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return to subject listingUnited States Senate Floor Proceedings - United States Senate
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (64), debate (42), politics (116), senate (10)
In the Classroom
Save this link as a favorite when teaching lessons on government and the legislative branch. Use Figjam, reviewed here for students to share observations by adding sticky notes with their thoughts during the viewing session. Use a widget in Figjam to create a poll and ask students how they would vote on a specific issue discussed during their viewing session. Extend learning by setting up a classroom debate or mock session on a similar or current topic. Ask students to role-play as senators, then draft and debate their mini-bills while using this lesson as an opportunity to teach students how to debate respectfully. When prepared, have students create a podcast to share their points of view individually or as a podcast of the class debate. Free podcast creation tools include Buzzsprout, reviewed here and Spotify for PodCastors, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Pedagog.ai - Priten Shaw
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): artificial intelligence (148), computers (110), creative writing (123), critical thinking (118), digital literacy (3), editing (92), images (260), media literacy (107), persuasive writing (58), politics (116), population (50), readers theater (11), shakespeare (96), vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (91)
In the Classroom
Include Pedagog.ai as part of your resources for using AI effectively to promote engagement and increase student understanding of classroom lessons. Use the suggested prompts to find ideas for creative activities and assessments, then modify the prompt to fit the needs of your classroom and students. Use the prompts within chat tools such as ChatGPT, reviewed here and Claude, reviewed here and continue asking questions and adding suggestions for making changes until you generate information that fits your needs. Use an organizational tool like Wakelet, reviewed here to save and share your favorite prompts. For example, create a collection of prompts for each subject or class you teach or work with peers to create prompt collections for assessments, lesson ideas, and incorporating teaching strategies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching About Veterans Day - Educators 4 Social Change
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): veterans (29), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
After learning about Veterans Day, students can write letters of appreciation to veterans. Students can interview veterans in their community (with permission) and create an oral history project. They can compile these interviews into a class book or presentation, allowing them to learn directly from veterans' experiences using a free resource such as Book Creator reviewed here. Students can create posters or artwork that reflect the themes of Veterans Day, such as freedom, sacrifice, or patriotism. These can be displayed around the school or at a local event honoring veterans.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pearl Harbor Day - PBS Learning
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): pearl harbor (14), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Have students research other states and how they were impacted by World War II. They can also interview other World War II veterans to compare and contrast their experiences in the war. The site also offers some discussion questions and activities, divided into grades 6-8 and 9-12.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Pearl Harbor | Teaching with Primary Sources - PBS
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): pearl harbor (14), presidents (133), primary sources (119), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
The site offers a few basic questions for students to answer. Students can find other primary sources to compare and contrast to the ones on the website. Finally, students can interview World War II veterans either in person or virtually.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Speeches That Defined A Presidency - C-SPAN
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): presidents (133), speeches (21)
In the Classroom
Under Procedures and Set Up, there is a link to a Handout Google Slide presentation called Choice Board that has questions including evidence of the speech's power, significance, what the president is asking people to do, and the tone/charisma of the president. After listening to all the speeches, students can answer the question, "Having now listened to and read a famous historical presidential speech, describe how a speech can define a presidency." Students can share their replies on a class Padlet (virtual bulletin board) reviewed here. Finally, students can create a flipped classroom, sharing the speeches and then debating which is the most significant.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Institute for Curriculum Services (ICS) - The Institute for Curriculum Services
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): arab (12), bias (27), environment (245), immigration (68), israel (14), jews (29), maps (207), religions (85)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of this site's many offerings to find lessons and support materials for teaching about antisemitism, the Middle East, and Ancient Israel. For example, maps can be shared with students to provide the context of the changing regional boundaries in the Mideast over time and ask them to research events that led to changing boundaries. Engage students while sharing maps and documents by using Annotate, reviewed here to create flipped lessons. While using Annotate, create clips with video explanations and add assessments to your documents. Extend learning by asking groups of students to choose a topic or specific region to actively explore the events and problems and how they relate to modern-day difficulties in the region as a project-based learning activity. Find more information and resources for project-based learning at TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Project-Based Learning, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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DocsTeach American Indians Primary Resources - National Archives
