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A Family Farm Album: The Photographs of Frank Sadorus - Illinois State Museum
Grades
3 to 12
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Take a journey through the life of Frank Sadoras. This site has a wonderful collection of photographs and biographical documents that chronicles Frank's life growing up on a farm in...more
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Take a journey through the life of Frank Sadoras. This site has a wonderful collection of photographs and biographical documents that chronicles Frank's life growing up on a farm in Illinois from 1898-1912. By using this site, you and your students will get a view of what life was like growing up on a farm as well as the photographic techniques Frank used to take his photos.
In the Classroom
This site is a good site to use if you want to introduce more primary sources into your teaching. There is an extensive activities and resource section that covers the topics of photography, history, farming and genealogy. In addition, the PDF entitled the Turning Point would be a good resource to use in a lesson on narrative writing. Share the photos in art (or photography) class on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students create blog entries from the perspective of Frank Sadorus. Use the pictures for creative writing exercises. Why not have a photo of the week and have students write a short piece on the class wiki about what they feel the picture represents, what is happening in the photo, what the animal or person was doing/thinking in the photo, or whatever else is applicable in your class. Do you want to learn more about wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.
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Lewis & Clark Lesson - National Park Service
Grades
5 to 8
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A part of the Teaching with Historic Places series from the National Park Service, this lesson presents artifacts, maps, and images from the Lewis and Clark expedition and asks students...more
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A part of the Teaching with Historic Places series from the National Park Service, this lesson presents artifacts, maps, and images from the Lewis and Clark expedition and asks students to draw conclusions about the nature of the expedition and its activities. There is a wealth of other supplementary material and background information as well.
In the Classroom
Teachers will need to spend some time customizing these lesson materials for their own circumstances.
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Guns Germs, & Steel - PBS
Grades
9 to 12
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Jared Diamond's book Guns Germs & Steel won a Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction. This website presents an overview of some of the major threads of Diamond's thesis as ...more
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Jared Diamond's book Guns Germs & Steel won a Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction. This website presents an overview of some of the major threads of Diamond's thesis as presented in the PBS special based upon the book. Diamond suggests that geography may have been the single most important factor in the rise and fall of civilizations over the course of human history. The site examines some of the variables that have contributed to the success or failure of societies through history, including crops, animals, technology, and climate. There are lesson plans tied to national standards associated with each of the televised episodes. While viewing the series is an option, much can be gained by examining the lesson plans even without watching the series.
In the Classroom
The information contained here will be most helpful in planning lessons on the interdependence of culture, geography and technology. Students may find information here for research purposes, but this site should be considered mostly for its usefulness to teachers in advance of unit planning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Journeys - Wisconsin Historical Society
Grades
9 to 12
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The Wisconsin Historical Society offers this collection of first-hand accounts of historical events, from the early explorers through the settling of the United States. After a quirky...more
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The Wisconsin Historical Society offers this collection of first-hand accounts of historical events, from the early explorers through the settling of the United States. After a quirky search process, the site ultimately displays scanned images of venerable publications containing the material. While this approach is certainly historically accurate, it may be limiting for use with secondary students.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities hosted on the "teachers" portion of this site! Teachers can also use this site to search for primary sources that can be utilized in their classroom during a unit on early American exploration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Famous Moments in Early American History - Varsity Tutors
Grades
6 to 12
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These eight, high-quality mini-movies highlight true stories of historical significance using scenes and portraits from Early America. Titles include "The Ben Franklin Story," "Declaring...more
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These eight, high-quality mini-movies highlight true stories of historical significance using scenes and portraits from Early America. Titles include "The Ben Franklin Story," "Declaring Independence," "The Treason of Benedict Arnold," "Paul Revere - Messenger of the Revolution," and more! Project in the classroom, or take your students to the computer lab for an impressive multimedia experience. A high speed connection is a must! The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
In the Classroom
Use these quick videos as a way to either review or introduce the American Revolution in your classroom. There is a lot of material in here, so we recommend creating some kind of graphic organizer or follow-along to help students digest and remember what's important.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Price of Freedom - Americans at War - National Museum of American History
Grades
7 to 12
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American military conflicts, from the War of Independence to the War in Iraq, are presented in this beautifully designed multimedia exhibit that examines their effect on American society...more
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American military conflicts, from the War of Independence to the War in Iraq, are presented in this beautifully designed multimedia exhibit that examines their effect on American society and our nation's history. Click on the interactive time line to access photographs, artifacts, and text that provide succinct and riveting overviews of each conflict. This site would make an excellent independent computer lab activity. To enhance the experience, develop some essential questions and a "road map" to guide your students - then turn them loose. Downloadable teacher's manual available. A few of the images still require Flash, however, there are many that don't and there is a lot of information to learn.
