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Voices from the Days of Slavery - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12
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This collection of digital sound recordings (in MP3, RealAudio, and wav formats), corresponding transcripts, and photographs provide an authentic experience in the study of slavery...more
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This collection of digital sound recordings (in MP3, RealAudio, and wav formats), corresponding transcripts, and photographs provide an authentic experience in the study of slavery in America. Interviews conducted between 1932 and 1975, reveal how former slaves felt about their owners, their families, and their freedom. All recordings are taken from the American Folklife Collection of the Library of Congress.
tag(s): africa (137), african american (110), civil war (134), oral history (14), slavery (75)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on the interactive whiteboard during a unit on slavery in the 19th century. Have students explore the site in cooperative learning groups, with the intentions of presenting a summary of the information they've seen. Students can present the information from a particularly perspective or as though they're reteaching it to their peers. Have the groups present with a podcast, using a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Digital History - University of Houston
Grades
9 to 12
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A history professor at the University of Houston has created this extensive, well structured site offering an extensive American history presentation. While there is plenty of content,...more
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A history professor at the University of Houston has created this extensive, well structured site offering an extensive American history presentation. While there is plenty of content, it's almost entirely text, with an occasional link to an archival image. This would be a great supplemental resource for students who like to read and whose access to printed texts may be limited.
tag(s): constitution (87), time (92)
In the Classroom
This is an EXCELLENT site for teachers who need more resources in history classroom. Access the "For teachers" menu option, and take advantage of the free lesson plans, handouts, modules, and resource guides. All of the material is linked to a standard or SOL, to insure that students are getting the required knowledge.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New France - New Horizons - Canadian Archives
Grades
9 to 12
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This history of French exploration and settlement in what is now Canada is elegantly designed, and it shows the striking contrast between the aims of French colonists and those of ...more
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This history of French exploration and settlement in what is now Canada is elegantly designed, and it shows the striking contrast between the aims of French colonists and those of their English counterparts to the south. Because the site relies almost entirely on archival images - with minimal explanatory text - it may be difficult for some students to use effectively. Still, the site offers a marked contrast to the "colonizing America" stories students hear more frequently.
tag(s): canada (23), colonial america (95), explorers (64), france (37)
In the Classroom
Use the images from this site to create a visual discovery activity. Select a few of the most powerful images and put them in a slideshow to show students. Show the images to students via interactive whiteboard or projector, and have students write down what they observe, infer and predict from each. After the class has finished with their reflections, go back to the images and discuss with students what they wrote down. Make sure when explaining the images and their importance that you are sure of what you are trying to portray with them. There is not a lot of information on this site beyond photos, so it will require information from elsewhere. Regardless, this is a great way to lead students through a lesson rather than a straight lecture.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cryptography - Historical Ciphers - Trinity College, Hartford
Grades
6 to 12
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This presentation by students and faculty at Trinity College, Hartford includes discussions of some of history's more famous cipher and encryption machines, including the infamous German...more
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This presentation by students and faculty at Trinity College, Hartford includes discussions of some of history's more famous cipher and encryption machines, including the infamous German enigma machines. Along the way, there's a presentation on some of the basics of encryption.
Students interested in math or computer security will find this one an interesting introduction to a hugely complex topic.
tag(s): cryptography (5)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a quick lesson during a history or statistics class, in an attempt to teach students about how some ciphers were solved and how it affected history. Peruse a few of the ciphers as a class on the interactive whiteboard, as a challenge have students try to make or solve one on their own! Students can present their ciphers on the interactive whiteboard, and try to stump their peers!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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America on the Move - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
4 to 12
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Here's an extremely well-designed site about the history of American transportation that really moves. You can approach the content in several ways: an eighteen part chronology filled...more
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Here's an extremely well-designed site about the history of American transportation that really moves. You can approach the content in several ways: an eighteen part chronology filled with images, thematic presentations on immigration, technology, etc., or a sizeable collection of reproducible lessons and teaching materials. Middle schoolers should handle the writing level adequately, and the site is sufficiently visual that upper elementary users will follow the presentation. This one should be a welcome addition to anyone's transportation unit.
