493 history-culture-americas results | sort by:
Hiroshima Peace Museum - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): world war 2 (168), japan (61), atomic bomb (7), 20th century (170), 1940s (69)
In the Classroom
Take your class on a digital field trip to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to get a first-hand look at the effects of an atomic bomb. Display on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Provide students time to explore on their own. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a survivor of the bomb. Have students create interactive timelines using Preceden, reviewed here, for events leading up to the bombing and following. Be sure to include a look at the museum during your World War II unit. This site would also provide good research material for a class debate about nuclear weapons.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Edward S. Curtis - The North American Indian - Northwestern University
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): difficult conversations (53), native americans (169)
In the Classroom
We have come a long way from the study of Native Americans as a single generic group. Careful use of the images and narratives from Curtis' work can help illustrate that outdated mindset and provide a contrast to today's understanding of the contributions indigenous Americans have made to US history and culture. Share these images on your interactive whiteboard or projector as part of a guided discussion.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Seeing America - Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): artists (106), art history (109)
In the Classroom
Aside from its obvious usefulness to an art history class, consider choosing an image from an era under study in a history course --or from the time period of a piece of American literature --and incorporating a look at the time through the eyes of an artist. How did events from that time influence the artist's vision of the world? What was America like to that artist? How is that different today? These are great "plug and play" resources that can be used to design an entire unit around using one of the themes or can be as short as an activating activity at the beginning of a class. Ask: When do you think this was painted? What tells you that? What is the artist trying to tell us about his or her view of America? The only limitation here is that it's difficult to view the images in full screen; you will need to use your browser's zoom function to use the images effectively on an interactive whiteboard (or projector).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Car Brochures - Hans Tangerud
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1950s (36), history day (37), 20th century (170), advertising (24), transportation (31)
In the Classroom
Teens are fascinated with cars. Why not give them the opportunity to research the design and features of cars from a historical era being studied in a history class, or that match the time period with that of literary work. What did the cars look like when the Joad family made its way to California? What did Jay Gatsby drive? What was the "hottest ride" during the Vietnam War? As you try to communicate the culture of an era, consider using an image or two on the whiteboard (or projector) from the appropriate year to help students envision the world of that time. Cars and the way they are advertised also speak volumes about trends in graphic design and advertising. How does automobile advertising today differ from that in the 1950s? What emotions and needs were marketers appealing to? This resource would also be great as a springboard for a National History Day project comparing car design (or advertisements) across the 20th century and linking it to events of that time period. Teacher-librarians will love this resource to teach about primary sources and actually have students be interested!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Truman Library: Idealogical Foundations of the Cold War - The Truman Library
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): 20th century (170), 1950s (36), 1940s (69), primary sources (184), europe (83), russia (32), cold war (40)
In the Classroom
While much of what you find here will be useful for your own lesson planning, the photograph archive will be useful for images related to the Cold War era. Some of the documents could be printed and used for small group discussions or analysis. Consider referring students who are doing research for a National History Day project to this resource. Challenge students to research the information shared at this site and create blogs as Cold War personalities. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Tumblr, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Carlisle Indian Industrial School - Dickinson College
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): difficult conversations (53), diversity (62), native americans (169), history day (37), cross cultural understanding (163), colonial america (86), westward expansion (42), identity (48)
In the Classroom
Too often US history survey classes broadly consider Native Americans and their role in the original colonization of North America, or their role in Westward Expansion, without taking the time to understand the differences among nations, or the impact of European settlement on these pre-existing societies. Even if there isn't time for in-depth study, consider asking students to study the individual record of one young man or woman approximately their own age who attended the Carlisle Indian School. How old was he when he left home? What skill was she trained in? What happened to him after he left Carlisle? Enhance student learning by having students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about the individual they researched. This personal contact with the real life of another student from another time and another culture will reduce the tendency to stereotype Native Americans as they so often are during the study of US History. Of course, the site is also a wonderful resource for in-depth research such as a National History Day project. Were these people's identities stolen? Use the resources Analyzing Before and After Photographs... and the Telling Lives: The Lost Ones Documentary Film to discuss identity and whether or not that was taken from these students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nazi and East German Propaganda Guide Page - Randall Bytwerk
