TeachersFirst's Pearl Harbor and World War II Resources

This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students honor Pearl Harbor Day and the important events of World War II through related projects and classroom activities. Whether you focus on Pearl Harbor for one class or spend an entire unit on World War II, the ideas included within the "In the Classroom" portion of reviews will launch discussions and meaningful projects for student-centered learning. Take your classes beyond infamy to inspiration.

Children of World War II Grade 1 to 5 - BBC- permalink -

Come along with Vera (your child guide), and learn about life during World War II in England. This historically rich website offers students a peek into various aspects of life from 1939-1945. Learn about wartime homes, rationing of food and other items, read letters from evacuated children, and much more. There are a few interactive activities (such as Rationing of Food). The Research Room includes photos, posters, letters, documents, radio clips, and sound . Don't miss the Teachers and Parents link complete with lesson plans, standards, printable pages, activity ideas, and more. What a fabulous way to introduce elementary and middle school students to this critical time in world history. Although the site focuses on life in England, all of the material is suitable for discussion on United States involvement in World War II and how things changed both at home and abroad. Some of the sound clips require RealPlayer or Flash. You can get both the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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In the Classroom: If your class is learning about World War II, this site is a must-see! Share the website on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students try their hand at the rationing activity and see how much of their food could be purchased. Integrate language arts into the lesson by having students write letters to Vera asking her questions they might have about her life and times. Or have them write a “blog post” as Vera would have. If you study the Diary of Anne Frank, even with slightly older students, compare the experiences of Anne’s family and those of a British family during the “blitz.” Take the interactive tour of the wartime house and have students compare how their own homes are similar or different from Vera's wartime house.

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Pearl Harbor and World War II Resources Grade K to 12 - TeachersFirst- permalink -

This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students honor Pearl Harbor Day and the important events of World War II through related projects and classroom activities. Whether you focus on Pearl Harbor for one class or spend an entire unit on World War II, the ideas included within the "In the Classroom" portion of reviews will launch discussions and meaningful projects for student-centered learning. Take your classes beyond infamy to inspiration.
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In the Classroom: Use this collection of resources to add to your classroom, both inside and out during a unit on the Second World War. Materials range from webquests, learning centers, lesson plans & then some. Make sure to save this one as a favorite!

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Remembering Pearl Harbor Grade 6 to 12 - National Geographic- permalink -

This site focuses on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It includes an outstanding interactive narrative of the war that integrates audio (complete with a scratchy old-time radio sound), 1940s style maps and a "you are there" interface that is really stunning. There is also a searchable archive of first person narratives, and tables that could be printed out as handouts. The first person "memory book" also provides eyewitness accounts that give an immediacy to the study of the attack not possible with text book narrative.
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In the Classroom: This site would be perfect for use on a projector or interactive whiteboard. It will give students a great introduction to the bombing at Pearl Harbor. If you have the technical capability, challenge your students to create their own (historical fiction) "memory book" accounts of World War II events-- or of events happening today. This is an ideal topic for podcasts.

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Pearl Harbor - Battleship Row Grade 4 to 12 - - permalink -

This on-line collections aerial photos of Pear Harbor will interest younger students, and older users will want to read the first-hand accounts of the Pearl Harbor attack from survivors. There are also links to related content about Japanese and American forces during the conflict.
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Remembering Pearl Harbor Grade 6 to 12 - National Geographic- permalink -

The National Geographic's visually attractive presentation on the Pearl Harbor attack includes several resources that could easily be adapted for instructional purposes, and the interest in first-person accounts and recollections could be adapted for many different subjects. This site could also be a nice resource for student research and reports.
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Echoes of War: Stories from the Big Red One Grade 8 to 12 - Ball State University- permalink -

"The War," the PBS series by Ken Burns on World War II, has provided teachers with a fabulous new resource for teaching this time period. This site focuses on one component--the 1st Infantry Division, or "The Big Red One,"-- and its role during that war. The site includes close-ups of artifacts, interviews with soldiers, a Flash-enabled video gallery featuring historical footage, and a great Q & A style quiz on tactics and weapons.
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In the Classroom: This site will be useful on a number of "fronts." Provide a link to this site for students who are doing research on World War II. Use the documentary footage to introduce a lesson or to provide visual impact. Use the highlighted artifacts (projected on a screen or whiteboard) to give a cultural or anthropological slant to a discussion of the war. The soldiers' stories might provide inspiration for students to interview local veterans (perhaps from WWII, but more likely from Vietnam or more recent Middle East conflicts), or could prepare a class for a guest speaker.

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The Home Front Grade 6 to 9 - Snaith Primary School- permalink -

This British website looks at life in London during World War II, with a focus on the Blitz. Written with younger students in mind, the site is easy to navigate and highlights the difficulty of rationing, living in fear of German bombing and the need for the entire family to contribute to the war effort. Middle School teachers planning lessons on World War II will find good resources here. Students may be amused by the subtle differences between British terminology and American English. The writing style is youth-oriented, and may be help U.S. students get a feeling for what it might be like to live in a war zone.
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In the Classroom: Assign students to navigate the site with a partner on laptops or in a lab, making a list of things that changed for the people at home in Britain during the war. Have them orally share "surprises" they discovered about the experience or write a "blog entry" from the point of view of a Brit during the war.

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eField Trip: Pearl Harbor Grade 6 to 12 - eFieldTrips- permalink -

The eFieldTrips website literally takes students on a virtual field trip to Pearl Harbor. There are four sections of the "field trip". Part one is the journal, which is presented to the students first (which required Adobe). The journal provides numerous questions for students to search for the answers while they visit their destinations. Part two is the virtual journey itself (which requires FLASH). Part three is "ask the experts" which is available on some virtual trips and not others. Part four is a live chat with the experts (a specific time is predetermined for the chat). Some of the eFieldtrips do not include this feature. Even without parts three and four available on some of the virtual fieldtrips, this site is still extremely useful and informative.
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In the Classroom: Get an interactive whiteboard and take your students on a virtual journey back in time. Be sure to print out the journal questions first to help your students focus on the content. Consider asking students to create a similar "field trip" to a local history site using digital pictures and local historical documents. They can present it as a web site (if they have the technical tools available) or as a PowerPoint "tour" with hyperlinks between slides. Give the file and a student-created question sheet to your local historical society to share with other schools. You'll be amazed how hard your students will work on this group project! Projects like this make xcellent HIstory Day or gifted program projects, as well.

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Perilous Fight – World War II in Color Grade 6 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

American History teachers should turn their visual learners loose on this one. Based largely on collections of color still photos taken during World War II, the site – a companion to the PBS show of the same name – examines the progress of the war in Europe, in the Pacific, and on the home front. The narrative is secondary to the photos and provides only a synopsis of some events, but visually, this is powerful stuff.
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In the Classroom: Save this site on classroom computers and use it as a learning center or station. Some of the content does have sound, so make sure to include headphones for student use. This site does have a lot of information, and would perfectly be utilized during a unit on WWII or on the evolution of aircrafts in general. Tech-geeks will love this one!

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Fireside chats from World War II Grade 6 to 12 - Museum of Broadcast Communications- permalink -

Students who have been hearing recent speeches about the war on terrorism may be interested in hearing these recordings of FDR’s fireside chats – especially the excerpt from December 9, 1941. This World War II unit includes several excerpts, a lesson plan, and Illinois standards correlations. It is one of several on the Museum of Broadcast Communications site.
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In the Classroom: Play the audio files over the projector or interactive whiteboard during a lesson on FDR's fireside chats, allowing students to hear them first-hand. This a great way to bring the content alive, and allow students to experience what it felt like to understand what it may have been like to live through that time period. Great resource for a US history class!

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World War II Relocation Camps Grade 9 to 12 - National Park Service- permalink -

Part of the National Park Service “Teaching with Historic Places” series, this site uses the Manzanar Japanese-American internment camp as a starting point for an exploration of the internment activities that took place during World War II. As with other lessons in this series, the lesson asks students to interpret archival photos and draw conclusions from the images and contemporary accounts of the internment.
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In the Classroom: This is a very detailed and intricate lesson that can easily last a few days. However it is very informative and provides information about Japanese internment camps that is often brushed over in the book. Take advantage of this great lesson plan during a unit on WWII or discrimination in the United States.

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Battle of Midway Grade 6 to 12 - National Park Service- permalink -

This lesson from the National Park Service series “Teaching with Historic Places” outlines the background for the outbreak of the war with Japan and uses maps and historical photos to teach about the battle of Midway and the island’s strategic importance in World War II. This site could be a nice add-on to a study of World War II, Japan, or the geography of the Pacific region.
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In the Classroom: Teachers will appreciate the inclusion of printable versions of the maps.

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World War II: An American Scrapbook Grade 5 to 8 - Thinkquest- permalink -

This student-created, award winning site includes oral histories of World War II experiences with sound clips with written explanations and commentary from the grandchildren of the war participants. The site welcomes new contributions from students and tells them how to go about collecting the information. Thinkquest Junior winner: second place, social studies, 1998.
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In the Classroom: Teachers can plans units directly from this advice or simply have students tour the site to learn more about WWII.

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Pearl Harbor Grade 4 to 8 - Thinkquest- permalink -

This Thinkquest site was created by a team of 5th graders in Hawaii. It describes the Pearl Harbor attack using original words and artwork, and it makes an eloquent plea for peace. The Flash animation is a good example of what a ten-year-old with the proper tools can do!
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Diplomatic and Political Documents of World War II Grade 9 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a collection of primary documents from the World War II era stretching from Neville Chamberlain's "peace in our time" declaration to the Japanese and German surrender documents. It's a great resource for studying history based on documentary evidence.
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In the Classroom: There are virtually tons of resources in this site about WWII. Use this site as a base point for students working on research projects based on some aspect of the war. Students can use it to garner ideas about a topic or find more information about a topic they already have. Be sure to post this on the teacher web page to allow students to access it both in and out of the classroom.

