670 geography-us-world results | sort by:

Green Vegetation - NOAA
Grades
8 to 12In the Classroom
Look at the map on an Interactive Whiteboard (or projector) to look at the different colors and determine what they represent. Zoom in to the Nile region to view the stark contrast between the Nile River delta and the desert that surrounds it. Brainstorm how vegetation changes can indicate potential forest fires or drought and how weather is predicted based upon vegetation, humidity, runoff, and surface temperature. Compare the locations of high vegetation to those with low or no vegetation. What factors change the locations of these areas? Watch this interactive over a period of time (possibly the whole school year) to identify changes in areas around the world. Create a presentation about the changes in vegetation including research as to why it is very important. Find great tools on TeachersFirst for creating presentations or Infographics. Tie discussion of this map into economics, political policy, our food system, health statistics, and more.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The Lost Museum - American Social History Productions
Grades
8 to 12In the Classroom
View this site on your interactive whiteboard and use the teaching activities as a supplement to information in the museum. Divide students into groups to complete the different activities. Have groups share their information usingScreencast-o-matic, reviewed here, or Screencastify (Chrome app), reviewed here, to make narrated recordings about information they find on this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Population Pyramid - Martin DeWulf
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
At a very simple level, this site is great for teaching about reading charts and graphs or math lessons about how to display data. In social studies or science, view and compare the demographics of various countries. Discuss the religious, economic, and health reasons for the shape of the population pyramids. Discuss demographic transitions, developed vs. developing countries, and emerging issues. Use the information when preparing presentations about health and welfare, world cultures, and biological issues concerning the environments and population demographics. Hypothesize reasons for differences, then have students research to test their hypotheses. Research and discuss the issue of population by searching articles from different countries that show a different perspective from ours.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
International Human Development Insights - United Nations Development Programme
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Student groups or the full class can view data and graphs of various indicators and brainstorm questions to understand the data. What factors exist in various countries or areas of the World? What conditions need to change to reverse troubling trends and to create greater equality of individuals in the World? Break these questions down into major focus topics to be researched and presented by members of the class. Since this site can be viewed in numerous languages, use this tool in a world language class. Gain understanding of the factors that influence places you read about in the news and faraway cultures. In government or civics classes, talk about how public policies affect or reflect development data. In math classes, use this site to see how statistics can be applied to decision making and international issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Reading Treks: A Long Way from Chicago - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8In the Classroom
Discover the many suggested classroom uses for this resource found on the Instructional Guide (PDF). Consider using the historical information and primary sources from the book to have students create timelines of the important events throughout the book, beginning with American prosperity, the Great Depression, and into World War II. Find a variety of free online timeline creation tools here. Using the map and locales, trace and then calculate distances for Joey and Mary Alice's journeys back and forth to Grandma Dowdel's home. Use Google My Maps, reviewed here, to create and share custom maps that include information about events and important information about the time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
SoundCities - Stanza
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use SoundCities as a complement to information found on any map to give students another perspective of what it would be like to be in any city. Compare and contrast sounds from any included city to what is found in your community. Talk about what development does to noise and sound. Ask students to create a list of sounds found in your community (or school) that could be included in the site. During a unit on sound, talk about the ways communities handle excessive sound, applying principles of sound waves and sound transmission. In world language classes, use this site to "hear" the culture in far off cities. Allow students to create similar projects using Zeemaps, reviewed here. This tool allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map). Students could also use Google Earth, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
GLOBE Scientists' Blog - The GLOBE Program
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordClouds, reviewed here, or WordItOut, reviewed here. Use this great site for your students to interact with students and scientists all over the world. Have your students keep a journal of their interaction on the site. Post questions from class discussions and labs for GLOBE Scientists to answer. Teach digital citizenship skills (commenting etiquette) and blogging basics to your students. The text portions are challenging, so you should pair weaker readers with a partner as they research on this site. Include this site on your class web page for students and parents to access as a reference. Watch the website to see if your students' comments generate further discussion, and to read new topics as they develop. Encourage gifted students interested in science to participate in this community as a chance to learn above their grade level.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Retro Report Education - Retro Report
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
High school social studies teachers will want to bookmark and save this site as an excellent resource for lessons and videos to accompany current lessons. Use the lessons to differentiate activities based on student interests. For example, when teaching about the Bill of Rights, offer groups of students different topics to explore from the provided lessons, including the Pentagon Papers, evolution in science class, conspiracy theories, and Waco as a 2nd amendment battleground. Use Padlet, reviewed here, or Wakelet, reviewed here as a curation tool for you and students to gather resources related to their topic. Ask students to share their findings using a presentation tool like the ones found at Canva Edu, reviewed here, which includes options for adding links to resources shared.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Open Street Map - OpenStreetMap
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Use any part of this map for your school projects. Share the maps on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Copy, download, or alter maps as needed. The license requires crediting OpenStreetMap. Build completely new maps around a specific theme or concept, such as walking, hiking, bicycling, routes for those with disabilities, among others. Create projects traveling through various areas around various themes such as places to eat, sleep, or play. Students create stories about stopping in these places to share with others. If you teach geography, this one's a must. It is also helpful for showing students WHERE a story or news event takes place. If you teach map skills or teach about how communities grow, be sure to share this map to show how maps can change when a new street or highway is built. If you have a new road in your area, show the difference between this map and older ones that can be found online. Challenge students to compare this map to others.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Meteorite size - CARTOD8
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
This site is ideal for your interactive whiteboard or projector. It could also be used on individual laptops or at a learning center. Allow time for students to brainstorm what the bubbles represent on the map. Give a few moments then to have them identify by looking at specific bubbles. Discuss whether certain areas of the map have found or seen more or larger meteorites and why that might be. Research what other objects can strike Earth and compare composition and origin in the Universe. Consider expanding your discussion to include folklore, religion, and other aspects of daily life that may have been "impacted" by meteorite impacts or sightings. Discuss various ways that living things could be protected from possible future impacts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Country Flag Pictures - FlagPictures