tag(s): air (106), railroads (14), transportation (32)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities hosted on this site! Most detail specific ways to use the site itself in a lesson & would compliment a unit based on transportation and the effect of technologies such as railroads and the automobile.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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Dutch Exploration in America - Library of Congress
Grades
9 to 12
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This excellent effort by the Library of Congress at narrating the explorations and effects of Dutch exploration in North America is really better suited to post-secondary students....more
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This excellent effort by the Library of Congress at narrating the explorations and effects of Dutch exploration in North America is really better suited to post-secondary students. That said, motivated students will find the basics on the history of Dutch exploration and settlement, and some interesting background on the Dutch place names that persist in the U.S. today. Those interested in digging more deeply can learn more about the extent and influence of eighteenth century Dutch trade and exploration on the emerging American nation.
In the Classroom
Include the images and maps in the website to supplement your lecture. The text is probably too heavy for students to read, but it can easily be included in a class lecture. Save this site as a favorite and refer to it for images and primary sources. (although keep in mind - all the sources are in Dutch)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Great Lakes Maritime History
Grades
9 to 12
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This one may be beyond the scope of all but the most interested secondary student, but its collection of archival books and records of great lakes shipping in the 19th ...more
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This one may be beyond the scope of all but the most interested secondary student, but its collection of archival books and records of great lakes shipping in the 19th and early 20th centuries offers an unusually detailed picture of that industry. Some of the most interesting elements are the period advertisements. History teachers may also find this one an interesting sidebar to a history of American and Canadian commerce.
In the Classroom
This site would be appropriate for a student working on a research project concerning the beginnings of water transport. Post this site on your teacher web page to allow those students to access it both in and out of the classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Frontline Teachers Guides - PBS Frontline
Grades
8 to 12
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The PBS Frontline series regularly challenges viewers' assumptions about controversial issues. This teacher portal for the series offers direct access to supplementary materials for...more
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The PBS Frontline series regularly challenges viewers' assumptions about controversial issues. This teacher portal for the series offers direct access to supplementary materials for many current and past programs, all sorted by subject area. If your field is government or social studies and you enjoy letting students wrestle with ideas, you will find lots of possibilities in this one.
tag(s): politics (112)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans hosted on this site! Be sure to save this one as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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American Journeys - Wisconsin Historical Society
Grades
9 to 12
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The Wisconsin Historical Society offers this collection of first-hand accounts of historical events, from the early explorers through the settling of the United States. After a quirky...more
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The Wisconsin Historical Society offers this collection of first-hand accounts of historical events, from the early explorers through the settling of the United States. After a quirky search process, the site ultimately displays scanned images of venerable publications containing the material. While this approach is certainly historically accurate, it may be limiting for use with secondary students.
tag(s): primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities hosted on the "teachers" portion of this site! Teachers can also use this site to search for primary sources that can be utilized in their classroom during a unit on early American exploration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company
Grades
6 to 12
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Billed as a virtual museum, the site is divided into "wings." There is an enormous amount of information on this site! The History "wing" includes biographies of the Wright Brothers,...more
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Billed as a virtual museum, the site is divided into "wings." There is an enormous amount of information on this site! The History "wing" includes biographies of the Wright Brothers, information about the history of flight and some little known facts in an area called "aviation's attic." Along the side are links to music files with music of the early 1900s such as the Wrights might have listened to. The Adventure "wing" looks at models of airplanes and the science of flight, and includes more music files. The "Information Desk" includes news about local Dayton, Ohio commemorations of the centennial of flight. No lesson plans and no areas specifically for educators, but lots of facts and pictures spread out all over the site.