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Images of American Political History Grade 5 to 12 - Dr. William J. Ball- permalink -

Bring two centuries of American history and politics to life with these high-quality, black and white photographs of people and events. Beyond showing the faces of politicians and the famous, this collection chronicles average people who quietly contributed to the times. The collection’s greatest strengths lie in the World War II, Cold War, and Civil Rights eras. The photographs are drawn from government sources and are in the Public Domain, which means they are copyright-free. Images can be browsed by keyword, topic or era.
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In the Classroom: Have students use these images for illustrated timelines on women’s rights, civil rights, World War II, and American presidents. Use any of the images of war workers to spark discussions on how conflict affects the non-combatants, the economy, and industrialization. Download the images, insert them into a Word document, print and photocopy a page to give to each student. Ask students to write a few questions they have about the person, people, or events in the photograph. Or share the images on your blog or a class wiki for students to respond. Use these questions to further the research and discussions into the era of choice.

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Teaching about Japanese-American Internment Grade 9 to 12 - ERIC- permalink -

ERIC was a government-sponsored clearinghouse for educational resources that has recently lost funding. This site maintains some of the files from the ERIC database, and in this case, focuses on resources relative to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. It includes some very helpful suggestions for explaining this process to students and placing it in a larger context of civil rights, immigration, and the study of World War II.
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In the Classroom: Teachers have to walk a fine line between helping students see history as it was experienced at the time, and showing them what we may have learned from those events. This site can assist with the difficulty of discussing the blatant racism of Japanese-American internment while acknowledging its presence in American history.

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World War II Timeline Grade 7 to 12 - University of San Diego- permalink -

This interactive timeline spans the years 1917-1945 and contains information outlined by date as well as by topic. It is a very detailed site with many links and nicely reproduced images of the era.
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In the Classroom: Some of the site seems designed for college-level students (see documents section), however it certainly could also be useful for grades 7-12.

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World War II Timeline Grade 6 to 12 - UC San Diego- permalink -

This is an extensive, multi-part timeline created at the University of California, San Diego. The material can be used both to show the broad relationship of events and also to track detailed developments of specific portions of the conflict.
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World War II Poster Collection Grade 6 to 12 - Northwestern University- permalink -

A collection of posters from the war years, combined with a search engine and index.
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Japanese American Relocation Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

This digital archive from the University of California offers narrative and images describing the forced internment of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II. It offers a troubling comparison to events that took place in other nations during the war. Interesting possibilities for discussions on discrimination, national security, etc.
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The Home Front Grade 6 to 12 - BBC- permalink -

Visitors to this BBC site on World War II can read excerpts from Nella Last's diary of her experiences in England during the war. Useful as an example of a primary source from a civilian who lived through the war in England.
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The Japanese-American Historical Society Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

Though its focus is by no means entirely on World War II, that war was no doubt the most trying time for Japanese Americans. This site contains numerous resources on the experiences of Japanese Americans during the war, as well as other resources highlighting the accomplishments of Japanese Americans and their efforts to preserve their ethnic heritage.
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World War II As Seen Through Children's Literature Grade 1 to 12 - Yale University- permalink -

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In the Classroom: Take advantage of the free lesson plan on this site! Be sure to save as a favorite, allowing you to take advantage of it whenever you need.

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Teaching with Historic Places Grade 4 to 12 - National Park Service- permalink -

Do you have trouble finding suitable sites to teach state history for YOUR state? This site includes more than 130 "ready to go" lesson plans organized by state. You can also view the collection by states, social studies standards, U.S. History standards, specific skills, time period, or topic. This resource was pulled together by the National Park service. The specific topics vary from America’s Space Program to Skagway: Gateway to the Klondike to Brown v. Board of Education to The Trail of Tears to Pearl Harbor to Lewis and Clark to the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and countless others. Check out what it highlights for your state.
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In 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 Teacher’s First Wiki Walk-Through reviewed here. Save this site in your favorites, and check back as you plan throughout the year.

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Food Fight Grade 9 to 12 - Tourist Pictures- permalink -

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. The video requires Quicktime or Flash. You can get either from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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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. If your school blocks YouTube, consider accessing this site and previewing the video at home, using a tool such as Vixy (explained here) to bring it in for class use. 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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Cyrus Rowlett Smith Grade 4 to 10 - learningbox.com- permalink -

Use this site to learn about Cyrus Rowlett Smith, a pioneer aviator and patriarch of American Airlines. This website offers a simple interactive timeline of his life and accomplishments. The time line stretches from 1899 - 1990. There are graphics, historical and scientific information, information about World War II, and biographic information about C. R. Smith. The site and timeline are very simple to use and offer some little known information.
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In the Classroom: Use this website as a resource for a research project about inventors. Share the timeline on an interactive whiteboard or projector during a unit about inventors, engineers, or aviation.

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National Women's History Museum Grade 7 to 12 - National Women's History Museum- permalink -

The National Women's History Museum site includes a rich collection of resources. Although the collection is certainly deep on issues related to women's suffrage, there is also information on women in World War II, women and education, women and the Progressive movement, and women spies. There are good photographs of artifacts from the women's movement, and a nice collection of lesson plans, grouped by grade level.
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In the Classroom: Of course, the site would be useful to students doing research on the women's movement in general, or on the role of women during several important historical eras. In the "educational resources" section, there is a collection of quotations from women that would be great for creating displays for women's history month. There is also a group of quizzes that could be adapted for classroom use. The section focused on the women of Jamestown includes the stories of Native American women as well as the role of early European settler women and could supplement the usual Thanksgiving lessons on the new American colonies. There are also free lesson plans and classroom activities that teachers should take advantage of!

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Time of Remembrance Grade 9 to 12 - Elk Grove Unified School District- permalink -

An admirable effort by a California school district to honor Japanese Americans who were discriminated against and sent to internment camps during World War II, this site contains a wealth of information for those doing research on this difficult chapter of American history. Although this site would be most useful for either teachers or students doing in-depth research on the topic, there are some more generally helpful gems here. Along with the wonderful interviews with people who were directly affected by discrimination, there are video clips and photographs that would be helpful in illustrating this time to students.
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In the Classroom: There are lesson plans (tied to California standards) and good resource lists for students and teachers. Skip the "guided tour" of the website, however, unless you are very new at using the Internet. Share this resource as one of several when studying civil rights, discrimination, and the U.S. Constitution in theory and practice. Have students create products to compare the internment camps to similar acts in history or create a presentation on the constitutional violations of such camps. Or include this as part of a study of the decades of the twentieth century.

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High School Social Studies Grade 9 to 12 - BCISD- permalink -

One word describes this website: amazing. Check out the numerous free lesson plans that all integrate technology into the social studies lessons. Many of the lessons are interdisciplinary and include numerous subject areas. The lesson plans provide state standards (for Michigan), assessments and explicit details about the activities. There are interactive activities, printable worksheets, discussion topics and much more. Some examples of the unique topics include "Axis and Allies World War II Simulation", "State and Local Government, an Internet Experience", "Using Multimedia to Teach Core Democratic Values" and "Tour of Our Century". Many of the technology activities provided require FLASH. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
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In the Classroom: Do yourself a favor and check out this free website when planning your high school social studies classes. Get your interactive whiteboards ready and utilize these ready to go activities.

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Nuremberg Trials Grade 8 to 12 - WGBH- permalink -

This companion site to a PBS special is filled with riveting details and historical photographs that capture the significance of the Nuremberg trials, the people and events that defined this era, and the devastation experienced by citizens of Berlin after World War II. Includes an illustrated timeline with links to related sites, a photo gallery, and transcripts of interviews with a prison guard and an army photographer.
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In the Classroom: Challenge students to think about the similarities and differences between the trial of Saddam Hussein and the Nuremberg trials.

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Why Did People Support Hitler? Grade 9 to 12 - SchoolHistory- permalink -

Encourage students to think critically about events that led to the rise of Adolph Hitler with this interactive story board. After learning about the complex issues faced by German citizens after World War I, students can use this interactive tool to create a presentation reflecting their understanding of Germany's political environment during the 1930's. Completed storyboards can be viewed, saved, or printed.
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In the Classroom: This is a very cool way to get students to review their information creatively. It's best to allow a few days for this, so be sure to start an activity like this with some extra time in mind. Assign students in groups of two and have them create a storybook explaining the rise of the Third Reich and Hitler's popularity pre-World War II. This would be a great review activity before a test or assessment.

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The Arts of the 1940s Grade 8 to 12 - John F. Kennedy Center- permalink -

Click on the "Learn More About the '40s" link on this Kennedy Center site to experience an interactive tour of this pivotal decade. The focus is not just on national and world events, but on the cultural components that defined the era. Get a glimpse of the fashion, music, dance, and theater that emerged as World War II drew to a close and the Cold War dawned.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as an in-class activity that teaches about the culture of the 1940's in a non-lecture format. Placing students in cooperative learning groups, have the groups research different aspects of the presentation with the intentions of summarizing their findings with the intentions of teaching their peers. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts demonstrating their understanding of one of the concepts. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here). This would be a fun way to incorporate technology and content for a US history classroom!

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Perilous Fight Grade 8 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

Supplement a unit on World War II with this impressive interactive timeline. The pivotal events that occurred between 1933 and 1945 are represented against stunning photographic backdrops. Links to more detailed descriptions are provided.
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In the Classroom: Use the interactive timeline on the projector as a way to introduce battlefront events during a unit on WWII. This could be used to accompany a lecture, or again at the end of the unit as a means for students to review the main events of the war. This is a great resource for a US or World history classroom.

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Photojournalism and Compassion Grade 9 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

This unit plan highlights the monumental work of photojournalist W. Eugene Smith. The unit focuses on Smith's work during World War II. After comparing and contrasting Smith's images with those from modern-day media sources, students analyze the personal impact of his photographs, study some of his later photo-essays, construct a pin-hole camera, and create an original photo-essay on a topic of choice.
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In the Classroom: Take advantage of the free lesson plan on this site! This could be incorporated in an art, history or language arts class. Save this one as a favorite on your classroom desktop to allow for easy access and retrieval!

