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return to subject listingConstitution Day Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use the resources in this collection to supplement a unit on the American Constitution. The resources on this site could be used for webquests, learning centers, lesson plans & the like. American History teachers will love this one!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Great Debates in American History - Peter Pappas
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Teachers do not need to start from scratch to develop the themes, nor do they need to be using Boorstin's book to use these activities. Use these handouts and themes to prompt traditional debates or challenge student teams to prepare position videos or multimedia presentations using resource images and texts both from these files and from public domain files and other resources from the Library of Congress. Invite your students to choose from the many multimedia tools on the web to present their position. See the TeachersFirst Edge for reviewed suggestions including Image Annotator, SchoolTube. or TeacherTube for videos, or podomatic for audio-only arguments. Embed the products on your class blog or wiki and let classes vote on the debate "winners."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Data.gov - USA.gov
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Demonstrate this site (or the portions useful in your classroom) on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use data related to population such as birth, death, marriage, etc. as well as other social data such as energy and utilities and education. As you teach about data manipulation in math class, use "real world" examples that students will find interesting. Geodata includes data sets such as Biology and Geology, political boundaries, and Atmosphere and climate. As a problem solving activity, allow students to access any data of interest, develop a useful graph, and create a statement or set of questions about the data. Looking for an online graphing tool? Check out Chartgo (reviewed here). Students should develop reasonable hypotheses about the data, find relevant information that leads to further understanding, and potential solutions for understanding the problem. Class discussions can lead to the complexity of most problems and associated issues. Students can create elevator pitches that propose solutions or reasons to be concerned about issues or related blog posts that follow the conversations about the data. Create a dialogue with scientists, government officials, or other experts in understanding data, issues, and solutions. Use data as evidence for debates.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Newsy - newsy.com
Grades
5 to 12In the Classroom
This site is ideal for your interactive whiteboard or projector, learning station, or on individual computers (with headsets). Use this site to keep your students up to date on current events. Have students compare the different versions of the same news stories to try and ferret out the facts and the way points of view affect reporting. Project the scripts on an interactive whiteboard to have students highlight language choices that provide a certain slant. ESL/ELL students will benefit from listening to the short news clips and being able to see the transcript of the report. Have your ESL/ELL students write their own comprehension questions and answers based on the podcast to check their own comprehension and to exchange with classmates. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare the differences in two newspapers' versions of the same news. Have ESL/ELL students present the news from a newspaper familiar to them if possible by having them prepare an introduction and questions. Learning support students can use the transcripts and videos in combination to understand and report weekly current events assignments for social studies class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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KML Factbook - CIA World Factbook
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Assign students various countries within a data set to make comparisons. Tie the data to biological, geographical, cultural, and social issues that exist in the world. Bring a greater understanding to economic and environmental issues currently a problem in many countries throughout the world. World language classes can see this data to help students understand the cultures of the countries where the language is spoken. Have students use an online graphing tool such as Chartgo, reviewed here, to display results. Compare specific attributes of two countries using an online Venn Diagram, such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Another idea: have cooperative learning groups use this resource to create online books about the country using a resource such as Bookemon, reviewed here. How about having students research using this site and then create a project using Zeemaps, reviewed here. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map) where the story takes place.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Election Comic Strip - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 10In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have the groups share the meaning of a few of their words, by narrating a political picture using ThingLink, reviewed here. Have the groups share the pictures/stories on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Be sure to also check out the interactive word puzzles! They are of varying difficulty levels.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching with Historic Places - National Park Service
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Search for your state and see what this site has to offer. Looking for a specific topic (i.e. Civil War or Pearl Harbor), search using topics. Take advantage of these ready to go lesson plans. Infuse your lessons with technology by creating a class wiki about the lesson/topic being discussed. Maybe make a wiki guidebook to your state. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through. Save this site in your favorites, and check back as you plan throughout the year.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Real Clear Politics - Real Clear Politics
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Make this site available in Favorites on your classroom computer for students to refer to often when they have questions about current events or politics or build deeper understanding. You may also want to list this link on your class website or wiki, so students can access the page both in and out of the class. Consider using the site as an icebreaker at the beginning of a class: pick one of the polls or short video clips (share it on your interactive whiteboard or projector) and discuss. Use the site to demonstrate how to negotiate the partisanship in political reporting on television and to teach students about how political bias affects the tenor of the conversation about current events. After doing research, have cooperative learning groups create podcasts or video commercials highlighting a recent event or political figure. Create FREE podcasts using a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here). Share student-made videos on a site such as Teachers.TV reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Frontline: Breaking the Bank - PBS
