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Triumph & Tragedy on the Ocean

On April 10, 1912, the world's most celebrated ship, RMS Titanic, departed England with 2,240 passengers and crew for its maiden voyage -- the first transatlantic crossing. Deemed "practically unsinkable," this engineering triumph turned tragic on April 14th when the ship hit an iceberg, began to sink, and over 1,500 passengers died. Learn more about the Titanic with these three informative sites. 

Grades 4-12

Ultimate Titanic

Created by teachers and Titanic historians, this site provides hours of footage of survivors, animations, and documentaries. Discover hundreds of photographs and documents and explore the education section for teaching ideas, a timeline, and more.

Grades 4-12

Sinking of the Titanic

Discover teaching and learning resources about the Titanic's sinking from NBC Learn and Scientific American. Archived news videos, news articles, photos, a live report from a ship doing a 3-D scan of the wreckage, and more are accessible.

Grades 7-12

History on the Net

Did you know that the Lusitania sunk after a torpedo was fired by the Germans? This began United States involvement in WWI. History on the Net has online lessons, worksheets, timelines, and more related to the Titanic, World War I, Viking, and more.

He Had a Dream - We Will Never Forget!

April 4, 1968 was the tragic day that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. King spent his life as an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible leader in the civil rights movement from 1954 - 1968. Share his story with your class through the interactive timeline, videos, and engaging activities found below.

Grades K-6

Martin Luther King Jr. Interactive Timeline

Use this lesson, created for elementary students, to complement the book, "A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr." Create an interactive timeline including images (learn how to scan, print, and add images) and discover lesson extensions.

Grades 8-12

Citizen King

Investigate this PBS video collection focused on the last five years of Dr. Martin Luther King's life, from his "I Have a Dream" Speech in 1963 to his assassination in 1968. Hear personal recollections and eyewitness accounts from friends and others.

Grades 6-12

A Class Divided

Help students understand the impact of discrimination. This 1970 documentary and related activities from Frontline/PBS shares teacher Jane Elliott's daring lesson designed to give her 3rd grade class firsthand experience in the meaning of discrimination.

The Civil War - From Start to Finish

The US Civil War between the North and the South began April 12, 1861. Almost exactly 4 years later, on April 9, 1865, the war came to an end. Just a few days later, on April 14th, President Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated. Draw inspiration from this booklist, virtual tour, and interactive website to share these historic April events with students.

Grades K-12

CurriConnects Book List: Civil War and Slavery

Hone in on literature (for all grade levels, with reading levels) related to the Civil War and slavery with topics such as: the Underground Railroad, Abraham Lincoln, escaped slaves, slave trade, Battle of Gettysburg, soldiers, and more.

Grades 9-12

Google Tours of America: A Narrative History

Take a virtual tour of the past and locations around the world. Tours include the Revolutionary War, the path to the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and other historical events. You will need Google Earth installed on your computer(s).

Grades 5-12

Lincoln's Assassination

Investigate the events of April 14, 1865 at Ford's Theatre and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln through eyewitness accounts and the exploration of evidence left behind using materials found on this interactive site.

This Week at TeachersFirst

Come learn about game-based tools and how to integrate them into your classroom this Tuesday, 4/2. You can also chat with us on Thursday, 4/4, to discover approaches for the modern school library. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts in our weekly poll, which asks about history education in your class.