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Free Learning Resources for Native American Heritage Month - Common Sense Media
Grades
K to 12
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This curated collection gathers free teaching and learning resources focused primarily on Native American and First Nations peoples in North America. The materials are organized by...more
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This curated collection gathers free teaching and learning resources focused primarily on Native American and First Nations peoples in North America. The materials are organized by approximate grade bands -- PreK, grades 1-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12 -- and include lesson plans, videos, music, stories, and hands-on activities across several subject areas. Many selections were developed by or in partnership with Native people, tribal organizations, or Native nations, helping teachers center Indigenous voices as they explore the histories, cultures, beliefs, innovations, and contemporary contributions of specific communities. The collection is useful during Native American Heritage Month, Indigenous Peoples' Day, and throughout the school year.
tag(s): cultures (298), native americans (161), preK (335), primary sources (163)
In the Classroom
Younger students can produce an illustrated digital book about one specific community or Indigenous contributor with Book Creator, reviewed here. Students can also build a visual chronology with the Timeline Tool by Read Write Think, reviewed here, making sure the timeline continues into the present rather than ending with historical conflict or removal. Invite students to examine images, objects, quotations, maps, or short texts and to record what they notice, wonder about, and need to verify. Use close reading to compare an Indigenous-authored account with a textbook description, or have students sort statements into past, present, stereotype, and evidence-based understanding.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress - Library of Congress
Grades
8 to 12
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View information about Native Americans, including primary source sets, historical photographs, and classroom guides. Topics include Native American Boarding Schools, Exploring the...more
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View information about Native Americans, including primary source sets, historical photographs, and classroom guides. Topics include Native American Boarding Schools, Exploring the Stories Behind Native American Boarding Schools, and Drake's West Indian Voyage, 1588 to 1589. Each includes a teacher's guide with primary sources.
tag(s): montana (33), native americans (161)
In the Classroom
Students can use Kiddle, reviewed here, to continue researching Native Americans who attended boarding school. If possible, have students virtually interview students who also attended boarding school. Students can present their lesson understanding by creating a presentation using Google Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Montana: Stories of the Land, Chapter 3 - Montana Historical Society
Grades
7 to 8
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Support a study of early Montana history and tribal perspectives with this teacher resource page for Chapter 3 of Montana: Stories of the Land. The page supplements the chapter "From...more
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Support a study of early Montana history and tribal perspectives with this teacher resource page for Chapter 3 of Montana: Stories of the Land. The page supplements the chapter "From Dog Days to Horse Warriors" with ready-to-use teaching supports, including educational trunks, a printable "Takeaway" summarizing strategy, recommended websites and lesson plans, videos, possible field trips, chapter tests and answer keys, and standards-alignment information. A particularly useful teacher note addresses disagreements among tribal cultural experts and historians over when different tribes arrived in Montana and encourages discussion of how historical knowledge is constructed. Resources also connect students with the Seven Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians and tribal perspectives on sovereignty, cultural continuity, identity, and history. The page includes several YouTube videos. If your district blocks YouTube, you may not be able to view the videos.
tag(s): montana (33), native americans (161), primary sources (163)
In the Classroom
Have students read an assigned section of Chapter 3, complete the site's "Takeaway" activity by distilling the reading to its most important idea, then compare summaries with a partner and revise for accuracy and concision. Ask students to organize significant developments related to horses, intertribal exchange, and changing lifeways into a chronological sequence using the Timeline Tool by ReadWriteThink, reviewed here, then write a short explanation of which change had the greatest impact. Extend learning by asking students to examine one of the Seven Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians and post a student-friendly explanation plus one supporting example from Chapter 3 to Padlet, reviewed here for a collaborative class reference board.
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Indian Education - Montana Office of Public Instruction
Grades
K to 12
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Explore a central collection of Montana resources supporting Indian Education for All, American Indian student achievement, tribal relations, and Native language and culture. The Montana...more
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Explore a central collection of Montana resources supporting Indian Education for All, American Indian student achievement, tribal relations, and Native language and culture. The Montana Office of Public Instruction explains the state's constitutional commitment to recognizing and preserving the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians. It provides pathways to curriculum materials, professional learning, tribal resources, language preservation initiatives, and student-support information. The linked Indian Education for All collection includes classroom lessons and resources in art, health, language arts, mathematics, music, science, and social studies, organized by grade level and Montana tribal nation. Educators can also find the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians, implementation guides, tribal history resources, recorded webinars, professional-development opportunities, and links to additional Indigenous education organizations and materials. The page also links to a YouTube video titled We Are One. If your district blocks YouTube, you may not be able to view the video.
