TeachersFirst's Veterans Day Resources
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections
Explore these resources for ideas you can use to connect classroom curriculum to Veterans Day. Whether you choose to focus on Veterans Day and its history for one class period or to include a special curriculum project in honor of veterans, these ideas and resources will get you started.
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Science (and more) to Music - Dr. Lodge McCammon
Grades
4 to 12
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This site offers many songs related to math, social studies, and science concepts. Science concepts include water & pollution, scientific inquiry, changes in matter, and much more....more
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This site offers many songs related to math, social studies, and science concepts. Science concepts include water & pollution, scientific inquiry, changes in matter, and much more. Math concepts range from order of operations to quadratic and exponential functions. After choosing a topic, you can listen to the song online, download the mp3, view lyrics, and possibly view an accompanying video. (Not all topics include the video.) Some topics also include a teacher guide with lesson suggestions. This site does mention that you can create your own videos. However, at the time of this review, that feature was not working.
tag(s): africa (168), area (24), atoms (28), bill of rights (20), branches of government (18), cells (57), civil war (78), constitution (59), elements (26), equations (68), exponents (19), factoring (11), factors (28), functions (36), inquiry (24), integers (25), matter (27), nutrition (98), oceans (101), order of operations (9), quadratics (6), rainforests (8), ratios (20), songs (36), sound (70), volume (23), water (88), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Play songs related to math, social studies, or science concepts in class to supplement current lessons. Download and play the tunes on iPods or mp3 players in a listening corner. Have younger students sing along with the songs (reading the lyrics). ESL/ELL students will benefit from such an alternate presentation of concepts, as will any who have strong musical/rhythmic intelligence. Give students copies of song lyrics, and have them create their own songs. After listening to a song, have students create their own song relating to current classroom topics. Suggest some familiar tunes so students do not have to start from scratch. Create a video of the songs and share using a site such as SchoolTube reviewed here.
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FBI: The Vault - FBI
Grades
8 to 12
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The FBI is in the process of digitizing many of its documents and other items; this website is the growing accumulation of what they are offering so far, but updates ...more
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The FBI is in the process of digitizing many of its documents and other items; this website is the growing accumulation of what they are offering so far, but updates are continuing. You can search by a specific subject, keyword, or time period to view the documents that are available. Once you have found the document you would like to look at, the site has its own viewer. Documents include those handwritten, typed, scanned, etc. Some of the categories in the collection include: Administrative Policy Procedures, Anti-War, Bureau Personnel, Civil Rights, Counterterrorism, Foreign Counterintelligence, Fugitives, Gangs Extremist Groups, Gangster Era, Hot Topics, Miscellaneous, Organizations, Organized Crime, Political Figures Events, Popular Culture, Public Corruption, Supreme Court, Unexplained Phenomenon, World War II, Violent Crime, and others.
If a search does not return something immediately, there is a feature which will notify you of the results of your search at a later time. The time range of these documents is quite wide. Both a simple search and an advanced search make it easy to find interesting data. The A to Z index is a fun place to browse for subjects. Many of the documents are in PDF format.
If a search does not return something immediately, there is a feature which will notify you of the results of your search at a later time. The time range of these documents is quite wide. Both a simple search and an advanced search make it easy to find interesting data. The A to Z index is a fun place to browse for subjects. Many of the documents are in PDF format.
tag(s): 1920s (8), 1930s (4), 1940s (5), branches of government (18), civil rights (58), cross cultural understanding (32), inquiry (24), politics (51), supreme court (21), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for researching primary documents from different eras in American history. Looking at the authentic documents is always exciting, so share one or two on a projector or interactive whiteboard with your class before assigning students to search on their own. Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects. Have students make a mash-up presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge Tools reviewed here. This is a great find for gifted students (unusual topics, historical documents, fascinating photos)!
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VoiceThread - VoiceThread
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
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Voicethread allows you to upload images (from your digital camera, scanner, or even paint program). You can also upoad PowerPoint slides. Then students can record or write their own...more
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Voicethread allows you to upload images (from your digital camera, scanner, or even paint program). You can also upoad PowerPoint slides. Then students can record or write their own comments and/or narration about the images/slides. Other listeners can "comment" back, as well. TeachersFirst is providing the link to the VoiceThread home page but suggests that you first watch this quick explanation about two types of FREE educator memberships being offered for classroom teachers (one free, the other with premium features and more students, but at a cost). You can click to go to the home page from there. Access to the ed.voicethread site (as opposed to www.voicethread) is restricted to grades K-12 students, educators, and administrators. VoiceThread explains how to set up a classroom account and has some ideas for classroom use, as well. Ideas from the TeachersFirst Edge review team are listed below, under "In the classroom."
