Young Ben Franklin is a ten-episode podcast that introduces listeners to 13-year-old Ben Franklin as a spirited young boy living in colonial Boston. Ben and his friends solve mysteries and conduct investigations in each episode as he develops his leadership skills. Visit the section for educators to find a listening guide, explore and choice boards, and video explanations of how to use the accompanying materials in any classroom. Also included is a PDF document that shares the correlation of the materials to reading, speaking, listening, and writing standards.

tag(s): colonial america (95), constitution (99), declaration of independence (16), franklin (12), inventors and inventions (81), podcasts (116)

Imagine conversing with George Washington, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Edison, or any other historical character. Character.AI provides the tools to engage in fictional chats with any character or group of characters, real or made-up. Search for the name of a character, and a chat window opens with a conversation starter. Use the arrows in each character response to view additional options. Registration isn't required to create conversations but is necessary to save conversations.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (187), chat (41)

Take a deeper look into the Declaration of Independence and the signers with this unique interactive. The interactive has three main parts: a high-resolution scan of The Declaration of Independence with a full transcription of text, an annotated version of John Trumbull's painting of the signing, and an interactive map plotting the signer's hometowns and giving a mini biography. Use buttons on the site to move between the three portions. Be sure to view the instructions for a complete overview of all of the interactive offers.

tag(s): american revolution (83), declaration of independence (16), franklin (12), jefferson (19)

Founders Online is an archive from the National Archives of over 119,000 fully annotated primary source documents from six of the nation's founding fathers: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. Enter any search term or browse by author, recipient, or time period. Each document includes information such as author, recipient, date, and links to other similar documents if available.

tag(s): american revolution (83), colonial america (95), colonization (21), constitution (99), declaration of independence (16), franklin (12), jefferson (19), primary sources (118), washington (28)

This site shares real immigrants' personal tales of coming to America. It also shares helpful resources for immigrants. Read unique stories about the many immigrants. With a simple click, a box opens to share a story in writing. Writers only need a name (even just a first name), address, and email address (optional) to register. Also included on the site is an NPR interview with the creator of the site, indicating the site is not political, just a vehicle for allowing immigrants to share their concerns and triumphs. Other features of the website include an interesting quote from Benjamin Franklin concerning the public view of immigrants of his time, and many compelling photos of immigrants from all around the world. This site does include some minor advertising.

tag(s): immigration (84), migration (45), writing (325)

Students are ordinarily much more familiar with the signing of the Declaration of Independence than the signing of the Constitution, even though the signing of the Constitution may arguably be the more important event. A painting by Howard Chandler Christy documents the event, and this site provides an interactive look at the characters depicted in the painting. There is also a link to more information about the painting, which is one of the most historically accurate paintings of the founding of our country, despite the fact that it does not actually depict all of the signers. A number of other resource links may be worth pursuing for further information.

tag(s): constitution (99)

The treasury of literary works found on this site provides electronic access many great books of the world. At first glance, it appears to only have advanced level books, such as the extensive collection of Shakespeare, Milton, and Johnson. However, look carefully and you will find Aesop's Fables in Verse and multiple versions of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The works of renowned musicians such as Beethoven and Mozart, scientists such as Darwin and Galileo, and philosophers such as Benjamin Franklin and Isaac Newton are also stacked on the shelves in the Rare Book Room. There are about 400 books that have been digitized. They include vast array of topics and rarity and come from the greatest collections around the world. You may search by category, author, or the library where the original book or manuscript is housed.

tag(s): literature (221)

This website includes information about Benjamin Franklin, lesson ideas for the classroom, field trip ideas for visiting the Franklin Institute and information about the many unique and educational exhibits at the museum. Ben Franklin is one of America's most colorful patriots. His accomplishments as legislator, diplomat, and scientist were recognized as extraordinary even in his own day. Philadelphia's Franklin Institute has a memorial to Franklin. You can include it in your Philadelphia visit, or learn more about it here.

tag(s): colonial america (95), franklin (12), philadelphia (10)

Learn about the colorful life and world of Ben Franklin through this series of eight downloadable lesson plans that explore the statesman's many talents and contributions. Topics include Poor Richard's Almanack, superstition vs. science, volunteerism and citizenship, colonial "broadsides" and almanacs, the art of invention, and more. Aligned to National Standards.
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Houdan's work captured an historic period of revolution and unrest in France and America. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Napoleon are among his subjects. Rotate the sculptures in this virtual museum exhibit to examine details and learn about the artist's techniques. Best suited for use with advanced art students.

tag(s): sculpture (18)