742 government-civics-us results | sort by:

The United States Diplomacy Center - United States Department of State
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): animals (295), cross cultural understanding (172), debate (42), migration (45), nuclear energy (20), oceans (147), pollution (52), water (101)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free materials to immerse students in learning about current events topics through a global lens. One important component of these lessons includes the task of completing a series of formal and informal discussions on each topic. As students identify key topics and information, enhance their learning by asking them to use Lino, reviewed here, to create digital sticky notes to share among teachers and peers. Use options within Lino to color code the sticky notes to identify the group creating the note or different concepts to address throughout the simulation. Simulations also provide background information on each topic, use this information as a starting point, then have students research each topic further on their own or in groups. Share bookmarks and resources using Raindrop.io, reviewed here. In addition to sharing bookmarks, Raindrop.io includes tools for adding notes and comments for all team members to use when collaborating together. Throughout your simulation activities, use Gravity, reviewed here to modify learning and to pose essential questions discussed within the activity. Have students add video responses within Gravity to share their perspective and solutions to the different problems. As a final learning activity, provide students options for sharing their conclusions and suggestions to the simulation activities through a variety of multimedia choices. Instead of a book report or PowerPoint presentation consider asking students to create a digital book using Book Creator, reviewed here, or a multimedia presentation using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Both options offer tools for transforming students' learning to include video, images, and more to share their final conclusion and perspective on the topic included in the simulation.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Engaging Congress - Indiana University
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): branches of government (64), congress (40), DAT device agnostic tool (146), evaluating sources (28), primary sources (116)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free games and materials on this site to use as a supplement to your current resources for teaching history and government. Instead of written notes, strengthen learning by having students use an online tool such as Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers, reviewed here to create diagrams, mindmaps, and other visual graphic organizers. To compare and contrast information found in different primary sources, create a Venn Diagram. As students prepare to share their findings and summarize their learning, have them modify their learning by creating infographics using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here to visually represent facts and information. As a final assessment for your unit using these materials, ask students to form teams to debate different sides of the issues presented. Share their debates as a podcast using Spotify for Podcasters, reviewed here. Spotify for Podcasters is a simple to use podcasting tool offering several free options for creating, hosting, and sharing podcasts. As an alternative, ask other students redefine their learning and to create multimedia presentations using Sway, reviewed here to share text, videos, images, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Encyclopedia Virginia - Virginia Humanities
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): african american (110), american revolution (82), black history (130), civil rights (201), civil war (138), colonial america (95), colonization (21), constitution (93), politics (117), primary sources (116), slavery (78), virginia (15), virtual field trips (119), washington (28), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use for lesson planning and student research if you teach Social Studies in any state. Take advantage of the virtual tours on the site to provide a real look at historic sites that go beyond the pages of textbooks. Instead of reading stories found in textbooks, ask students to browse the site to find interesting events during the period being studied. Use these ideas as the basis for student research projects. Encourage students to imagine themselves as a participant in events in history. Ask students to extend learning by using this Headline Generator, reviewed here, as a story starter to retell and analyze moments in history. Share the site's podcasts in listening centers or as an option for flipped learning. Use the podcasts as models for students to create their own podcasts for retelling events in history through the perspective of someone alive during that time. Podcast Generator, reviewed here, will enhance learning and provides free tools for creating and sharing podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Be Washington - George Washington's Mount Vernon
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), presidents (135), washington (28), white house (16)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce your unit on the American Revolution. Follow the instructions to create a multiplayer game for your classroom using small groups. Instead of written reports, extend student learning by asking students to research the different points of view provided by advisors within the game. Then modify learning by having them create a website either individually or in small groups using Carrd, reviewed here, to share information backing up their final decision within the game including links to research sites and their supporting writing activities. As a class project, use student research to modify learning and create an interactive book using Book Creator, reviewed here. Have students enhance their learning by using Be Washington as a model to create podcasts using Spotify for Podcastors, reviewed here, to reenact the challenges faced by George Washington.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teachers Righting History - Rosie Rios
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): biographies (93), currency (14), women (146)
In the Classroom
Download and share the database provided on the site as a starting point for many different history projects. Enhance student learning and begin your project by having students choose a famous woman and personalizing a dollar bill with her image using Festisite Money, reviewed here. As students continue researching famous women, share our TeachersFirst Women's History Month Resources located here, as a starting point for finding information. Instead of just creating a list of online resources for student research, engage students by creating interactive learning activities using a tool like FigJam, reviewed here. FigJam allows you to highlight, add comments, and add sticky notes including video to any web page. Students reply directly within the page and add their own notes. As a final project, enhance learning by asking students to use a timeline tool like Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here, to share information about their research and add context with other historical events of the time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History Tech - Glenn Wiebe