Voicethread now offers a free iOS app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It is free through the iTunes app store. Projects work seamlessly on both computer and mobile iOS devices, so projects started on one machine can be edited and/or viewed on another. Your ed.Voicethread account works in both places.
Voicethread now offers a free iOS app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It is free through the iTunes app store. Projects work seamlessly on both computer and mobile iOS devices, so projects started on one machine can be edited and/or viewed on another. Your ed.Voicethread account works in both places.
tag(s): digital storytelling (30), speech (78)
In the Classroom
You will be logged into your account immediately after you fill in the registration form. You must "apply" to designate your account as an educator account once it is set up. Click on "browse" to see many examples, including tutorials. Watch the "One Minute Voicethread" to get a very quick overview of how easy it is to create a digital story. Set up student identities. Use first names only. You need to know how to locate and upload saved pictures or PowerPoint files. If you want to use audio, the COOL tool,you WILL need a microphone, either plugged into your computer or built in. They can be purchased for less than $10 at a discount or electronics store. Once you create a Voicethread, it can be shared by clicking :share" from the menu or at the end of viewing it and copying the URL to send via email or other means, inviting others to comment back. Ed voicethreads have comment moderation turned on by default and are private by default. As the teacher, you can change these settings.Of course, you should be sure that you have the RIGHTS to any images you upload. Fair Use does not apply when you put an image on the web!
Invite parents to share in the results (The VoiceThread classroom page tells you more about this). TeachersFirst does not recommend using actual, identifiable pictures of children. Let them draw a picture or take a digital picture of an object that somehow represents them (middle schoolers will love that idea!). If you allow others to "comment" on student Voicethreads, the experience can be both wonderful and a bit intimidating. Use this opportunity to promote ethical and kind interaction with other students and their projects.
Elementary classes can create or take pictures, then ask each child to talk about the images. Each child can comment on the SAME pictures, creating a collaborative collection of responses. After a field trip or special class event, you can assign groups of students to explain each of the digital pictures you took and how they relate to curriculum topics. In art class, students can critique works of their own or of fellow students. In language arts classes, students can scan and comment on writing pieces as part of a reflective phase of the writing process. Or post an image as a prewriting activity and allow students to respond orally in an idea-generating phase. In social studies, have students provide a picture of a grandparent then narrate what they learned about that grandparent from interviewing him/her. Have students create narrated pictures as gifts (for parents or other care givers) for special occasions, winter holidays, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.. During a science experiment or demo, have a student take pictures of the steps. Then ask students to "narrate" them by commenting on what is happening. The narration assignment could even be a center activity or an assignment on a few classroom computers for students to rotate through. What a great way to review and apply key vocabulary! Be sure they identify their voices if you are using a single class account and want to be able to assess understanding. Other ideas: narrated local history projects (pictures of local sites), audio "museum tours" of artifacts (photos) or war veterans telling their stories along with images of their uniforms or old photos. Speech/language, ESL/ELL or early childhood teachers could use this tool to promote vocabulary development and oral expression.
Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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Night - a Study Guide - The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
Grades
7 to 9
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The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District offers a straightforward, simple study guide for students reading Elie Weisel's book Night about a Nazi Concentration Camp....more
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The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District offers a straightforward, simple study guide for students reading Elie Weisel's book Night 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.
tag(s): holocaust (35), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Include this study guide as a link for students to use while reading the book or for students/groups reading separate selections related to the Holocaust. Ensure that students go beyond the basics offered in this guide (and actually read the book!) by challenging them to create an audio character interview using a tool such as Podomatic, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Anne Frank Guide - Anne Frank Stichting
Grades
8 to 12
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The site provides information about the life of Anne Frank and also enables you to see the role the United States played in the Second World War and the Holocaust. ...more
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The site provides information about the life of Anne Frank and also enables you to see the role the United States played in the Second World War and the Holocaust. This online guide, which can be viewed in almost twenty different languages, helps students create a project or prepare a talk. The Timeline gives an overview of the most important events in the life of Anne Frank and the Second World War. The Search function is a valuable tool that allows you to type in a word and see what sections of the site contains that word, so you get all the information in one place. Although you must register to use the online project maker, you can view images and information about a variety of themes related to the holocaust and World War II by just clicking on the topic or images, without having to log in.