In the Classroom
Share this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector as an introduction to this unit or as review. The site hosts vast amounts of information about almost every major American conflict in exhibit form. Go through the exhibits with students through out the lecture as the images are of high quality and can supplement the lecture being given. This site also has valuable information for students working on research projects or papers. If thats the case, save this site as a favorite and refer students with questions to it.
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First Amendment Center - Vanderbilt University
Grades
9 to 12
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Whether as a comprehensive source for research or as a primer for studies on the first amendment's guaranteed freedoms of speech, press, religious liberty, assembly and petition, this...more
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Whether as a comprehensive source for research or as a primer for studies on the first amendment's guaranteed freedoms of speech, press, religious liberty, assembly and petition, this site has wonderful resources for civics and government courses. The site also has a variety of print and web-resources available for further study of first amendment issues, including links to a number of Supreme Court documents.
In the Classroom
Lesson plans are linked to NewseumEd, reviewed here, for teachers planning a basic look at first amendment issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Justice on Trial - Minnesota Public Radio
Grades
9 to 12
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What is the proper role of international courts in keeping world order? This site from the American Radioworks series examines the precedents, premises, and problems inherent in using...more
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What is the proper role of international courts in keeping world order? This site from the American Radioworks series examines the precedents, premises, and problems inherent in using international law to punish war criminals and keep the peace internationally. AP high school students will find this one a challenging issue. There is plenty of information to learn and discuss on this site.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on International Trials or the legal consequences of Genocide in a US government or history course. The site is a little text-heavy, and would work best with higher level high school classes. To assess student learning and differentiate between the trial events, have students create a timeline describing the events of all three events. We recommend using an online tool such as Timelline Infographic Templates, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller's The Crucible - National Endowment for the Humanities
Grades
9 to 12
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This is a another wonderful site for the NEH that encompasses both history and literature in a study of the Salem witchcraft trials with Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible. It ...more
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This is a another wonderful site for the NEH that encompasses both history and literature in a study of the Salem witchcraft trials with Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible. It has a complete lesson plan for 10-12 days with included activities and final projects as well as lesson extensions, all in a printable format. This one is a real bonus for either English or history teachers!
In the Classroom
While this site includes lesson plans for 10-12 days, it is easy to dip in and out of the activities, molding them to whatever it is you want to teach and the approach you want to take. It deals culturally with why Miller's plan "outdoes the historians" when making this history come alive as well as show the lessons in history as well as literature.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Food Fight - Tourist Pictures
Grades
9 to 12
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Food Fight is a five minute film illustrating the history of American warfare from World War II until the present. Using stop-action photography, the film uses food products emblematic...more
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Food Fight is a five minute film illustrating the history of American warfare from World War II until the present. Using stop-action photography, the film uses food products emblematic of each culture to represent the conflict. For example, the U.S. is represented by hamburgers and french fries; the Germans by pretzels and bratwurst. Quite simply, the effect is brilliant, albeit a little gross. Included is a separate "cheat sheet" revealing which countries or cultures are being represented by which food product and an overview of the conflicts portrayed.
In the Classroom
The film is embedded in the site as a link to YouTube, so systems that block YouTube access may not be able to access this without a work-around.While there is no real content to this site other than the film itself, it would be a great addition to a modern U.S. history course or a discussion of current world politics. However, teachers will need to set the context carefully and provide discussion questions afterwards. Watching pretzels and bratwurst mow down a line of matzo, or hamburgers flattening a hundred sushi will spark laughter; it is our responsibility to translate that into a discussion of the Holocaust or the use of atomic weapons. Younger students will just giggle, but older students, with prodding, will find the film thought provoking. You might want to use it mid-unit after mastering the basic facts of WWII so you can raise the level of discussion to a more nuanced approach.