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use as a quick reference and resource for information about any country. Share results on your interactive whiteboard with students. Engage students in learning by using flag images from this site using Jamboard, reviewed here. Create and share a Jamboard with students and add the flag image. Ask students to add sticky notes to the board, sharing information they already know and questions they want to find out. As students learn more about countries and their flags, create digital books sharing their learning using Book Creator, reviewed here, that include student text, upload images, and videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Project Britain - Woodlands Junior School/Mandy Barrow
Grades
3 to 7This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
This is an excellent resource when studying British countries and culture. Allow students to explore the site on their own or view together on your interactive whiteboard (or projector). Have students choose a different portion of the site to become their area of expertise. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos on the topic. Share the videos on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Challenge your students to create a mini-version of this kind of site on a wiki, creating a guide to their own state or city. Each student could write a portion or page. Add to the guide from year to year using this model of organization (and perhaps some video or multimedia to spice it up a bit).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Introducing South Africa - Google Arts and Culture
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Engage students with this interesting site by asking them to explore it independently to introduce your unit on African countries or when learning about Nelson Mandela and his home. Be sure to show students how to use the arrows to view images from the many different angles provided. As students begin your lessons, create a Figjam, reviewed here to share interesting information learned from students' explorations. Use their notes to guide students toward enhancing learning by choosing specific areas to explore further. For example, some students may want to learn more about the geography found in South Africa, while others may want to learn about animals or famous people. Have students share their research findings by writing blogs using edublogs, reviewed here, or use Google My Maps, reviewed here to create virtual tours around South Africa that include links to images, videos, or student writing projects to tell the story of the country.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks - RichBlocksPoorBlocks
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Propose reasons for the differences in median income in a particular area or state. Research industry, agriculture, level of education, and other factors to determine the reasons. Investigate at the nearby ports and natural resources. Why do certain parts of the country have higher incomes and/or costs of living? How is income connected to education level? Students can identify patterns that exist among the data. They can form hypotheses about why. Create a campaign to bridge the wage gap by suggesting ideas to increase salaries in areas. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Snappa, reviewed here. Teachers of gifted will find "rich" possibilities for discussion from this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Reading Treks: Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 3In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many lesson ideas in the Teachers' Guide to bring this story to life and provide activities that correlate with the book's theme of recycling and reusing materials. As students read the book, create a timeline of events using a simple timeline creation tool such as the one provided by Read, Write, Think, reviewed here to help students follow the sequence of events in the story. After engaging students in learning by creating recycled instruments, have students write and record a short soundtrack to accompany the story. Share boomy, reviewed here with students to create and record music from their computers using virtual tools.Comments
Great resource to engage students in reading!Kelly, IN, Grades: 0 - 5
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The Gold Road Project - Howard University Center for African Studies
Grades
8 to 12In the Classroom
Introduce this map to students as you begin your studies of medieval Africa. Allow them time to explore the map independently, then share ideas and questions created from their explorations. Use Google Jamboard, reviewed here, to gather students' thoughts. For example, within one Jamboard, create frames (slides) for students to post questions, another for important information found, and another for comparisons between medieval Africa and contemporary Africa. Extend learning by asking students to share their understanding by creating maps made with Google My Maps, reviewed here. Use Google My Maps to create virtual field trips that feature links, images, and videos to tell the story of Africa.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
A Guide to Anthropogenic Biomes of the World - Andrew Petit de Mange & Kelly Kennedy
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Include this site with your class resources when teaching about biomes and ecology. Have students create online posters individually or together as a class to display human impact on your local environment using a tool such as Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education , reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts sharing ideas on how to reduce the impact of humans on our environment. Use a site such as Buzzsprout, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Outbreaks - globalincidentmap.com
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Use the various types of diseases to learn more about bacteria, viruses, and epidemiology. Students can create a presentation to teach others about a various disease. Create a multimedia presentation or create a blog or wiki post that shows information as well as current outbreaks around the world. Have students research how the disease is transmitted and factors that lead to outbreaks in certain places. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Vevox, Animatron, Renderforest, and Canva Inforgraphic Maker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Instant Google Street View - Nick Nicholaou
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Assign students various countries, regions, or continents to make comparisons. Identify the biological, geographical, cultural, and social issues that exist in the world, based on what the pictures show and what their research uncovers. Bring a greater understanding to current economic and environmental issues in many countries. World language (or world cultures) classes can help students understand the cultures of the countries where the language is spoken. Compare specific attributes of two countries using an online Venn Diagram, such as the one reviewed here. Another idea: have cooperative learning groups use this resource to create online books about the country of their tour using a resource such as Bookemon.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Kente Cloth Lesson Plan - William Kodzo
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Students can create a digital story or a short documentary using a movie program like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here to narrate a story or a theme represented in a specific Kente pattern they choose from the website. Students can study the geometric patterns in Kente designs on the website and then use a tool like GeoGebra to create similar geometric patterns, exploring concepts like symmetry, shapes, and tessellation. They can use the website to explore different Kente cloth designs and then use a drawing app like Tux Paint, reviewed here to create their own digital Kente patterns, focusing on the colors and geometric shapes. After exploring the history section on Kentecloth.net, students can create a multimedia presentation using Google Slides, reviewed here or Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here detailing the origin, evolution, and cultural importance of Kente cloth.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form