tag(s): anne frank (10), holocaust (35), jews (13), nazis (10), remembrance day (6), women (79), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
You can use this online guide in a variety of ways ranging from simplistic to complex. It can give you project ideas, and you can collect relevant information and images on a variety of related themes, such as persecution and the liberation and aftermath, right from this site. Use this site for research and challenge your students to use a site such as TimeRime reviewed here to create and share interactive timelines. Have students or student groups create an online, interactive poster known as a "glog," using GlogsterEDU, reviewed here. Students must register to start an online project, which allows them to save all the information they have collected, so that they may come back and continue their work from where they left off. Since your user name is the name that the computer recognizes you by, students can make one up, but teachers should keep a list of the fictitious log in information for future reference.
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Anne Frank Tree - Anne Frank Stichting
Grades
5 to 12
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The Anne Frank Tree is an interactive monument where students can write a message on a leaf in the virtual chestnut tree that Anne so often wrote about in her ...more
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The Anne Frank Tree is an interactive monument where students can write a message on a leaf in the virtual chestnut tree that Anne so often wrote about in her diary. Unlike the real tree that Anne Frank often looked at from the attic window, the students' leaves in the virtual tree will live on forever to keep her ideals alive and represent how they have been inspired by Anne's life story. Your leaf can be written and read in 5 languages other than English, (French, Italian, Spanish, Deutsch, and Nederland). An email address is required to write the messages.
tag(s): anne frank (10), holocaust (35), jews (13), nazis (10), remembrance day (6), women (79), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Give your students a vehicle to reinforce Anne Frank's wish to make a lasting impact on others, to make the world a better place, and to go on living after her death. This site offers a means for students to put emotional closure on their feelings by giving them an opportunity to express their thoughts in writing, after reading about the history of Anne Frank or her diary, and emphasizes that her spirit lives on through the millions of people she has touched all over the world. You can view other leaves that have been left on the tree and search for classmates' leaves.Students must enter an email address to post their leaf. 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.
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The War in Europe - History Place
Grades
6 to 12
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Chronology & photos from The History Place. ...more
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Chronology & photos from The History Place.
tag(s): europe (47), world war 2 (116)
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 Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Trenches on the Web
Grades
6 to 12
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Information and links on W.W.I. The site offers reference materials, thematic tours, poster reproductions, discussion groups, and more. ...more
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Information and links on W.W.I. The site offers reference materials, thematic tours, poster reproductions, discussion groups, and more.
tag(s): world war 1 (20)
In the Classroom
This site has a treasure trove of information about World War I! Use it as a reference point for standards terms, and to find information to supplement the textbook. One activity for the classroom is to access the section on the web site dedicated to displaying the posters from various countries. Assign cooperative learning groups a country and allow them to browse through that nation's war posters on classroom computers. Once students have looked through them all, have them create a contemporary poster for the country based on general trends they observed and using their knowledge about the conflict. We recommend using a site such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here). Have students share their end products with the class via interactive whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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EncycloMedia - EncycloMedia.com
Grades
2 to 12
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Use this video encyclopedia to learn about a variety of school and non-school topics. Share videos by link or use the embed code to share the video clip on a ...more
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Use this video encyclopedia to learn about a variety of school and non-school topics. Share videos by link or use the embed code to share the video clip on a blog, wiki, or site. The video topics are amazing and include such a variety: Discovery of the Holocaust, I Have A Dream, The Great Barrier Reef, Polio Vaccine, several current events videos, and some "pop culture." You may want to preview this site before allowing students to peruse on their own, as some of the videos are not appropriate for younger students. (For example, Anna Nicole Smith Dies.) The videos do not include information on their creators or sources. Like Wikipedia, this site relies on the "wisdom of crowds" to point out erroneous information. Have knowledge to share? Upload your own pictures or video.
tag(s): civil rights (58), coral (16), diseases (29), holocaust (35), martin luther king (27), reefs (12), video (51), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Users must be able to use the search feature to find appropriate videos.When sharing a specific clip, consider embedding the clip on your class page. If uploading videos to this site, be sure to check the content of student videos prior to uploading.
Many students prefer videos to understand and research information. Share the videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the videos to teach information literacy skills such as evaluating or comparing sources. As you share the videos, ask students how they can tell whether the video is a reliable source or whether they can validate its information fro another source. Use this site for research about the Holocaust, Civil Rights, or one of the many other topics found here. Be sure to look at the fact sheets and/or information with the videos. Offer different ways for students to learn information to suit the way they learn.