tag(s): 1800s (72), 1900s (73), aviation (38), flight (31), wright brothers (15)
In the Classroom
Share this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector as an introduction to a lesson on the Wright Brothers and their impact on flight. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Assign each group a "wing" or subsection to read and research with the intent being for them to present their findings to their peers. Enhance learning by having students create a multimedia presentation using PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. This site allows you 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 that their classmates know virtually nothing about. To find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Pikwizard, reviewed here. This makes the most sense if the reports and presented chronologically so students can piece together the history of the Wright brothers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Railroad Pictures
Grades
4 to 12
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This searchable collection of old railroad photos could be a useful reference for a student doing a research paper on American history, industrialization, transportation or commerce....more
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This searchable collection of old railroad photos could be a useful reference for a student doing a research paper on American history, industrialization, transportation or commerce. While the site permits very specific searches, most students will likely find even a general search returns useful images.
tag(s): railroads (14)
In the Classroom
Use the images from this site to supplement a lecture on transportation and the railroads. They are extremely detailed images and can be searched to find those that meet the time period being studied.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Washington State Pioneer Life - University of Washington
Grades
3 to 12
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Washington State's pioneer life database includes lots of archival photos presented in a searchable format that's light-years ahead of many similar efforts in other states. Teachers...more
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Washington State's pioneer life database includes lots of archival photos presented in a searchable format that's light-years ahead of many similar efforts in other states. Teachers and students will likely find the sections on early Alaska, the Klondike, and the Yukon of particular interest. There's great term-paper fodder in this one!
In the Classroom
Use this site to search for primary sources during a unit on the Gold Rush that brought so many people to the Alaskan frontier. Primary sources could be used to teach both the content and historical thinking skills in your classroom. Divide students into 5-6 groups, with each group assigned a different primary source to read and evaluate. (Sources should come from various perspectives to make the game more interesting) Have the groups present quick summaries of their source to the class, making sure to mention who the author is and whether or not there could be bias. After all have presented, have each team pick a representative to argue in front of the class as to why their source is the most reliable and valid. After all have made their argument, have the class vote off the least reliable "survivor style" until you are left with just one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Changing the Face of Medicine - NIH
Grades
6 to 12
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Here's a site that documents the achievements of female physicians while also providing lesson plans and information that will show students (at all levels) how physicians do their...more
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Here's a site that documents the achievements of female physicians while also providing lesson plans and information that will show students (at all levels) how physicians do their work. The biographies of women physicians - some dating back into the 19th century - are probably the strongest section of this site, but the lesson plans are also well worth a look. This site could be used in history, career planning, science, or women's history studies. The activities come in text or Flash, and all the other information is definately worth your time.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans offered in this site! There is also a recommended book list which could be a great addition to a classroom reading list, or as a list students can choose from for a book report. This is an excellent site for any study of women in the workplace and the evolution of the medical field.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Travels in America - Library of Congress
Grades
9 to 12
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Observations of foreigners (especially Alexis de Tocqueville) have long been a staple of secondary American history classes. This Library of Congress resource offers a searchable collection...more
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Observations of foreigners (especially Alexis de Tocqueville) have long been a staple of secondary American history classes. This Library of Congress resource offers a searchable collection of reflections by other authors, including Hector St. John de Crevecoeur and Charles Dickens. While their observations are not always flattering, these writings can be a great way to get students to "think outside the box" when discussing American institutions.
tag(s): dickens (8), history day (40), states (122)
In the Classroom
Use the primary sources in this site in a "survivor" activity that not only teaches the content but teaches students how to analyze primary sources, too. Separate students into groups and assign each group a different primary source to analyze and interpret with the intentions of presenting their findings to the class. Enhance learning by having students use Genially, reviewed here, to choose their type of multimedia for their presentation. With Genially students can insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more. After presentations, have a representative from each group go to the front of the class and present an argument why their source is the most reliable and why it presents the clearest picture of the early US government. Use Dotstorming, reviewed here; with Dotstorming students are allowed to vote and make comments. Have the class vote off the least reliable primary source in rounds until there is just the one left! Students will leave the class understanding the content AND how to analyze sources for future reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Churchill - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
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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 ...more
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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.
