Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Inca Empire for Kids: Myths, Legends, and Stories highlights how studying myths, legends, and stories tells the story of the civilization. Featured are links to the Incan creation myth video, the llama legend, the myth of Mano Capac, the myth of the Rod of Gold, and more.
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tag(s): myths and legends (42)

Road to Machu Picchu--Peru in 4K is a four-minute video with no audio. It features live images of Machu Picchu and other areas of Peru, including the Amazon Rainforest, and ends in Panama. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): cultures (226), south america (77)

View these resources related to Ancient Africa and the Kingdom of Kush. Find art, civilizations, daily life, people, geography, culture, government, and war. Under each topic are many resource links. The resource links include a Q&A or questions and answers at the very bottom.
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tag(s): africa (170)

Share this site with your students that offers a clear overview of the Kingdom of Kush, highlighting its emergence as a significant civilization in the Nile River Valley. It discusses Kush's expansion over regions of present-day Sudan and its period of ruling Egypt for over a century. The resource is suitable for middle-grade students, offering an accessible introduction to the history and influence of Kush in ancient Africa.
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tag(s): africa (170)

The Kiddle website on the Kingdom of Kush offers a clear, simple, and age-appropriate introduction to this ancient Nubian civilization, making it ideal for upper elementary and middle school students. The site outlines the development of Kush from its early days as an Egyptian colony to its emergence as an independent kingdom with capitals at Kerma, Napata, and later Meroe. The site highlights Kush's cultural connections with Egypt, including shared religious beliefs and the adoption of Egyptian customs. It also notes Kush's significance in biblical references and its eventual decline after conquest by the Aksumite Empire around AD 350.

tag(s): africa (170)

Discover this accessible and engaging overview of this ancient African civilization for young learners. It covers Kush's origins in Nubia, its interactions with Ancient Egypt--including periods of both conflict and cooperation--and its eventual rise to power, culminating in the Kushite pharaohs' rule over Egypt during the 25th Dynasty. The article highlights Kush's achievements in trade, ironworking, and architecture, notably the construction of pyramids at Meroe. Accompanied by printable worksheets, this resource is well-suited for upper elementary and middle school students studying ancient civilizations or African history.

tag(s): africa (170)

The Khan Academy article Ancient Nubia and the Kingdom of Kush: An Introduction provides a detailed and engaging look at the history, geography, and cultural achievements of the Kingdom of Kush. It explores Nubia's relationship with ancient Egypt, highlighting both periods of Egyptian control and Kushite independence, including the reign of Kushite pharaohs during Egypt's 25th Dynasty. The article emphasizes Kush's unique contributions to art, architecture, and religion.

tag(s): africa (170)

The Britannica Kids article on the Kingdom of Kush offers a clear, student-friendly overview of this ancient African civilization. It explains how Kush, located in what is now Sudan, began as an Egyptian colony and later rose to power, even ruling Egypt during the 700s BCE. The article highlights Kush's wealth from gold mining, agriculture, and trade, as well as its cultural blend of Egyptian and African influences. It also notes the kingdom's eventual decline after being conquered by Aksum around 350 CE. This resource is ideal for upper elementary and middle school students studying ancient civilizations or African history.

tag(s): africa (170)

View this site about Ancient Africa, which has links to information on Ancient Africa, Medieval African Kingdoms, stories, fables, and proverbs, religions, art, and geography. Additionally, the site contains links for lesson plans, animals, Kwanzaa, crafts, and the continent today. Don't miss the site's interactive games.

tag(s): africa (170), kwanzaa (12)

The Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) Toolkit, provided by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, offers educators a variety of downloadable resources to celebrate and raise awareness of JAHM each May. The toolkit includes social media posts, posters, a resource guide, and logos. Additionally, companion resources are available for the poster series featuring notable Jewish Americans. Educators seeking professional development opportunities and further teaching materials can find them through the toolkit. For specific needs, the JAHM team is available year-round to assist schools and organizations in finding appropriate resources.

tag(s): cultures (226), jews (52), social media (50)

The BrainPOP Inca Civilization page provides an engaging multimedia approach to teaching students about the history, achievements, and daily life of the Inca Empire. This resource includes an animated video, quizzes, vocabulary activities, and interactive features that help students explore Inca engineering, agriculture, government, and communication systems. BrainPOP's content is great for introducing or reinforcing key concepts in social studies, and is designed to support diverse learning styles. Teachers can use the provided lesson ideas and extension activities to promote critical thinking, discussion, and hands-on learning in the classroom.

tag(s): agriculture (52), communication (130), engineering (137), south america (77)