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Old Radio World - OldRadioWorld.com
Grades
4 to 12
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Find a treasury of old radio shows from the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. There are seven genres from which to choose (comedy, mystery, western, drama, etc..), and each genre has ...more
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Find a treasury of old radio shows from the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. There are seven genres from which to choose (comedy, mystery, western, drama, etc..), and each genre has at least ten different old radio shows for your selection. There is a miscellaneous section that has such treasures as "Voices From History," "World War II News Broadcasts," and "Fireside Chat with Franklin D. Roosevelt." To listen to this program you will need to have QuickTime on your computer. Download of the mp3 files takes a while, so be patient.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1930s (4), 1940s (5), 1950s (5), listening (63), oral history (8), radio (17), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
As a class, listen to a couple of radio shows, taking note about the sound effects heard. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to list the sounds. Have the class speculate about what objects could have created each sound. Post the radio site on your web page and assign the students to determine what household objects are responsible for the sounds for homework. Back in class the next day, use your interactive white board to share the student discoveries. From here it would be natural to have your students create a two or three minute radio show for a topic being studied in history or science. Students could also turn part of a short story into reader's theater (including sound effects) and record it as a radio broadcast. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).Another idea would be to introduce a unit on the 20th century, the Great Depression, or WWII or by having the class listen to a broadcast from that time period. Have them experience radio as it was, with everyone huddled around to listen (and no multitasking!).Talk about how the changes in entertainment formats have changed the way we interact in our homes.
To hone in on listening skills, you could create a worksheet with questions to answer, or have students take two column notes, asking questions about what they are hearing in the left column.
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Webquests - National Museums Online Learning Project
Grades
K to 11
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These Wequests send students on an exciting search through the online collection of nine major British galleries and museums. Each lesson is an interdisciplinary problem-solving task...more
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These Wequests send students on an exciting search through the online collection of nine major British galleries and museums. Each lesson is an interdisciplinary problem-solving task that requires students to search and gather information from online collections. These inquiry based learning activities promote both web literacy skills and higher-level thinking. Every Webquest has links that carefully direct the focus of Internet searches, but are diverse enough that students can learn how to select valuable information. Each task has a carefully formatted lesson complete with learning objectives, outcomes, lists curriculum covered, prior knowledge required, teaching points, extensions, ways to differentiate the subject and the amount of time required to complete it. The site has built-in tools for bookmarking, a glossary, and a notepad.
The British Key Stages are equivalent to the following age groups; KS 1 is for five to six years old, KS 2 is for seven to eleven years old, KS 3 is for twelve to fourteen years old, and KS 4 is for fifteen to sixteen years old. Since this site was created in the UK, some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. Our editors noticed this site was very slow to open during certain times of the day.
The British Key Stages are equivalent to the following age groups; KS 1 is for five to six years old, KS 2 is for seven to eleven years old, KS 3 is for twelve to fourteen years old, and KS 4 is for fifteen to sixteen years old. Since this site was created in the UK, some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. Our editors noticed this site was very slow to open during certain times of the day.
tag(s): abolition (6), animals (157), chinese new year (3), climate change (32), creative writing (53), critical thinking (50), design (64), evolution (86), museums (29), painting (50), symbols (11), volcanoes (42), weather (148), world war 1 (20), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Model with your projector or interactive whiteboard how to use "My Bookmarks" to save valuable web pages and or take notes on the "Notepad". Younger students can collect imagery for a counting book or create a toy museum with artifacts from the past. Have older students learn to write a first person narrative from the perspective of a First World War solider. Ask students to examine artwork, diaries, poetry, and films from the Great War to help them decide what to include in their writing.Adventurous Teachers can download directions on how to design their own inquiry-based Webquest on a pre-formatted PowerPoint template. Not only does this give teachers the opportunity to build a task directly suited to their own class and curriculum but allows the use of any website.
