Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Created by the White House, this "inside look" starts with several historical, humorous tidbits about family life in the White House, and then moves on to many wonderful collections to investigate. All of the collections have photos, images and interviews. There are also a number of historical tidbits scattered through the site - just enough to show how the nation's first home has changed over the years. Add this one to your list of "What's it really like???" sites.

tag(s): white house (16)

Part of the National Park Service "Teaching with Historic Places" series, this site uses the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp as a starting point for an exploration of the internment activities that took place during World War II. As with other lessons in this series, the lesson asks students to interpret archival photos and draw conclusions from the images and contemporary accounts of the internment.

tag(s): japan (57), japanese (47), world war 2 (161)

Here's a small site we hope will grow quickly. There are recordings and videos of famous political speeches - including William Jennings Bryan's "cross of gold" and Churchill's famous "iron curtain" speech. Interestingly, many of these are in their entirety, making for listening sessions of an hour or more. History teachers will find numerous possibilities for this one, especially if the collection continues to grow. If your district block YouTube the videos will not be viewable.

tag(s): politics (118), speech (69), speeches (23)

PBS tackles greed, honesty, and the gray areas that separate vice from virtue in this series on America's ethics. While many viewers will think about the business implications of the series, the producers put the focus at a more personal level. Depending on your local situation, this site could be useful in business, guidance, or similar applications - or simply as a homeroom discussion starter for older students.

tag(s): ethics (21)

Based on the Ken Burns PBS production that aired in 1990, this collection of lesson plans is complete, thought-provoking, and covers a wide range of topics whose relevance extends well beyond the war itself. Designed for use in grades 7-12, these one- and two-period lessons are well-annotated, include lots of web links, and come complete with downloadable PDF files. Students will find these an interesting set of source ideas for reports and the like, and teachers will be able to take this content in many different directions. Well worth a look!

tag(s): civil war (139), lincoln (66), slavery (79)

Learn about the flag that inspired the National Anthem at this Smithsonian site. The site includes a quiz, a teacher section, and descriptive information about the flag, the War of 1812, and the battle at Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key's poem.

tag(s): national anthem (3), war of 1812 (15)

Maybe there really can be "too much of a good thing." This site is an immense catalog of resources (ie. other websites, lessons plans, content) for social studies teachers. Due to the sheer volume of material, it would be wise for teachers to have a clear idea of what they are looking for before opening up the site. Casual "grazing" here might easily lead to a becoming lost on the web.

tag(s): europe (84)

Though part of a larger site about America's historic documents, this collection of biographies of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention will find plenty of use by itself. These delegates wrote our Constitution, but today's students know very little about any of them. Find the details of each man's life here!
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): american revolution (82), constitution (96), evolution (89)

Though not designed specifically for students, this site, containing a wealth of information on ways to minimize dangers to people from forest fires, includes many examples of how man and his environment can be at odds with one another. In addition to the scientific issues involved in fire control and prevention, this site would contribute to a discussion on ecosystems and encroachment into wilderness areas.

tag(s): ecosystems (83), environment (252), fire (22), fire prevention (16), fire safety (16)

Here's a concise explanation of what the Supreme Court did and did not do when it ruled that public libraries cannot consitutionally filter web content. Written by an attorney, but in layman's terms, the site sheds light on the principles behind the decision, and may be useful for school librarians or those interested in first amendment issues.

tag(s): freedom of speech (14), internet safety (114), speech (69)

This is the companion site to a PBS program of the same name. It offers an introduction to the Jim Crow laws that effectively institutionalized segregation throughout the South. There are also numerous images of African American life in the South during the early 1900s.This looks like a promising resource, especially as a backgrounder for the study of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

tag(s): 1900s (72), africa (148), african american (115), civil rights (209), segregation (18)

This extensive site from the Library of Congress explains the details of the drafting of the Declaration of Independence as well as the obstacles the Continental Congress faced in publishing their work. Like many of the LoC sites, the narrative works best for secodary students, but the images will be fascinating to younger classes as well. This is a great addition to American history or government units on American independence.

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

Minimal historical information, basic almanac facts, interesting lists of "famous sons and daughters." This site is far from one-stop shopping, but there's useful information here.

tag(s): states (124)

This site offers metalists (most of the content isn't theirs) for each state, including bios of presidents from that state, attractions, public records, and more. There's much more than history items at this site, which may or may not be an advantage.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): states (124)

Created at the University of Kansas, this collection of primary sources offers coverage from the 15th century through the present, making it useful for both early and contemporary history. Many of the documents are on third-party sites, so expect some level of change over time.

tag(s): american revolution (82), history day (39)

The Smithsonian presents this nicely-designed site describing the internment and discrimination against Japanese Americans during World War II. Students can listen to an audio introduction which provides a summary of the events of the period, and sets the stage for the larger presentation. This one is well worth a visit.

tag(s): constitution (96), japan (57), japanese (47), world war 2 (161)

Much of the content in this Library of Congress site about Thomas Edison and his phonographs is beyond the scope of middle schoolers. However, there are sound recordings from the original machines that let students listen to the product of Edison's work, and the basic biographical information will be useful for those studying inventors. Explore this one in some depth; there's a lot here.

tag(s): inventors and inventions (80)

The National Park's site on the Boston Naval Shipyard.

tag(s): navy (8)

PravdaReport (english.pravda.ru) is an online Russian news and opinion platform that publishes articles on global politics, science, society, culture, and current events. The site states that it aims to give "voice to the voiceless," providing a space for diverse perspectives and reporting through openness and diversity. PravdaReport's mission centers on offering its engaged audience unbiased and plural viewpoints, with a strong belief that accurate information can only emerge from transparent and inclusive dialogue. While the content may reflect distinct editorial choices and cultural viewpoints, the website can be used as a resource for exploring international perspectives and media literacy in the classroom.

tag(s): diversity (40), media literacy (109), perspective (14), russia (36), russian (26)

Humor for election day (based on the election of 2000). Although this resource was created for the 2000 election, the background information and story is valuable for teaching about elections in general and for comparing elections as part of U.S. history.

tag(s): elections (82)