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Although this site deals with the 2008-2009 banking crisis at a level that is probably more in-depth than most teachers have the opportunity to deal with, it would be useful for an economics class or a recent American history class. You might consider some portions of it during a discussion of the Great Depression in the 1930s, to help students connect that economic time with the present. Finally, this might be a good resource site for students who are interested or who are working on more comprehensive projects. Transform classroom technology use and have students create a multimedia presentation of demonstrating their understanding of the connection between the bank failures and the economic downturn. To show what they have learned from this site, enhance learning by challenging students to substitute paper posters with an online graphic to share using Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Enhance learning and transform technology use by using a multimedia poster maker such as Genially, reviewed here, where students can choose the type of interactive presentation they would like to share. Have students create (and respond) on class wikis. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Constitution Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have the groups share their words and definitions in an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Have the groups share the online books on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you don't have the time to complete online books, have students share the definitions using a class wiki. Not comfortable with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through. Be sure to also check out the interactive word puzzles!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History - The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Find many lesson plans, resources, and primary documents to enrich your history lessons. Make a splash with visual learners by starting class with artifacts from an era displayed on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Explore primary sources and historic texts as part of a Common Core literacy program cooperating among English, reading, and history teachers. Have your students sign up to enjoy access to all the resources. Enhance learning by challenging cooperative learning groups to choose a specific historical time period and become "experts." Have the groups create presentations to share with the class about what they learn. Use a tool like Zoho Show, reviewed here, or allow students to choose the format of their presentation by using Genially, reviewed here, where they can interactive images, infographics, charts, and presentations of all types, and insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lincoln Birthday - February 12 - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Be sure to check out the interactive word puzzles! Have students work in cooperative learning groups, divide up the vocabulary words, and have each group find the definitions for their assigned vocabulary words. Have students locate a picture of Lincoln. Challenge students to narrate the picture using PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Have the groups share the photos and presidents on your interactive whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Let's Move - White House
Grades
4 to 8In the Classroom
Health and PE teachers can collaborate with classroom teachers and present White House-related health initiatives while students are learning about the presidency in the classroom. Challenge students to explore a specific area of this site and create a project to share with the class using a tool such as Prezi, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Political Dr. Seuss - Independent Television Service
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Have students research the history of political cartooning with Theodor Geisel (or others). Have cooperative learning groups create multi-media presentations such as a PowerPoint, or an online book, using a tool such as Bookemon reviewed here to share on an interactive whiteboard or projector.Share the video/audio clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Take advantage of the FREE lesson plans that connect geography, history, reading, and writing.
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Global Voices Online - Global Voices
Grades
9 to 12Be aware that many school districts' web filters exclude blogs, but the entries that are posted directly to the site itself may be more accessible. You should monitor student use regularly, however, as blogs represent the opinions and feelings of their writers and may not always be suitable for classroom use.
In the Classroom
Many social studies classes feature long term projects or units on diverse countries, and this site is a goldmine of information about places that can be difficult to research. Share the blog entries on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Why not have students create a video highlighting what they have learned about their country (or other topic? Try using CapCut, reviewed here, then share the videos on a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pete's Powerpoint Station - mrdonn and phillip martin
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use these PowerPoints to provide background information for projects or further inquiry in class. For example, use a PowerPoint on cells to give background information. Create questions for students to answer while viewing the PowerPoint or add your own "lecture" notes while showing to a class. Remember that PowerPoint does not HAVE to be shown on a screen. Students can watch them as tutorials at a center or computer cluster. Learning support teachers will appreciate having an alternate way to present basic concepts to visual learners. Assign students a particular cell part to research more information about the part. Explore professional topics on your own or together with colleagues during inservice time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Like Father, Like Son: Presidential Families - National Endowment for the Humanities
Grades
K to 2In the Classroom
Take advantage of this "ready to go" unit with lesson plans, discussion questions, and activities, perfect for a President's Day celebration. Most of the activities are paper and pen or oral discussion. Consider using an online tool and integrating technology into this unit and your classroom. As a substitution for pen and pencil drawing activities try Draw.Chat, reviewed here. Expand discussions by having students give their answers and allowing them to comment on others' answers using Flip, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mr. President - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use this site as a starting point for research projects. If you are teaching about the presidents, this site would be great on your projector or interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The American Presidency - A Glorious Burden - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
This site is great to use for research projects or to find activity ideas for the entire class! Share the interactives on your projector or interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Biographies of the Presidents - The White House
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Share the historical video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use this site for research projects on the U.S. Presidents. This site is a perfect addition to your Presidents' Day celebration!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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