TeachersFirst's John F. Kennedy, Jr. Resources
This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn more about President John F. Kennedy, Jr. and the important events of his presidency, including related projects and classroom activities. Whether you focus on Kennedy for one class or spend an entire unit on U.S. presidents, the ideas included within the "In the Classroom" portion of reviews will launch discussions and meaningful projects for student-centered learning. Find more presidential resources in TeacherFirst's Resources for American Presidents.

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JFK Assassination Timeline - Washington Post
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
This site is ideal for an interactive whiteboard or projector. Open the site and view together as a class during a study of the presidents or elections. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast presidential security for JFK to today's president. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here. Have them create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook from the perspective of John Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, or a Secret Service agent documenting the day's events.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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CurriConnects Book List - 20th Century America, Part 2 (1945-2000) - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): 20th century (49), book lists (126), independent reading (105), kennedy (23), vietnam (32)
In the Classroom
Make the 1950s and beyond come alive during your unit on American History. Have students choose a book from this list and present their impressions from it in the form of a blog post from the times. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Have students interview parents about different times that they learn about. Have students include the interview in the blogs. Collect the links to all the student posts on your class web page for students to browse and gather a "human" experience of history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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JFK American Experience - PBS American Experience
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1960s (29), civil rights (176), kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
The 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy provides an opportunity to refresh students' knowledge of JFK as a man and a President. What important policy innovations can we attribute to his Presidency? How might the remainder of the turbulent decade of the 1960s have been different had he lived? And from a different perspective, while we all want to romanticize the legacy of "Camelot" and the glamour of the Kennedy family, what were his failings? This site provides some rich primary sources to include in a discussion of the Kennedy Presidency, as well as a brief preview of the American Experience film itself. Whether you choose to view the episode with your class or not, you are certain to obtain excellent information at this site.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 (17), kennedy (23), lincoln (59), presidents (116), space (206), vietnam (32), washington (22), 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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Cuban Missile Crisis - Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): 1960s (29), kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site (or save it in your favorites). Use the resources for any unit that includes the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidents, or John F. Kennedy. Watch videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share a link on your class website for students to view at home. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about any of the characters involved with the crisis. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare the point of view of the U.S. vs Cuba or to compare outcomes based on possible decisions made during the crisis.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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John F. Kennedy: Life Portrait Video Lesson Plan - C-Span
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1960s (29), kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
Share on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) as part of any study about John F. Kennedy, the 1960's, or American presidents. Create a link for students to watch at home, then use as part of your classroom discussions. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles (reviewed here) to document the life of John F. Kennedy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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John F Kennedy Curricular Resources - John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Grades
K to 12tag(s): civil rights (176), cold war (25), kennedy (23), presidents (116), vietnam (32)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this resource for use when teaching about John F Kennedy, the presidency, Civil Rights, or the Vietnam War. Share with teachers at other grade levels (k-12) for use with lesson planning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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John F Kennedy Lesson - Sean Banville
Grades
3 to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1960s (29), kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
Although quite simple, these activities are excellent starting points and ideas for use with any John F. Kennedy or presidents unit. Use the homework ideas for in or out of class activities. Transform student learning by challenging them to create online posters individually or together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, exchange pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, challenge your students to replace pen and paper with a blog using Edublog, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The President's Desk - John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): 1960s (29), civil rights (176), kennedy (23), presidents (116), vietnam (32)
In the Classroom
Use the President's Desk as a highly engaging resource for getting to know more about John F. Kennedy's presidency. Show on your interactive whiteboard or projector and include suggested lesson activities to accompany the site. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about John F Kennedy. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here). Be sure to add a link to the site on you class website for students to access on their own or from home. Have your class create a presidential desk for another historic leader, creating their own annotated photo of the desktop using Thinglink, reviewed here, to explain the items on the desk.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald? - PBS - Frontline
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
Students are often fascinated by conspiracy theories, and the mystery of whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone or was part of a larger plot to kill the President represents one of US history's most enduring. Certainly the site will be useful in a discussion of the event itself. However, it can be used more generally as a springboard for discussion of conspiracy theories themselves. See the lesson ideas in the Teachers Guide section. What evidence do we require to decide if something is true or not? Who can be trusted to tell the story of an emotional event? Is "seeing" always "believing"? How can resolve the fact that eyewitnesses do not all have the same recollection of the event? Have your gifted and highly able students do a special project investigating conspiracy theories in history and sharing them as a role play or video for the rest of the class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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50th Anniversary of JFK Assassination - Associated Press
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
