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Civil War Through a Child's Eye - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 8
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This lesson plan from the Library of Congress helps students develop an understanding of the Civil War as they study primary sources and works of historical fiction. Students begin...more
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This lesson plan from the Library of Congress helps students develop an understanding of the Civil War as they study primary sources and works of historical fiction. Students begin by viewing a multimedia slide show, then examine and interpret photographs of Civil War-era children. Finally, students are asked to read several literary selections, and discuss the various war-time perspectives that are represented. A well-organized teacher's guide, links to on-line resources, and complete lesson plans aligned to national standards are provided.
tag(s): civil war (148)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of this free lesson plan offered by the Library of Congress. The lesson plan has a nice interdisciplinary twist, so it could be utilized in either an English or History class.
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Smokey Kids - USDA Forest Service
Grades
1 to 6
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Elementary students can learn about the importance of America's forests while gaining an understanding of how fire can threaten and destroy this valuable resource. On the top menu,...more
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Elementary students can learn about the importance of America's forests while gaining an understanding of how fire can threaten and destroy this valuable resource. On the top menu, click the Resources for Kids and then find Educational Resources to find several activities in PDF format for Elementary and Middle School students - puzzles, puppets, and printable coloring book pages. The bottom menu has plenty of student activities from which to choose. Next, use the search box to visit the "Only You" section to learn about the science of forest fires, discover how some are actually beneficial, and find out how to prevent disastrous wildfires.
tag(s): fire (28), fire prevention (19), fire safety (21), forests (30), safety (64)
In the Classroom
Use the PDF activities in a learning center as part of a unit or lesson on fire safety and prevention. Have students complete the activities in pairs, letting them pick which of the games they want to play in the given time. If you are looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to extend their learning by creating a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here, to share their learning and understanding with peers and parents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Our Story in History - National Museum of American History
Grades
2 to 8
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Although this site is now archived, it still offers a creative collection of activities that span a diverse range of topics in American history and tap into the imaginative minds ...more
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Although this site is now archived, it still offers a creative collection of activities that span a diverse range of topics in American history and tap into the imaginative minds of elementary students. Visit the "Activities" section to learn about great women of the past, WWII Japanese internment camps, or slave life and the Underground Railroad. Each topic includes background information, links to related children's literature, and ideas for hands-on activities. Some of the "Activities" are interactive, immersing students in creating Native American buffalo hide paintings, building a sod home, and looking at life through a historian's eyes. There are also links with book and field trip suggestions.
tag(s): immigration (86), native americans (169), underground railroad (15), women (194), world war 2 (169)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a US history class! Engage students in their learning by asking them to keep a blog about what they are learning. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here. Have older students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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White House Historical Association
Grades
1 to 12
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This entertaining and informational site about that famous residence on Pennsylvania Avenue is filled with something for everyone. Younger students can focus on the colors and shapes...more
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This entertaining and informational site about that famous residence on Pennsylvania Avenue is filled with something for everyone. Younger students can focus on the colors and shapes found throughout this historic home while meeting some "first kids" and famous "first pets." Older students can listen to audio clips of presidents during the last century, take several outstanding White House tours, and discover many historic treasures located throughout this famous home. All students will enjoy the colorful virtual tours.
tag(s): 1800s (90), 1900s (87), 20th century (170), presidents (153), virtual field trips (154), white house (14)
In the Classroom
Use this site to provide background information for a unit on 19th and 20th century American history, to form the basis of a lesson or unit on the American presidency, or as a stand-alone enrichment activity for your history classroom. Lesson plans in printable PDF formats are available for all grade levels
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Crittercam - Education - National Geograhic
Grades
3 to 8
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See the world through the eyes of a harbor seal, a humpback whale or a hawksbill turtle. Go on a nighttime hunt through Kenya with the lions. Using a special ...more
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See the world through the eyes of a harbor seal, a humpback whale or a hawksbill turtle. Go on a nighttime hunt through Kenya with the lions. Using a special camera that attaches safely and securely to animals, Crittercam provides a unique opportunity to view animals in their natural environments, through their own eyes. Lesson plans, organized by grade level and subject, are aligned to National Geography Standards. Created by the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic.