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tag(s): montana (33), native americans (161)
In the Classroom
Students can locate Montana reservations and tribal communities while studying the geographic resources on the site, then build an annotated map with Google My Maps, reviewed here that connects locations with evidence from OPI or tribal sources. Assign students to explore one contemporary topic from the OPI resources, then write a short, evidence-based response that connects present-day issues to historical or governmental context, rather than treating American Indian cultures only as topics of the past.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians - Montana Office of Public Instruction
Grades
K to 12
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Build accurate background knowledge about Montana's tribal nations with this foundational Indian Education for All resource from the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Originally...more
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Build accurate background knowledge about Montana's tribal nations with this foundational Indian Education for All resource from the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Originally developed through discussions with American Indian educators from Montana tribes and most recently revised in 2024, the 32-page PDF organizes essential information around seven understandings. Topics include the diversity of Montana's twelve sovereign tribes, individual American Indian identity, traditional beliefs and oral histories, reservations and treaties, federal Indian policy, differing historical perspectives, and tribal sovereignty. Each Essential Understanding is expanded with key concepts and background information that helps educators move beyond generalizations and place historical issues in contemporary context. The document also provides information about Montana's tribal nations and reservations and concludes with an appendix identifying tribal groups, languages, membership information, and reservation establishment data. The introduction emphasizes that there is no generic American Indian and that tribally specific identification is the best approach whenever possible.
tag(s): diversity (57), identity (44), montana (33), native americans (161), oral history (14)
In the Classroom
Have students work in small groups to examine one of the seven Essential Understandings, identify its key ideas, and teach those ideas to classmates using evidence from the document. Ask students to compare two Montana tribal nations described in the resource, noting differences in language, history, government, location, and contemporary community information, using the Venn Diagram Creator by Canva, reviewed here. Extend learning by asking students to trace the federal policy periods described in Essential Understanding 5 and organize major changes from treaty-making and removal through self-determination with the Timeline Tool by ReadWriteThink, reviewed here.
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Yellowstone National Park - National Park Services
Grades
3 to 12
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Explore Yellowstone without leaving the classroom through this collection of interactive, map-based virtual tours from the National Park Service. Students can investigate Fort Yellowstone,...more
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Explore Yellowstone without leaving the classroom through this collection of interactive, map-based virtual tours from the National Park Service. Students can investigate Fort Yellowstone, Fountain Paint Pot, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mammoth Hot Springs, Mud Volcano, and Norris Geyser Basin, with each tour providing information that also supports an in-person visit. The linked locations introduce topics such as Yellowstone's volcanic activity, hydrothermal features, erosion, landforms, wildlife, and the history of the world's first national park. For example, the Fountain Paint Pot tour explains several types of hydrothermal features associated with Yellowstone's active volcanic system. In contrast, the Grand Canyon tour connects volcanic history, hydrothermal alteration, and river erosion to the canyon's formation. A story map about protecting Yellowstone's water, plus additional graphs, sounds, videos, interactive maps, and emaps, ends the exploration.
tag(s): conservation (98), erosion (15), landforms (37), national parks (30), virtual field trips (151), volcanoes (61)
In the Classroom
In addition to using the National Parks site, students can also use Google My Maps, reviewed here. Students can use Mentimeter, reviewed here to create a word cloud about what they feel as they are visiting Yellowstone National Park. Have students create a digital escape room escaping Yellowstone National Park using Save the Planet Breakout, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Museum of the United States Army - National Museum of the United States Army
Grades
4 to 12
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The National Museum of the United States Army Digital Resources page offers a wide variety of free educational materials that help students explore American history through the experiences...more
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The National Museum of the United States Army Digital Resources page offers a wide variety of free educational materials that help students explore American history through the experiences of U.S. Soldiers. Teachers can access engaging videos, interactive timelines, maps, online exhibits, lesson plans, virtual field trips, and primary-source activities that connect to topics ranging from the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts. The site also includes resources related to National History Day and offers opportunities for students to investigate history through artifacts, historical documents, and storytelling. These materials work well for social studies, history, reading, and cross-curricular lessons, helping students build research, critical-thinking, and historical-analysis skills.