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): back to school (55), branches of government (64), digital storytelling (153), game based learning (187), maps (215), politics (117), primary sources (116), social media (48), teaching strategies (49)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to reference throughout the school year. Use the keyword search option to find ideas for specific units or technology tools to use. Use a bookmarking tool like Wakelet, reviewed here, to collect and share information from this blog along with your other resources. As you gather lesson ideas and create your unit, use Nearpod, reviewed here, to create differentiated lesson activities for your students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Budgeting for the Future - Committe for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): financial literacy (91), politics (117)
In the Classroom
Share this interactive with students to increase understanding of different budget options. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast options found in different plans.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Reformer: An Interactive Tool to Fix Social Security - Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): financial literacy (91), politics (117)
In the Classroom
Include this interactive with your other resources on lessons about government and government spending. Before making choices on the interactive, ask students to interview and record relatives to get their input on Social Security financing. Students may not understand a lot of vocabulary and terms related to Social Security, get a fast assessment of their understanding using Baamboozle, reviewed here. This is a quick and easy game creator that offers users multiple types of games for two teams and keeps score as you play. Consider asking students to create podcasts discussing different issues related to Social Security. Choose from several different free podcasting tools including Spotify for Podcasters, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Fiscal Ship - Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at Brookings
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): branches of government (64), financial literacy (91), game based learning (187)
In the Classroom
Share this game with students as part of your study of government and economics. Choose YouTube video explanations of taxes and entitlements to help students understand these topics, then use a tool like Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add questions and comments to the videos to increase student understanding. Ask students to explore one of the topics found during the game and create an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What is Fiscal Policy? Interactive Teaching Tools - Peter G. Peterson Foundation
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Engage students and extend their knowledge with the interactive offered on this site during your current finance lessons. Ask students to explain a financial concept using Google Drawings, reviewed here. If you need help this tool, you could watch an archived OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. Use Google Drawings with any appropriate image to add links to websites, videos, and images. Upon completion of your finance unit, ask students to create an interactive book using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox offers tools for publishing digital books that include images, video, and audio in addition to textAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ford's Theatre Education Resources - Ford's Theatre
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): civil war (138), lincoln (66), presidents (135), primary sources (116)
In the Classroom
Use the materials found on this site to supplement your lessons on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Find additional Lincoln and Civil War materials at Actively Learn, reviewed here. Lessons on Actively Learn include embedded questions correlated to Common Core Standards for developing reading and comprehension skills. Organize your entire Lincoln unit and share materials (including videos with embedded questions) with students using Canvas Free LMS, reviewed here. Create an entire learning path with all of your materials using Canvas LMS, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lincoln's Assassination - Ford's Theatre
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): civil war (138), lincoln (66), presidents (135), primary sources (116)
In the Classroom
Include this website with your Civil War unit, President's Day, or Abraham Lincoln lessons. Instead of gathering information from textbooks to learn about Lincoln's death, ask students to be the investigators and gather and analyze facts on their own. Begin by sharing the questions found on this site using Padlet, reviewed here. Create a column for each question in your Padlet, then have students add evidence found on this site and others to support their answer. To enhance learning and help students organize their thinking, use a timeline creator from ReadWriteThink, reviewed here, to understand the order of events. Transform student learning as a final activity, by asking students to share their findings including evidence in an explainer video created with Typito, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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That's Your Right - Annenberg Classroom
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): bill of rights (31), branches of government (64), constitution (93), game based learning (187)
In the Classroom
Include this game with any lessons on the Bill of Rights. Challenge students to compete against each other and move up through the different levels of difficulty. Include the site with your other resources on a bookmarking site like Papaly, reviewed here. Papaly includes the option to add and share notes with bookmarks, add teaching notes for your future use or if sharing with students, ask them to add tips into the comments section. Upon completion of your unit, enhance learning by having students create animated videos using Powtoon, reviewed here, to share their understanding of the Bill of Rights.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! - National Public Radio (NPR)
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): journalism (73), listening (93), logic (161), news (228), podcasts (103), problem solving (228)
In the Classroom