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Battle of the Atlantic Grade 8 to 12 - BBC- permalink -

Outwit German U-boats and lead your convoy of valuable supply ships safely across the North Atlantic with this interactive game. Players assume the role of a British Senior Officer Escort who must complete a series of virtual training courses (to learn about the enemy, Morse code, tactics and more), take command of the fleet, and find the best tactical solutions to a variety of scenarios.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as a fun learning center or station during a unit on World War II. This would be a great way to break up a series of more serious or text heavy centers, as well as provide some review for students. BBC always delivers in providing interesting and fun review games!

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The Political Dr. Seuss Grade 6 to 12 - Independent Television Service- permalink -

This gallery of World War II-era cartoons by Theodor Geisel, reveal the acerbic wit and political philosophy of the beloved children’s author. The site also features audio and video clips from Dr. Seuss on his career and a brief history of political cartooning. Two lesson plans - focusing on the American themes and social messages addressed by Geisel - are available for downloading (and include McRel standards). This site requires RealPlayer, Flash, and Adobe Acrobat. You can get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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In 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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British Movietone Portraits Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

Add a spark of authenticity to your next lesson by tapping into the wonderful newsreel footage available on this site. Famous people and events from the 20th century are represented in brief video clips that speak volumes. Some highlights include priceless glimpses of VE and VJ Day celebrations, Alcatraz Prison, a Welsh coal mine of 1930, Franklin Roosevelt, and Albert Einstein.
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In the Classroom: Play a select few of these clips on the interactive whiteboard to supplement a lesson on World War II or the Great Depression. These could also be used for a learning center or station if in need to provide students a break from reading stations.To show what they have learned from this site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using Tabblo reviewed here.

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World in the Balance Grade 8 to 12 - Poughkeepsie Journal- permalink -

This site examines the legacy of one of America’s most influential couples through a virtual tour of the family home in Hyde Park, New York. The tour even takes visitors inside the Presidential Library and the famous room where the Fireside Chats were delivered. An interactive map, dramatic 360 degree views, essays, a timeline of events, transcripts of some of FDR’s most well-known speeches, photographs, and revealing essays bring out the spirit of Franklin and Eleanor and the world they helped to shape. Add this resource to a study of the American presidency, World War II, or the Great Depression.
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In the Classroom: Save this site and use it as a learning center during a unit on WWII. The site will provide a little more information on the Roosevelts, which would also be useful for a research project idea.

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Churchill Papers Grade 9 to 12 - Cambridge University- permalink -

Those interested in Sir Winston Churchill will find this site's offerings more than ample. An online biography and chronology will probably be most helpful, but there are also links to various collections of Churchill's papers, and also to several online features designed for use in British schools. Americans will likely find these materials most relevant to a unit on World War II.
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Churchill Grade 6 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

One of the twentieth century’s real giants, Churchill’s accomplishments go well beyond the content on this companion site to the PBS series of the same name. While most famous as a World War II leader, his influence on the British government stretched from the 1920s well into the 1950s. This site is a great introduction, but serious secondary students should be prepared to delve more deeply.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on WWII. Because there is a lot of information on this site, it would probably work best if students had a graphic organizer to guide them through. For help creating graphic organizers, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).

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Days of Infamy Grade 6 to 12 - American Radio Works- permalink -

Here’s a web site comparing American reactions after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the attacks on the World Trade Center. The real substance of the presentation is a series of audio recordings of commentary and “person in the street” reactions to the two events. To supplement these, there are image sets that contrast American responses to the two events. Transcripts are also available.
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In the Classroom: Of particular note to teachers: the audio can be used in either short segments or as a complete one-hour presentation.

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Navajo Code Talkers Grade 4 to 12 - Office of Sen. Jeff Bingaman- permalink -

During World War II, Navajo Indians transmitted coded messages in some of the most dangerous combat situations. This site chronicles how they accomplished their mission and its importance, especially in the war in the Pacific.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as a learning center or station during a lesson or unit on WWII's battle of the Pacific, specifically the battle of Iwo Jima. This site provides information about the battle itself, but primarily the role that code talkers had in American success. To provide some sort of assessment of student learning, have students report the information back in a pseudo news report. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is breaking news.

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WASP on the Web Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

While this site really assumes the user knows the story of the women who helped ferry aircraft of all sorts from factory to front during World War II, the various site elements offer glimpses of the people, airplanes, and places that made the WASPs an indispensable element of the war effort. The sounds add some additional realism.
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In the Classroom: Use the audio/video on this site over the interactive whiteboard to show students who the WASPS were as well as the contribution they made to the war effort. This would be a great addition to a lesson on WWII as well as the fight for equality between the sexes. History teachers will like this one.

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Women Come to the Front Grade 7 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

The Library of Congress does its usually thorough job in this presentation on the roles of female journalists during World War II. These included domestic and foreign assignments. While we wish more of these images were available on line, there are certainly enough photos in this collection to provide students with a sense of what war meant to America in the 1940s.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on the battle front in WWII. The content is still valid, and would be a great center to break up others based on the battles and the men who are normally focused on. A useful resource for a US history classroom.

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Japanese American Internment Curriculum Grade 6 to 12 - National Japanese American Historical Society- permalink -

Developed by the National Japanese American Historical Society, this page is a well-organized meta-list of lessons relating to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The lessons include material for all grade levels, and they address the historical, literary, and constitutional aspects of these Americans’ experiences. Today’s students can learn much from this experience.
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In the Classroom: Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities offered on this site! Save this site as a favorite for easy use and retrieval for future unit planning. Social studies teachers will love this one!

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Dwight D. Eisenhower Library Grade 6 to 12 - Dwight D. Eisenhower Library- permalink -

Ike’s presidential library includes a catalog of photographs, audio recordings, and other artifacts from the former president’s military and political careers. There are also brief fact sheets covering various aspects of Eisenhower’s career.
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In the Classroom: History and social studies teachers will find this one an interesting primary source for either World War II or the study of the 1950s.

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Elie Weisel – First Person Singular Grade 6 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

This web site from the PBS program by the same name offers a biography of the author and Nobel Peace Prize winner, as well as a teaching guide linked to the program itself. History, social studies, or English teachers may find this content useful in a unit on the holocaust or in a discussion of World War II.
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In the Classroom: This site is a very moving resource for covering WWII and the Jewish Holocaust. Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities offered in the teaching guide on this site. US and World history teachers will appreciate this one.

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World War II Resources Grade 9 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a collection of primary source documents from American and Allied sources. This site includes pre-war assessments and intelligence, cryptography studies, and even the actual German and Japanese surrender documents. It would be a great starting point for students interested in using primary sources.
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U-Boat U-505 Grade 6 to 12 - Chicago Museum of Science- permalink -

We're not sure how a German submarine ended up at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, but this site will tell you about it. The contents include both an on-line tour of the boat and background information on the role of the U-boats in World War II, and what life was like inside these machines. Great fodder for a report or research project.
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The Day After Pearl Harbor Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

Here’s a collection of audio recordings of interviews with “ordinary Americans” conducted by the Library of Congress on December 8, 1941. Users can hear how people reacted to the Japanese attack, and the thoughts that were foremost in their minds as America went to war. This one could be an interesting sidebar to the study of World War II.
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In the Classroom: Open the section entitled "Marine Valentines" on the interactive whiteboard or projector, and play a few minutes of it for the class. Use this as a way to discuss how life may have been for families on the home front and how they were affected by more than rationing. Some of the letters are touching, so be aware if you have quite a few sensitive girls in your class when to stop. But the letters show a different side of the war than normally discussed in class. Teachers can also have students use this as a writing prompt - have students write a letter from the perspective of a soldier on different fronts. Letters can be used to detail the different experiences of soldiers or even how varying locations were subject to more or less warfare. A touching side to war - who would have thought?!

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Oral Histories of World War II Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a collection of oral histories from people involved in the war. Most of the material has been transcribed, but there are a few bits that can be heard as RealAudio clips. Many of the segments could use some additional context, but they effectively capture the scope and intensity of the experience.
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In the Classroom: Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study of WWI. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector to have students hear some of the interviews from veterans of the Great War. Play the interviews following a lecture, and have students write down their responses at the end. This will insure students are listening and provide direction for a classroom discussion afterward.

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The U-Boat War - 1939-45 Grade 5 to 12 - - permalink -

A site devoted entirely to the history of German submarine warfare during World War II. The materials include descriptions of each boat, captains and crews, mission histories, and strategic objectives. Lots of depth!
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In the Classroom: Ignore the advertising; the site content is worth it. Save this site as a favorite on classroom computers, and refer students to it for research papers and projects on U-boats. A lot of information here that could help students. Teachers, be sure to check out their list of reviewed movies if looking for a clip to show students.

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Confinement and Ethnicity Grade 9 to 12 - National Park Service- permalink -

The National Park Service is an unlikely source for this detailed explanation of the internment camps operated for Japanese Americans in the western states during World War II. It includes everything from detailed maps of the camps to correspondence on the matter from Eleanor Roosevelt. This is a straightforward presentation of a still-troubling topic.
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The Marshall Plan Grade 9 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

This section from the Library of Congress' American Memory site provides an overview and details of the Marshall Plan for the economic reconstruction of Europe in the years immediately following World War II. It's text-heavy, but there's enough information here for a really good term paper or any student interested in learning about the people and policies which helped rebuild post-war Europe.
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In the Classroom: Use this site to demonstrate the importance of primary documents for both history and civics. Have students look at the text via interactive whiteboard or projector, and then examine the documents that accompany it. Use this to start a discussion on the different views that both secondary and primary provide before continuing to study the site as it was intended. An excellent site to examine the Marshall plan and primary documents!

