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Treasury Direct Kids - U.S. Department of the Treasury
Grades
4 to 8
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At this wonderful site, learn about the history of Treasury securities, U.S. debt, and the importance of saving and investing. You can view an old video featuring an ancient superman...more
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At this wonderful site, learn about the history of Treasury securities, U.S. debt, and the importance of saving and investing. You can view an old video featuring an ancient superman talk about buying U.S. savings bonds, try several money interactives, and do money math. Learn about the important history of U.S. borrowing. Viewing old war bond posters is another way to learn history and learn about old styles of graphic design. Graphs of U.S. debt complete another approach to teaching about basic banking and debt. Many wonderful short videos show TV advertisements for savings bonds. The games on this site require Flash which is no longer supported.
tag(s): advertising (23), financial literacy (90), posters (45)
In the Classroom
After presenting the basic info on this site, view the posters under the tab Art of Debt. Discuss and then have students make online posters parallel to the old ones they see displayed here. Use an online poster creator, such as Padlet, reviewed here. Have them make their own graphs of funds and debts based on their own finances using ChartGizmo, reviewed here. Use this site when teaching percentages; have students do problems figuring the interest on today's debt. Introduce them to the concept of buying a bond today and have them calculate its accrued interest and how many years it will take to gain face value. Have students in a team create modern-day videos using a tool like Vmaker, reviewed here, to advertise and sell savings bonds. Share the videos using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Teacher's Portal - American Bar Association
Grades
6 to 12
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Each year, teachers are asked to observe Constitution Day with special instruction on one of the United States' founding documents. This site provides sample lesson plans and resources...more
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Each year, teachers are asked to observe Constitution Day with special instruction on one of the United States' founding documents. This site provides sample lesson plans and resources for all grade levels, including some flash-enabled interactive lessons and activities on specific aspects of the Constitution's application.
tag(s): bill of rights (39), constitution (104)
In the Classroom
Use the lesson plan suggestions to meet the mandate for instruction on Constitution Day, but be sure to check out the other resources for lessons on civics, government, current events, and the Constitution itself. The section called "Dialogues" provides resources to engage students and community members in discussion of fundamental American legal principles and civic traditions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Penzu - Alexander Mimran and Michael Lawlor
Grades
4 to 12
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Penzu offers a FREE service to write journals or diaries online with exceptional privacy options. As an added benefit, you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. There...more
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Penzu offers a FREE service to write journals or diaries online with exceptional privacy options. As an added benefit, you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. There is a very short demo video on the home page. On Penzu, you can keep everything completely private or share selective posts by email or URL. Perhaps share selections on a class wiki page? Don't have a wiki? See the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through for practical management and safety tips for a class wiki. Note: Premium service is available, but this review is for the free version.
tag(s): communication (126), DAT device agnostic tool (132), journals (23), writing (309)
In the Classroom
A class journaling program has limitless possibilities. Engage students in discussions using a topic from current events, current social issues, independent reading, literature, and more. Any class using a journal can use Penzu. For example, science lab write-ups or the problem of the week in math. Penzu can even be used for homework. Just think, no more lugging heavy boxes full of notebooks around! In language arts, students journal daily and harvest from their musings and ideas to create a short story or a poem. They can even use Penzu to develop their brainstorms and rough drafts. For social studies classes, students can write posts and ideas about famous people or daily life in a time period being studied, then create a "diary" for the famous person in Bookemon, reviewed here or a poster using Genially, reviewed here about daily life. For either of these ideas, once they are ready to present their final project, have them share it with their peers and others, and consider adding other media. See more ideas for student blogging/journaling at TeachersFirst's Blogging Basics for the Classroom. Share journals with parents as appropriate by URL. Be sure to respect student privacy before sharing.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Economics Guides - Shmoop University Inc
Grades
9 to 12
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Shmoop has added Economics to its series of study guide sites. To call this "just" a study guide, however, would be to underestimate its depth and usefulness. The site includes ...more
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Shmoop has added Economics to its series of study guide sites. To call this "just" a study guide, however, would be to underestimate its depth and usefulness. The site includes content in the major subareas of economics (supply and demand, money and banking, macroeconomics, etc.), and within each area, there are content summaries, questions that require higher order thinking, an interactive to try and test student content mastery, and links to content elsewhere on the web. The layout is intuitive and easy to use, although there are ads on the side.