In the Classroom
Within the Educators section of the site are numerous lesson plans that teachers can use to incorporate the site into a unit(s) on animals and their habitats. There are also interactive games that would make great learning centers during that same unit. Just make sure to include headphones as some of the games have sound.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Amazon Interactive
Grades
4 to 6
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This site presents information about the South American Amazon region in an interactive quiz format. The people, plants, animals, and climate of this area are explored through text...more
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This site presents information about the South American Amazon region in an interactive quiz format. The people, plants, animals, and climate of this area are explored through text and graphics. Students are challenged to successfully plan and manage a locally controlled ecotourism site in a simulation game provided on the site. Can be used to supplement a unit on environmental science or a social studies lesson about the indigenous people of South America. Created by Educational Web Adventures.
tag(s): amazon (11), ecosystems (115), south america (77)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center during a unit on Ecotourism. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard before allowing students to complete it in cooperative learning groups on classroom computers. This would be a great activity to use to help students review before a final assessment.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Sweet Science of Chocolate - Exploratorium
Grades
4 to 8
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This truly engaging site will whet your students' appetites for learning. The history and origin of chocolate (from its start in the Amazon rainforests to its invasion of Europe) is...more
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This truly engaging site will whet your students' appetites for learning. The history and origin of chocolate (from its start in the Amazon rainforests to its invasion of Europe) is presented through photographs, images, and an easy to understand text. Possible health effects, both positive and negative, are discussed, and the process of "tempering" is explored with a step by step experiment that can be reproduced in the classroom. A virtual tour takes visitors inside the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in San Francisco for an up-close look at the chocolate making process. Created by the Exploratorium. (Requires RealVideo)
tag(s): chocolate (3)
In the Classroom
The article entitled "Chocolate invades Europe" is a great way to show how one good can affect the entire economy of a continent. Share the article on the interactive whiteboard or projector to allow students to read together in class. As a class create a Venn Diagram discussing what they know about chocolate now to another product such as sugar, tobacco, or even slaves if your class is mature enough to look at the economics of the issue. This is a great find for US and World history teachers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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March Into Spring - Education World
Grades
1 to 6
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The month of March is filled with special events to commemorate. Use the many teaching resources on this site to develop activities for Women's History Month, National Nutrition Month,...more
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The month of March is filled with special events to commemorate. Use the many teaching resources on this site to develop activities for Women's History Month, National Nutrition Month, Youth Art Month, Music in Our Schools Month, and the Iditarod. Lesson plans, online projects, hands-on activities, and book reviews are provided. Created by Education World.
In the Classroom
Save this site as a favorite on your classroom computer to allow for easy retrieval of information. This is a really helpful resource for any elementary school teacher.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mister Rogers' Neighborhood - Family Communications
Grades
1 to 2
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PBS Kids features Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood episode on Mistakes. The episode is twenty eight minutes long. In the episode, Mr. Rogers forgets he has a meeting and that everyone makes...more
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PBS Kids features Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood episode on Mistakes. The episode is twenty eight minutes long. In the episode, Mr. Rogers forgets he has a meeting and that everyone makes mistakes.
tag(s): behavior (50), charactered (87), communities (37), preK (352), social skills (24)
In the Classroom
Include clips and videos from this site as part of lessons on responsibility, community, and compassion for others. Include links to videos using a bookmarking tool like Symbaloo, reviewed here. Symbaloo is an excellent tool to use with younger students due to the use of icons that make it easy for even non-readers to access information. Encourage students to be good helpers by taking pictures of students helping others in the classroom. Use PhotoCollage, reviewed here to create a collage with your images to share in your classroom. Have students share their stories of how they are a good neighbor using a simple audio podcasting tool like Adobe Podcast, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Adventures of Cyberbee
Grades
1 to 12
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Library specialist Linda C. Joseph has assembled a useful, interactive, and entertaining collection of resources for students and teachers. Use the "primary source of the month" feature...more
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Library specialist Linda C. Joseph has assembled a useful, interactive, and entertaining collection of resources for students and teachers. Use the "primary source of the month" feature to spark discussions about why such a resource is so valuable. Links to Web treasure hunts, projects, and helpful how-to advice on a variety of Internet-related topics are included.