tag(s): 1900s (87), 1910s (30), 1940s (70), american revolution (99), biographies (100), civil war (148), lewis and clark (16), virtual field trips (151), world war 1 (88), world war 2 (169)
In the Classroom
Explore a virtual field trip from the museum and have students complete a digital scavenger hunt focused on artifacts, uniforms, vehicles, or important historical events connected to the tour. Use the museum's interactive timelines and maps to help students trace major battles or troop movements, then create their own illustrated timeline or digital map presentation using Google My Maps, reviewed here. Have students analyze historical artifacts shown in the digital collections and make inferences about the people who used them.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Gold Fever and the Bechtler Mint - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
4 to 8
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Gold Fever and the Bechtler Mint is an engaging historical video resource that explores America's first gold rush in North Carolina during the early 1800s and the creation of Christopher...more
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Gold Fever and the Bechtler Mint is an engaging historical video resource that explores America's first gold rush in North Carolina during the early 1800s and the creation of Christopher Bechtler's private mint. Through documentary footage, expert interviews, historical reenactments, and clips showing how gold coins were handmade, students gain insight into early American economics, westward expansion, mining history, and entrepreneurship. Teachers can use the video to support lessons in U.S. history, economics, geography, and STEM while helping students connect historical events to real-world innovation and trade.
In the Classroom
After viewing the video, have students create a timeline of important events using MyLens, reviewed here that connects to the North Carolina Gold Rush and the Bechtler Mint. Students can include key people, discoveries, inventions, and economic impacts using paper timelines or digital tools. Organize a classroom gold rush simulation where students mine for hidden objects or tokens and trade them for classroom currency. Students can discuss supply and demand, fairness, and the effects of gold on local economies and communities. Ask students to design their own coin inspired by the Bechtler Mint. Students can sketch symbols, slogans, and images that represent their classroom, state, or community, and explain how they chose the symbols.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Yellowstone National Park Virtual Tours - National Park Service
Grades
K to 12
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Yellowstone's official virtual tours site lets students explore the park's main attractions without leaving the classroom, including Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Fountain...more
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Yellowstone's official virtual tours site lets students explore the park's main attractions without leaving the classroom, including Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Fountain Paint Pot, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Each map-based tour pairs photos and background info with details on visiting in person, and there's a story map on protecting Yellowstone's water for a deeper dive into conservation.
tag(s): national parks (30), virtual field trips (151)
In the Classroom
Set up small groups to rotate through different tour stops (Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, etc.), with each group recording observations and sharing one interesting fact with the class afterward. Have students explore the "Protecting Yellowstone's Water" story map and write a short reflection or create a poster on why water conservation matters in national parks, connecting it to conservation efforts in their own community. Have students use Canva for Education reviewed here to create a poster, story map, or other project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geography Awareness and Exploration Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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Geography is one of those subjects that comes alive the moment students can see it, touch it, and explore it for themselves -- not just read about it. This collection ...more
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Geography is one of those subjects that comes alive the moment students can see it, touch it, and explore it for themselves -- not just read about it. This collection brings together free resources designed to help you do exactly that, from interactive maps and virtual field trips to activities that build map-reading skills and a genuine curiosity about the world. Whether you're teaching continents to third graders or geopolitical shifts to high schoolers, you'll find tools here to make geography feel less like memorization and more like discovery.
tag(s): environment (246), globe (12), landforms (37), maps (220), statistics (126)
In the Classroom
Browse through this collection to find resources suitable for your classroom lessons and activities. Use the grade-level guide for each review to quickly find resources that fit your grade-level needs. Open the review to get an overview of each site's content and find suggestions for in-class use.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CokoGames - Cokogames Educational Games ONline
Grades
K to 6
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CokoGames is a free, browser-based website that offers a large collection of interactive educational games designed to help students build skills while having fun. The platform includes...more
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CokoGames is a free, browser-based website that offers a large collection of interactive educational games designed to help students build skills while having fun. The platform includes games focused on subjects such as math, language, typing, and problem-solving, as well as activities that strengthen memory, logic, and attention. Use the site as a quick practice tool, an enrichment option, or a brain break, since all games are accessible without downloads and easily shareable with students. Designed for a wide range of ages, CokoGames provides a safe, engaging environment where students can reinforce academic skills and develop critical thinking through play.
