TeachersFirst's Pearl Harbor and World War II Resources
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections
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 or the Holocaust, 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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Understanding Sacrifice - American Battle Monuments Commission & Dept of Veterans Affairs
Grades
6 to 12
tag(s): battles (19), heroes (24), veterans (21), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
This site is a must-see for any teachers of World War II history. Take students beyond the information about battles to learn about individuals and their role and sacrifices. Be sure to take advantage of the extensive information included in each activity including assessments, lesson extensions, and adaptations. Have students choose one of the stories, then research the battle to learn more about the event's relationship to the war. Have students create maps using Animaps, reviewed here. Students can add text, images, and battle locations to tell the story of fallen heroes. Ask local veterans to visit your classroom and share their stories with your class.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The USC Shoah Foundation Visual History Archive - USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): 20th century (53), holocaust (39), interviews (17), jews (26), oral history (12), primary sources (93), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
The streaming audio and video interviews of first-person accounts makes this collection a powerful classroom experience using non-text primary sources. Show students the extensive searching capabilities, have students research a topic, person or place, preview and then summarize content. Study interactive maps of interviews and locations. During class time, show selected interviews to make history come alive or assign videos to watch for flipped or blended classrooms. Using the interviews as models, have students video or write up an interview with someone on the topic for a local history collection. Since registration is required, teachers will need to register and show students how to register if they are to do their own research.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Journeys in Film - Journeys in Film and USC Rossier School of Education
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (120), holocaust (39), journalism (55), movies (72), video (276), women (92)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans for classroom use. These resources and videos are extremely flexible for classroom use. Use the film clips for current events, and to highlight events from the past. Use a video segment to get students thinking about their understanding of issues, solutions, and whether today's environment has changed from that of the past. View a variety of clips from one theme and discuss events in the clip or use a writing assignment to provide time to process the events. Discuss in what ways these clips are similar and other societal, economic, and political factors that affected them. Be sure to brainstorm how different people, in other areas of the world, would view these issues. Research these issues using resources from other areas of the world. Use Today's News, reviewed here, to see editorials and news clippings that are not of American origin. If you'd like to to create your own clips from these films try using a tool like EDPuzzle, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Archive of Public Broadcasting - Library of Congress & WGBH
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1900s (37), earth (232), radio (27), religions (68), sports (98), video (276), women (92), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Bookmark the American Archive of Public Broadcasting for use as primary source material for classroom lessons. Browse by topic or keywords to find videos to share on your interactive whiteboard or share a link on your class website for students to view at home. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about an important figure from America's recent past. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles, reviewed here, to demonstrate what they learned from one of the radio programs, videos, or exhibits.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mr. Moore's Classroom - Matt Moore
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): 1700s (29), 1800s (48), 1900s (37), 20th century (53), advanced placement (23), american revolution (89), aztecs (9), civil rights (123), civil war (145), debate (44), industrial revolution (25), industrialization (14), speech (94), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save Mr. Moore's Classroom as a supplement to your current social studies teaching materials. Find new ideas for Debate Team. Take advantage of the free materials and planning information offered on this site. Share this site with colleagues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Connecting Learning and Instruction in Olathe (CLIO) - Olathe United School District
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): american revolution (89), civil rights (123), civil war (145), cold war (29), great depression (26), lincoln (86), martin luther king (38), native americans (78), roosevelt (16), rosa parks (6), vietnam (36), washington (36), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
If you teach American history, be sure to bookmark this site for use throughout the year. New teachers will especially appreciate having a stockpile of ready-made lessons they can tweak and make their own, and of course, any American history teacher can take advantage of the free lesson plans and teaching resources included here. Use activities from this site to differentiate learning within your classroom. Be sure to share with other American History teachers on your campus.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Junior General - juniorgeneral.org
