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Teaching Florida - Florida Humanities Council
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): explorers (65), florida (11), maps (298), native americans (78)
In the Classroom
Integrate fiction and nonfiction sources into your studies of explorers, Native Americans, or Spanish influences. Compare and contrast the differences between primary and secondary sources. Integrate units of English Language Arts Common core standards and Social Studies standards.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Zeemaps - Zee Source
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): directions (19), map skills (84), maps (298)
In the Classroom
If you teach geography, this one is a must. It is also helpful for showing students WHERE a story or news event takes place. Teach map skills by letting students explore and annotate their own community. This site is great on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Create multiple markers for various points within your community. Annotate the markers with specific information that students research. Remember to create an admin password (and save it somewhere safe!) for others to collaborate on the map. Research various places around the world, and create markers of must-see places, historical finds, and other locations of interest. Create a map of news hot spots around the world. In Biology, find places where environmental or biodiversity concerns are occurring. Collaborate on a map to include annotated information of student research about these problems. Create a map to introduce various cultures around the world. Enter video, audio, information, and links that students can use to "uncover" the content to be learned.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Old Pictures - old-picture.com
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1800s (48), 1900s (36), 1910s (8), 1930s (13), 1940s (12), agriculture (60), civil war (144), flight (31), great depression (27), images (278), immigrants (22), immigration (60), lincoln (84), native americans (78), photography (156), slavery (67), states (165)
In the Classroom
This site is ideal for an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have the students open the site and use the whiteboard tools to view and discuss photographs. Take your students on a trip back in time through these photographs. After sharing a portrait of an era or a defining moment, have students create their own projects to explain it in their own creative way. For example, they could do a project about life during the Civil War. Use urls for these images in projects that can "pull" images by url. (Right click to get the image url.) Alternatively, find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Compfight, reviewed here. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Have students create maps using Animaps, reviewed here. Students can add text, images, and location stops! Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook after researching people and events found on Old Pictures. Include this site on your class web page for students and parents to access as a reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The National Archives Activities and Games - The British National Archives
Grades
1 to 12Download lessons, Resource Packs, and Podcasts. Be sure to check out the extensive section for students including games, study skill tips and advice, and information on using primary sources. Learn about important people, government officials, and heroes of the past and present such as Charles Dickens and Florence Nightingale. Explore and research famous events/times such as American Civil Rights Movement or Life During War Times. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from American English.
tag(s): dickens (11), great britain (20), heroes (24), industrial revolution (26), medieval (27), victorian (21), world war 1 (55), world war 2 (142)
In the Classroom
Keep this site in mind as an easy place to find games and lessons related to British history (and even some world history topics). Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Present the same time period, such as World War II, from a British and American point of view using this site and similar primary source images from U.S. collections like this one or this one. Have students create timelines (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 British resident during any time periods involved with these activities. Take advantage of the ready to go lesson plans, interactives, podcasts, and videos. Literature teachers will also want to explore and share the information about British authors.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Authentic History Center - Michael Barnes
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1600s (14), 1700s (29), 1800s (48), 1900s (36), 20th century (50), civil war (144), cold war (30), great depression (27), photography (156), vietnam (34), world war 1 (55), world war 2 (142)
In the Classroom
The Authentic History Center is excellent for making history real. Share this information on your projector or interactive whiteboard (or speakers) during lessons on any time period of US History. Play Bing Crosby singing "God Bless America" to help students feel the pre-WWII era or nationalism. Make the Angry era of McCarthyism real by letting student explore the collection. Include this entire collection on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class. Use the sources for students to experience a multi-sensory tour of any era in U.S. history and create their own project about it incorporating the artifacts (with proper credit) and their own explanations. They could create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here or Venngage reviewed here. Have students create online posters about an era individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard reviewed here or PicLits reviewed here. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles reviewed here. If you participate in National History Day, this site is an outstanding start point. If you are the advisor for your high school play, bookmark this site as a great source for authentic era images and sounds. Need background music for a play (or video) set during WWII? Here it is!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Polar Bears International - Polar Bears International
Grades
3 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (322), biomes (138), conservation (128), ecosystems (93), polar (19), tundra (20)
In the Classroom
National Polar Bear Day is February 27th, but every day should be polar bear day to learn how our lives affect a majestic creature far away from our communities. Use one of the many lesson plans to learn about the polar bear and their movements (look at the lesson plans that use the Tracker Map). Plan a polar bear day in all subjects! Science class can learn about the polar bear, Math/Geography can use the tracker to determine patterns and distances of movement, English classes can write stories and poems, and Art classes can create polar inspired artwork! What a perfect "snowy" activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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This Day in History Game - Shockwave
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): logic (248), problem solving (294), trivia (19)
In the Classroom
This is a challenging activity to sneak in some problem solving and logic lessons! Use the "This Day in History Game" as a fun class warmup activity on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Challenge students to problem solve dates of events with as much accuracy as possible. Choose items of interest for students to research. Then have students upload a photo they have taken and add voice bubbles to explain what they learned using a tool such as Superlame, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Next Exit History - Historical Research Associates, Inc.