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tag(s): capitals (15), circuits (19), electricity (64), energy (139), enrichment (19), geometric shapes (152), integers (26), logic (177), map skills (65), multiplication (133), numbers (117), spanish (113), tangrams (10), time (98)
In the Classroom
Students can rotate through a skill-station setup, where each station features a different type of game (math, typing, logic), allowing them to practice targeted skills in a fun, game-based format. Students can work in pairs to play a selected game and collaborate by discussing strategies, predicting outcomes, and helping each other solve challenges. Set up a class challenge where students set goals for improvement in a specific skill area (such as typing speed or math accuracy) and celebrate growth rather than just high scores.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading Treks: Uprising - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 8
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Uprising tells the powerful, interwoven stories of Bella, Yetta, and Jane--three young women from vastly different backgrounds living in New York City in 1911. This Reading Trek includes...more
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Uprising tells the powerful, interwoven stories of Bella, Yetta, and Jane--three young women from vastly different backgrounds living in New York City in 1911. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps--available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file--that trace key locations from the story. There is also a downloadable teacher guide (PDF) to support classroom instruction and provide activities and extensions.
tag(s): 1910s (30), fire (25), Reading Treks (56)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive Google My Maps or Google Earth file to trace Bella, Yetta, and Jane's paths through 1911 New York City, helping students visualize the neighborhoods, factories, and social divides that shaped their different lives. As students explore each location, they can research its historical significance, including the real Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, around which the novel is built. Pair this map exploration with the teacher guide's activities and extensions.
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Reading Treks: Prairie Lotus - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 8
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction novel set in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s. It follows Hanna, a half-Chinese, half-white girl who moves with her ...more
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction novel set in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s. It follows Hanna, a half-Chinese, half-white girl who moves with her father to a small frontier town after her mother's death. Hanna dreams of becoming a dressmaker and finishing school, but she faces discrimination and exclusion because of her Asian heritage. Despite the racism and prejudice around her, Hanna remains determined to honor her mother's legacy and find acceptance in the community. Through resilience, courage, and kindness, she begins to carve out a place for herself on the American prairie. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps (available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file). The maps trace key locations from the story. There is also a teacher guide (PDF) with classroom activities and extension activities.
tag(s): 1800s (90), racism (82), Reading Treks (56), westward expansion (42)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive maps to have students trace Hanna's journey to the Dakota Territory, visualizing the frontier landscape and the distances families traveled during Westward Expansion. As students explore each stop, they can research the historical context of the 1880s frontier, including the experiences of mixed-race and immigrant families during this era. Pair this map exploration with the teacher guide's activities to examine themes of identity, prejudice, resilience, and belonging.
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Reading Treks: Paper Towns - TeachersFirst
Grades
8 to 12
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Paper Towns, by John Green, explores the themes of identity, perception, and the complexities of growing up. The story follows Quentin "Q" Jacobsen, a high school senior in Orlando,...more
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Paper Towns, by John Green, explores the themes of identity, perception, and the complexities of growing up. The story follows Quentin "Q" Jacobsen, a high school senior in Orlando, Florida, who is infatuated with his mysterious neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. After a night of adventurous revenge pranks, Margo disappears, leaving behind clues that Q and his friends try to decipher. As they trace her steps through paper towns--fake cities on maps and symbolic places in life--they question what it means to truly know someone. Included with this Trek are a downloadable Teacher Guide and two maps (a Google My Maps file and a downloadable Google Earth file).
tag(s): identity (44), mysteries (28), Reading Treks (56)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive Google My Maps or Google Earth file to have students trace Q's road trip and Margo's clues, mapping real Orlando-area locations alongside the mysterious "paper towns" referenced in the novel. This visual journey works well for small-group stations where students research the significance of each stop, from abandoned buildings to the fictional pseudo-visions on maps. Pair the exploration with the teacher guide's discussion questions and activities, ideal for literature circles or whole-class discussion. Use this book to dig into themes of identity, the danger of idealizing others, and the difference between perception and reality.