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Monitor - Lincoln's Secret Weapon - Nova
Grades
5 to 12
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The PBS Nova site about the Civil War ironclad the Monitor offers some unexpected treats. Students can see whether they can run the steam engine without blowing it up, and ...more
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The PBS Nova site about the Civil War ironclad the Monitor offers some unexpected treats. Students can see whether they can run the steam engine without blowing it up, and the curious can take a simulated 360 degree tour of various parts of the ship. This site includes several lesson plans (most linked to standards), and more. There is a lot of information to learn from, but few activities required flash.
In the Classroom
Share the interactives on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students work in cooperative learning groups to try some of the science experiments at this site. Challenge students to create fictitious blog entries (written by Lincoln) about what they learn at this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital History - University of Houston
Grades
9 to 12
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A history professor at the University of Houston has created this extensive, well structured site offering an extensive American history presentation. While there is plenty of content,...more
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A history professor at the University of Houston has created this extensive, well structured site offering an extensive American history presentation. While there is plenty of content, it's almost entirely text, with an occasional link to an archival image. This would be a great supplemental resource for students who like to read and whose access to printed texts may be limited.
In the Classroom
This is an EXCELLENT site for teachers who need more resources in history classroom. Access the "For teachers" menu option, and take advantage of the free lesson plans, handouts, modules, and resource guides. All of the material is linked to a standard or SOL, to insure that students are getting the required knowledge.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Not For Ourselves Alone - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
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Here you will find a PBS site connected to a Ken Burns film about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony which contains some very nice resources on the women's ...more
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Here you will find a PBS site connected to a Ken Burns film about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony which contains some very nice resources on the women's movement. Scroll to the bottom and view the menu item for Resources. Explore the Resource section which has lesson plans, primary documents, a photo gallery, and biographical information.
In the Classroom
If you're looking for one site on the early women's movement or the women's suffrage movement, this one may do it. Take advantage of the lesson plans and resources therein. Once students know the history of the early women's movement, brainstorm more current information about women's rights and the women involved that could be included on this page. Have students or groups collect ideas and findings using Dotstorming, reviewed here. Dotstorming will allow students to include video, images, text, audio, voting & a chat box.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Women's History - The History Channel
Grades
6 to 12
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The popular cable channel's women's history site provides images, content, and links to related resources. Find topics such as The History of Mother's Day, How Women Used Christmas...more
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The popular cable channel's women's history site provides images, content, and links to related resources. Find topics such as The History of Mother's Day, How Women Used Christmas to Fight Slavery, Mother Theresa, and many others. Each article has links with images and more information about the people and time for the chosen topic.
In the Classroom
This site has plenty of relatively short videos that could easily be played in class to supplement lecture. For a unit on WWII, play the short 3 minute video about the Women Auxiliary Corp on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Short and sweet, the video addresses what the domestic front was like and addresses the issues of women's rights simultaneously. Have students watch the video, and then hold a class discussion as to the differences seen in the WAC video and videos that they might have seen concerning the mens army. After the discussion, have students create venn diagrams highlighting the differences. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The U.S.S. Constitution Museum - U.S.S. Constitution Museum
Grades
3 to 8
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The U.S.S. Constitution Museum has lots of additional information about the U.S.S. Constitution. This website provides some great information about the famous ship (U.S.S. Constitution)....more
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The U.S.S. Constitution Museum has lots of additional information about the U.S.S. Constitution. This website provides some great information about the famous ship (U.S.S. Constitution).