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): cultures (109), DAT device agnostic tool (179), maps (298), primary sources (93), virtual field trips (55)
In the Classroom
Use Next Exit History for either primary or secondary information on any location for social studies, history, or even literature study. Use this tool as an example for a multimedia presentation or map drawing of state history or study about any geographic location. After reading The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty Birney, discover the wonders of your school, community, or state. Plan culminating projects where students create their own Google Earth Map (reviewed here). Create placemarker guides to your community using Next Exit History as an example. Be sure to share this link on your class website for instant reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TPS-Barat Primary Source Nexus - Barat Education Foundation
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): advertising (33), black history (56), cross cultural understanding (123), history day (24), immigration (60), journalism (54), lincoln (84), martin luther king (36), poetry (219), presidents (123), primary sources (93), professional development (164), roosevelt (14), slavery (67), writing prompts (93)
In the Classroom
Take a look at the free professional development for using primary sources for teachers. In the Archives for Connecting to the Common Core, there are writing prompts for K-5 plus a link to the triangle activity. Download and use the PDF for the Thinking Triangle. Have older students research an interest and report to the class using a tool like Zoho Show (similar to PowerPoint, but easier and free) reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Civil War Daily Gazette - Eric Wittenburg
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): civil war (144), gettysburg (26), gettysburg address (18), lincoln (84), slavery (67)
In the Classroom
Use the Civil War Daily Gazette in conjunction with your Civil War lessons. Find some great informational literature! Search the blog for an overview of events on any particular day. Have students create maps of Civil War events using Animaps (reviewed here). Students can add text, images, and location stops! Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles (reviewed here). Be sure to create a link to the Daily Gazette on your class website or blog for students to view at home. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a soldier, slave, farmer, or any other person living during Civil War times. Subscribe to the blog using your RSS feed reader or "like" on Facebook to follow along. For more Civil War connections, be sure to explore Gettysburg by the NumbersAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Build with Chrome - Google Chrome and LEGO
Grades
K to 12tag(s): architecture (84), creative writing (165), creativity (118), engineering (129), geometric shapes (173), structures (23), tessellations (6)
In the Classroom
Allow your students to explore a virtual LEGO playground without having to keep the plastic bins organized! Create a whole class account if your students do not have their own emails or use the Gmail sub account trick explained here. Challenge them to see how large a building they can build with only a limited number of bricks. Have your students build two dimensional tessellations or something that represents a geometric shape. Teach basic math concepts such as volume or multiplication by counting brick units. Your students can select a place in the world to build and research the architectural designs associated with that location. Challenge your students to build a design to fit that geographic environment. Encourage your students to locate and research different historical monuments or buildings around the world and recreate them using the virtual LEGO bricks. Have your students research the ecology and climate of where they are building. Your students can construct creations for humans or animals that live in that ecosystem. Integrate writing with your students Build with Chrome creations. Have them write descriptions and explanations of their designs. Your students can also write stories about events that may have occurred at the building they created. Assign your students different regions around the world and challenge them to build a cultural center for the area. Use the Google Maps interface to travel around the world as students use Swipe, reviewed here, to present information of their Build with Chrome building and the culture. Create your own town with the buildings created by your students. Create a newspaper for your town using a site such as Zinepal, reviewed here. Click to "Start with a blank e-Book." This is a great tool for cross-grade activities in a gifted program or sharing among students in several schools.Comments
This is a great idea. My school has a lego club and this would be great for the students.Lorraine, VA, Grades: 1 - 3
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Nature Soundmap - Wild Ambience
Grades
K to 12tag(s): animals (322), biomes (138), cultures (109), environment (325), habitats (106), plants (174), sounds (69)
In the Classroom
Use this resource when discussing various animal units or a unit on behavior. When discussing a country or culture in history, consider playing various soundscapes to identify with the culture. Be sure to provide this link for students when reporting on a culture in front of the class. Students can play the soundscapes while presenting information on the culture (turn up your speakers!). Compare different types of animals around the world. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare two different types of animals. Students can brainstorm similarities and differences and follow this activity with research into the various species. In lower grades, play soundscapes during classroom read-alouds about the animals or places in the recording. Make the Soundscapes site a listening/writing center in your elementary science classroom and ask your young scientists to describe what they hear as they learn about making observations as scientists.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Image Atlas - Taryn Simon and Aaron Swartz