Students can create accounts on Shmoop to access more features, but the site is very useful even without an account. Creating an account does require an email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
Students can create accounts on Shmoop to access more features, but the site is very useful even without an account. Creating an account does require an email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.
tag(s): financial literacy (90), money (112)
In the Classroom
Add this site to your classroom favorites and list it on your class website so students can access it from home or in class at times when they may think they have mastered content ahead of their classmates. Use the interactives as a classroom activity on an interactive whiteboard or projector to test student knowledge or to prep for an exam. Use the summaries yourself to help organize your presentation of the content.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Longwood Central School District SMART Board Lessons - Longwood Central School District
Grades
K to 12
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This is an extensive collection of ready to go, teacher-made SMART Notebook activities. This collection covers all grade levels and subject areas. Click Elementary, Middle School, Jr....more
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This is an extensive collection of ready to go, teacher-made SMART Notebook activities. This collection covers all grade levels and subject areas. Click Elementary, Middle School, Jr. High, or High School to find the many (MANY) resources). The topics vary greatly and the quantity is impressive. You must have Smart Board software installed on your computer to open these files. Some files will work using the SMART Notebook Express online viewer available here. (Download the notebook file from Longwood's collection to your desktop and then upload to SMART Notebook Express site.)
In the Classroom
These lessons are great for the new SMART Board user or the seasoned pro. Use these if you need a lesson but don't have time to create one from scratch. View the lessons and use them to help you create your own lesson. Click the different tabs to view the different grade levels. Please note that all of these activities require SMART Notebook software (which comes with SMART brand IWBs). Don't have SMART brand IWB's? Some files will work using the SMART Notebook Express online viewer available here. (Download the notebook file from Longwood's collection to your desktop and then upload to SMART Notebook Express site.) If you use a lesson, go to the staff directory under District Information -> Email Directory and send the creator a thank you. Think how great it would be to receive an email from a teacher "out there" thanking YOU for sharing?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Motivator - Big Huge Labs
Grades
K to 12
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Create your own motivational posters easily and simply. Choose a random picture (one from Flickr or Facebook) or use one already on your computer. Choose colors and other options, as...more
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Create your own motivational posters easily and simply. Choose a random picture (one from Flickr or Facebook) or use one already on your computer. Choose colors and other options, as well as the type of text to be used. Enter your text and preview the result. Once complete, save to Flickr, your computer, or print. Remember, you can use a saved image in PowerPoint shows and on a class wiki, as well as blogs and other sites.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): collages (16), images (268), photography (135), posters (45)
In the Classroom
Make sure students are aware of copyright laws. Use this site to encourage the proper use of photographs for which students have authorization. Model including appropriate photo credits on the posters. Check out the Big Huge Labs educator account. Easily pre-register students to avoid creating logins, view and download their creations, and view the site advertisement-free. You will find information about the Educator Account here.Younger students can use this tool together as a whole-class activity or simply enjoy the posters their teacher creates. Have students create a picture about a unit topic with a caption using new terms learned. For example, create posters on predators and prey or on animal classifications. Students can create a poster of a study skill or learning activity that helps them learn. Create a caption that explains how the student learns best. Every subject area can use this resource to create interesting presentation posters for display or as springboards for discussing what was learned. For example, in Biology, students could create a poster on a cell part with a clever caption highlighting the importance of its function. In Literature or History, students can create posters about the perspectives of others in the story or in that historical period. Rather than a traditional research project, have cooperative learning groups use this site to show their knowledge in any subject area. Ask students to apply concepts such as constitutional rights by illustrating them in poster images with captions. Teachers can create bulletin board images, as well. Have a classroom motivation poster competition to start off the school year! Share the winners on your class wiki or in a PowerPoint presentation at back-to-school night/open house. As special occasions approach, have students bring in or take a digital photo they can turn into a poster as a family gift, with their own inspirational saying. Create a portfolio of 6-word stories, utilizing a powerful picture and 6 words to demonstrate the concept that was learned. Assign students the task of posting their project on a blog, with a more detailed explanation of their understanding of the concept depicted in the picture.