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): primary sources (184), history day (37), holocaust (41), germany (25), propaganda (9), world war 2 (168), nazis (7), 1930s (39), 1940s (69), 20th century (170)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use throughout your World War Two unit. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Challenge students to find examples of the Allies' use of propaganda and exchange paper and pen by using an online tool such as Canva, reviewed here, to create diagrams, mindmaps, and other visual graphic organizers comparing the uses of propaganda. Enhance learning by having students create a word cloud of the propaganda terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Save this one in your favorites to suggest if you have students who need primary sources projects for National History Day.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Associated Oil Company's Bridge-Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay Bridge Construction 1934-19 - The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): great depression (33), bridges (9), engineering (136), california (18)
In the Classroom
These are great primary source images and documents for the study of 1930s construction projects related to the rebuilding of the US during the final years of the Great Depression. Share the PowerPoint and photographs on your interactive whiteboard. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Presentious, reviewed here. This tool allows narrating and adding text to a picture. To find Creative Commons images (with credit, of course), try Wikimedia Commons, reviewed here. Use the photos as part of a physics or technology unit about bridges. Include this as one of several structures for students to research and analyze using their new-found concepts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Florida Memory - The State Archives of Florida
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): hurricanes (36), black history (132), civil war (148), states (126), florida (12)
In the Classroom
In the classroom, integrate primary documents in addition to your text to get a broader picture of history, even if you are not teaching specifically about Florida. Take a closer look at history, through the multiple aspects of video, audio, laws, and land grants. Look at perspectives of Civil War from a southern state. Make biographies of Florida residents come alive with the culture of their time. Compare and contrast Florida and another state. Use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Examine the history of space through NASA. You and your students can discover how Civil Rights progressed in Florida. Look at the history of the Seminole tribe as you study native Americans. Enhance learning by challenging students to create an infographic using Snappa, reviewed here about a certain period in Florida's history or to compare Florida and other states. Before beginning the infographic, have students brainstorm or collect ideas on a collaborative bulletin board like Stickies.io, reviewed here. Use this resource to meet Common Core standards about primary sources or writing. Challenge students to produce digital writing and interact with others online.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Authentic History Center - Michael Barnes
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): photography (134), 20th century (170), cold war (40), world war 2 (168), world war 1 (88), great depression (33), 1900s (87), 1800s (90), civil war (148), vietnam (41), 1700s (39), 1600s (20)
In the Classroom
The Authentic History Center is excellent for making history real. Share this information on your projector or interactive whiteboard (or speakers) during lessons on any time period of US History. Play Bing Crosby singing "God Bless America" to help students feel the pre-WWII era or nationalism. Make the Angry era of McCarthyism real by letting student explore the collection. Include this entire collection on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class. Use the sources for students to experience a multi-sensory tour of any era in U.S. history and create their own project about it incorporating the artifacts (with proper credit) and their own explanations. You could modify student learning by having students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Livegap Chart, reviewed here. Or, have students create online posters about an era individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Enhance learning by having students create timelines using Timeline JS, reviewed here. Timeline JS offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps making it interactive. If you participate in National History Day, this site is an outstanding start point. If you are the advisor for your high school play, bookmark this site as a great source for authentic era images and sounds. Need background music for a play (or video) set during WWII? Here it is!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Barat Primary Source Nexus - Barat Education Foundation
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): Juneteenth (32), poetry (195), slavery (82), professional development (317), martin luther king (42), immigration (85), roosevelt (15), lincoln (65), presidents (155), writing prompts (56), journalism (73), black history (132), cross cultural understanding (163), primary sources (184), advertising (24), history day (37)
In the Classroom
Take a look at the free professional development on using primary sources for teachers. Search for "Connecting to the Common Core," which includes writing prompts for K-5 and a link to the triangle activity. Download and use the PDF for the Thinking Triangle. Have older students research an interest and report to the class using a tool like Google Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum - 2012 Seminole Tribe of Florida
Grades
2 to 10This site includes advertising.