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Reading Treks: Black Was The Ink - TeachersFirst
Grades
7 to 9
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Black Was the Ink is a literary journey based on Michelle Coles's novel, following Malcolm, a modern-day African-American teen confronting personal struggles and systemic injustice....more
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Black Was the Ink is a literary journey based on Michelle Coles's novel, following Malcolm, a modern-day African-American teen confronting personal struggles and systemic injustice. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps (Google My Map and Google Earth Map) that trace locations tied to the story, along with a downloadable teacher guide (PDF) to support classroom use, making it easy to bring the book's settings and themes to life for students. The teacher guide includes many activity ideas related to the book and the maps.
tag(s): civil war (148), diversity (57), identity (44), Reading Treks (56)
In the Classroom
Pair the interactive maps with the teacher guide to turn Black Was the Ink into an immersive, cross-curricular experience. As students follow Malcolm's journey on the map, they can research the real-world significance of each location, connecting the novel's settings to historical and social context. The teacher guide offers discussion questions, activities, and extension ideas that pair naturally with the map--perfect for small-group stations, independent research projects, or whole-class discussions that deepen comprehension of the book's themes around identity, justice, and resilience.
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Explore Live Nature Cams - EXPLORE.org
Grades
K to 8
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The Explore Live Nature Cams YouTube channel features live animal cameras, nature streams, and wildlife videos from locations around the world. The channel is part of EXPLORE.org, which...more
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The Explore Live Nature Cams YouTube channel features live animal cameras, nature streams, and wildlife videos from locations around the world. The channel is part of EXPLORE.org, which operates one of the largest live nature camera networks, sharing real-time footage of animals and natural environments, including bears in Alaska, ocean life, bird nests, and wildlife reserves. Videos are unscripted and educational, allowing students to observe animal behavior, habitats, and ecosystems as they happen. The channel can be a useful classroom resource for science, geography, and observation activities, and the calm, real-time footage also works well for background viewing during quiet work time or discussions about nature and conservation. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): animals (284), ecosystems (113), habitats (108), webcams (20)
In the Classroom
Play a live cam feed for a few minutes and have students record what they see in their science journals. Students can write or draw the animals, describe their behavior, and note the habitat. Pause the video and ask students to predict what the animal might do next based on what they know about the species. Have students pretend they are one of the animals on the live cam and write a journal entry using Book Creator, reviewed here about their day. Students should include details about the animal's habitat, diet, and the challenges it might face.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Seven Ideas for Crafting Comics in History Classes - Classwork.com
Grades
5 to 12
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Looking for a creative way to bring history to life? Seven Ideas for Crafting Comics in History Classes explores how comic creation can deepen students' understanding of historical...more
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Looking for a creative way to bring history to life? Seven Ideas for Crafting Comics in History Classes explores how comic creation can deepen students' understanding of historical events, people, and concepts through visual storytelling. The article presents seven practical classroom activities, including creating historical biographies and dialogues, imagining modern-day conversations between historical figures, designing political cartoons, illustrating sequences of events, recreating courtroom scenes, developing comic-style diagrams, and illustrating historical letters. Each idea includes a brief explanation, classroom examples, and recommendations for free or low-cost digital tools and primary-source resources to help teachers guide students through the creative process. Whether used as an assessment, discussion starter, or enrichment activity, these ideas encourage students to think critically, communicate visually, and engage more deeply with history.