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Mission US - Thirteen
Grades
4 to 8
5 Favorites
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Mission US is a free, interactive US history simulation game that puts students in the shoes of young people during critical moments in the nation's past. Each mission immerses players...more
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Mission US is a free, interactive US history simulation game that puts students in the shoes of young people during critical moments in the nation's past. Each mission immerses players in different eras--such as pre-Revolution Boston, westward expansion, or the Great Depression--through story-driven gameplay and decision-making. In Mission 1, "For Crown or Colony?", students experience the events leading up to the American Revolution through the eyes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old apprentice in 1770. The platform is browser-based (no Flash required) and supports classroom use with optional teacher accounts for tracking student progress. To play the full game, you need to register (by clicking "Create Account" on the top-right corner of the website) to create your own login and password.
tag(s): 1800s (87), abolition (14), american revolution (91), evolution (85), great depression (32), immigrants (50), immigration (85), slavery (77), westward expansion (42), world war 2 (167)
In the Classroom
This is a must for any social studies or US History class. If you are remote or hybrid teaching, besure to read the section for usng Mission US while learning at home. Start by checking out the teachers area so you can follow the progress of your students. Use the demo game on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector to introduce it to your students. Once classes are set up have your students work in cooperative groups and work their way through the activities. There are wonderful teacher resources available including models for instruction, tips, instructions and student handouts. Resources are available in both PDF and Word so you can customize the worksheets for your students. This feature is great for differentiating materials for various student levels. When all students are done with a Mission, enhance student learning and have a class discussion about what side they chose and why? Consider using a backchanneling tool such as Yo!Teach, reviewed here, which allows all students a chance to voice their opinions (even the shyest and quiet ones). If your class is remote learning, for the discussion, extend learning by using Gravity, reviewed here; require them to comment (politely) on their peers choices and reflections.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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lino - Infoteria Corporation
Grades
K to 12
3 Favorites
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Create online sticky-note bulletin boards that can be viewed on any device using lino. Click to try it first without even joining. The "Give it a shot!" button has a ...more
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Create online sticky-note bulletin boards that can be viewed on any device using lino. Click to try it first without even joining. The "Give it a shot!" button has a "How to" canvas with stickies explaining how to use lino. Join and create your own canvases to share stickies, reminders, files, and more. Change sticky colors from the menu in the upper-right corner, or use the easy editing tools that appear when the sticky is selected. Use the icons at the bottom of each sticky note to "peel them off," share, edit, and more. Create a group from your lino page to share and collaborate on canvases. You can also share canvases publicly so anyone with the URL can participate. This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web and as free Android and iOS apps. Use it on any device, or switch between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.
tag(s): bulletin boards (13), collaboration (128), collages (16), creative fluency (3), creativity (87), DAT device agnostic tool (132), noregistration (74), note taking (35)
In the Classroom
Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom, since all students can access it for free, regardless of their device. Students can use this when researching alone or in groups to quickly share files, videos, and pictures from one computer to another. Have students write tasks for each group member on a sticky note so that everyone has a responsibility. Show them how to copy/paste URLs for sources onto notes, too. Use lino as your virtual word wall for vocabulary development. Use a lino for students to submit and share questions or comments about assignments and tasks they are working on. Use it as a virtual graffiti wall for students to make connections between their world and curriculum content, such as "I wonder what the hall monitor would say finding Lady Macbeth washing her hands in the school restroom... and what Lady M would say back." (Of course, you will want to have a PG-13 policy for student comments!) Encourage students to maintain an idea collection lino for ideas and creative inspirations they may not have used yet but do not want to "lose." They can color-code and organize ideas later, or send the stickies to a new project board. In writing or art classes, use lino as a virtual writer's journal or design a notebook to collect ideas, images, and even video clips. In science classes, encourage students to keep a lino board with (classroom appropriate) questions and "aside" thoughts about science concepts being studied and to use these ideas in later projects so their creative ideas are not 'lost" before project time. A lino board can also serve as a final online "display" for students to "show what they know" as the culmination of a research project. Add videos, images, and notes in a carefully arranged display not unlike an electronic bulletin board. This is also a great tool to help you stay "personally" organized. Use this site as a resource to share information with other teachers, parents, or students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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2020 Census - US Census Bureau
Grades
6 to 12
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The Decennial Census website from the U.S. Census Bureau provides information about the nationwide population count that takes place every ten years and the planning, research, and...more
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The Decennial Census website from the U.S. Census Bureau provides information about the nationwide population count that takes place every ten years and the planning, research, and testing that support future censuses. The site currently focuses on preparations for the 2030 Census, offering updates on research projects, operational planning, technology improvements, and efforts to ensure an accurate count of all residents. Teachers and students can explore how census data is collected, why it matters, and how it influences representation, funding, and community planning across the United States. The site is updated regularly as new information becomes available, providing a valuable resource for lessons on civics, government, geography, demographics, and data literacy.