This site represents a good "quick access" point for photos related to the JFK assassination. Use them to illustrate a discussion of the event, or consider asking students to analyze the perspective presented in the photos. What is the photo communicating? How have these photos influenced the way we remember this important event? Students might be asked to compare the photographic "evidence" that was part of the investigation of this crime with the resources that are available today when a similar incident occurs. For example, how is this documentation different from that which was used to identify the Boston Marathon bombing suspects? In English class, use the photos as prompts for students to write informational texts about the Kennedy Assassination in journalistic or historic styles. Since there is such fascination with the Kennedy assassination, you could use this as a chance to discuss purpose and audience, writing to spin the same information several ways.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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White House Tapes - The President Calling - American Radio Works
Grades
8 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): kennedy (23), presidents (116), vietnam (32)
In the Classroom
Include the tapes and transcripts as part of any unit involving the 1960's, Vietnam, presidents, and more. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Timeline JS, reviewed here, and include information gathered on the audio tapes. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here), to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about characters involved in the audio tapes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History Labs - A Guided Approach to Historical Inquiry in the K-12 Classroom - UMBC Center for History Education
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): african american (101), american revolution (75), civil rights (176), civil war (128), colonial america (93), colonization (18), great depression (29), iran (9), jefferson (17), kennedy (23), native americans (85), roosevelt (11), slavery (65), washington (22), womens suffrage (36), world war 2 (137)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use with any American History topic as a complete lesson or to offer another angle on current lessons. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Easel.ly, reviewed here or Venngage reviewed here. Before beginning a unit, have students brainstorm or collect ideas on a collaborative bulletin board like Scrumblr, reviewed here (quick start- no membership required!).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History and Politics Out Loud - WyzAnt Tutoring
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): churchill (7), declaration of independence (12), inauguration (6), kennedy (23), martin luther king (40), persuasive writing (55), presidents (116), roosevelt (11)
In the Classroom
Share speeches from this site on your class webpage or blog for students to view at home. Share them with your class using your projector or interactive whiteboard. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a president, famous scientist, or nearly any other real or fictitious person after viewing and listening to speeches on this site. Use the text of speeches to create a word cloud; try WordClouds, reviewed here, to analyze a leader's priorities and emphasis. Use these examples as students prepare their own persuasive (or propaganda) speeches in English or civics classes. Teachers or ELL students can offer speeches with accompanying texts to help build vocabulary and listening skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lessons on American Presidents - Sean Banville
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): jefferson (17), kennedy (23), lincoln (59), presidents (116), reading comprehension (125), washington (22)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource to accompany US presidents units or to supplement current materials used in teaching about the presidents. This is a great tool to use in English/language arts class for nonfiction readings. If you want to remove distracting advertisements, use a tool such as Readability Test Tool, reviewed here. Print activities and biographies about several different presidents to add to your substitute folder. Share this site with ESL/ELL and Special Education teachers as a resource for materials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History Tools - David Voelker
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): american revolution (75), branches of government (57), civil rights (176), civil war (128), colonial america (93), colonization (18), darwin (10), kennedy (23), lincoln (59), poetry (185), religions (69), slavery (65), washington (22), womens suffrage (36)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save for use with American History units. Use online source documents in addition to materials currently used in class. Allow students to explore the online documents; then have students create a "word cloud" of key terms from any document using a site such as Tagul reviewed here. Post the clouds on your bulletin board for visual "review." Use the author's essay rubric and class participation information with your class for assessment and participation guidelines.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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John F. Kennedy Presidential Library - JFK Library
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): history day (38), kennedy (23), presidents (116), vietnam (32)
In the Classroom
All of these topics are of interest to students doing research into 20th century US and international history, and might be particularly useful to students working on in depth projects for National History Day. After researching a specific topic, have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Vevox, Animatron, Renderforest, and Microsoft PowerPoint Online.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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JFK 50 - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): kennedy (23), presidents (116)
In the Classroom
Use this website as your online destination for teaching, researching, and starting a conversation about the primary people, changes, speeches, and events of the John F. Kennedy era. Do not miss the links at the upper left corner of the home page for the Legacy Gallery, Downloads and Resources, and "History Now" which provides an interactive timeline that links today's date to details of what transpired during JFK's presidency. Highlight the ideals articulated fifty years ago to serve as a springboard for today's students to become actively involved in public service by projecting the authentic broadcast reports, videos, newspaper accounts, and other media on your classroom whiteboard or projector. Team up with colleagues in other departments to engage in interdisciplinary learning projects. You may want to have students collaborate to put a new spin on a research report. Challenge them to create a newspaper article about the domestic affairs, foreign policies and diplomacy, the arts, or any of the other extensive topics found on JFK50 by using the Newspaper Clipping Generator. Polish it off by having students create magazine covers that reflect the content of their articles, essays, or reports by using Magazine Cover Maker reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Space Program--John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum - John F Kennedy Library
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
The audio and video clips would be particularly useful on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Otherwise, the site is a good reference tool for students researching JFK or the space program in general.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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20 Facts About the Apollo 11 Moon Landing Mission - John F. Kennedy Library
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Bring your class into the space exploration era on a projector or interactive whiteboard (be sure to turn on speakers!). Include this experience as part of a unit on the 1960s, a science study and comparison of technologies since the 1960s, or as part of a unit about the moon. Allow students to explore and navigate the site on their own, then write a "blog post" as an astronaut or a NASA worker in 1969. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Weebly, reviewed here. Advise students to provide evidence of their learning and observations. "Follow" the mission in real time over a period of several days, letting it run on your classroom computer, and assigning different students to report on the day's events. Explore some of the actual flight data in physics class as a practical application of some of Newton's laws. Use this site as a spark for students to collect oral histories on this and other events of the 1960s, using media resources as prompts to talk with family and friends about their recollections.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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