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): battles (19), korea (15), vietnam (36), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Choose from the many different options on this site to create battle recreations offering a much better perspective of troop size and battle tactics. Pique student interest in reading the scenarios by having them cut and prepare figures, forests, and more in advance. Using the figures on Junior General takes some advanced planning, so have students start cutting and preparing figures a day or two before beginning the reading. Challenge students to create timelines of the major events of a battle (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a soldier during a battle. Use the scenarios as informational reading to meet Common Core Standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Invasion of Normandy - Naval History and Heritage Command
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): d day (8), navy (9), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Be sure to help your weaker readers and ESL/ELL students by sharing the vocabulary words prior to reading, either in a handout or by projecting on an interactive whiteboard and highlighting them in the text as you come to them. The text portions are challenging, so you should pair weaker readers with a partner as they research on this site. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them share their findings with a simple infographic using Easel.ly, reviewed here, or Venngage, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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D-Day: Teachers' Sources - Imperial War Museums
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): d day (8), veterans (21), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a World War II unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a soldier, commander, or loved one during the D-Day invasion. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles, reviewed here. Make your D-Day lessons interdisciplinary by sharing the Hands on Science and Technology lesson with science teachers at your site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Experience: D-Day - PBS
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): d day (8), veterans (21), world war 2 (141)
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. Have students create D-Day or World War II timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles, reviewed here. Have students make a multimedia presentation incorporating information found on this site using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National D-Day Memorial - National D-Day Memorial Foundation
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): d day (8), veterans (21), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Feature this site during a single lesson on D-Day or as part of any World War II unit. Challenge students to make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools, reviewed here. A few of our favorites would be to create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Alternatively, use a mapping tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here, to create a map of local landforms (with audio stories and pictures included)! Or, have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a soldier, leader, or politician involved with D-Day events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project - University of North Carolina Greensboro
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): memorial day (13), oral history (12), primary sources (93), veterans (21), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Use this archive for rich, authentic primary source material on the lives of women in the military. Consider having students, individually or in groups, choose a veteran and present her story to classmates. Use a tool like Zoho Show (similar to Powerpoint, but easier and free), reviewed here. Supplement classroom materials associated with a wartime era with the photographs, posters, and diaries provided here. Use these stories as part of a special focus for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, or Women's History Month. The archive would also be a particularly rich resource for students considering National History Day Projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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America Goes to War: an Infographic - New England College
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): civil war (145), congress (34), constitution (87), presidents (132), war of 1812 (15), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Was the U.S. at war? What powers does the U.S. President have to declare war, and how have Presidents used those powers historically? A powerful, but simple infographic delineates the legal and Constitutional differences among U.S. wars historically. Share the infographic on an interactive whiteboard, or embed on your classroom website for reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Google Tours of America: A Narrative History - W.W. Norton
Grades
9 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): american revolution (89), civil rights (123), civil war (145), electricity (90), lewis and clark (15), national parks (20), native americans (78), vietnam (36), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Introduce this resource on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Share the kmz file with students on a class website or blog. Use this fantastic alternative instead of slides to present a lesson on US History. Use these resources before teaching the specifics of the unit or throughout to enhance the content learned in class. The history lessons have more impact using Google Earth and putting the locations in perspective. Employ this resource as a model of creating effective tours using Google Earth. Assign student projects using Google Earth to create a tour using files and resources found during their research, employing these resources as an example.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Zoom In! - Education Development Center