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Japanese Americans and the Constitution Grade 6 to 12 - Smithsonian Institution- permalink -

The Smithsonian presents this nicely-designed site describing the internment and discrimination against Japanese Americans during World War II. Students can listen to an audio introduction which provides a summary of the events of the period, and sets the stage for the larger presentation. This one is well worth a visit.
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In the Classroom: This site is a great way to address the topics of racism and the Japanese internment in your classroom. Teachers can either save this and use it as a learning center or have the students do it together on classroom computers. Don't teach this topic without looking at this site first!

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GoogleGoogleGoogleGoogle Grade 7 to 12 - Google.com- permalink -

Use this search site to compare search results for different search terms or to search multiple items without losing one or more searches. The screen will divide into four separate search screens, so you are able to search items in each “mini screen” rather than opening four tabs. Each search has its own scroll bar though each screen has very limited area as it is a fraction of the total screen size.
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In the Classroom: Use in the classroom for a multitude of searches: Compare different ways of searching, such as using queries with or without quotes, to identify the differences in the results, research several scientists, musicians, or artists at once. Use the search results to continue to narrow searches on all and look for possible comparison and/or contrast. For example, use one search square to search an event such as World War II. Use the other squares to choose an item of interest to dig deeper, such as attitudes during the decade, change in economy, major battles in different areas of the world, etc. In Science, search different planets, cell parts or processes, air pollutants, types of cars or fuels, etc. all for comparison. Find unlimited possibilities for better searching. At the start of the year, use this tool to show how different terms yield different results and learn better ways to search. Consider using this resource to help identify different ways to search. This is a good link to provide on your class website for students to use both in and out of the classroom.

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TimeRime Grade 2 to 12 - Marijn Bom, Jaap Joziasse, Gerard Pastwa, and Pico Wilbrenninck- permalink -

TeachersFirst Edge Entry: for moderately adventurous technology users. TimeRime.com allows you to view, create, and share interactive timelines. Use this site to search for user-created timelines about Barack Obama, and other past U.S. presidents, the sound of Motown, the history of Coca-Cola, Modern Thai Politics, and countless other topics. Use the search options at the top or bottom of the page to narrow your search. There is also the option to create your own unique timeline and share it by URL or by embedding in your class blog, wiki, or web page. To create a timeline you MUST register at the site. This requires a username, password, and your email address. The timelines require Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.


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In the Classroom: Skills Needed: If you only plan to VIEW timelines, no extra skills are needed. If you plan to create a timeline, you must register. Registration requires a username, password, and email address. To create a timeline, click on the Create Your Own Timeline link and follow the step-by-step directions. You must open the email sent to your account (from TimeRime) before you can create your timeline. The email does not automatically "appear." So you will want to register several hours (or even the day before) you wish to use this tool with your students. Safety/Security Concerns: You must register to create a timeline. Registration requires a password and email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. Possible Uses: There are many uses for the already created timelines: use your interactive whiteboard or projector to learn about the history of Motown during music class, research presidents and other famous people, learn about historical events, research literature, and more. Have students create timelines for research projects using TimeRime. Use this tool to make a timeline of your class’ school year for younger classes who are just learning the graphical representation of time. Create author biographies, animal life cycles, or timelines of events and causes of wars. Create a historical time line, scanning old pictures or using copyright free images from the Library of Congress American Memory Collection. Other ideas: artists, musicians, writers from a certain period in history, the twentieth century in different countries, World War II timeline, Civil War timeline, timeline of insect stages, timeline of the rock cycle, of a plant or tree, timeline or life cycle of migratory animals, personal timelines-- suitable for younger students only if they work with a teacher account. Have them create a timeline of the plot of a novel, interspersed with the ways themes appear throughout the novel. If you read Dickens, be SURE to create a timeline of the many intertwined characters, such as Estella and Pip in Great Expectations! If you teach chemistry, have students create illustrated sequences explaining oxidation or reduction (or both). Elementary students could even interview grandparents and create a class timeline about their grandparents’ generation for Grandparents' Day. Why not create a timeline highlighting students' family events for a special gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or other holidays? You may need to assign students to do some investigative work first (years of births, marriages, vacations, etc.). For collaboration, link up with another classroom in another town (or another country) to build a time line that shares events in each local area so students can see what was happening at the same time in another location, maybe in the opposite hemisphere (compare weather and seasons!). In world language classes, have students create a timeline of their family in the language to master vocabulary about relatives, jobs, and more (and verb tenses!). The possibilities are endless!

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xtimeline Grade 2 to 12 - Famento, Inc.- permalink -

TeachersFirst Edge Entry: for moderately adventurous technology users. Xtimeline allows you to view, create, share, and discuss interactive timelines. The sample, user-created timeline topics vary greatly: History of the Olympic Games (perfect during Olympic years), Google Company History, Biography of Mozart, Pregnancy Timeline, Timeline of Harry Potter Series, Eleanor Roosevelt, Darfur, and countless others. There are search options to help you find the timeline that you are looking for. Of course, there is also the option to create your own unique timeline and share it by URL or by embedding in your class blog, wiki, or ther web page (see example below). Many of the timelines include Flash enabled animations or videos. If you don't have Flash. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

NOTE: This tool opens without the narrow TeachersFirst framebar at the top that allows you to return easily to TeachersFist search results. To go to xtimeline, RIGHT click the site title and Open in new window (or tab)to be able ot return here easily.
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In the Classroom: Skills Needed: If you only plan to VIEW timelines, no extra skills are needed at all! If you plan to comment or add a timeline, you must register. Registration requires a username, password, email address, and marking the box stating that you are OVER 13 YEARS OF AGE. To create a timeline, click on the Create link and follow the step-by-step directions. The next page will be a "fill in the blank" activity asking for the title of your timeline, language, photos, categories, tags, descriptions, and the security options for the timeline (who can edit, who can view, who is able to discuss). Safety/Security Concerns: To protect the identity of your class and individual students, you may want to mark the boxes private (on the timeline create/edit screen). By marking the boxes private, others can't view, edit, or discuss your timeline. This eliminates many of the dangerous aspects of the public viewing your class information. If you make the timelines public, you may receive comment from outsiders("discussion"), ratings ("likes"), etc. These tools can be used within groups or privately with thsoe you specify as haing permission to veiw your timeline. These options could provide a controlled way for students to interact safely with each others' work. Users must register to create a timeline. Registration requires a password and email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually (OVER 13 ONLY!) , You may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. Possible Uses: There are many uses for the already created timelines: use your interactive whiteboard or projector to learn about the history of the Olympics, famous people, events, literature, and more. Have students create timelines for research projects using Xtimeline. Use this tool to make a timeline of your class’ school year for younger classes who are just learning the graphical representation of time. Create animal life cycles, author biographies, or even timelines of the events and causes leading to a war. Make a time line using local, national, or international current events. Or look back in time and create a historical time line, scanning old pictures or using copyright free images from the Library of Congress American Memory Collection. Other ideas: artists, musicians, writers from a certain period in history, the twentieth century in different countries, World War II timeline, Civil War timeline, timeline of insect stages, timeline of the rock cycle, of a plant or tree, timeline or life cycle of migratory animals, personal timelines-- suitable for younger students only if they work with a teacher account. Have them create a timeline of the plot of a novel, interspersed with the ways themes appear throughout the novel. If you read Dickens, be SURE to create a timeline of the many intertwined characters, such as Estella and Pip in Great Expectations! If you teach chemistry, have students create illustrated sequences explaining oxidation or reduction (or both). Elementary students could even interview grandparents and create a class timeline about their grandparents’ generation for Grandparents' Day. For collaboration, link up with another classroom in another town (or another country) to build a time line that shares events in each local area so students can see what was happening at the same time in another location, maybe in the opposite hemisphere (compare weather and seasons!). In world language classes, have students create a timeline of their family in the mlanguage to master vocabluary about relatives, jobs, and more (and verb tenses!). A Sample Xtimeline project created by the TF Edge review team appears here (click and drag to see the rest):

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September 11,2001 documentary project Grade 7 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

From the Library of Congress' American Memory project, this site links to a large collection of audio, video, text, and artwork related the events of September 11, 2001. Users can search by media, by topic or by title.
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In the Classroom: This site would be most useful to students doing research on the 9/11 attacks, but also could provide teachers with supplemental material for a lesson on the events of that date. Although teachers will remember the day vividly, most students were young enough when it occurred that their memories will be clouded. Another use for this site is as an example of the power and necessity of primary sources in documenting any event. Compare these resources to accounts we have of Pearl Harbor and other major events as you ask student to conduct an interviewing project of their own, perhaps of local history.

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Anne Frank Center Grade 6 to 12 - Anne Frank Center USA- permalink -

This site would make a nice accompaniment for students reading "The Diary of Ann Frank." This site includes exerpts from Anne's diary, lesson plans and downloadable readers' guides for teachers. Go directly to "Ann Frank: Life and Times" to access the excerpts from her diary and the scrapbook. This include pictures and artifacts along with a biography of Anne Frank suitable for middle school students.
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In the Classroom: A "scrapbook" section would be very effective on a projector or interactive whiteboard. The scrapbook might function as a good anticipatory activity to set up a unit on the diary, although it does give away the ending of the story. There is also a section for teachers which includes some downloadable handouts, a bibliography and other resources. If you are teaching about World War II, this would be a good resource to share on your teacher web pages for independent projects.

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Project Poster Grade K to 12 - 4Teachers.org- permalink -

Use this terrific online tool for your students to create posters or short reports in a poster format. Create lessons, worksheets, or class pages and instantly publish them online using this free Web Poster Wizard. The teacher sets up an account (for free), and follows simple directions so students can upload images and write about their project or pictures. The site even includes management tools so you can keep separate classes of students and see their work by class.

Plan to spend some time reading through the directions and trying out this tool before you assign it to students. Teachers and students must register and login each time they use this tool. Students can share the URL for their posters with grandparents or parents to show off their good work!