tag(s): census (12), civics (128), demographics (14), population (53)
In the Classroom
First, it's important for students to know that the US Constitution requires a census, and second, that the information gathered is used in a variety of important ways that affect them directly. The first data posted looks at how shifts in population density will change the way various geographic areas of the country are represented in the US government. Consider reading the Director's blog for further analysis of how census data is being used on a local, state, and national level. Of course, the data are perfect for using in math and civics classes for teaching graph reading and creation, and for providing real-life information to use in statistical analysis. A civics or sociology class might download a copy of the census form and consider what the questions tell us about how families live in the 21st century. What questions might students add to a future census form that would reflect how things are changing for their generation?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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State of the Union Address 2011 - guardian.co.uk
Grades
6 to 12
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See a comparison of State of the Union Address language from President Obama, 2011, to past presidents and speeches. These word clouds offer a visual comparison of the most frequent...more
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See a comparison of State of the Union Address language from President Obama, 2011, to past presidents and speeches. These word clouds offer a visual comparison of the most frequent words in different presidential speeches. You can make your own clouds of speech text using WordClouds, reviewed here, and similar word cloud tools to add to the comparison options.
tag(s): civics (128), presidents (151), speech (66), speeches (22)
In the Classroom
Share these word clouds on interactive whiteboard or projector to analyze the presidential agendas in a civics or government class. Have students make their own clouds of text from other speeches using WordClouds, reviewed here, or similar word cloud tools like WordArt, reviewed here, to add to the comparison options. During political campaigns, share this comparison and invite students to create ones of their own between different candidates. In English/language arts classes, use the word clouds to spark discussion of propaganda techniques, word choice, and effective speech techniques. Share this discussion in debate club, as well, to point out the importance of carefully crafted messages. Have students create and compare clouds of their own speech drafts while studying persuasive writing.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Gettysburg Address on PBS - Adam Gault
Grades
6 to 12
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Our students are accustomed to having both audio and video content to the information they access. Consequently, just reading something like the Gettysburg Address can seem dry and...more
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Our students are accustomed to having both audio and video content to the information they access. Consequently, just reading something like the Gettysburg Address can seem dry and sterile to them. This video provides both a rich reading of Lincoln's famous speech, and an accompanying video track to illustrate it. Though the prelude is interesting, the actual speech starts at minute 3:29.
tag(s): civil war (136), gbtn (10), gettysburg (14), gettysburg address (10), lincoln (62), presidents (151)
In the Classroom
For those who are not strong readers, the audio-video combination provided here may make the concepts in the Gettysburg Address more accessible. For other students, there may be deeper, more complex questions sparked by the video. Did the creator of the video capture the concepts authored by Abraham Lincoln adequately? This video could be the "jumping off place" for a variety of questions the class might consider or project ideas for individual students. How might you do it differently? What about other well-known speeches or documents? How would you illustrate them for a similar video? Challenge students to create their own video using FlexClip, reviewed here to accompany a famous speech and share the video using a site such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PolitiFact: Sorting out the truth in politics - St. Petersburg Times
Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Politicians are legendary for their ability to "spin" or manipulate the facts in their own favor. This site seeks to cut through the jargon and the partisan spin to evaluate ...more
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Politicians are legendary for their ability to "spin" or manipulate the facts in their own favor. This site seeks to cut through the jargon and the partisan spin to evaluate statements made by politicians, using their "Truth-o-Meter." Although the interface is light-hearted (using a scale that runs from True, Barely True, False, and "Pants on Fire"), the facts are well researched and presented.
tag(s): advertising (23), elections (87), politics (122)
In the Classroom
This site is a great resource for students researching politicians and their viewpoints. If you're sponsoring a class debate, keep the site handy for each side to check the assertions of their opponents. When students have questions about the content of political advertising, for example, refer them here to find out more. As an assignment, consider having the class pick a political ad, and using the information on this site, write about how the creator of the ad selected the facts that would best portray the viewpoint of the candidate. They could share their critique on a class wiki or on a classroom bulletin board. Have groups create a "mythbuster" political poster on Genially reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Supreme Court: Games - PBS
Grades
9 to 12
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Although this site is no longer maintained, most links are working. As a supplement to their series on The Supreme Court, PBS has prepared nine interactive modules on various aspects...more
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Although this site is no longer maintained, most links are working. As a supplement to their series on The Supreme Court, PBS has prepared nine interactive modules on various aspects of the high court. Although they are called "games" most are simply interactive lessons on topics including a quiz on the constitution, information on the symbols used by the court to illustrate its importance to the US system of government, civil rights rulings, specific justices of note, and landmark cases. For reasons not immediately apparent, one of the interactives requires registration with an email address and password. Rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. There are also links to educator resources and lesson plans.