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Celebrating America's Freedoms - Department of Veterans Affairs
Grades
4 to 8
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This site explores the history behind many of America's most beloved customs and symbols. While the reading level is a bit challenging for younger students, the content is excellent...more
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This site explores the history behind many of America's most beloved customs and symbols. While the reading level is a bit challenging for younger students, the content is excellent for lesson-planning. Topics include flag etiquette, and the origins of Veterans' Day, our National Anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
tag(s): american flag (9), flag day (10), national anthem (3), veterans (8)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities hosted on this site! This would be a great resource on a unit about patriotism, nationalism, or even Veterans day itself. Have students make an interactive book about a national symbol or holiday using Bookemon, reviewed here and share it with "little buddies" in a lower grade class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The American Journey: Modern Times - McGraw Hill
Grades
6 to 12
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McGraw Hill publishes this set of videos as a companion to their textbook "American Journey: Modern Times" which covers US History from the Civil War to the Present. This collection...more
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McGraw Hill publishes this set of videos as a companion to their textbook "American Journey: Modern Times" which covers US History from the Civil War to the Present. This collection of over 50 short videos is designed to accompany sections of the text; the videos are labeled according to the section of the text. There is a short title that will help you locate videos focused on various eras even if you are not using this particular textbook. If that's the case, however, you'll need to do a little digging to see what each video covers, as the titles are very general.
tag(s): civil war (78), great depression (13), presidents (76), world war 1 (20), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Use these videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector as a class opener, or as a transition between lecture and an activity. Their length (2 to 3 minutes) makes them perfect for helping visual learners focus on the main events, or for providing a preview or summary of lecture topics. They may not form the centerpiece of your lesson, but they're nice to have in your "back pocket" to use as an enhancement.
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Image Detective - Library of Congress
Grades
5 to 12
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In this activity, you select a photo from a topic of interest. Topics include: Immigration, Cities, Industrialization, The West, Leisure and Amusement, Progressive Reform, Woman & Suffrage,...more
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In this activity, you select a photo from a topic of interest. Topics include: Immigration, Cities, Industrialization, The West, Leisure and Amusement, Progressive Reform, Woman & Suffrage, Children, and World War I. Next you create a story background for the photo you have chosen. Select a question to answer on each page or create your own question about the photo. Click to the next screen to gather clues as you mouse over different sections of the photo and type in information gained from observing closely. Another screen yields background information on the photo. In the second to last screen, combine the clues in order to safely draw conclusions about the information the photo provides. A comparison screen at the end lets you see information others have deduced from the photo.
tag(s): logic (147), photography (91), scientific method (25), world war 1 (20)
In the Classroom
Share the photos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the series of steps on this activity to teach students the skills of observation, deduction, and drawing intelligent conclusions. Have students do this activity in pairs in a computer lab. The steps are available to use on paper or printable in pdf format, so students can select their own mystery photos and create a similar activity away from the computer. ESL/ELL students can benefit from using the steps in this process. Images will help them understand material better, and they can also create their own presentations. Have students bring and exchange mystery photos; see if the conclusions they draw match the family stories the photo owners have. Science teachers can use this photo activity to teach about scientific method and, in particular, making observations. Start with the offerings on this site, then try it with more "scientific" images.
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We Remember Anne Frank - Scholastic
Grades
5 to 12
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We Remember Anne Frankis an opportunity for classrooms to go beyond Anne's diary to meet two of the heroic people who actually knew her and survived to tell her story. ...more
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We Remember Anne Frankis an opportunity for classrooms to go beyond Anne's diary to meet two of the heroic people who actually knew her and survived to tell her story. Use this site to develop empathy and the theme of endurance of human spirit and courage in the face of horrible circumstances which enabled them to risk everything to help Anne Frank. This online project will enable students to understand how the events of World War II led to the Nazi's rise of power and how the Holocaust impacted the lives of real people.
tag(s): anne frank (10), holocaust (35), jews (13), nazis (10), remembrance day (6), women (79), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Use this site to initiate cross-curricula ELA/Social Studies projects that utilize technology to provide opportunities for group collaboration and exploration as well as individual learning that connect students to the world beyond their personal locations. Provide a link from your class wiki or webpage for easy access to the interactive timeline, the story of Miep Gies, and the interview with Hanneli Pick-Goslar, one of Anne's childhood friends. Assign students one or more of the many suggested extension activities. Perhaps create a bulletin board display or ask students to interview their grandparents and other family members and then each develop a time line that shows what their families were doing during the years 1941-1945, and share their histories, or compare and contrast life then and now. Challenge students to create interactive online timelines to share with the class using a site such as Timetoast reviewed here.
