328 history-culture-ancient results | sort by:
Open Culture Free Online Courses - Open Culture, LLC
Grades
9 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): art history (103), artificial intelligence (255), artists (92), business (50), civil war (142), coding (97), computers (107), cultures (269), engineering (135), environment (248), politics (123), psychology (61), religions (121), shakespeare (98), sociology (24), world war 1 (85), world war 2 (168)
In the Classroom
Choose short university lectures related to your current unit (e.g., history, literature, or psychology). Have students summarize key takeaways and connect them to class topics. Assign a relevant Open Culture lecture for homework, then use class time for guided discussion, problem-solving, or creative applications of the concept. Form small groups where students take different Open Culture courses and share summaries or key insights with the class, encouraging collaboration and exposure to diverse subjects.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Medieval Meme/Storyboard Generator - ClassTools
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): comics and cartoons (61), digital storytelling (158), medieval (38), stories and storytelling (71)
In the Classroom
After reading a chapter or short story, have students create a medieval-themed meme that shows the main event, problem, or theme. Students must write a caption that clearly explains what happened using complete sentences or key vocabulary from the lesson. Students choose a character from a story or a historical figure and create a meme that shows one important trait. At the end of a unit, have students create a meme that shows the theme, lesson, or big idea learned. Have them include a short written explanation describing how the meme connects to the topic.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MapMaker - National Geographic
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): critical thinking (166), data (199), map skills (67), maps (222)
In the Classroom
Have students create a personalized digital map of their local community. They can mark locations such as their school, library, parks, and cultural landmarks with pins, shapes, and labels. Explore global climate patterns by turning on different data layers (e.g., temperature, precipitation, vegetation). Students can compare regions, make observations, and write claims backed by map evidence about how geography influences climate. Have students research a historical event or time period (e.g., westward expansion, ancient civilizations, migration routes) and create a map showing locations from that time, with modern overlays to compare past and present geography. Have students choose a topic (such as a natural disaster, an explorer's journey, or a cultural region) and create a digital map that tells a story using pins and custom labels. Each pin includes facts, images, or student-written summaries to encourage research and multimedia integration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ancient Indus Valley Civilization - Learni
Grades
4 to 8This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Provide students with a blank map of South Asia, or have them make one on Google My Maps, reviewed here, and have them locate and label the Indus River, Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, and modern countries in the region. In small groups, students can create posters highlighting one innovation from the Indus Valley (e.g., flush toilets, standardized bricks, trade seals). Include images, purpose, and how it compares to modern systems. Have students create their own symbolic "script" to write a simple message, then trade with classmates to see if others can decode it, mirroring the challenge of translating the Indus script.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Timeline Templates - Genially
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital storytelling (158), infographics (67), multimedia (56), timelines (58)
In the Classroom
Students can retell events from a novel or a historical figure's life using a timeline with images and clickable text, making reading comprehension more interactive and visual. Have students create timelines that connect historical events with scientific discoveries or literary works from the same era. Assign specific events to different students or groups to add to a shared timeline, promoting teamwork and reinforcing sequencing skills. Students can build a yearlong timeline of their learning journey, showcasing key projects, reflections, and academic milestones to share during student-led conferences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Top 5 Incan Inventions - HowStuffWorks
Grades
5 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): inventors and inventions (87), south america (80)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post information that they learned. Students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast Inca's advancements to other civilizations. Students can use Buzzsprout reviewed here to narrate one of the inventions while showing images of the invention.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ghosts of Machu Picchu - PBS Nova
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): architecture (81), engineering (135), south america (80)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet reviewed here to post questions that they still have about Incan civilization. Students can use Google My Maps reviewed here to visit the location. Finally, students can use Figma reviewed here to compare and contrast Incan civilizations to other civilizations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ancient Africa - Mali - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Dive into the fascinating world of the Mali Empire with your class! Take a peek at each resource's "Classroom Use" section for creative ideas on weaving these materials into your lessons. Your students will love exploring this ancient civilization together!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inca Empire - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Share these resources with your students to learn about the Inca Empire. Share a link to this collection on your school web page and in your school newsletter (or email). Find resources to incorporate into your lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Maya Civilization - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Dive into the fascinating world of the Maya with your class! This collection has some fantastic resources perfect for your cooperative learning groups. Take a peek at each resource's "Classroom Use" section for creative ideas on weaving these materials into your lessons. Your students will love exploring this ancient civilization together!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kingdom of Kush - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Don't miss the chance to share this collection link on your school website and in your next newsletter. Your fellow teachers and parents will appreciate having access to these materials! Browse through to find perfect additions to your upcoming lessons--there's something here for every teaching style!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mali Facts for Kids - Twinkl Educational Publishing
Grades
3 to 5This site includes advertising.