Students will need to know how to locate and upload a file for an image (such as a digital picture) to place it in their poster. If you allow them to use images from the web, the tool asks them to give information on their image source, as well (hooray for ethical use of the Internet!). If you use digital pictures of students, be SURE that you do NOT use full names on the site. You should get parent permission for uploading any student images, even if anonymous.
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In the Classroom: Some uses for this simple tool: book reports (take a digital photo of the book cover), biographical posters of famous people (images from the web), "all about me" posters, posters about community members such as veterans of World War II whom students interview and photograph, author posters, fictitious character studies, science posters on processes or terms with accompanying digital pictures to illustrate, etc. The possibilities are endless. Once students know the tool, they can use it over and over. Teachers, make sure you select the archive option to keep student projects live online for more than a month. Use the Teacher Feature option to create one web page of your class’ archived projects. You will want to put your created web page link prominently on your class homepage.

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The American Experience: Remember the Alamo Grade 6 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

Another great PBS site, this one focused on the history of Texas statehood and the battle at the Alamo. There are interviews, a timeline, and a nifty interactive map of the early history of Texas. The Alamo has become one of those myths that have contributed to our sense of American history, and a dose of reality about the event is important. For example, there were survivors of the battle, and some of their stories are told here.
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In the Classroom: The included lesson plans may focus too much on the standard "watch the film, and discuss" format, but there is a nice plan that asks students to compare several different rallying cries from American history ("Remember Pearl Harbor," "I have not yet begun to fight," "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes," and "Remember the Maine") that could provide a nice overview of how society comes to embrace a war as a patriotic duty.

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A Separate Peace Webquest Grade 8 to 12 - Sally Hursey- permalink -

This site walks students through World War II in terms of cause and effect. It is related to the book A Separate Peace as a group research project that students can complete while reading the book. Make the students responsible for fillinf in the background themselves instead of lecturing them about it. The webquest relates world events with the individual events in the novel.
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In the Classroom: This ould be a great site for a social studies and English teacher to work on together as a team project or for each of those teachers to work on separately. The webquest encourages group work that will provide great insight into the motivations and themes of the novel. If you do not have enough time to do the full webquest, you can design shorter activities using a portion of the links. All the links work as of our review date.

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A Separate Peace: A Teenager Experiences World War II Grade 8 to 10 - Sally Hursey- permalink -

This webquest consists of studying original historical documents about WWII. Comparing the teen reader's life to that of various wartime heroes draws the reader into real history. The webquest then proceeds to have users do related extensive reading about WW II and then work as a team. Members of the team each have a different role in the research and project completion project: home-front historian, propagandist, counselor, and omnium gatherum. The ultimate question of what truth is and whether the truth is the same to every person becomes the final focus of those who tackle this challenging and well-done quest.
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In the Classroom: Use this team approach while studying WW II. If you do not have enough time to do teh full webquest, consider adapting some portion of it. If you teach both Seaparet Peace and research, this is an ideal activity to bridge form one unit to the next, and teach about primary sources in the process.

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U-505 On Line Activities Grade 6 to 12 - Museum of Science and Industry- permalink -

Associated with the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and their exhibit of a German U-Boat, this site includes three online Flash animated games that illustrate principles used in navigating and commanding a German U-boat. Users can target a ship for a torpedo attack, locate a ship using sonar and radar, and listed to radio signals that might signal the presence of an enemy ship. The games illustrate triangulation and the use of latitude and longitude and refer to the use of Morse Code. The games run a little slowly for students used to rapid fire video games, but are extremely well crafted and educational. Remember to get the most recent FLASH plug-in from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page if you do not have it.
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In the Classroom: Teachers could use these activities as an extension for a study of World War II, or as a reward for completing tasks early or particularly well after the unit. Alternatively, teachers could provide the link for students to explore from home.

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War Wrecks of the Coral Seas Grade 6 to 12 - Nature/ PBS- permalink -

This site is a companion to an episode of the PBS series Nature, and focuses on the wreckage of World War II ships that has settled to the bottom of the lagoons around islands in the Pacific Ocean. This wreckage now forms artificial reefs and teems with plants and fish. There is a film clip with lovely photography of a coral reef, along with a photo gallery of underwater life. There are links to special reports on the wreck of the PT-109 (JFK's WWII ship), the use of dolphins in war time, and the divers who are exploring these underwater worlds.
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In the Classroom: This site would provide a nice "side trip" during a unit on underwater sea life, or a study of the Pacific theatre of WW II. Time it for Veteran's Day or Pearl Harbor Day in your science class.

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No Job for a Woman Grade 6 to 12 - Imperial War Museum- permalink -

This British site looks at women's roles in war time from 1900 to the present. Divided chronologically (pre-1914, WWI, WWWII, and post-1945) the site focuses on five main themes: A Woman's Place is in the Home, Woman's Work: War Work, That's no job for a woman: The Services, War Babes: Stereotypes, pin-ups and prejudice, and You have no Right: Protest and Equality. There is an image guide for each theme, lesson plans, reading lists and suggestions for further research.
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In the Classroom: Although the focus of the site is clearly on Great Britain, the image galleries provide good primary source information. This site would be a great resource for incorporating women's roles into the study of the two World Wars in a regular Modern US History course. There is also great material for History Day projects on women's roles in wartime. The use of British terminology might be a little confusing, but also points up the different perspectives of another country, and might be useful in showing how the two World Wars were perceived outside the US. Despite the fact that the site is designed to cover up to the present time, it is not particularly useful for periods after World War II.

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Calisphere Grade 4 to 12 - University of California- permalink -

Find an extensive collections of primary sources, including images and texts, from California history and culture. Many of these topics are part of a US history course, as well: Gold Rush, World War II, etc. Materials are searchable and also organized into thematic collections for teachers.These collections include information on historical context and CA. standards.
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In the Classroom: Teachers and students have permission to print, or download these collections for classroom use. Make bulletin boards or let students include the images in their PowerPoint or movie presentations. You do not have permission to place these images on a web page or use them for other purposes without specific permission to do so.

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North Korea - CIA FactBook Grade 6 to 12 - CIA- permalink -

The CIA's Factbook is pretty dry reading, but this site does provide some of the history of Korea, including the post-World War II division into North and South. There are other facts about culture, government, and economy, but North Korea remains one of the world's least-known and least-understood nations. Could be a useful reference for discussion of current events or a research source for projects on countries.
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In the Classroom: Include this in your supplemental teacher links pages during a unit on Asia or Korea.

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Hawaii's Marine Monument Grade 6 to 12 - NOAA- permalink -

On June 15, 2006, President Bush announced creation of a huge, new marine national monument in the atoll of islands at the northwest tip of Hawaii. The new monument includes a stunning collection of marine life, much of which exists nowhere else on earth. The site also contains Midway Island, which played a critical part in the Pacific theater of World War II. This site probivdes background on the new monument.
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Bound for Glory: America in Color Grade 8 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

This online exhibition from the Library of Congress features more than 70 color photographs – taken between 1939 and 1943 - that vividly capture the effects of the Great Depression on rural and small-town America and highlight the economic growth that preceded World War II. This is great visual resource for a 20th century American history class. Photography students can use the site to examine how the "Kodachrome" era changed the way we view our collective past.
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In the Classroom: It's interesting how viewing the images in color makes the viewer feel as though the Great Depression was something far more recent - perhaps due to the dated feeling of black and white images. In a discussion of the Great Depression, spend some time comparing these images and the traditional black and white images seen on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Ask students about the differences and if one is more revealing or not. This can also lead into a discussion on the reliability of primary sources and the effects of seeing something rather than reading it.

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On This Day Grade 8 to 12 - BBC- permalink -

This daily listing of facts and images covers historical events from World War II to 2003. Click on an event to read more about it and experience some multimedia features. Includes impressive video and audio clips. Good source for a daily bit of meaningful primary source trivia.
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In the Classroom: Keep this site up on the interactive whiteboard or projector in the beginning of class while students are walking in and settling down. This is a great way to focus their attention and get their brains warmed up for a World history classroom.

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Inside Tunnel Grade 8 to 12 - WGBH- permalink -

Experience one of World War II's most daring prison breaks with this interactive site that takes visitors to the Nazi POW camp Stalag Luft III. There students can take learn about the clever construction of a 300 foot escape tunnel - engineered by Allied airmen, and built using tools fashioned from tin cans.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as a learning center or station during a unit on WWII. Because it's an interactive activity, it may not need a worksheet to accompany it, but if including it in a series of stations it might work best if there is a space for students to reflect on this one. Great resource for the US history class!

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Powers of Persuasion Grade 8 to 12 - National Archives- permalink -

The psychology of wartime patriotism is presented in this thought-provoking site that examines an impressive collection of propaganda posters used by the U. S. Government to promote the war effort in Europe and the Pacific during World War II. The on-line exhibit is divided into two thematic groups: posters that were designed to instill patriotism, and those that were created to show the horrors of war. The works of some well-known American artists, including Norman Rockwell, are represented. How did these words and images affect the hearts and minds of America citizens? How does this sanctioned propaganda compare with what the American government is communicating to its citizens during this current time of war? Use this impressive resource to generate discussion in a history or current events class.
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In the Classroom: Use these images on this site to create a visual discovery activity. Select 3-5 of the more powerful images and put them on a PowerPoint, with each image showing for 1-2 minutes over the interactive whiteboard. Have students fill out a graphic organizer concerning each image, focusing on what students observe, infer and can predict. (To create the graphic organizer, try using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).)After the class has reviewed all of the images, have a class discussion based on their findings. Teachers will be surprised how much content is discussed. This activity works best as a review.

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eHistory Grade 7 to 12 - Ohio State University- permalink -

This incredible resource is not just for history fans! The comprehensive and well-organized site includes a timeline of events, a glossary, battle outlines, biographies, and thousands of images and maps. Topics include ancient history, the Civil War, World War II, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and much more. A true gold mine for history teachers and students.
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In the Classroom: The great resources offered by this site include the primary sources collection and the vast amount of multi-media presentations offered. Search this site for resources you can use in your own classroom - the video collection would be particularly helpful to supplement information from the previous and current century.