The EDSITEment lesson plan "Couriers of the Inca Empire: Getting Your Message Across" provides educators with an engaging way to teach students about the Inca Empire's communication system. This resource explores how the chasquis (Inca messengers) used an extensive relay network and quipu (knotted cords) to transmit information across the vast empire. The lesson includes primary sources, interactive activities, and discussion prompts to help students understand the challenges of communication in a pre-modern society. It supports inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and cross-curricular connections in history, geography, and STEM.

tag(s): communication (130), inquiry (30), native americans (116), south america (77), STEM (312)

View this four-minute video that highlights the Inca Empire led by Pachacuti. It shares that despite lacking a written system, it thrived and achieved other accomplishments of the civilization. It also shares how the civilization ended. You can share the lesson via Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams.

tag(s): native americans (116), south america (77)

Discover this Tourism Jobs collection that provides a wide variety of free educational resources for grades K-12, including videos, audio clips, documents, lesson plans, and curated collections. Explore topics such as working landscapes, hospitality, tourism, and national parks, and the impact of tourism on local communities. Lesson plans include detailed summaries, objectives, time frames, procedures, preparation tips, and standards alignment. The platform allows you to filter resources by grade, subject, format, video/audio length, language, and accessibility features.

tag(s): careers (183)

PBS LearningMedia's Education and Teaching Careers collection features various resources, including videos, audio, documents, lesson plans, and collections for grades kindergarten through twelfth. There are over one thousand resources available to search. Videos on exploring, IT instructors, education in Fiji, desegregation in education, and many more are available. Lesson plans on comparing education worldwide, strategies for equal education, progress in education, and more are posted. Lesson plans contain a summary, time allotted, learning objectives, preparation, procedure, and standards. Filters are available to sort by grade level, subject, resource type, length of video/audio, language, accessibility, and additional features. Everything in the collection can be shared via Google Classroom, a link to students, and social sharing.

tag(s): careers (183)

The PBS Mechanics collection features various resources, including videos, audio, documents, lesson plans, and collections for all grades. There are over one thousand resources available to search. Videos are available on exploring jet engine mechanics, aircraft mechanics, career connections, mechanical engineer manager, and many more. There are also mechanics featured that answer questions such as "Why did you become a mechanical engineer?" and "Why did you become a scientist?" Along with individuals discussing their jobs. Lesson plans on communication, history, math, science, and more are posted. Lesson plans contain a summary, time allotted, learning objectives, preparation, procedure, and standards. Filters are available to sort by grade level, subject, resource type, length of video/audio, language, accessibility, and additional features.

tag(s): careers (183), engineering (137)

"PBS Media: Engineering Building Activity: Lesson Plan" allows students to create a housing structure with various materials. For example, in manufacturing, students must follow a specific list of steps to make their finished product. The lesson plan includes the learning objectives, supplies, videos, procedure, guiding questions, and culminating activity. Everything in the collection can be shared via Google Classroom, with a link to students and social sharing. This lesson addresses the NGSS, ISTE, Benchmarks for Science Literacy, and National Core Art Standards.

tag(s): architecture (84), engineering (137)

Communications in Manufacturing: Lesson Plan | What's So Cool About Manufacturing?" develops literacy skills while engaging students in reading, writing, and making connections. In the lesson, students watch the "What's So Cool about Manufacturing" video, use coding, build their communication skills, and journal their findings and questions. The lesson plan includes the learning objectives, supplies, videos, procedure, guiding questions, and culminating activity. Everything in the collection can be shared via Google Classroom, a link to students, and social sharing. Lessons can also be built upon once you log into the site. This lesson addresses the Common Core Standards, College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education, and ISTE Standards.

tag(s): careers (183), communication (130)

Explore this collection of resources related to manufacturing careers, including videos, audio, documents, lesson plans, and collections. There are over two thousand resources available to search. Videos are available on exploring careers in manufacturing, lean manufacturing managers, grammar and usage in manufacturing, manufacturing and industry in Utah, and many more. Lesson plans on communication, history, math, science, and more are posted. Lesson plans contain a summary, time allotted, learning objectives, preparation, procedure, and standards. Filters are available to sort by grade level, subject, resource type, length of video/audio, language, accessibility, and additional features. Everything in the collection can be shared via Google Classroom, a link to students, and social sharing. Lessons can also be built upon once you log into the site.

tag(s): careers (183)

PBS LearningMedia's New York portal offers a curated collection of educational resources focused on the electrician profession, suitable for K-12 learning. This collection includes engaging videos that introduce students to the roles and responsibilities of electricians, highlighting the skills and knowledge required in the field. Resources such as "The Electrician: I Can Be What?!" and "Electrician: Job Pop!" provide insights into the daily tasks and career pathways of electricians, making them valuable tools for career exploration and STEM education. Teachers can utilize these materials to enhance lessons on electricity, circuits, and vocational studies, fostering students' understanding of the electrical trade and its significance in various industries.

tag(s): careers (183), electricity (60), STEM (312)