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): cultures (145), native americans (95)
In the Classroom
After exploring primary documents about U.S. policies towards Native Americans, organize a classroom debate on key issues like land treaties, the Indian Removal Act, or the reservation system. Students can be assigned roles representing different perspectives, such as Native American leaders, U.S. government officials, or settlers, allowing them to deepen their understanding of the issues involved. Create stations with different primary sources, such as treaties, photographs, or government policies related to Native Americans. Students rotate between stations, analyzing each document and responding to prompts. Have students use primary sources to create an interactive timeline of significant events in Native American history, such as the Trail of Tears, the establishment of reservations, or key legal decisions using a resource such as Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Living Nation, Living Words: A Guide for Educators - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): cultures (145), native americans (95), poetry (192)
In the Classroom
Have students create visual art pieces that represent the themes or imagery from selected poems. Assign students to research the cultural background and history of a specific Native American tribe represented in the poetry collection. Students select a poem from the Living Nations, Living Words collection and conduct a close reading. They analyze the poem's themes, imagery, and cultural significance. Following their analysis, students create their own poem inspired by the original work, incorporating similar themes or cultural references.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Magic Sash - National Park Service
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): constitution (92), elections (82), podcasts (104), slavery (78), underground railroad (15), womens suffrage (48)
In the Classroom
Include this podcast as part of lessons about women's rights, the Constitution, and the early 20th century in the United States. Have students listen to the podcast as part of station rotation activities or as a flipped learning activity. Discover resources to include with station rotations by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: 3 Cool Tools for Station Rotations, reviewed here and learn more about flipped learning at the archive of OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Flipped and Blended Learning, reviewed here. The Magic Sash podcast is also available on YouTube; take advantage of this format to use an AI tool such as Diffit, reviewed here to generate free student activities such as quizzes and Frayer models using each video's URL.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Short History Of... - Paul McGann and John Hopkins
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): africa (142), american revolution (82), artists (83), authors (105), churchill (8), colonial america (94), colonization (21), d day (11), dickens (9), dinosaurs (41), disasters (37), diseases (69), england (51), explorers (66), great depression (30), greece (28), india (25), industrial revolution (22), korea (20), lincoln (65), listening (93), martin luther king (45), native americans (95), olympics (41), pearl harbor (14), podcasts (104), presidents (133), pyramids (18), renaissance (38), rome (23), roosevelt (15), rosa parks (9), russia (35), shakespeare (96), st patricks day (12), underground railroad (15), vietnam (38), westward expansion (39), womens suffrage (48), world war 2 (161), wright brothers (16)
In the Classroom
Add this podcast to supplement your current list of history resources. Organize and share resources with students using Wakelet, reviewed here or Padlet, reviewed here. Wakelet and Padlet offer tools that make it easy for students to collaborate and share information. Enhance learning by sharing a podcast as an introduction to a new unit and asking students to discuss what they learn. Consider using Project Zero's Thinking Routine Toolbox, Padlet, reviewed here to encourage student understanding and develop critical thinking skills. For example, the Step-in, Step-out, And step-back routine can help students view people and events from different perspectives. Extend student learning by asking them to develop a script and share a podcast as a final assessment of your unit using a free tool such as Buzzsprout, reviewed here or Spotify for Podcastors, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Best of Our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Resources - Learning for Justice
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): civil rights (201), martin luther king (45)
In the Classroom
Students could identify a modern injustice, draw parallels to Dr. King's methods, and propose peaceful solutions. Assign students to analyze and reflect on Dr. King's speeches and letters to understand his rhetoric and goals.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachRock - Rock and Roll Forever Foundation
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artists (83), cross cultural understanding (167), dance (28), empathy (32), jazz (17), musical instruments (49), social and emotional learning (96), sociology (24), STEM (282)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free lessons to find standards-based lessons and activities for many content areas. Encourage students to find additional examples of connections to history (or another subject) made with pop music and pop culture. Use Padlet, reviewed here to curate and share ideas and resources. Add your own resources to create interactive presentations using NearPod, reviewed here or Pear Deck, reviewed here. Include videos, animations, quizzes, and more as part of your presentation. Extend student learning by asking them to create podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here to tell the story of how music and pop culture influenced different historical events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Museum of the American Latino - Smithsonian
Grades
K to 12tag(s): art history (89), cultures (145), hispanic (32), virtual field trips (100)
In the Classroom