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Korea – Unfinished War Grade 9 to 12 - American Radioworks- permalink -

While it deals specifically with the Korean War, this American Radioworks site’s interviews (both sound and transcripts) are an interesting window into the broader aspects of American and international life during the period immediately after World War II. Of these secondary themes, the information on the evolution of race relations in the United States in the 1950s is particularly interesting.
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In the Classroom: Use the articles on this site to supplement the text & lecture during a unit on the cold war OR about civil rights. (There are articles about integrating the army as well as detailed reports about various aspects of the cold war) This is a great resource for a higher-level American history class.

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Anne Frank the Writer Grade 6 to 12 - Smithsonian- permalink -

This site documents the US Holocaust Museum’s recent exhibit about Anne Frank’s unpublished writings. The site includes an introduction, interviews, excerpts from a number of unpublished works, and a series of links for additional information. This one could be an interesting bridge between a writing assignment and the study of World War II.
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In the Classroom: Use the virtual exhibit as a learning center or station during a unit on WWII in a history class or during a study of her book in an English class. This would be a great way to introduce Anne Frank, the exhibit serving to put all students at the same level of understanding of her life. If in need of some sort of assessment to see what students have learned from the site, challenge students to create an online graphic to share using Tabblo reviewed here.

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Enola Gay Restoration Grade 6 to 12 - Smithsonian- permalink -

This site from the Smithsonian chronicles the most recent restoration of the bomber that dropped the first atomic weapon. Users can view images of the plane and its restoration, and they can also learn how the Air and Space Museum preserves its many assets.
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Night - a Study Guide Grade 7 to 9 - The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District- permalink -

The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District offers a study guide for students reading Elie Weisel’s book about a Nazi Concentration Camp. The site has a plot summary, information about the story’s themes and key issues, and a brief discussion of the moral and life implications brought out in the haunting book.
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Number the Stars - Story Questions Grade 4 to 6 - Quillayute Valley School District, WA- permalink -

Teacher Raymond Marshall, Jr. composed a group of story questions to accompany Lois Lowry’s poignant book about a Jewish family trying to survive in occupied Denmark. Teachers will be able to assign these questions for individual writing assignments, refer to them as prompts for further research, or use them for classroom book discussions.
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Number the Stars Lesson Grade 4 to 6 - Carol Hurst’s Childrens Literature Site- permalink -

The Holocaust can be a difficult subject to teach in the elementary grades. This site, created by Carol Hurst, helps teachers present the topic without focusing on the more inappropriate areas of the subject. The discussion ideas provide important questions about the characters and the activities focus on the time and setting of the book. Teachers will find this a useful entry into a study of the world during World War II.
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Nerds 2.0.1 Grade 6 to 12 - PBS- permalink -

This second installment in the PBS Nerds series chronicles the evolution of today's computers from their early mechanical ancestors in World War II. There are also biographies and profiles of key figures in the development of computers and computing.
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In the Classroom: If your curriculum includes the history of computing, don't miss this one.

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Trinity Web - The nuclear bombing of Japan Grade 6 to 12 - Seattle Times- permalink -

Created by the Seattle Times, this site focuses on the initial nuclear tests that preceded the bombing of Japan to end the war. Additional links to first-person chronicles, other related W.W.II sites, and nuclear resources. Well done.
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The Power of Persuasion Grade 8 to 12 - National Archives- permalink -

Posters from World War II presented by the National Archives.
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The Simon Wiesenthal Center Grade 8 to 12 - - permalink -

The foremost organization for the study and memorialization of the holocaust provides a variety of resources for those researching this topic.
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Hiroshima - A personal Memory Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a first-person account from a survivor of the bombing who is telling her story many years later. This site isn't extensive, but the message is direct and has lost no intensity over the years.
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The Enola Gay Grade 8 to 12 - Smithsonian Institution- permalink -

This is the web site for the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Enola Gay exhibit. It includes information on the mission to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, as well as a discussion of the preservation of the aircraft.
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Return to Midway Grade 5 to 12 - National Geographic- permalink -

The National Geographic Society uses Robert Ballard's discovery of the wreck of the battleship Yorktown as the centerpiece for this beautiful, extensive site on the Pacific war and the battle of Midway. Lots of Java-enhanced maps and descriptions, along with time-lines and historical narrative.
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The Battle of Britain Grade 4 to 12 - Royal Air Force- permalink -

The Royal Air Force developed this site to comemmorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, in which the British successfully avoided invasion by the German Reich. The site explains how the battle evolved and highlights the role of the Air Force in the fight.
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Documenting America Grade 8 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

This site is based on the Library of Congress collection of thousands of photos taken in the 1930s and early 1940s. They document everyday life during the depression and the years leading up to World War II. Geographic and chronological indexes make this collection an interesting research tool and photo source.
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Railway Women in Wartime Grade 7 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a fascinating archival photo collection describing how important women were to the railroads during World War I and World War II. The site includes some British and European content as well.
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In the Classroom: Use this site to challenge students to apply their knowledge of WWI and WWII knowledge in combination with their creative writing skills. Assign students to cooperative learning groups and have them select an image from the site. Students will narrate the image as a story, using their knowledge of the war in combination with their imaginations. Have students explain who this women is, what is she doing, why is she important, and how the war has affected her. Her personal profile may be made up, but the information concerning the war should be all factual. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture.

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Cybrary of the Holocaust Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

A wealth of holocaust information. Confusing layout and design, but the information is there. ADULT SUPERVISION SUGGESTED
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The Berlin Airlift Grade 4 to 12 - Project Whistlestop- permalink -

This site chronicles the airlift that kept West Berlin alive during the period immediately after World War II. Though written from an American perspective, there is coverage of the broader European involvement in one of the first cold war crises.
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Asian Americans and U.S.-Asia Relations: Japanese American Internment Grade 5 to 12 - Ask Asia- permalink -

This lesson from the Ask Asia web site will help develop student awareness and empathy concerning the Japanese internments during World War II.
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Spacerace Grade 6 to 12 - Smithsonian Institution- permalink -

The Space Race grew out of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, the most powerful nations after World War II. At the end of the Cold War, the United States and Russia agreed to build a space station and pursue other joint ventures in space. A contest that began in fear and enmity has become a partnership. At this site you get to participate in this race!
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Fling the Teacher Grade 6 to 12 - Schoolhistory.co.uk- permalink -

If your humor runs to Monty Python, and you don't mind being the butt of a joke in the interest of education and learning, consider this site. A takeoff on the old hangman game, you can choose an academic topic (i.e. Ancient Rome, the Crusades, the World Wars, the Cold War), and -- using an interactive white board -- students can first design a virtual teacher (hmmm... wonder who it will look like?). Then, by answering multiple choice questions correctly, construct a trebuchet that will (if the students are successful) launch the virtual teacher into the great unknown. Because it's a British site, the topics favor British history, and you might not be able to use the quizzes "cold," but with some preparation, this could be a great Friday reward for a week's hard work, and it's educational to boot! And some topics are specifically related to U.S. History (Black Peoples of the Americas, USA 1800 – 1850, and several others).
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In the Classroom: This site is ideal for a projector or interactive white board, but students could try the activity individually on classroom computers, in a computer lab, or from home.

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Nevada Test Site Oral History Project Grade 9 to 12 - University of Nevada Las Vegas- permalink -

Oral history has become an increasingly important tool in understanding recent history. This site chronicles the stories of those who have been personally affected by the testing of nuclear weapons in Nevada between 1951 and 1992. You can browse a very rich list of individual transcripts or search by category of interviewee. There is a fairly short list of video interviews. There is a nice timeline that puts the development of nuclear weapons in the US into perspective. Finally, there is a link to information about the test site as a place, both as a place for testing, a place for protesting, and a sacred place to native people.
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In the Classroom: This site might serve as a useful supplement to a unit on the Cold War. Students doing research on nuclear testing will find the transcripts and video interviews very valuable as primary source material. The timeline would be helpful projected on an interactive whiteboard or projector as part of a discussion of recent American history. Use this site for research about the Cold War and World War II. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here to narrate a photo as if it is a news report.

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Veterans History Project Grade 9 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

The Veterans History Project is both a valuable historical resource and a terrific jumping off point for a serious student or group project. The Veterans History Project uses volunteer contributors to gather remembrances from war veterans and civilians who worked in support industries. The Project includes audio interviews, interview transcripts, letters, and other primary documents related to US wars beginning with World War I up through the present conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Use the site to search for and access already preserved accounts, or to design a student project to gather new accounts (note however that volunteers are limited to students in 10th grade or older).

To fully experience this site, you need Adobe Acrobat and Real Player. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
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In the Classroom: Primary documents are a vital link between the students of today and the experiences of real people from the past. Students can access these interviews and accounts through searching by time period (WWI through the present), branch of service, gender, or POW status. As your class studies a particular conflict, assign students different accounts to research and then have them "portray" that person in a panel discussion about the war. Compare the experiences of persons filling similar roles across conflicts. Examine gender differences or the differences between those serving in the Navy and the Army. For a powerful long-term project, download the site's "field kit" and consider gathering new accounts for the project in your community.

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World History for Us All Grade 7 to 12 - San Diego State University- permalink -

Bring history alive for your students with the powerful and innovative World History for Us All! This model curriculum offers middle and high school teachers a vast treasury of teaching units, lesson plans, and resources that presents the human past as a single story. Help your students understand history by connecting people, cultures, regions, and time to larger historical patterns. The website is organized into nine eras that address three essential questions and seven key themes in addition to the History, Geography, and Time, and the Past and Future sections.

Teachers can present a sweeping historical overview with any of the nine Big Eras in a few class periods or delve into an era in deeper detail with their students. Each of the nine Big Eras of world history, plus the History, Geography, and Time and the Past and Future sections, offers one Panorama Teaching Unit with a PowerPoint Overview presentation. Panorama units address very large-scale developments in world history through landscape teaching units and close-up teaching units.