tag(s): resources (79)
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Godchecker
Grades
4 to 8
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This is a site about mythology and the gods of dozens of different cultures. While its irreverent tone and layout may be attractive to some elementary and middle school students, ...more
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This is a site about mythology and the gods of dozens of different cultures. While its irreverent tone and layout may be attractive to some elementary and middle school students, the design sometimes gets in the way of the content itself. That said, there are resources here that are tough to find elsewhere. Teachers will want to use this one selectively, and only after some previewing.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a reference for students studying ancient religions. Assign students different gods/religions, with the intentions of researching and presenting their results to the class. Have students create a multimedia presentation using PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report about the God's life. To find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Pikwizard, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Gullah Net - South Carolina ETV
Grades
4 to 8
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Gullah is the unique culture of African Americans living on and along the coastal waters of South Carolina and Georgia. This site offers a look at the traditions, customs, and ...more
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Gullah is the unique culture of African Americans living on and along the coastal waters of South Carolina and Georgia. This site offers a look at the traditions, customs, and folk tales of the Gullah people in a treatment that students will find both respectful and entertaining. Try it as an example of a regional American culture, or as part of a study of African American history. Find Gullah lesson plans, music and tales in video format.
tag(s): africa (161), african american (130), black history (133), georgia (3)
In the Classroom
Use the stories and materials on this site as a writing prompt. Open the site and introduce it on the interactive whiteboard or projector before allowing students to explore it individually. Allow students to listen to the stories in groups or individually on classroom computers. Once students have explored the Gullah Tales, have them create their own stories on the website. The stories students can create on the site have pre-determined story titles and themes, making them more appropriate for lower-level readers. However, if there are a lot of advanced students in your class, use a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. This allows them to be a little more creative and put more work into designing their books. An interesting site for English class!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How to Play Dreidel - My Jewish Learning
Grades
3 to 8
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Here is a site with a full set of rules for playing the popular Hanukkah game. ...more
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Here is a site with a full set of rules for playing the popular Hanukkah game.
tag(s): game based learning (309), hanukkah (22), holidays (292)
In the Classroom
Use the directions to teach students how to play dreidel during a lesson or unit on Judaism. Although it's not something they absolutely need to know - it would be a fun break for students, and may give some more cultural awareness that a textbook would not be able to.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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America on the Move - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
4 to 12
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Here's an extremely well-designed site about the history of American transportation that really moves. You can approach the content in several ways: an eighteen-part chronology filled...more
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Here's an extremely well-designed site about the history of American transportation that really moves. You can approach the content in several ways: an eighteen-part chronology filled with images, thematic presentations on immigration, technology, etc., or a sizeable collection of reproducible lessons and teaching materials. Middle schoolers should handle the writing level adequately, and the site is sufficiently visual that upper elementary users will follow the presentation. This one should be a welcome addition to anyone's transportation unit.
tag(s): 1800s (90), 20th century (170), railroads (17), transportation (31)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities hosted on this site! Most details specific ways to use the site itself in a lesson, and would complement a unit on transportation and the effects of technologies such as railroads and the automobile.
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Earth and Moon Viewers
Grades
4 to 12
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This one's far better than first appearances might indicate. Click one of the many links to see surprisingly detailed, documented images of earth and the moon, complete with full data...more
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This one's far better than first appearances might indicate. Click one of the many links to see surprisingly detailed, documented images of earth and the moon, complete with full data on location and time. Many of the images include zoom capabilities and other nifty features.