tag(s): churchill (7), middle east (43), world war 2 (149)
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).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Historic Wings - Feature Stories
Grades
6 to 12
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If you'd like to incorporate elements of the history of aviation into a unit on science or history, this site's nice collection of features on significant aviation history events could...more
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If you'd like to incorporate elements of the history of aviation into a unit on science or history, this site's nice collection of features on significant aviation history events could be useful. There's a nice selection of items that spread over the years from the 1920s through the present. There could be more depth, but the essential information is presented well.
tag(s): air (106), aircraft (16), aviation (38), explorers (64)
In the Classroom
Each of the individual web explorations could easily be used to introduce separate units within a history class. When applicable, select the exploration you would like students to work on and save it as a favorite on classroom computers. Have students go through the information and make a quick and small poster to show what they have learned. We recommend an online poster creator such as Padlet, reviewed here. The site offers information commonly left out of textbooks, but still relevant enough to apply to the Standards of Learning. They definitely make for interesting activators or introductions to units.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Charles Lindbergh
Grades
8 to 12
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Fans of the famous pilot will find this site has almost anything ever recorded about the aviator and his journeys. There is also information on several efforts to recreate the ...more
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Fans of the famous pilot will find this site has almost anything ever recorded about the aviator and his journeys. There is also information on several efforts to recreate the Ryan aircraft that Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic to Paris. Try this site as an add-in to a unit on the 1920s, an examination of the history of flight, or a unit on famous explorers or Americans.
In the Classroom
Open this site on the interactive whiteboard or projector and use it to introduce a lesson on the history of flight. Play the video clips for students before or after a lecture, depending on whether or not you want to preview or re-enforce the information. You will need RealPlayer or Microsoft Media Player to view the video clips.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Korea - Unfinished War - American Radioworks
Grades
9 to 12
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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...more
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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.
tag(s): africa (137), african american (110), korea (19), racism (76)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fission - Moments of Discovery - American Institute of Physics
Grades
9 to 12
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Pretty it isn't, but this site about the serendipity surrounding the discovery of nuclear fission (and many other scientific achievements) emphasizes how a combination of knowledge,...more
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Pretty it isn't, but this site about the serendipity surrounding the discovery of nuclear fission (and many other scientific achievements) emphasizes how a combination of knowledge, research, and happy coincidence contributes to many scientific advances. It's a great point of view for physics and science students to see.
tag(s): energy (130), nuclear energy (19)
In the Classroom
Use the audio files on this site to introduce one of the corresponding topics in a science class over the interactive whiteboard. There are also teacher guides that provide a few simple ideas as to how to work these files into your classroom. This could be a great way to show a case study in your classroom, providing something tangible for students to listen to, supplementing their normal text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Blues - PBS
Grades
6 to 12
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The PBS series on "The Blues" combines history and musicology in a reverential treatment of this uniquely American musical form. The site includes biographies, some good analysis of...more
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The PBS series on "The Blues" combines history and musicology in a reverential treatment of this uniquely American musical form. The site includes biographies, some good analysis of the musical theory and compositional form behind the blues, and samples of blues songs that are in the public domain. While you probably cannot make an entire unit out of this one, it would be a neat addition to a unit on African American culture, American music, or the history of the twentieth century.Though the video clips and music require Flash, there is a lot of information to learn from this site, and it has links to other sites about the blues.
tag(s): africa (137), african american (110), blues (22), harlem (8), jazz (17)
In the Classroom
A true American art form, "the Blues," makes a great interdisciplinary study, and this site's lesson plans provide a well-researched foundation for that study. Our only regret is that sites on this subject so rarely include sound files for the music they're describing. You and your students could explore the Blues music offered at Perfect Blues: 1920s, 30s and 40s Vintage Blues; Duke Ellington; Leadbelly, reviewed here. There are still the biographies and resources list available on this PBS site. Enhance student learning by having students select a blues musician to complete a brief biography on, using the list provided on this site as a starting point. There is plenty of information, and students with little inspiration are sure to find someone of interest here. Enhance learning by having students share what they learn using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, an easy to use free tool for creating infographics using pre-designed templates or by starting from scratch.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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