tag(s): comics and cartoons (69)
In the Classroom
When creating a political cartoon, students can use ToonyTool, reviewed here. Students can use Comic Strip Templates by Canva, reviewed here to sequence events. Students can use Free Comic Strip Maker by Adobe, reviewed here to create courtroom scenes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Better Planet Education - Better Planet Education
Grades
3 to 8
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The Better Planet Education website provides environmental education resources designed to help students learn about conservation, sustainability, wildlife, and climate issues. The...more
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The Better Planet Education website provides environmental education resources designed to help students learn about conservation, sustainability, wildlife, and climate issues. The Learning Hub section allows students to explore fact sheets, videos, activities, learning packs, and downloads on topics such as animals, energy, recycling, habitats, and climate change, with materials organized by age level. The Teach section includes free lesson plans, assembly presentations, and classroom resources for educators, many of which include teacher notes, experiments, and ready-to-use activities that connect to science and geography topics. These sections make the site especially useful for teachers seeking ready-made environmental lessons, background information, and student activities to support classroom learning about the natural world.
tag(s): animals (284), climate change (112), conservation (98), energy (139), habitats (108), recycling (48), STEM (381), sustainability (56)
In the Classroom
Assign small groups different topics from the Learning Hub, such as climate change, habitats, recycling, oceans, or endangered animals. Have students rotate through stations, read fact sheets, watch short videos, and record key facts. Finish with a class share in which each group teaches their topic. Use one of the ready-made lessons from the Teach section, then extend it with a hands-on activity, such as a recycling sort, an energy-saving checklist, or a habitat model. Students can write a reflection explaining what they learned and why the topic matters. Have students use information from the Learning Hub to create short presentations or slideshows using Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here about an environmental issue. They can present to the class, another grade, or during a morning meeting to practice speaking and teaching others.
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Infoplease - Sandbox Networks
Grades
4 to 12
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Infoplease is a free, authoritative online reference and learning website that combines an encyclopedia, almanac, atlas, dictionary, and other trusted resources in one easy-to-use location....more
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Infoplease is a free, authoritative online reference and learning website that combines an encyclopedia, almanac, atlas, dictionary, and other trusted resources in one easy-to-use location. It provides reliable information across subjects such as history, science, geography, language arts, and current events, making it a helpful tool for both classroom instruction and student research. A useful feature for teachers and students is the ability to enter a specific year and view major news events from that year, which supports timeline work, historical context, and research projects.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Have students enter a specific year associated with a novel, historical event, or an author's life and explore major news from that year. Students can create a "Breaking News from the Past" newspaper front page with Canva, reviewed here. During research projects, have students verify information using Infoplease as a trusted reference tool. Turn it into a "Fact or Fiction" activity where students must confirm or correct statements. Students can research events from a specific decade and build a timeline using MyLens, reviewed here Then they can identify patterns or cause-and-effect relationships between events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Alabama History Hub - Alabama Department of Archives & History
Grades
K to 12
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The Alabama History Hub, hosted by the Alabama Department of Archives and History, is a free online resource that provides educators and students with access to primary sources, artifacts,...more
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The Alabama History Hub, hosted by the Alabama Department of Archives and History, is a free online resource that provides educators and students with access to primary sources, artifacts, lesson plans, activities, games, and worksheets on Alabama history. Resources can be searched by grade level, topic, time period, and resource type, making it easy to locate materials that support specific curriculum goals. Designed for PreK-12 classrooms, the site helps teachers integrate primary-source analysis and inquiry-based learning into social studies, history, civics, and cross-curricular lessons. In addition to classroom resources, the Alabama Department of Archives and History offers educators access to traveling resource kits, virtual learning opportunities, museum field trips, and professional development programs that support the teaching of Alabama history and civics.
tag(s): 1700s (39), 1800s (90), 1900s (87), 2000s (2), 20th century (171), civil rights (224), civil war (148), primary sources (163), professional development (302), states (128)
In the Classroom
Students can work in small groups to compare different primary sources (letters, photos, or documents) from the site, discuss how each source provides a unique perspective, and then present their findings using a graphic organizer or sketchnote using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Students can use the Hub's lesson plans and activities to conduct a guided inquiry project where they develop a question about Alabama history, gather evidence from sources, and present a claim supported by reasoning. Students can explore the Alabama History Hub by selecting a time period (such as the Civil War or the Civil Rights era) and analyzing primary sources to create a short "history news report" summarizing key events and perspectives from that era. They can record using a digital tool such as Kapwing, reviewed here.
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