Using the Smithsonian Latino Center's digital collections, have students choose a cultural artifact. Examples could be a piece of art, clothing, or an important document. Have students explore the virtual exhibits and collections from the Smithsonian Latino Center. Afterward, they can create a digital or physical gallery walk, selecting their favorite pieces or artifacts and writing brief descriptions. Host a classroom or school-wide event where students explore various aspects of Latino culture, from music and dance to food and traditions. Students can collaborate to create a short performance or video that encapsulates what they've learned or invite local Latino artists or community members to share their experiences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Eras of Presidential Speeches - C-Span Classroom
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1800s (75), 1900s (73), 20th century (62), d day (11), kennedy (20), presidents (133), roosevelt (15), speeches (21)
In the Classroom
Include this lesson and videos as part of many activities and content topics. For example, use this information in speech classes to model and share different techniques that make speeches memorable or include lessons during social studies activities on various eras of American History to represent and learn about changes in history over several eras. The choice board is provided in Google Slides, reviewed here, copy and adjust the choice board activities to fit the different needs of your students by changing the questions and adding additional videos or informational links. Learn more about using choice boards by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire: Choice Boards for Differentiation Pt 1, reviewed here. Extend learning by asking students to participate in project-based learning activities using this information as a starting point. Use MagicSchool's PBL Generator, reviewed here to create a full project plan by uploading a copy of the Google Slides in this lesson.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mount Rushmore National Memorial - Cyark
Grades
K to 12tag(s): jefferson (19), landmarks (20), lincoln (65), photography (118), roosevelt (15), virtual field trips (100), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Add this site to your current resources for teaching about national landmarks or enhance learning by integrating the lessons into math, science, and visual arts as real-world models of your teaching topics. Include individual resources from this site, such as the 3D explorer on a Padlet, reviewed here to share with students. Take advantage of one of Padlet's "recipes" to automatically generate a video playlist, KWL chart, or choice board that encourages students to visit and learn about Mount Rushmore virtually. Extend student learning by asking them to show what they know using Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here to create infographics, flyers, or travel brochures using information learned from their virtual visits.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lesson Plan: Tournament of Presidents - C-Span Classroom
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): debate (42), elections (82), presidents (133)
In the Classroom
Engage students in learning about presidents and their contributions to history by participating in this lesson, encouraging them to think critically and participate in collaborative activities. Incorporate the project-based learning suggestion as an introduction to this activity; learn more about project-based learning by visiting the TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Project-Based Learning, reviewed here. If students are new to debate, visit GenAI Chatbot Prompt Library for Educators, reviewed here and use the search bar to find prompts to generate questions to help students learn how to debate successfully.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Famous Presidential Speeches - University of Virginia Miller Center
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): franklin (12), lincoln (65), presidents (133), speeches (21), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Use this site to learn more about United States presidents and their important speeches and compare the topics of speeches to critical historical events. Engage students in learning using Humy, reviewed here to find or create interactive chatbots with presidents. Ask students to participate in conversations with "presidents" and ask about the motivation for the speech, why it was necessary during its time, and how the "president" feels that US citizens received it. Extend student learning by asking them to write a speech they would give as president and share their ideas using Canva Docs, reviewed here. Include videos, images, infographics, and more in Canva Docs to create engaging and interactive documents.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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2023 Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide - US Department of Veterans Affairs
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): holidays (179), veterans (29), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Have students conduct Veteran interviews. They can use the information found in the guide to create interview questions. Use a timeline tool like Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here to create interactive timelines of major U.S. wars. Students can research recipients of the Medal of Honor and create multimedia presentations using Google Slides. This activity engages students in exploring military history, enhances their presentation skills, and extends their knowledge of national heroes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Black American History - Crash Course
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): black history (131), great depression (30), harlem (9), martin luther king (45), slavery (78), underground railroad (15)
In the Classroom
Assign students to research and present on influential Americans featured in the series, focusing on their contributions to history. Ask students to create a multimedia final project using Genially, reviewed here to create interactive images and presentations. Have students create a timeline of key events in Black American history, noting social, political, and cultural impacts. Use primary source documents from the Civil Rights Movement and other periods for students to analyze and discuss.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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