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Roll Call - Congressional Quarterly
Grades
9 to 12
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The on-line edition of CQ offers up-to-the-minute "inside the beltway" reporting on Congressional activities, pending legislation, and related news. ...more
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The on-line edition of CQ offers up-to-the-minute "inside the beltway" reporting on Congressional activities, pending legislation, and related news.
In the Classroom
Introduce this resource to your students for current events in the U.S. government. Challenge students to find an article or two from a news source in another country on the same topic using Google Newspaper Archives, reviewed here. Next, enhance learning by having them compare and contrast the bias and point of view from other cities and countries using a tool like the 2 and 3 Circle Interactive Venn Diagrams, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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JFK Assassination Timeline - Washington Post
Grades
7 to 12
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The Washington Post offers an interesting timeline detailing events of the day of JFK's assassination as well as the effect on how the Secret Service protects the president. Scroll...more
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The Washington Post offers an interesting timeline detailing events of the day of JFK's assassination as well as the effect on how the Secret Service protects the president. Scroll through the page to view the story from the president's arrival through the time Oswald flees the scene. Along the way listen to short audio clips from a former director of the Secret Service with how each event impacts changes to the security of the president.
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This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
This site is ideal for an interactive whiteboard or projector. Open the site and view together as a class during a study of the presidents or elections. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast presidential security for JFK to today's president. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here. Have them create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook from the perspective of John Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, or a Secret Service agent documenting the day's events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Freedom Trail - Boston National Historical Park
Grades
3 to 8
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The Freedom Trail Page provides information on this Boston "trail" and the historic places you'll see along the way. ...more
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The Freedom Trail Page provides information on this Boston "trail" and the historic places you'll see along the way.
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Literary Traveler
Grades
6 to 12
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Here's a site that combines information about literary figures and their travels. The site blends background information on the lives of literary figures with descriptions of the places...more
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Here's a site that combines information about literary figures and their travels. The site blends background information on the lives of literary figures with descriptions of the places they lived and visited, creating a nice context for a study of the factors that influence an author's work. Secondary English teachers will find this an interesting resource for taking a new twist on a familiar author.
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Separate is Not Equal - National Museum of American History
Grades
4 to 12
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The 50th anniversary of the historic Brown vs. the Board of Education decision is commemorated in this site that traces the history of segregation, the battle for education, and the...more
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The 50th anniversary of the historic Brown vs. the Board of Education decision is commemorated in this site that traces the history of segregation, the battle for education, and the events leading to the Supreme Court decision. Visit the teacher's guide (click on Resources) to find downloadable unit and lesson plans (aligned to national standards) which address the time period from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. Teacher briefing sheets and student handouts are included - in fact, nearly everything required for an engaging and purposeful learning experience is there! This site is an online companion to a Smithsonian National Museum of American History exhibit. If you can't take your students to Washington, take them to the computer lab or project this site in class, and spend some time with this outstanding resource.
In the Classroom
Access the section on the homesite entitled "resources." On that page there is a section entitled "Teacher Guide," which has an abundance of free lesson plans that range topics of segregation, racism, and the civil rights movement. Take advantage of the guides and use them to address the more difficult subjects of race in recent American History.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Winning the Vote - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
4 to 12
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This site, part of the Smithsonian Institution's "Art to Zoo" series, presents an introduction to political campaigns, advertising strategies, and electioneering. The entire unit, including...more
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This site, part of the Smithsonian Institution's "Art to Zoo" series, presents an introduction to political campaigns, advertising strategies, and electioneering. The entire unit, including teacher guide, discussion questions, and lesson plans, is available as a series of downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF files which can be printed and used at home or in the classroom.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans hosted on this site! This would be a great addition to a US government class, just make sure to save it as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Malcolm X Project - Columbia University
Grades
9 to 12
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Explore the life and legacy of Malcolm X with this thought-provoking site that presents archival video footage from 1961 through 1965, dozens of video interviews with his contemporaries,...more
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Explore the life and legacy of Malcolm X with this thought-provoking site that presents archival video footage from 1961 through 1965, dozens of video interviews with his contemporaries, an illustrated time line, and transcripts of FBI files. The result is a very personal, very authentic portrait of the civil rights leader - created for the purpose of illuminating new research that will be used in a forthcoming biography of Malcolm X.