Subscribe to this podcast and listen together as a class. This format provides many opportunities to develop listening and problem-solving skills and also provides an opportunity to teach skills for recognizing "fake news." After listening to several podcasts encourage students to create their own programs using a similar format. First, replace paper notecards and pen and have students plan out the podcast using Notejoy, reviewed here, where students can collaborate on the script and move the notecards around until they have their podcast just right. Strenghten learning by recording and publishing their podcast using Buzzsprout, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Learning Journey: Civil Rights Movement - Georgia Public Broadcasting & Georgia Department of Education
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): 1960s (26), black history (130), civil rights (201), cultures (172), martin luther king (45)
In the Classroom
Be sure to include this virtual learning experience as part of civil rights lessons and Black History Month activities. Include a link to the experience on classroom computers for students to explore on their own. As students travel along the learning path, replace pen and paper and engage them by asking students to use an online note taking tool like Webnote, reviewed here, to write down their thoughts and questions they may have. As students learn about Civil Rights events, have them enhance their learning by asking them to step back in time and create podcasts from this time. Use Podcast Generator, reviewed here, a free tool for creating and sharing podcasts. Extend learning by challenging students find an image from the Civil Rights movement and create an annotated image using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Geographic Education - National Geographic
Grades
K to 12tag(s): animal homes (57), biodiversity (36), climate (82), climate change (94), democracy (23), energy (131), habitats (90), map skills (59), native americans (108), oceans (147), planets (111), preK (269), space (216), stars (70), women (146)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and include the National Geographic site with your resources for planning social studies and science lessons. Share resources from the site on your interactive whiteboard then include a link on classroom computers for students to explore independently. There are many interesting articles and activities for students. Have them choose one; then, replace paper and pen by having them use an online notetaking tool like Webnote, reviewed here, to take notes or write questions as they research information online. Replace paper pen by asking students to write blogs sharing information learned using a site like edublog, reviewed here. edublog offers tools for creating class and individual blogs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Causes - Countable Corp
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): branches of government (64), congress (40), debate (42), house of representatives (8), persuasive writing (58), senate (10), white house (16)
In the Classroom
If you teach government or civics, this site is a must-have to use throughout the year! Share the current legislative information with students on your interactive whiteboard or through a link on your class webpage. As you progress throughout your unit or research topics, ask students to collect links of information, videos, and images using an organizing and bookmarking tool like Raindrop.io, reviewed here. Students can then create a website sharing information on the topic using Webnode, reviewed here. Webnode is a free website builder that includes many templates and an easy to use format. Take learning a step further and ask students to compile information supporting their opinions and facts on a piece of legislation and create a video to share their thoughts with a tool like FlexClip, reviewed here. FlexClip is designed to allow you to create short animated or explainer videos to share on YouTube and other social media sites.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Interactive Constitution - National Constitution Center
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): colonial america (95), constitution (93), philadelphia (10)
In the Classroom
Include this site with any lessons on the Constitution. Share on your interactive whiteboard to help students understand the meaning behind each article and amendment. Take your research into the Constitution a step further and have students compile bookmarks containing videos and online articles to use for research. Wakelet, reviewed here, is a bookmarking tool that allows students to collaborate through annotations and highlighting of text. Extend student learning by having students or student groups create explainer videos to tell the history of the Constitution or explain articles or amendments. Modify classroom technology use by using a tool like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create animated short videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Great Lakes States - Past and Present - Century Past Library
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): ebooks (43), local history (14), native americans (108), primary sources (116), states (124)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark this site to use as a resource if you teach the history of the Great Lakes Region; however, any American History teacher will also appreciate the information found on the site. Explore information on your interactive whiteboard or assign ebooks for student reading. Use a tool such as bubbl.us, reviewed here, to create and share concept maps to connect information learned during your teaching unit. Have students create maps using Zeemaps, reviewed here. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose various locations on a map where the report takes place. Use Zeemaps to modify technology use by creating animated maps featuring various location stops with text, video, audio, and featuring events in the Great Lakes Region. Instead of a book report or oral presentation, ask students to use a tool like Odyssey, reviewed here, to share information. Odyssey allows you to create interactive maps including text, images, and multimedia to tell stories in a powerful way.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Civics Connection - Lou Frey Institute
Grades
10 to 12tag(s): advanced placement (26), branches of government (64), congress (40)
In the Classroom
Include resources from this site as part of your AP Government curriculum or any unit on government. Share videos on your class webpage and ask students to view them before discussing in class. Instead of providing written questions for student response, use a tool like edPuzzle, reviewed here, to add questions directly to any portion of the video. Ask students to research and find other videos and add their own questions using EdPuzzle. At the end of your unit, ask students to share their thoughts using Gravity, reviewed here . Gravity allows students to share video responses through collaborative comments and discussions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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