Besides helping teachers meet state and national standards, this site offers teachers fabulous research-based curricular activities and makes history into a manageable content area for instruction. The site includes a clickable “Curriculum at a Glance” overview feature that takes you to the standards, teaching units, three essential questions, and seven key themes. This site requires Flash and Adobe. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
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In the Classroom: World History for Us All provides teachers pedagogical support to develop both a curriculum and a mindset to present history in a manner that engages students and elicits their curiosity. Complete units are available as web pages or downloadable PDF documents. The PowerPoint presentations can be viewed online or downloaded into PowerPoint on classroom computers. This informational, user-friendly site is a must for new teachers to help augment their adopted textbook. Consider spending an inservice day with your history department exploring the site together.

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A Teacher's guide to the Holocaust Grade 4 to 12 - Florida Center for Instructional Technology- permalink -

This website features a wealth of information regarding the holocaust, including primary source documents, galleries, maps, and movies Browse the incredible amount of information available at this guide. Identify plays and other resources used to document history from the Holocaust. The resources also include software and their sources, as well as interactive quizzes. Other links include a Holocaust timeline, People (groups that played a role in the Holocaust such as victims, resisters, bystanders, etc.), and the Arts. The activities include lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school. The lesson plans include social studies, arts, language arts, thinking/research, and ethics/responsibility. This website requires QuickTime. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
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In the Classroom: Use the activities presented on the site, such as Bioethics of Eugenics or the role of Propaganda during the Holocaust. You can use many of these resources to compare present day beliefs or thoughts about the holocaust, or to evaluate current websites/blogs for accuracy. Social responsibility and action from that period can be compared to current crises in the World today. Students can also use the information to determine the reasoning behind the actions of each of the groups and write an editorial about that group’s beliefs or create a piece of artwork depicting their thoughts and emotions.

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Digital Footlocker: The Home Fires--Montana in WWII Grade 4 to 12 - Thinking Through American History- permalink -

Footlockers beckon to be opened. Likewise, a digital footlocker such as this site begs the visitor to click on its links to discover what being a Montana citizen was like during WWII. Open the footlocker and discover pdf versions of war bonds, listen to songs from the '40s, or imagine yourself in the clothing from that era. Not only is this site a glimpse into Montana during the 1940s, but you will find a little bit of your own region's history there, too. The site also includes history-oriented lesson plans available from the 1940s. More importantly, you may glean ideas from this site on how to create your own digital footlocker, an electronic collection of artifacts on a common topic.
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In the Classroom: Use this site to help students "feel" the realities of life during world war II. As you finish studying an era or concept, consider putting together a digital footlocker of your own on a wiki. Want to know more about wikis? See the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through. You may also want to google 'digital footlocker' to see other online footlockers assembled by teachers.

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Social Studies Presentations Grade K to 12 - Jefferson County Schools- permalink -

This website provides free PowerPoint presentations on over 100+ social studies topics. There are presentations for grades K-5 and 6-12. Some of the exciting presentations include Ellis Island, Colonial America, Statue of Liberty, American Inventors, The Great Depression, the Civil War, and much, much more. Many of the presentations include lesson plans, interactive activities, games and other information. You may need PowerPoint software on your computer to view these files, depending upon how the site creators saved them.
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In the Classroom: Try these ready-to-go PowerPoint presentations on an interactive whiteboard or projector in your classroom. Some may also be well-suited for individual students to run on a single classroom computer for individual study, remediation, or review. There are games, resources and a lot of information. The site includes a disclaimer asking to be notified if users find any unauthorized, copyrighted material. TeachersFirst recommends that you NOT download copies but instead use them online, just in case.

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A Personal Holocaust Remembrance Grade 7 to 12 - MSNBC- permalink -

A Michigan teen has produced his own documentary based on first-person interviews with his grandparents about their experiences as holocaust victims. The interviews were the first time they had spoken with a family member about those events. Includes video clips.
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In the Classroom: Open this site on the interactive whiteboard or projector to introduce a unit on the Holocaust during a World or US history class. Have students read aloud the information, or summarize the main points yourself before previewing the video in class. This is a great way to make the events of the Holocaust more real and personal.

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Churchill Speech Interactive Grade 8 to 12 - Churchill family- permalink -

Winston Churchill's renowned "Iron Curtain" speech, delivered on March 5, 1946 in Missouri, is elegantly presented in this multimedia site. Visitors can listen to the actual speech (beautifully synchronized with visual features and analytical materials), read the complete transcript, peruse Churchill's handwritten notes, and browse through an impressive selection of vintage photographs. Use the color-coded feature to zero in on a specific topic of interest.
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In the Classroom: Use the speech on this site to supplement a unit about the Second World War. If you have an adequete speaker system, play the speech or pieces of the speech over the classroom interactive whiteboard or projector. To account for student behavior during the speech, have students take notes on the speech with the intentions of creating a summary project of his highlights or most important concepts. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts demonstrating their understanding of one of the concepts. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).

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Face to Face: Stories from an Aftermath of Infamy Grade 8 to 12 - ITVS- permalink -

This collection of real-life stories from Japanese Americans and Arab and Muslim Americans explores the issues of civil liberties in the wake of two days that changed the world forever - December 7, 1941, and September 11, 2001. Racial hatred, fear, distrust, national loyalty, and the validity of constitutional rights are just a few of the complex issues addressed in the riveting audio interviews. A series of lesson plans guides teachers and students through a comparison of how America responded to these two ethnic groups after the two respective tragedies.
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In the Classroom: Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities hosted on this site. The oral interviews would make a great in-class activity, playing them over the projector or interactive whiteboard. Select a section and play the interviews, usually around 5-10 minutes total. Have students listen to the interviews, and write or discuss a response afterwards. Very moving interviews, making a solid base for a class discussion on racism and the effects of globalization.

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Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State Grade 9 to 12 - Community Television of Southern California- permalink -

This is much more than a site about Auschwitz. In addition to presenting a portrait of one of Europe’s most infamous concentration camps, the site explores the historical context in which Hitler and the Nazis rose to power and follows the chain of events that led to the development of mass extermination camps. There is much riveting and chilling information to be found in this resource - from interactive, captioned maps to reflections from victims and perpetrators.
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In the Classroom: Take advantage of the free lesson plans and resources located on this site! A very interesting resource for a US or World History classroom.

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Veterans History Project Grade 8 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

The extraordinary wartime experiences of ordinary Americans are preserved in this extensive site that contains first-hand accounts from World War I to the Persian Gulf War. Includes audio and video clips of interviews with veterans. Use as a companion to your American history textbook.
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In the Classroom: What is great about this site is that they allow you to search by war, service, POW status, and keyword. Search for the appropriate terms for your unit, making sure to pay particular attention to resources that specifically state "View Digital Collection." Many of the collections host images, text, and audio interviews - all of which can be used to supplement a classroom lecture on a war in Modern history. Have students listen to an oral interview via interactive whiteboard or projector, in companion to reading a text based blurb on the same matter. Begin a discussion on the topic and the impact of hearing rather than reading, and how this shaped what the students learned. Not only is this a good lesson for teaching the content but it can also be used to address the impact of oral history in the modern era.

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Price of Freedom - Americans at War Grade 7 to 12 - National Museum of American History- permalink -

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 movies, 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.
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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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Normandy: 1944 Grade 6 to 12 - Encyclopedia Britannica- permalink -

This outstanding site uses photographs, articles, radio broadcasts, maps, and documentary videos to recapture the remarkable events of June 6, 1944. Through the eyes of soldiers, journalists, and historians, the buildup, invasion, and battle are superbly represented. Detailed maps, many with interactive and animated features, illustrate troop movement and battle tactics, and a collection of brief biographies provide students with an understanding of the major personalities associated with the invasion. There is quite a bit to see and investigate on this site. Consider developing a Web hunt to guide your students through this extensive resource.
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In the Classroom: Use this site as a learning center or as a guide for a lecture about D-Day within a US or World History Course. There is a lot of information on this site so it works best as a learning center if students have some sort of follow-along to guide them through. For help creating easy graphic organizers, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).

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The Holocaust: A Learning Site for Students Grade 8 to 12 - Holocaust Memorial Museum- permalink -

This well-organized site presents an authentic and factual view of the Holocaust in a format appropriate for middle and high school students. Text, historical photographs, maps, images of artifacts, and audio clips provide a riveting experience for visitors. This resource is organized by themes which include Nazi Rule, Jews in Germany, the "Final Solution," Nazi Camps, and Rescue and Resistance. Each theme is supported by in-depth information, a helpful glossary and timeline, and a list of key dates and events.
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In the Classroom: Use the images on this site to design a picture walk in your classroom about the holocaust. Select 10-15 of the more powerful images, choosing a variety of subjects. Assign students to begin at specific numbers, before allowing the class to rotate around the classroom every 30-45 seconds. At each image, students should quickly write down what they observe, infer and predict about each image. At the end of the picture walk, have a class discussion based on the notes students took during the walk. This would be a very interesting way to introduce the topic in a non-lecture format. For help creating the graphic organizers, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here).

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Our Story in History Grade 2 to 6 - National Museum of American History- permalink -

This small but creative collection of activities spans a diverse range of topics from American history and taps into the imaginative minds of elementary students. Visit the "Try It At Home" section to learn about great women of the past, WWII Japanese interment camps, or slave life and the Underground Railroad. Each topic includes background information, links to related children’s literature, and ideas for hands-on activities. The "Try it On-Line" section provides interactive activities that immerse students in creating Native American buffalo hide paintings, building a sod home, and looking at life through the eyes of an historian.
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In the Classroom: Save this site as a favorite and use it as a learning center or station during a US history class!

