayan glyphs and write messages to each other to decode. In ELA class, students can write short stories mentioning daily activities they learned in class for a cross-curricular activity. Create and share the stories using Sway, reviewed here.Ancient Maya: Knowledge through Art- Lesson Plan - PBS Newshour Classroom
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Prepare a Maya Chocolate drink for everyone to try with the recipe listed on the web page (Check for allergies!). Create a short diary or scrapbook of daily life. Use ePubEditor, reviewed here or create a presentation using Google Slides, reviewed here template to make this online. Copy a glyph on a poster board and include an explanation. Create a map of a Mayan city on paper or digitally using MapHubs, reviewed here.The Mayan Empire - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Set up stations around the classroom with images and short descriptions of Mayan achievements (architecture, astronomy, writing, calendar system). Have students rotate in small groups, taking notes and discussing how each achievement impacted Mayan society. Introduce students to the Mayan writing system by showing examples of glyphs. Then, have them create glyphs to represent their names or a short message. They can trade with classmates to decode each other's symbols! Have students create a Venn diagram comparing the Mayan civilization to modern society. Topics could include government, architecture, writing, and timekeeping. Consider using Canva, reviewed here to make the Venn diagram online. Students can work in pairs or small groups to create a mini "Maya codex" using folded paper, illustrating aspects of Mayan daily life, beliefs, or achievements. Encourage students to include drawings and glyphs to mimic the real codices.SDGs - 17 BookWidgets Lessons - BookWidgets
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): climate change (100), cross cultural understanding (178), energy (133), flash cards (43), nutrition (140), sustainability (51), timelines (57), women (154)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this resource to find activities and ideas to use when planning activities related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Find additional resources on the TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Resources Related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reviewed here. Use the activities as inspiration to increase student engagement and understanding of the SDGs. For example, after viewing the invention timeline, ask students to research a specific invention or inventor, then create a timeline using templates available on Canva Timeline Infographic Templates, reviewed here or Genially, reviewed here.Geography - American Association of Geographers and Esri
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): climate (85), critical thinking (137), cultures (226), ecosystems (85), maps (224), multimedia (55)
In the Classroom
Have students explore Geography.com to find answers to questions about landforms, climates, and world regions. Create a bingo-style worksheet with prompts like "Find a fact about the Amazon Rainforest" or "Identify a country with multiple time zones". Using interactive maps from Geography.com, students choose a continent or country to study, and create an illustrated map that includes physical features, climate zones, and key cultural landmarks. Students can present their maps and explain how geography affects life in that region. Each student picks a country or city and writes five geography-based clues about it. Clues should include landforms, climate, population, or cultural features found on Geography.com.Indigenous Rights and Controversy over Hawaii's Maunakea Telescope - Facing History & Ourselves
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): hawaii (9), native americans (116), telescopes (11)
In the Classroom
Students can engage in the lesson as it is on the website. Students can create a timeline using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Students can debate these issues by providing reasons for or against them. Students can use an online debate tool like Kialo Edu reviewed here.Google Indoor Map - Google
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (146), digital literacy (16), map skills (64), maps (224), problem solving (234), virtual field trips (131)
In the Classroom
Use this platform to plan field trips or as a tool in geography and technology lessons. Challenge students to plan routes through indoor maps of airports, malls, or stadiums. Analyze how indoor maps highlight accessible routes and features in public spaces. Discuss inclusivity in design and how technology can assist people with disabilities. Provide scenarios where students must solve problems using indoor maps (ex., locate emergency exits or the nearest restroom). Introduce the technology behind indoor mapping, such as GPS, Wi-Fi, and floor-plan digitization.Library of Congress Research Guides - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): african american (119), architecture (84), black history (135), branches of government (64), civil rights (219), civil war (141), conservation (101), energy (133), engineering (137), environment (251), foreign policy (13), hispanic (46), industrialization (12), jews (52), latin (23), literature (221), middle east (50), native americans (116), nutrition (140), photography (131), politics (118), population (52), religions (114), Research (88), sports (85), statistics (121), Teacher Utilities (202), women (154), womenchangemaker (39), womens suffrage (52)
In the Classroom
Assign students to explore a Library of Congress guide on a historical event (ex., Civil Rights Movement, World War II) and have them read and summarize a firsthand account or diary (or blog) entry. Students can then write a journal entry or letter from someone who lived through the event. Try a simple blogging tool like Telegra.ph reviewed here. Choose a literature-focused research guide related to a classic novel or author (such as To Kill a Mockingbird or The Great Gatsby) and have students create a timeline using Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here or a newspaper front page using a template from Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here.NPR- Breaking News, Analysis, Music, Arts, and Podcasts - NPR
Grades
K to 12tag(s): civil rights (219), cultures (226), journalism (74), news (226), podcasts (117), scientists (71), space (220)
In the Classroom
Have students listen to NPR's Student Podcast Challenge winners for inspiration and assign them to create a short podcast episode on a topic related to your curriculum. Use free tools like NPR's podcast resources or Buzzsprout, reviewed hereto guide their scriptwriting and recording process. Choose an NPR article and a similar report from another news source and have students analyze the tone, word choice, and sources used. Use NPR's science and history archives to explore a key discovery or event. Have students present their findings through a timeline project using Timeline Infographic Templates, reviewed here or Turbo Timeline Generator, reviewed here.Geography and the Nile River - Ducksters
Grades
4 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): africa (170), asia (136), egypt (59), map skills (64), maps (224)