In the Classroom
Share this and other sections of the TeachersFirst Colonial America tour as part of your study of the colonies so students can see what these historic locations look like today. Share this as one of several sites for student reports on colonial times.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Blackbaseball's Negro Baseball Leagues - Blackbaseball
Grades
6 to 12
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This new site focuses on the Negro Baseball Leagues from their beginnings in the late 19th century until the time that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. Much ...more
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This new site focuses on the Negro Baseball Leagues from their beginnings in the late 19th century until the time that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. Much of the content is the work of James A. Riley, one of the foremost experts in the study of the Negro Leagues. The site includes information on players, teams, video clips, resources and current issues. Only a few items still require Flash. The other information and videos don't, and are well worth your visit. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district or school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use the site as a resource during Black History Month for students who are researching the Negro Baseball Leagues, or players who were part of the leagues. Tie together current events (during baseball season) with this historical site. Have cooperative learning groups create venn diagrams using an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here to compare the Negro Baseball Leagues to the baseball teams of today. What was the same, what is different? The site might also be useful in discussions of the Civil Rights movement or as a part of a look at segregation in the early 20th century. Check back frequently, as the site is clearly expanding and will have more information in the future.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Memorial Day Activities - David Merchant
Grades
3 to 10
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This nice collection of activities and puzzles - some printable and some interactive - teaches and reinforces the history and meaning behind Memorial Day celebrations. Choose from a...more
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This nice collection of activities and puzzles - some printable and some interactive - teaches and reinforces the history and meaning behind Memorial Day celebrations. Choose from a variety of formats and difficulty levels.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities on this site! There are also some practice quizzes and puzzles that would be fun ways to assess students, or have them use the tools to help review the content.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Colonial Charters - Yale University
Grades
6 to 12
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This collection from the Avalon Project at Yale University offers a collection of primary documents dealing with all the American colonies except Virginia and Vermont. The page includes...more
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This collection from the Avalon Project at Yale University offers a collection of primary documents dealing with all the American colonies except Virginia and Vermont. The page includes a search engine as well as links to specific documents. Good resource for exploring the various motives in colonizing the new world.
In the Classroom
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 source to the class, making sure to mention who the author is and whether or not 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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The Vietnam War - Peter Leuhusen
Grades
9 to 12
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A photo essay slide show covering the Vietnam War. There are also timelines, maps, and a brief discussion of the war in general.The focus of this site is its ...more
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A photo essay slide show covering the Vietnam War. There are also timelines, maps, and a brief discussion of the war in general.The focus of this site is its outstanding images, most which have accompanying text, explaining and setting the context.
In the Classroom
Because it is in a slide show format, this would be effective on a projector or interactive whiteboard. There is a soundtrack that accompanies the slide shows. Teachers should exercise caution, however, as some of the images might be upsetting or difficult for less mature students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pullfolio - pullfolio.com
Grades
8 to 12
3 Favorites
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Create an online portfolio created from your flickr set of specific photos. Choose your photos by choosing a set or a specific tag. Pictures are displayed in an elegant and ...more
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Create an online portfolio created from your flickr set of specific photos. Choose your photos by choosing a set or a specific tag. Pictures are displayed in an elegant and beautiful format. Since Pullfolio is not flash based, the ipod/iphone app is another plus. Pullfolio instantly updates as you update your flickr set or continue to use the tag. Use the free version or go pro to use your own domain and access additional features.
In the Classroom
Users must be able to add pictures to a set on flickr or use a specific tag for particular pictures. Be sure to choose your username carefully as it becomes part of the url of your portfolio. Follow the directions to identify your flickr account with Pullfolio.Have students create their own pullfolio, but why not create a class pullfolio that showcases student work? If using as a class pullfolio, pictures will not be attributed to the individual students. Create some way of identifying pictures to various students. Require students to tag their pictures with their initials as well or create a comment with their initials in the picture's description.
This tool would be a great asset to a photography or art class but can be used in any subject area. Create a pullfolio of pictures that showcase life around us, or in a Math class to show various Math functions in man made structures and nature. Use this site to take your geography class around the world (virtually). Have students create presentations in any subject area and narrate the pictures rather than doing a traditional oral report. Speech and language on lower grades or ESL/ELL teachers could create pullfolios for vocabulary development, tagging them for positions, feelings, etc. Involve students in taking the pictures, then share the resulting pullfolios for them to practice their new words.
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