Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Part of the PBS Empires series, this site provides a detailed look at the reign of Queen Victoria. With articles on the queen, her family, and the events of the era, this site provides a wealth of useful information. There is also an interactive game to test your knowledge of the era, as well as a list of lesson plans for the site.

tag(s): britain (26), england (50), victorian (16)

This site explores the culture, religion, innovations, and historical figures of the Islamic civilization. The forerunner of many modern Muslim Countries, the lessons on this site provide wonderful background for world cultures courses. There are video clips from the original video production available as real time files, as well as interactive lesson plans.

tag(s): religions (95)

This site examines Napoleon's rise and fall. Originally the companion to a four-part video series by the same title, this site has strong biographical information about Napoleon, as well as interactive resources like a simulation of the Battle of Waterloo. There are also lesson plans for using the site.

tag(s): france (41), french (75)

This site has wonderful resources for learning about Canadian history and Canadian explorers. Whether you're interested in early exploration in general, or specific history of the Nation, this site has information on each of Canada's multiple explorers, as well as a sequential look at the evolution of the landmass. A great site for social studies resources from the 11th through 20th Centuries.

tag(s): canada (24), landforms (39)

This is an interesting collection of primary resources for those interested in British History ; the site has the texts of over 100,000 proceedings of London's Central Criminal Court. There is also a good introduction in the "For Schools" section on how to structure a legal and civic history lessons using the site. The teacher's page is geared towards British Curriculum standards, but it is still helpful in describing the site's application to British History.

tag(s): britain (26), courts (20), england (50), great britain (16)

Created by the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund, the full title of this site is "The War and the Wall." The approach is the Vietnam War era with a focus on history, leadership, citizenship, and civic responsibility. The site has good primary source research materials, podcasts, and an interactive timeline, as well as a detailed teacher's guide with teaching modules. Scroll to the bottom of the page to Outside Resources and find teacher's guides to several topics regarding the Vietnam War.

tag(s): 1950s (8), 1960s (26), memorial day (11), vietnam (38)

Those studying castles, knights, and the feudal system will find a surprisingly rich collection of information and lifestyle trivia at this site. The emphasis is on life in the medieval era, from medicine and food to religion, music, heraldry, and folklore. Lots of tidbits and interesting ideas here. Elementary students will need lots of help with this one.

tag(s): medieval (32)

This extensive site about the international organization that existed from just after World War I until 1946 offers text and images that describe the League's aims and activities in detail. Housed at Indiana University, this site could be a great resource for a high school history term paper, or an interesting assignment for the study of World War I.

tag(s): world war 1 (77)

This searchable library of UPI news photos could be a great addition to in-class current events discussions.

tag(s): images (263), news (229)

Fans of this Japanese poetry form will find fascinating samples and other haiku trivia at this on-line journal.

tag(s): japan (57), japanese (47), poetry (193)

The Academy for Educational Development is operating a project to provide backpacks with educational supplies to school children in Afghanistan. Teachers and parents may find this an attractive service opportunity for students eager to "do something" about the plight of civilians in Afghanistan and the middle east. The backpacks cost $10 each.

tag(s): afghanistan (7)

AFS, a part of the Quaker tradition, has a long history of commitment to nonviolent conflict resolution. This page offers substantive opportunities for those opposing the war with Iraq to express their views and work to repair the damage to property and lives which the war will inevitably cause.

tag(s): iraq (26)

Prepared as background material to the increasing tensions in Iraq and the rest of the mideast, this BBC map collection offers surprisingly detailed information on force strengths in various mideastern nations. The page includes links to similarly detailed information on other aspects of this looming conflict.

tag(s): middle east (50)

This is a collection of haunting, disturbing battlefield photos taken by photographer Dirck Halstead shortly after the end of the Gulf War in 1991. There is much death and destruction here, but the presentation on the realities of war is all the more powerful because it simply lets the images speak for themselves.

tag(s): iraq (26)

While most of this site deals with visiting Versailles, students will find sections dealing with the King's daily routine and the life of the French court in the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, there are images of some of the more notable artwork, and of course, large sections available "seulement en Francais," which we hope will please the world language teachers. There's nothing like it elsewhere. There is an incredible amount of information to discover at this site by scrolling down the home page AND click on the Explore tab at the top of the home page. There are a few videos that are hosted on YouTube, if your district blocks YouTube they may not be viewable.

tag(s): france (41)

This is a privately produced, web-only resource about Napoleon, the French Revolution, and related historical topics. While the content is extensive and well-written, there is no biographical information on the authors. While we assume the facts are presented accurately, teachers may want to proceed cautiously in other areas.

tag(s): evolution (89), france (41), french (75)

This one is different; it's a site built around exposing students to issues in history that have tested ethical and behavioral boundaries. Focusing on topics like anti-Semitism, eugenics, and genocide, the content requires students to think about the moral, political, and practical effects of actions by individuals and nations. The structure varies by subject area, and there is a combination of free and "registration required" areas. Secondary history and social sciences teachers will want to browse this one thoroughly.

tag(s): ethics (21), news (229)

OK, it's a site that list flags...but there are LOTS of flags. Thousands of them. Flags of countries, states, historical groups, religious organizations, darned near everything. On top of that, there's lots of interesting narrative about many of these. It's a great place to look for flag information for research projects.

tag(s): flags (18)

Developed by the National Japanese American Historical Society, this page is a well-organized meta-list of lessons relating to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The lessons include material for all grade levels, and they address the historical, literary, and constitutional aspects of these Americans' experiences. Today's students can learn much from this experience.

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

World cultures or government classes will find the multidimensional counters on this site a wonderful way to illustrate the growth (or depletion) population, resources, and other global activity. It's a very tangible illustration of the rate at which things are changing in our world. Teachers can be creative with this one.

tag(s): ecology (103), population (51), resources (84)