tag(s): florida (12), native americans (169)
In the Classroom
Explore the Seminole Tribe through the online collections and museums. Use the sources as primary and secondary to supplement other class materials. Use the Seminole Tribe to compare and contrast the native American tribes found in your area. Explore the Seminole Tribe in your unit on Civil Rights. Use this site to discover the leadership that lead to the Seminole Tribe of today. Be sure to begin your study with an anticipation guide. End your unit with a post assessment dispelling the myths in the anticipation guide.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Machu Picchu Virtual Tour - Club Explorer
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): architecture (80), virtual field trips (154), south america (76), explorers (64), peru (6)
In the Classroom
Include this Machu Picchu Virtual Tour with your study of South America, the Incas, or early explorers. Take a virtual field trip to this historic site from the comfort of your classroom. Replace paper journals by asking students to write blog entries about the questions and impressions as they view the tour. Use a blogging tool such as Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. Enhance learning by having students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about one of the earlier settlers of Machu Picchu.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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News for Kids - News for Kids.net
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): news (221)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for current events. The reading level of the stories is generally upper elementary, but the topics are of interest through high school. These short articles would be great for practice with informational texts. Keep this site as part of a list for students to access, including weaker readers and ENL/ESL students. Have students research whats going on via this news site, and present a small presentation at the beginning of class. Students can either present orally or, for the technologically inclined, create a short video summarizing the same information. Consider using a bookmark site such as Diigo, reviewed here, to share newsworthy items that correlate with your class curriculum.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Presidential Classroom - Miller Center, University of Virgina
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): kennedy (25), jefferson (20), lincoln (65), washington (33), presidents (155), white house (14), space (249), vietnam (41)
In the Classroom
If your students do Presidential biographies or projects, this is a perfect site to share. Have students explore the exhibits while doing research on presidents and historical events. Enhance student learning by having students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as 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. Have students use Fakebook,reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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antiAtlas of borders - Migrations Map - Martin De Wulf
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): immigration (85), population (49), maps (222)
In the Classroom
Use Migrations Map during your study of any country to view immigration and emigration statistics in social studies, science, health, or even world language classes. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Ask WHY these immigration patterns exist. What factors lead to immigration? What environmental impacts does it have? Be sure to point out the data lag -- is from 2007. You can also send them to find updated stats at the World Bank and other online sources. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, or Venngage, reviewed here. Have students collaborate to create interactive maps using MapHub, reviewed here. Students can add icons, text, images, and location stops!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Smithsonian Digital Volunteers: Transcription Center - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): local history (12), primary sources (184)
In the Classroom
A wonderful extension or enrichment project for responsible high school students, the Transcription Center allows students to interact with primary sources, learn about the importance of everyday records of the lives of those who go before us, and have the satisfaction of knowing they are contributing to the universe of information that will be available to future scholars. Small groups of students could share a transcription project and check each other's before submitting, or discuss the texts they have transcribed. Students interested in independent research might find a transcription project that adds to their understanding of a particular subject. You might even consider using transcription as a community service project or an initiative in your gifted ed class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Museum of Modern Art - Khan Academy - Khan Academy and The Museum of Modern Art
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): art history (109), artists (106)
In the Classroom
Display and use these very short videos on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to introduce and explore the world of art to students. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos based on other famous works of art and share them on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Do a collaborative project with your school's art teacher, having students write in English/LA class and discuss art in that class. Have older students explore areas of this site to find artwork from time periods studied in Social Studies classes. Display one of the works of art and view the short video. Use the art piece as inspiration for a creative writing project. Use videos during career exploration units to demonstrate the different career options available within the field of art. Create a link to videos on classroom computers for students to view on their own or use the embed code to add a video on your class website or blog for additional exploration. Teachers of gifted who have students interested in visual arts can use this site to take them further, even if art is not your expertise!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nixon Tapes and Transcripts - Luke Nichter
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): 1960s (54), presidents (155), 1970s (30), politics (119)
In the Classroom
Use portions of tapes and transcripts during lessons on the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon, presidents, the 1960s and 70s, and more. Share a link to specific conversations on your class website, and have students create blogs. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration. Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about participants in conversations during the Nixon era.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cuban Missile Crisis - Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): presidents (155), kennedy (25), 1960s (54)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site (or save it in your favorites). Use the resources for any unit that includes the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidents, or John F. Kennedy. Watch videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share a link on your class website for students to view at home. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about any of the characters involved with the crisis. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare the point of view of the U.S. vs Cuba or to compare outcomes based on possible decisions made during the crisis.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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