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Go For Broke National Education Center - Go For Broke National Education Center
Grades
9 to 12
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With the number of World War II veterans dwindling each year, today's students may not have had the opportunity to speak directly to a World War II vet. This site ...more
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With the number of World War II veterans dwindling each year, today's students may not have had the opportunity to speak directly to a World War II vet. This site provides video oral histories from Japanese American World War II veterans. There are some short video clips available for any site visitor, but access to the majority of the archive requires registration. Consider registering under your email address; however, be aware that you must agree not to share your password to the site. The site requires RealPlayer to view the videos. The link to the "learning center" provides additional resources for teachers using the archive.
tag(s): japan (56), japanese (37), oral history (8), veterans (8), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Sharing a video clip from a Japanese American World War II veteran would be useful in a discussion of the lives of Japanese Americans during the war. Share the video clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector. While many were sent to internment camps, others served honorably in the US military. Students who are doing research would also find these archives useful, provided they are able to register and gain access. If you can research and find your own World War II vet, consider connecting with them in person of via Skype reviewed here. Skype allows you to make FREE phone calls from computer to computer anywhere in the world. If you have students working on history day projects, this site can demonstrate the power of primary sources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Capturing the Atom Bomb on Film - New York Times
Grades
6 to 12
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This slide show with audio commentary chronicles attempts by photographers between 1945 and 1962 to capture atomic explosions on film. While the issue of nuclear proliferation is often...more
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This slide show with audio commentary chronicles attempts by photographers between 1945 and 1962 to capture atomic explosions on film. While the issue of nuclear proliferation is often in the news, tests of atomic bombs are no longer regularly conducted, and students may have little concept of what such an explosion looks like or what impact it has.
tag(s): atomic bomb (9), cold war (16), energy (112), world war 2 (116)
In the Classroom
Share this presentation on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If individual computers are available, have students explore on their own (with headsets). Create a class wiki to share their thoughts and reflections on what they saw. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries - check out the TeachersFirst's Wiki Walk-Through. The 23 photographs in this slideshow are very powerful. Ranging from those that capture the scope and power of the blast itself to a series that show the impact of the blast, students who have not really considered what it means to detonate a nuclear device will find these images sobering. Use the slide show to introduce a lesson on the Cold War, on the end of World War II or on the issue of atomic energy.
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History of Memorial Day - History Channel
Grades
6 to 12
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Use this quick resource for a lesson, or even an organizing activity at the beginning or end of a class, related to Memorial Day or in recognition of veterans. There ...more
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Use this quick resource for a lesson, or even an organizing activity at the beginning or end of a class, related to Memorial Day or in recognition of veterans. There are several video clips, links to further information, and other resources. There is advertising, both at the beginning of the video clips, and in the margins.
tag(s): battles (6), holidays (97), memorial day (5), veterans (8)
In the Classroom
Use one of the videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector to deliver a quick lesson on the history of Memorial Day. There are also links to good content on military history, military leaders, and the various physical memorial sites that honor US military veterans.
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VA Kids, 6-12 - US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Grades
6 to 12
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This site provides good information and resources about Veteran's Day for upper elementary, middle school, and high school students. There is a section with interactives to help provide...more
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This site provides good information and resources about Veteran's Day for upper elementary, middle school, and high school students. There is a section with interactives to help provide student interest; however, the games aren't related to Veteran's Day. There is an in-depth section about the Veterans Administration that explains the role of this department and many of the roles such as providing health care resources, research, and maintaining cemeteries. Especially helpful is the section entitled "About Veterans" - there is an excerpt from a 2003 speech about veterans, famous veterans page and student stories about veterans. Be sure to visit the link to the American Flag for resources on the history of the flag, displaying the flag and the origins of the playing of Taps.
In the Classroom
Read the student stories about veterans together as a class as a model for a class assignment for writing about Veterans Day. Create a link on your classroom computers for students to use when researching American symbols. Ask your students to visit the site and create a multimedia presentation from the information they learn there. Have students create podcasts using a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).
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VA Kids - US Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Grades
K to 5
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This site was published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for elementary students to help them learn more about veterans and the flag. There is a section defining a ...more
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This site was published by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for elementary students to help them learn more about veterans and the flag. There is a section defining a veteran and prompting students to find out who they may know that may be a veteran. Another link is to games such as Make a Medal, Creative Coloring, and Patriotic Pairs. There is also a link that tells about the history of the American flag along with rules for proper display of a flag.
In the Classroom
Create a link to the sites for students to read the information and play the games during your Veterans Day or Flag Day unit. Introduce the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector as an introduction to your Veterans Day unit and to gauge your students' prior knowledge.
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