tag(s): civil rights (221), constitution (104), supreme court (33)
In the Classroom
These lessons would be useful on an interactive whiteboard or projector along with a unit on the Supreme Court or the US judicial system. Students might also use them to to extend or enrich the topic on their own time, or when they have completed other classwork. They are well researched and informative, however, most students won't view them as "games" as they are labeled. Have cooperative learning groups investigate one specific topic and share their discoveries with the class. Challenge students to create a video using Powtoon, reviewed here, and it share using a site such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Vote Smart - Project Vote Smart
Grades
9 to 12
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Students often are confused about how to choose a candidate to support in an upcoming election. Perhaps they haven't read enough about the candidates and are overly influenced by campaign...more
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Students often are confused about how to choose a candidate to support in an upcoming election. Perhaps they haven't read enough about the candidates and are overly influenced by campaign advertising, or they are just repeating what they have heard at home. This site can help them hone in on a candidate whose views are similar to their own. Enter your zip code, and you have data on each candidate running in your area across the issues. Scroll down the page to find Navigation, click Education and find For Teachers with resources like Civics Matters Curriculum, Vote Smart Vocabulary, Government 101, and you can request printed materials there.
In the Classroom
Use this site as the basis of a homework or group assignment: students can write about the candidate they would support in an upcoming election referencing the information found on the site about each candidate's views on specific issues. Take it further and have them create a print ad for their candidate or an online "poster" using Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here. Alternatively, the site could be used on an interactive whiteboard as a springboard for a class-wide discussion.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Testmoz - testmoz.com
Grades
K to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this very simple site to create a test that's accessible on the Internet. Create an automatically graded test easily and for free! You can even include audio and video ...more
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Use this very simple site to create a test that's accessible on the Internet. Create an automatically graded test easily and for free! You can even include audio and video if you have an HTML embed code. Registration is not required to use or to take the created tests. Simply click "Create a test," enter the test name, and create a password. Note: Be sure to remember the password somewhere because it is not possible to recover it. Read the directions on the Test Control Panel to adjust settings, add questions, and publish the test. Bookmark the URL of the finished test you make so you can find it later. After publishing, copy and paste the URL of the test into a wiki, blog, or site, for student access. View reports when students are done with the test.
tag(s): quiz (64)
In the Classroom
Skills required: Be sure to remember the password for your tests, as well as the unique URL. It would be wise to copy/paste them into a document you keep somewhere for reference. Users are unable to access the tests without the URL. Be sure to not share this ahead of time. Items in Testmoz are not made public.Use where automatically graded tests are required, such as for formative assessments to check student understanding. Use as a "ticket out the door" to see what students know at the end of class. Be sure that this is the medium you want to use for testing. Be flexible with students who find it difficult to take online testing. Entering all the material ahead of time can be time consuming, so this may not be the best format for long tests. Use this quiz application to create study quizzes for review for students to complete as homework (or during class time). Have students rotate to create daily check quizzes for their peers (earning a grade for test-creation). Learning support students and others who need a little extra review might like to make quizzes to challenge each other or themselves. Have students who are preparing to give oral presentations in any subject prepare a short Testmoz for their peers to take at the end.
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Budget Simulator - Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12
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So often we hear impassioned cries for causes that deserve more governmental funding. At the same time, we know that the government already spends more money than it has. A ...more
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So often we hear impassioned cries for causes that deserve more governmental funding. At the same time, we know that the government already spends more money than it has. A balanced federal budget seems little more than a fantasy. Do students think they can do better? This simulation exercise (it's too important a topic to refer to as a game), guides students through the difficult choices our governments needs to make if it is to balance the federal government. Cut the military? Cut healthcare spending? Cut services for the needy? Once you've made the choices, the simulator will deliver the outcome: were you able to balance the budget by cutting over $1.3 billion in spending?
tag(s): politics (122)
In the Classroom
This would make a wonderful class team competition. Consider dividing the class into groups, or even pitting different sections of the same course against each other. Encourage the students not to breeze through the choices too quickly. The site might be useful for mature younger students if they have the attention span required to make careful and reasoned choices. Another option is to complete this activity as a class on an interactive whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Guzzle - Lemonchick
Grades
8 to 12
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This news aggregator allows you to select whatever news topics you would like to see displayed. You can choose either to see just the headlines or the headline and its ...more
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This news aggregator allows you to select whatever news topics you would like to see displayed. You can choose either to see just the headlines or the headline and its news source before you read. After customizing the pages, you can click to see a page showing just the items you would like to read. When you mouse over the headline, you can see the first sentence or so of the selected news item before clicking to get it in entirety. Clicking on the headline sends you directly to the original source newspaper. Once linked to the original newspaper, you have the option to search other articles at that source as well.