In the Classroom
Use the footage of Malcolm X to emphasize his message and intent during a unit on his life or the civil rights movement. Open the footage over the interactive whiteboard, playing small clips during a lecture or class discussion of his life. This would be useful in an American History class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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California As I Saw It - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12
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The Library of Congress has collected original writings by settlers and explorers in California during the period 1850-1900. Indexed by author, subject, and title, this site offers...more
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The Library of Congress has collected original writings by settlers and explorers in California during the period 1850-1900. Indexed by author, subject, and title, this site offers lots of starting points for talented students interested in using primary source materials for research in history or social studies.
In the Classroom
This would be a very useful site for covering the Gold Rush in a US history classroom. Select several documents and images that could be used for a document-centered activity in your classroom. Assign students to groups, with each receiving a different document and/or image. Have students fill out graphic organizers about each document, with the intentions of rotating all until students have received every one. At the end of the activity, have a class discussion of what students found and what their answers indicate. A refreshing way to teach Gold Rush history without another lecture.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Webquest - Nikkie Aube
Grades
5 to 8
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This engaging, standards based webquest enables students to put themselves in the same time and place as the characters of this historical fiction novel to gain a better understanding...more
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This engaging, standards based webquest enables students to put themselves in the same time and place as the characters of this historical fiction novel to gain a better understanding of life for the African Americans during the 1930s, while reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. The integrated language arts tasks take students through the process of analyzing the characters and their motivation for reacting the way they do. Easy to use rubrics are provided for evaluating students' work.
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In the Classroom
As you plan to teach the novel, include this well-organized webquest as part of the ongoing and post reading learning activities. Use it in its entirety or choose parts to meet your time frame and purpose. Attention is given to all aspects of literacy: reading, critical thinking, writing, infusion of technology, and presentation. Both individual tasks and group work is involved. Students are active participants, and everything they need to increase their appreciation for this literary work is available to them, including vocabulary, clear instructions, and links for further information and details. You may want to find some additional research links for students to use to replace the links no longer active. You may want to share the project with social studies teachers for a joint effort and shared time. Introduce it on your classroom whiteboard or projector, and then make sure that you have scheduled time in the computer lab or with a class set of laptops. Students can jazz up their multi-media presentations by creating an online book using Bookemon, reviewed here, or a podcast by using podOmatic, reviewed here. Be sure to make them directly available from your class webpage to share with colleagues and parents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spy Letters of the American Revolution - University of Michigan
Grades
4 to 12
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This site offers a collection of resources dealing with spies and espionage during the American Revolution. In addition to copies of actual letters, there are stories about famous spies...more
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This site offers a collection of resources dealing with spies and espionage during the American Revolution. In addition to copies of actual letters, there are stories about famous spies and their impact on the conflict. There are also several neat "experiments" showing how to create secret codes, invisible ink, and other spy tricks. From the University of Michigan.
In the Classroom
In the "Teachers Lounge" section of this website there are resources for study questions, classroom activities, themes and projects concerning primary sources. This site is an excellent way to get students interested in a time period of which they may think they know everything already. Teachers can also tie the information they learn here into a classroom discussion of espionage and its use in our world today. Definitely check this site out if looking for some fresh ideas on the American Revolution.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Living History Farms
Grades
4 to 12
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Living History Farms is an Iowa-based recreation of agricultural communities from three different time periods in American history. Located on adjoining properties, these three sites...more
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Living History Farms is an Iowa-based recreation of agricultural communities from three different time periods in American history. Located on adjoining properties, these three sites afford an opportunity to compare and contrast farming and life styles at three different points in our nation's development. The web site offers pictures, text, and descriptions for each of the three periods, permitting students to take a virtual tour of life at three points in American history.