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Witness to the Holocaust Grade 9 to 12 - - permalink -

Primary source material including photographs and personal interviews form the basis for this revealing look at the Holocaust. Visitors can explore three separate paths: a history section that provides a brief overview of the Holocaust and the experiences of the victims; a liberators section that offers 10 transcriptions of interviews with those involved in the liberation of concentration camps; and a camps section that profiles four of the most notorious concentration camps. The images and recollections are troubling, so use carefully in the classroom. Developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology Library and Information Center.
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In the Classroom: Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. The information is very dark and graphic, but if your students are mature enough it provides amazing insight into the camps and havoc they wreaked. Have students explore the site and challenge them to create an online graphic to share using Tabblo reviewed here.

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Oral Histories of the Holocaust Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

This site, created by High School Students in San Francisco, presents personal oral Holocaust accounts in written and audio formats. The site provides a unique perspective on the manner in which the Holocaust affected so many lives, by providing the detailed accounts of six survivors. Due to the nature of the subject matter, teachers may want to limit access of this site to older students.
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In the Classroom: Beyond the obvious testimonials this provides to the content, this site can also be used as the perfect example of how students can complete a similar project. During a modern history unit, select a topic that students have the potential to interview their own family members on. Instead of the typical tape recording, try a new technology similar to one used on the website. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).

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Experiencing War Grade 6 to 12 - Library of Congress- permalink -

No, it’s not blood and gore up close, but rather a collection of audio reminiscences from American veterans about their experiences in wartime. Created by the Library of Congress as part of their American Folklife series, these stories are surprisingly personal and therefore all the more powerful. A faster connection improves performance.
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In the Classroom: Use the audio interviews over the interactive whiteboard to show students what the war was like from the perspective of people on the ground, and the difference between the first hand account and the textbook. This is a great way to not only teach the content, but display for students the difference between a primary and secondary source. To further argue a point, use a Venn diagram on the interactive whiteboard to graphically display the differences. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here).

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Night: A Resource Guide Grade 8 to 12 - Chicago Public Library- permalink -

As part of the One Book One Chicago program at the Chicago Public Library, this site is a useful resource for students who are reading Elie Weisel’s powerful story of the Holocaust. The site offers information about the historical context of the era, a glossary of terms, web links to various related sites, and an excellent author’s summary. Teachers will find the discussion questions useful as essay topics or research assignments.
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Night: Teacher CyberGuide Grade 8 to 10 - SCORE- permalink -

What is the importance of a survivor testimonial? Score asks students to learn about testimonials, the ‘Final Solution’, Jewish ghettos, and the concepts of scapegoating and stereotyping. The lessons guide students through web research to complete projects that range from writing narrative poetry, speeches, and creating brochures about the author. Teachers will find this site works best for students with ample writing experience.

NOTE: SCORE Cyberguides announced that they are no longer checking links and maintaining these excellent resources as of April 2008 due to lack of funding. You will want to verify all links before using the cyberguide in class. You may want to use portions of this cyberguide in combination with other online resources.
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Number the Stars - Lesson Ideas Grade 6 to 8 - McDougal Littell- permalink -

This lesson plan for Lois Lowry’s book emphasizes the concept of ‘resistance to injustice’. The summary is well presented and the lesson begins with vocabulary suggestions and a Quick write task to allow teachers to tap into the student’s existing knowledge. The Research assignments direct students to learn more about resistance efforts in Nazi occupied countries, the tasks do assume a level of student skill. Teachers will be able to use this as a great introduction to WWII curriculum.
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Holocaust - The Untold Story Grade 9 to 12 - Newseum- permalink -

The Newseum's treatment of the Holocaust concentrates on the ways in which American journalists did or did not fully cover the story of the Nazi extermination camps, despite knowing about them. This is a powerful site that will be disturbing to some young people, and it should be used only after a thorough preview.
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In the Classroom: This site would be an interesting case study for a discussion on media standards, wartime reporting, or related topics.

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Untold stories of D-Day Grade 7 to 12 - National Geographic- permalink -

National Geographic covers a wealth of topic areas in this elegant presentation about the Normandy invasion. While primarily a teaser for a print project, this site offers images, a downloadable map, a good variety of D-day trivia, and a 10-minute movie suitable for those with high-speed connections. There is also an extensive bibliography and listing of other web resources.
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In the Classroom: Use this article as an introductory activity for a lesson on the Normandy invasion. Teachers can share just the article, or incorporate some of the images and maps in their lecture or classroom discussion. If reading the article, be sure help your weaker readers and ESL students by sharing the vocabulary words prior to reading, either on a handout or by projecting on an interactive whiteboard and highlighting them in the text as you come to them.

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What Did You Do in the War, Grandma? Grade 7 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a collection of oral history information compiled by high school students in Rhode Island as a class project. Well-done student effort.
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In the Classroom: Use the timeline on this site to guide your class through the events of WWII. It is primarily focused on Womens history, but the content is well-researched and pertinent to a classroom studying WWII. Open this site on the interactive whiteboard or projector and maneuver through it during your lecture.

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Voices of the Holocaust Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

Illinois Institute of Technology hosts this site, developed to share first-hand experiences of holocaust survivors. The site is particularly interesting, because the memories were collected only a year or so after the end of the war, and were transcribed verbatim by interviewers. The result is a collection of several dozen interviews which are remarkable for their clarity. This site would be a great primary resource for any holocaust study.
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Women and the Holocaust Grade 9 to 12 - - permalink -

A haunting, sometimes disturbing site that chronicles the experiences of women in the holocaust. This is an important story to tell.
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In the Classroom: Teachers may want to think carefully about how and when it is presented.

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Remembering Nagasaki Grade 6 to 12 - The Exploratorium- permalink -

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.
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Private Art - A collection of letters to and from home Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

This is a collection of letters exchanged between one soldier and his family. The material is indexed chronologically and is easy to retrieve and use, though the site is probably more technically complex than necessary. Nice use of graphics and illustrations.
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Omaha Beachhead Grade 9 to 12 - US Army- permalink -

This is the Army's official history of the Omaha beach invasion effort and subsequent progress inland. The site is entirely text, written as adult-level military history. There's plenty of material here - and in other corners of this vast site - for the patient reader.
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In the Classroom: Use the maps and images offered at the bottom of the site to aid presentations and lectures about D-day. The images are in black and white, but are still useful for discussing troop movements and the geography of the land and the battle scenery.

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The U.S. Holocaust Museum Grade 6 to 12 - US Government- permalink -

The site for the U.S. Holocaust Museum contains a collection of resources and on-line exhibits which document the history of the Holocaust, the people who perished, and those who worked to save them. Note that many of the images may be disturbing to some students.
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In the Classroom: Within the teachers portion of this site is a wide array of information including how and why to teach the Holocaust, specific lesson plans and activities, and even online Teacher workshops. Take advantage of the resources on this site, very useful for a World or American History classroom.

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The War in the Pacific Grade 6 to 12 - History Place- permalink -

Chronology & photos from The History Place.
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In the Classroom: Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (on the website), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report.

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The War in Europe Grade 6 to 12 - History Place- permalink -

Chronology & photos from The History Place.
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In the Classroom: Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them look at the timeline, and then in groups select 5 events on the timeline that the site failed to go into detail on. Have the students create their own excerpts of those events, including what they think is the most important information. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Project Poster (reviewed here or PicLits (reviewed here.

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1936 Olympics Grade 6 to 12 - Smithsonian Holocaust Museum- permalink -

This site, based on an exhibit from the American Holocaust Museum, uses the 1936 games as a starting point for a visual synopsis of the evolution of the Nazi regime, with a particular focus on its racial and ethnic policies. The result is a succinct, though stark, introduction that should be useful for many students. The site features an online exhibition with video clips, pictures, and articles of interest.
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In the Classroom: Use this site to spark a discussion and study of the role of the Olympics in politics and foreign policy (especially during an Olympic year as an extension of your study of current events). You may want to share some of the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Why not have a class debate about the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

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Atomic Archive Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

While it covers all aspects of American involvement with nuclear activities, this site’s coverage of the history of atomic investigation will be particularly attractive to students and teachers. There is a timeline on the history of atomic energy, and the teacher’s section includes several activities built on the effort to build the first atomic bomb. There’s a lot of content in this site that is too advanced for secondary students, but creative teachers will find lots of opportunities here.
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In the Classroom: Save this site in your favorites on your class computers and use it as a point of reference for students working on research projects or papers. The information is reliable and plentiful, spanning all issues of atomic energy - from the Manhattan Project to Nuclear Facilities, this site has it all. It is a little advanced, but science and history teachers in the upper levels of high school will appreciate the resources this site has to offer.

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Holocaust Timeline Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

A holocaust time line from the History Place. Adult supervision suggested
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In the Classroom: Use this timeline as a guide to classroom presentations during a unit on the second World War. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector before allowing students to look at it individually with the intentions of selecting one major event to present to the class. Allow sufficient class time for students to research and prepare presentations, to be presented adjacent to the timeline in chronological order. For more tailored results, highlight specific events that students can choose among rather than the broad spectrum on the timeline. This would be a great way to teach the events of WWII in a non-lecture format, most likely at the high school level. For projects,have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report.

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Heroes or Villains Grade 6 to 12 - National Archives (UK)/Learning Curve- permalink -

This site explores heroes and villains of "recent history" (20th century), including Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jr, Stalin, Kennedy, Mussolini, and Truman. Events include the Cuban Missile Crisis, Atom Bomb, bombing of Dresden, and more. The British National Archives presents "galleries" of primary sources related to each topic so students can investigate events as historians and draw their own conclusions. Each image is accompanied by thought-provoking questions in the caption. There are standards (aligned to UK Keystage), timelines, and more. The site includes concluding activities, ready to go as lessons!
2200

In the Classroom: Share these primary source materials on a projector or an interactive whiteboard. Use this site as a student-centered exploration station, asking students to respond and form their own opinions with supporting evidence. Have students create multi-media presentations to share with the class.

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Books by Survivors Grade 6 to 12 - - permalink -

An annotated list of books written by Holocaust survivors.
2163

In the Classroom: Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities on this site! Save this site as a favorite on your classroom desktop to allow for easy access and retrieval in a search for new activities during a unit on the Holocaust. This would be a great site for a World or US history class.

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