tag(s): news (223), newspapers (86)
In the Classroom
This site is excellent for enrichment, research, or a current events class. Include it on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class. Have students try out this site on individual computers, or as a learning center. This site is ideal for an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have the students open the site and use the whiteboard tools to set up a class selected news offering for each day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Timelines: Sources from History - British Library
Grades
4 to 12
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This site, created in the United Kingdom, offers many timelines with a simple click to launch an amazing 3-dimensional page. Timelines are organized by subject matter and include samplings...more
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This site, created in the United Kingdom, offers many timelines with a simple click to launch an amazing 3-dimensional page. Timelines are organized by subject matter and include samplings from literature, sociology, history, everyday life, science, technology, explorers, medicine, and more. With another click, you can zoom from one century to another. Start in the 1210s and work your way through the years. View the context of history using visual artifacts from DaVinci's contemporaries to shopping in the 1890s. Connect historical events or technological accomplishments by seeing them alongside simultaneous events, precursors, or results. An additional option allows you to save favorite timelines and/or events. Although the main timeline requires flash which is no longer supported, the century timelines remain viewable and provide valuable information.
tag(s): europe (82), literature (214), politics (122)
In the Classroom
This site is excellent for research projects or to provide visual context to your curriculum in social studies, world cultures, world history, literature, art, or western heritage classes. Offer this set of timelines as a research source for history, social studies, and literature classes. Show students these timelines on an interactive whiteboard. Or have students research various topics on their own using this fabulous tool. Pique their interest by letting them browse to find out what else happened at the same time as events in the standard history curriculum -- then ask WHY. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create online posters displaying their findings using an online poster creator, such as Padlet (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National History Day - National History Day
Grades
6 to 12
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No national social studies competition carries more respect than National History Day. Each year a new theme leads students to delve into primary research on local, regional, or national...more
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No national social studies competition carries more respect than National History Day. Each year a new theme leads students to delve into primary research on local, regional, or national issues and events. This site is the home page for the competition, complete with all materials and information needed to participate. Whether you choose to hold a History Day event within your school or to compete against others, this site will get you started. Use this site in combination with TeachersFirst's collection of History Day Resources.
tag(s): history day (39), politics (122), women (189), world war 1 (86)
In the Classroom
From the tabs at the top of the page click Teacher Resources to find Lesson Plans, Webinars and Videos, and more. Students Resources helps students connect with the NEH Expert Series, gives helpful links for research, topics, and others. Whether you choose to hold a History Day event within your school or to compete against others, this site will get you started. Make this a permanent link on your class web page or share it with your gifted enrichment specialist for a curriculum connection to challenge any student. Extend student learning and challenge them to use a multimedia tool to present their research, Genially, is a good tool; it allows students a choice of multimedia products and they can insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ask Philosophers - Ask Philosophers
Grades
9 to 12
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Sometimes, right in the middle of an ordinary lesson, a student asks a question that is so profound, so abstract, that it brings the entire class to a screeching halt. ...more
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Sometimes, right in the middle of an ordinary lesson, a student asks a question that is so profound, so abstract, that it brings the entire class to a screeching halt. It's so tempting to say to the student, "We don't have time for that right now..." This site is about those big questions, and it's really very simple. Ordinary people send questions to a panel of philosophers, and the philosophers answer the questions. There are over 3000 questions answered on the site, all indexed by topic or keyword, and be aware that one of the topics is "sex." It's not pornographic, but the questions are direct.
tag(s): questioning (37)
In the Classroom
If you're looking for meaty writing prompts, this site is full of interesting and open-ended questions. The questions might also serve as a good data base for a class learning debate. It may also be helpful for students to see that philosophers use formal rules of thinking in answering their questions; they don't just say what they "feel" is right. Understanding that moral and ethical decision making is based on a set of predetermined principles is a concept that many students struggle with. This site would be useful for teaching ethical decision making with students whose thinking has progressed to the point where they are able to think more abstractly and philosophically: a gifted class perhaps? Have a class wiki dedicated to philosophy and profound questions. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the "TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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