In the Classroom
Each farm section has limited information offered, so this activity would best be used as an quick introduction to a unit rather than a major activity. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector, and examine each farm with the class. Pull out important characteristics offered, and compare and contrast the farms. We recommend a Venn diagram tool such as 2 and 3 Circle Interactive Venn Diagrams, reviewed here. This would be a useful activity to discuss the differences in habitats, and different ways people have subsisted on the same land.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Remembering Nagasaki - The Exploratorium
Grades
6 to 12
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This site presents and elegant, powerful photoessay showing the devastation caused by the bombing of Nagasaki. The photos were taken only a day or two after the event, and are ...more
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This site presents and elegant, powerful photoessay showing the devastation caused by the bombing of Nagasaki. The photos were taken only a day or two after the event, and are offered with only enough commentary to give them context. Local sensibilities vary, so please preview this one before using.
In the Classroom
Use the images on this site to create a visual discovery activity in your classroom, introducing the topic of the atomic bomb and its use at the end WWII. Select 3-5 images from this site, choosing the most powerful and moving images. Placing the images on individual slides, allow students 1-2 minutes to observe each image. During that time period, students should be taking notes based on what they observe, predict and infer about each image. The more powerful and detailed the image is, the more information students can take out. After the class has observed all the chosen images, have a class discussion based on the notes students took. This is a great way to introduce content in a way that gets students thinking, as well as avoiding the typical lecture format.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What Coal Miners Do - UMWA
Grades
7 to 9
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Learn about the realities, dangers, and hardships of work in a mine with this brief, illustrated guide. Along with descriptions of types of coal mines, mining techniques, and related...more
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Learn about the realities, dangers, and hardships of work in a mine with this brief, illustrated guide. Along with descriptions of types of coal mines, mining techniques, and related jobs, the site includes current and vintage photographs of coal miners at work.
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Watergate and the Constitution - National Archives
Grades
9 to 12
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The Congressional investigations of the Watergate affair and Richard Nixon's subsequent resignation tested the Constitutional relationships among all three branches of the federal government....more
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The Congressional investigations of the Watergate affair and Richard Nixon's subsequent resignation tested the Constitutional relationships among all three branches of the federal government. This lesson from the Library of Congress asks students to explore this relationship and explain how and why the system worked effectively.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities during a unit or lesson on Watergate. US history and government teachers will appreciate this one - just be sure to save this one as a favorite on your classroom computer to allow for easy retrieval later on!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.
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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Create a Hero Trophy - Swati Mody-Thirteen Ed Online
Grades
6 to 8
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Are you looking for an idea to spark the beginning or culmination of your school year? Perhaps you favor jump starting with a timeless theme that lends itself throughout the ...more
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Are you looking for an idea to spark the beginning or culmination of your school year? Perhaps you favor jump starting with a timeless theme that lends itself throughout the entire year. This hero unit is complete with ongoing lesson plans, links, printable handouts, activities, and projects for students to research and write about the lives of some famous American heroes. They will examine the qualities that make or made these people heroes and how the time period they lived in influenced their images as heroes. After reading about some famous heroes, students will take a look at some lesser-known heroes as well. They will reflect on critical thinking questions, such as how those heroes are different from the heroes that students admire and respect today. National standards for English/Language Arts, History, and Technology are included.
In the Classroom
This hero unit includes endless ideas, from comparing and contrasting real life heroes with fictional superheroes. Have your students try an online Venn diagram tool.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flags of the World
Grades
3 to 12
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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...more
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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.
In the Classroom
Elementary social studies teachers may find this one addictive.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New Mexico
Grades
4 to 12
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The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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Rhode Island
Grades
4 to 12
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The state's home page. ...more
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The state's home page.
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Cuban Missile Crisis - Avalon project
Grades
8 to 12
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Lists of primary sources, spanning the Cuban Missile Crisis. ...more
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Lists of primary sources, spanning the Cuban Missile Crisis.
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, but should have the same general topic) 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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