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): american revolution (89), civil war (145), constitution (87), immigrants (21), immigration (58), lincoln (86), slavery (72), vietnam (36), westward expansion (29), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free lesson plans for use in teaching social studies aligned to Common Core Standards. Even if you cannot use whole lessons, browse through to find resources to add to your current lessons. Create classes and assign different lessons to different groups of students based on ability and interest. After completing a unit, have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools, reviewed here.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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ABC Splash - ABC TV and Radio Australia
Grades
K to 10tag(s): addition (240), animals (289), antarctica (29), atmosphere (29), australia (36), cells (104), climate change (65), continents (49), counting (120), decimals (131), division (169), earth (232), earthquakes (50), ecosystems (83), egypt (70), energy (202), environment (318), food chains (22), forces (45), forensics (27), fossil fuels (18), game based learning (114), gold rush (19), human body (127), immigration (58), insects (71), light (49), maps (293), molecules (45), money (185), multiplication (221), nuclear energy (24), nutrition (159), oceans (150), parts of speech (68), percent (83), perimeter (30), place value (55), plants (154), probability (131), rhymes (32), rocks (50), songs (53), sound (105), subtraction (199), time (139), vietnam (36), volcanoes (65), weather (195), whole numbers (16), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
This site is excellent for enrichment. Include it on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class. Share this link on your class web page and/or in a parent newsletter for help with homework and school projects. These high-quality media resources will engage your students and enhance their learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Recounts from World War Two - The Lancashire Grid for Learning
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): churchill (5), england (58), germany (28), hitler (10), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Use stories as interesting non-fiction reading during your unit on World War Two or when teaching point of view and retelling. Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students create an annotated image to depict what happens in the story. These can include text boxes and related links when using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Students could describe the setting of the story by creating maps using Animaps, reviewed here. Students can add text, images, and location stops with this tool!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ducksters - Technological Solutions, Inc. (TSI)
Grades
2 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): addition (240), african american (114), american revolution (89), animal homes (44), animals (289), artists (76), biographies (90), china (68), civil rights (123), civil war (145), cold war (29), continents (49), countries (78), data (152), division (169), egypt (70), elements (37), energy (202), environment (318), explorers (65), fractions (235), friction (13), geometric shapes (165), greece (26), habitats (84), human body (127), inventors and inventions (95), keyboarding (37), mean (25), median (22), mode (15), multiplication (221), planets (127), presidents (132), puzzles (207), recycling (57), renaissance (35), rome (28), solar system (122), sound (105), sports (98), subtraction (199), sun (72), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
This site is a perfect addition for use with a biography unit. Explore and share information categorized by topics such as Civil Rights, the Cold War, and Ancient Greece. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president, famous scientist, or nearly any other real or fictitious person. Be sure to create a link to the site on your class webpage or newsletter for students to explore at home. Create a link on classroom computers for students to use the interactives during center time.Comments
Very safe and reliable. Everyone else is my school thinks ducksters is stupid but I love ducksters.Ry, CA, Grades: 6 - 12
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History on the Net - Heather Wheeler
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): african american (114), aztecs (9), battles (19), black history (61), britain (35), civil rights (123), cold war (29), egypt (70), elizabethan (16), greeks (30), mayans (13), myths and legends (25), native americans (78), olympics (49), romans (35), victorian (21), vikings (10), worksheets (62), world war 1 (53), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and use it as a center. Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects. This site is a perfect addition to use with President's Day activities, when learning about the Olympics, or as part of a Black History Month lesson. Be sure to include this site on your class web page for students to access both in and outside of class. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here, or Venngage, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president, a passenger on the Titanic, a famous scientist, or another person learned about on this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Newshour Extra - PBS NewsHour Productions LLC
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): civil rights (123), elections (78), holocaust (39), memorial day (13), news (265), poetry (224), video (276), women (92)
In the Classroom
Watch the news together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to watch independently on laptops or at a learning station. Use any video or article as a current events writing prompt. Challenge students to create blog posts about them using Throwww, reviewed here. Throwww allows you to create "quick and easy" blog posts for one-time use only. Don't forget the many free lesson plans (already aligned to Common Core standards). Click on the Lesson Plans link to explore the countless topics available (Poetry, Veterans, Elections, Ebola, Civil Rights, and more). For articles and videos about conflicts and tension, you might want to have your students engage in a debate using a tool such as ProConIt, reviewed here. Keep your class up-to-date on the news using this site. Provide this link on your class website for students (and families) to access both in and out of your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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