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): cross cultural understanding (123), images (278), photography (156)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to compare images that portray words you have searched and hypothesize about cultural differences. GO beyond the images to compare the articles that contain the images. This tool would be especially relevant in social studies, health, and other subjects where a difference in meaning across the world can be discussed. This tool may be useful if doing reports on countries. If you are allowing older students to search on their own, be sure to set firm guidelines/rules ahead of time! As with ANY image search, it all depends on the terms you enter!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Machu Picchu Virtual Tour - Machu Picchu Virtual Tours
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): architecture (84), explorers (65), peru (7), south america (40), virtual field trips (55)
In the Classroom
Include this Machu Picchu Virtual Tour with your study of South America, Incas, or early explorers. Take a virtual field trip to this historic site from the comfort of your classroom. Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about one of the earlier settlers of Machu Picchu.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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100Reporters - 100 Reporters
Grades
8 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): media literacy (65), persuasive writing (57)
In the Classroom
In discussions of current events, find great news articles that get to the heart of the story. Compare them with other news outlets to discuss how money and the viewpoints of business owners can cloud the actual reporting. Be sure to discuss how to find parent websites by investigating the shortened address (url) of sites as well as the advertisements found on pages. Compare and contrast news stories found on a variety of news pages. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare two news stories. In world language or world cultures classes, discover what the "hot topics" are by looking at news stories from the region being studied. In writing classes, use these articles compared with those on the same topic from other sources for students to collect supporting evidence to use in essay writing.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cacheopedia - Cacheopedia
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Incorporate geocaching into geography, math, science, history, English, and physical education curricula. Develop understanding of latitude, longitude, and basic geography. Create lessons (or even better, have students do the creating) to learn about the area in which your students live. Encourage students to focus on places they have not been and include local history. Design a scavenger hunt around the school to move students through various caches and information they should gather or items they should see. Have a resource others would like to see? Read the Contribute section of Cacheopedia to write and submit information that others may find useful. Your students could, for example, create a geocache with a token about local history or biological species and help others learn from them! You might even make the "cached" item a QR code that directs to a wiki page your students create telling all about the local historic site or species found at the cache location. Learn more about QR Codes in this archived OK2Ask recording.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ellis Island - PBS/Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): ellis island (9), immigrants (22), immigration (60), new york (27)
In the Classroom
Consider using this site as an introduction to a unit on immigration. Before showing the text, have students discuss what they think is happening in the different rooms, ask about clothing, and what they think the people are feeling. Share this site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. You might want to use the Interactive Tour of Ellis Island, reviewed here, in conjunction with these photos and annotations. Write a blog entry from the perspective of an immigrant.If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Presidential Classroom - Miller Center, University of Virgina
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): jefferson (20), kennedy (25), lincoln (84), presidents (123), space (221), vietnam (34), washington (29), white house (15)
In the Classroom
If your students do Presidential biographies or projects, this is a perfect site to share. Have students explore the exhibits while doing research on presidents and historical events. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The China Game - Asia Society
Grades
1 to 8tag(s): china (63)
In the Classroom
The China Game would make a great addition to classroom centers as part of your Chinese New Year celebration or study of countries and cultures. Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If individual computers are available, have pairs of students explore on their own. Have students create an annotated image of China including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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If All The Ice Melted - National Geographic
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): climate change (70), continents (51)
In the Classroom
Compare different continents and brainstorm why some continents lose more land than others. Predict the areas that will be the hardest hit socially, politically, and economically. Research the population of these coastal areas to fully realize the enormity of the problem. Discuss the time frame needed to see these changes and begin looking for information that shows land loss is already occurring. (Note: There is research of land loss and reclamation efforts in Scandinavia and in Virginia.) How will this alter ecosystems and how humans depend upon the living things around them? Challenge cooperative learning groups to create simple infographic sharing their findings or predictions using Easel.ly, reviewed here or Venngage reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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