tag(s): africa (154), cultures (269), deserts (20), flags (18), maps (222)
In the Classroom
Introduce students to the role of griots (storytellers) in Mali's culture and have students create and perform their own short oral stories or folktales. Set up a classroom "market" inspired by Mali's traditional markets. Assign students different roles (vendors, buyers, traders) with items like gold, salt, and textiles. Have them locate and label Mali, its capital (Bamako), major rivers (Niger River), and neighboring countries on a map. Consider using MapHubs reviewed here or Google My Maps reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mali Empire - Loren Klein
Grades
5 to 8This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Display images of ancient civilizations' artifacts (ex., coins, pottery, statues). Have students predict their use and significance, then research and present findings. Students can work in small groups to compare religious beliefs, deities, and practices of two civilizations (ex., Mesopotamian vs. Egyptian) and create a Venn diagram on paper or using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here. Students can map trade routes using Google My Maps reviewed here or ePubEditor reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mali Empire History - Cool Kid Facts
Grades
2 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): africa (154), archeology (26), cultures (269), maps (222), medieval (38)
In the Classroom
Set up different learning stations representing subjects studied in Timbuktu (astronomy, medicine, math). Students can rotate through the stations, completing mini-activities related to each subject. Students can research and build 3D models of Mali's famous structures, such as the Great Mosque of Djenne, using materials like clay, cardboard, or digital tools like Delightex (formerly CoSpaces) reviewed here or Tinkercad reviewed here. Have students compare the Mali Empire to another historical empire, such as the Roman Empire or the Incas, using a Venn diagram on paper or Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here, focusing on government, trade, culture, and legacy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhay: Cluster Web Activity - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): africa (154), cultures (269), politics (123), worksheets (71)
In the Classroom
Divide students into groups representing different West African empires. Give each group specific trade goods (gold, salt, ivory, etc.) and have them negotiate and "trade" with each other, simulating the trans-Saharan trade routes. Students can create annotated maps showing the locations of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay, major trade routes, and key cities like Timbuktu and Gao. Have them use MapHub reviewed here or ePubEditor reviewed here and add visuals and summaries to their maps. Assign students to research and compare the leadership styles of Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa, and Sunni Ali. They can present their findings through a podcast-style discussion using Adobe Podcast, reviewed here or Buzzsprout reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Empire of Mali- The Twang of a Bow - Extra History
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): africa (154)
In the Classroom
Have students explore Mali's contributions to art, music, and storytelling, researching griots, traditional instruments, or historical sites like Timbuktu. They can present their findings through skits, posters, or mini-documentaries using Vmaker, reviewed here or Animoto reviewed here. Students can participate in a Mali trade simulation, where they role-play merchants, kings, and traders exchanging goods (gold, salt, textiles) and negotiating taxes, highlighting the importance of trade in Mali's success. Students can illustrate a comic strip using Free Comic Strip Maker reviewed here or Write Comics reviewed here retelling key events from Sundiata's journey, emphasizing major turning points like his exile, rise to power, and victory over Soumaoro Kante.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mali Lesson Plans - Virginia Department of Education
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): africa (154), creative writing (126), journals (19)
In the Classroom
Students can create a travel journal to record responses to lessons on paper or using Imagine Forest, reviewed here or Sway, reviewed here. Have students participate in a suitcase packing activity to prepare for an imaginary journey to Mali by choosing items they may need on the trip. Create a list of items they may pack and have them discuss their choices. Students can illustrate key moments from the Epic of Sundiata using a storyboard format. They can either draw by hand or use digital tools such as Google Drawings, reviewed here to represent important events, such as Sundiata's early struggles, his rise to power, and the establishment of the Mali Empire. Have students participate in a trade simulation to understand the economic power of the Mali Empire. They can role-play as merchants trading gold, salt, and other goods along the trans-Saharan trade routes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lion King vs. Sundiata, Lion King of Mali - Engaging Everything
Grades
5 to 9This site includes advertising.
tag(s): africa (154), comics and cartoons (61), vocabulary (249)
In the Classroom
Have students make the comic on a device using ToonyTool reviewed here or Write Comics reviewed here. Students can compare Sundiata and The Lion King using a Venn diagram on paper or using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here, analyzing historical elements versus fictional adaptations. Before introducing Sundiata, have students match The Lion King characters (Mufasa, Simba, Scar, etc.) with their Sundiata counterparts based on descriptions. Then, reveal the actual connections and discuss.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings - Texas Education Agency
Grades
4 to 6tag(s): grammar (140), pyramids (24), south america (80), spelling (93), writing (306)
In the Classroom
Using materials like sugar cubes, marshmallows, or LEGO bricks, students work in teams to construct a model pyramid while discussing its purpose and significance in early civilizations. Students can also use Delightex (formerly CoSpaces) reviewed here or Tinkercad reviewed here to create digital 3D models. Create a Venn diagram on paper or using Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here to compare the leadership of early American civilizations (ex., kings, priests) to modern government systems. Students can craft their own myths inspired by elements of early American civilizations. They can illustrate their stories and share them with the class. Consider using Imagine Forest reviewed here or Google Slides reviewed here to make books to share with the class and families online.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mayas - Aztecs - Incas - Wendy Conklin
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): architecture (81), religions (121), south america (80)
In the Classroom
Transform your classroom into a bustling market! Assign students roles as Maya, Aztec, or Inca merchants selling goods like cacao, maize, textiles, or gold. Have them barter and trade based on their civilization's economy. Students can analyze Maya glyphs or Inca quipu (knotted cords used for record-keeping). They can try writing their names in glyphs or creating a simple quipu with yarn. Students can research and retell a myth from one of the three civilizations. They can write a short script, perform, or illustrate a comic strip using Free Comic Strip Maker reviewed here. Students could also record a podcast episode using Buzzsprout reviewed here. Students can build Maya pyramids (with sugar cubes), Aztec chinampas (floating gardens using sponges & water trays), or Inca terraces (stacked cardboard "mountains") to explore their engineering feats.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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