In the Classroom
Geography teachers will find lots of possibilities in this one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Folklore and Mythology Online Texts
Grades
4 to 12
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If you're searching for usable texts for a folklore or mythology unit, here's a ready resource. This listing draws from a wide range of sources, so some inconsistency in quality ...more
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If you're searching for usable texts for a folklore or mythology unit, here's a ready resource. This listing draws from a wide range of sources, so some inconsistency in quality is inevitable. The breadth of selection, which includes tales from many different cultures, more than compensates.
In the Classroom
Use this site to find stories from all over the world during a lesson/unit on storytelling. Incorporating stories from different cultures can insure that these wont all be repeats for students, as well as adds a multicultural perspective. Peruse the site ahead of time to proof the stories and either print them or have students read that at different computer stations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Railroad Pictures
Grades
4 to 12
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This searchable collection of old railroad photos could be a useful reference for a student doing a research paper on American history, industrialization, transportation or commerce....more
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This searchable collection of old railroad photos could be a useful reference for a student doing a research paper on American history, industrialization, transportation or commerce. While the site permits very specific searches, most students will likely find even a general search returns useful images.
tag(s): railroads (17)
In the Classroom
Use the images from this site to supplement a lecture on transportation and the railroads. They are extremely detailed images and can be searched to find those that meet the time period being studied.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Washington State Pioneer Life - University of Washington
Grades
3 to 12
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Washington State's pioneer life database includes lots of archival photos presented in a searchable format that's light-years ahead of many similar efforts in other states. Teachers...more
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Washington State's pioneer life database includes lots of archival photos presented in a searchable format that's light-years ahead of many similar efforts in other states. Teachers and students will likely find the sections on early Alaska, the Klondike, and the Yukon particularly interesting. There's great term-paper fodder in this one!
tag(s): alaska (22), explorers (65), gold rush (20), pioneers (13), washington (33)
In the Classroom
Use this site to search for primary sources during a unit on the Gold Rush that brought so many people to the Alaskan frontier. Primary sources could be used to teach both the content and historical thinking skills in your classroom. Divide students into 5-6 groups, with each group assigned a different primary source to read and evaluate. (Sources should come from various perspectives to make the game more interesting) Have the groups present quick summaries of their sources to the class, making sure to mention the author and whether there could be bias. After all have presented, have each team pick a representative to argue in front of the class as to why their source is the most reliable and valid. After all have made their argument, have the class vote off the least reliable "survivor style" until you are left with just one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geography Quiz Whiz - National Geographic
Grades
4 to 8
3 Favorites
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National Geographic offers this quiz that will test elementary students on their knowledge of continents, countries, mountains, lakes and more. ...more
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National Geographic offers this quiz that will test elementary students on their knowledge of continents, countries, mountains, lakes and more.
tag(s): continents (30), countries (67), maps (222)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a review of basic geographic information. Have students complete the site on classroom computers individually, either post-instruction or before a major assessment. We recommend posting the site on your classroom wiki or webpage, to allow students to access it both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Photography from National Geographic - National Geographic
Grades
2 to 12
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Photography can be both an art form and a form of scientific inquiry. Photos of People and Cultures can promote human understanding better than any written words. This site from ...more
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Photography can be both an art form and a form of scientific inquiry. Photos of People and Cultures can promote human understanding better than any written words. This site from National Geographic can serve both ends if used properly. Art teachers "focus" on tips and techniques and photography advice areas, while science/social studies teachers will easily locate a wide range of plant, animal, culture, and geography images. As always, the photos themselves are exquisite. You will need to sign up for the free newsletter (with email) to view the photos.
tag(s): animals (281), photography (136)
In the Classroom
Share a photo of the day as an activator at the start of a lesson on your projector or interactive whiteboard (IWB). Allow a student of the day to select his/her photo of the day as a class inspiration. Share a photo as a visual writing prompt. Use tools on your IWB to discover and reveal design elements in the photos in art class. Use selected collections on laptops with student partners (galleries) to provide a visual experience of a location or culture you are studying, engage students and enhance learning by asking students to use Padlet, reviewed here, to record their observations for visual evidence of some of the major concepts you have discussed in class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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