Teachers
Secondary Resources: Social Studies
This site recognizes the unique
experiences and accomplishments of African Americans through
art, life, history, and politics. Browse by category or search
for a specific person.
This web site is a guide to African-American history and
culture that prominently features online material from both
NPR and PBS. Educational materials include a timeline, links
to lesson plans created for many PBS documentaries, and a
reference room with content from NPR, PBS and
Encyclopedia
Britannica.
Africans in America explores the impact of slavery on Americans
-- white and blue -- from the first English settlement in
1607 to the brink of civil war in 1861.
American Experience has links to the incredible characters
and epic stories that helped form the United States.
Get to know this fascinating and controversial historical
figure at the companion site. Second-guess Grant's battlefield
decisions at Shiloh with an interactive game, and get a kid's-eye
view of 19th century America through stories of Grant's childhood.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE has launched the WE SHALL REMAIN website, demonstrating the full scope of this project on Native American history. Thesite will stream both the "We Shall Remain" series and individual film trailers and a "behind the scenes" look at the production, featuring video interviews with filmmakers, scholars, advisors, and actors. In February 2009 the site will expand to include short films from the ReelNative video project, and interactive explorations of Native sovereignty, language, and enterprise.
Profiles of all 41 of America's chief executives. In addition
to the Web site, the epic documentary series, ten hours in
length, tells the story of the nation from the perspective
of the highest office in the land, and features exclusive
interviews with President Clinton and all the living former
presidents except Ronald Reagan.
America's Story from the Library of Congress wants to
have you fun with history while learning. Using a story-like
format, you are taken back in time and shown things you never
heard or saw before. Examples of content include: what Abraham
Lincoln had in his pockets on the night he was assassinated;
stories about Buffalo Bill Cody and his "Wild West"
show; the heroism of Harriet Tubman; the music of jazz great
Duke Ellington; inventions of Thomas Edison and more.
This site has three main goals: 1) provide an educationally
sound online resource that can be used independently by pupils;
2) provide teachers with an online resource that is user-friendly
and combines suggested classroom activities and online activities
with background support and information; and 3) present information
about ancient India through the use of objects from the British
Museum's collection. Divided into these sections: Geography,
Story of the Buddha, growth of civilization around the Indus
Valley, ancient scripts, how time was kept in ancient India,
and the evolution of the gods and goddesses and the development
of the modern Hindu religion. Don't miss the "Staff Pages"
for a browsable search tool as well as aids for using the
site.
A ten-minute narrated movie, divided into smaller segments,
which depicts the geographic history of the United States
from the beginning of the nation to fifty states. Geographic
elements are interactive, as is the timeline. It will take
sixty seconds to load with a 56K modem. A teachers' guide
(requires Flash 6.) is located at:
http://www.animatedatlas.com/teachersguide.html#growth-class
A special program for kids taped in Richmond, Virginia where
experts evaluate items kids resurfaced. Test your knowledge
with a history game and visit the Children's Museum.
Created by LA Unified School District teacher, the project
is an adaptation of the WebQuest for grades 9-12 English or
Social Studies students. Embark upon an expedition to uncover
the truth about Atlantis. Make judgments as to the validity
of sources on the Internet. Determine what is fact and what
is fiction. Draw conclusions and create a multimedia presentation
to present findings, solving the mystery once and for all…or
will you?
The mission of Historic Jamestowne is to preserve, protect
and promote the original site of the first permanent English
settlement in North America. Two new interactive archaeology
modules give users a taste of how Jamestown Rediscovery archaeologists
do their work. The Artifact Module and the Buildings Module
illustrate the many methods archaeologists employ to identify
and give context to their discoveries. Requires Flash.
Learn more about the people, places and communities that make
Austin, Austin!
Austin Now is a weekly series that examines people, ideas
and issues that define our city. What makes Austin unique?
Expect to see it on Austin Now. Each program will feature
a changing mix of different subject areas ranging from politics
to the arts. Regular program segments will include: science
and technology, politics and the economy, arts and culture,
body and spirit, and society and community.
This landmark exhibition presented by the American Museum
of Natural History celebrates America's romance with baseball
and examines the enduring impact of baseball on American culture.
Ben's Guide provides information and interactive activities
specifically tailored for educators, parents, and K-12 students.
These resources can help teach about our government and how
it works.
Biography of America presents history as a living narrative.
Prominent historians present America's story as something
that must be presented and debated from a variety of perspectives
in order to be truly understood.
Experience the issues explored in the film through different
people's eyes by jumping into their shoes and following their
paths.
C-SPAN in the Classroom is a free service that offers information,
media, and resources to assist educators in their use of our
primary source, public affairs video from C-SPAN television.
The goal of the exhibit is: provide an overview of the Gold
Rush, emphasize the strength of the Library's collection,
and incorporate items that will simultaneously delight, surprise,
and inform.
This exhibition examines the life and career of Winston Spencer
Churchill and emphasizes his lifelong links with the United
States -- the nation he called "the Great Republic."
From Columbia University, Office of Public Affairs, an archive
of brief annotations, video clips, and related links on a
variety of current events. You can use either Real Player
or Quicktime to view the videos. Useful in the high school
classroom as an introduction or explanation on a current event.
Learning about government doesn't have to be boring. Congress
for Kids is set up as an interactive tour and helps students
learn about the foundation of our federal government and how
its actions affect all of us. The site is designed for students
in grades fourth through high school.
CongressLink provides information about the U.S. Congress
-- how it works, its members and leaders, and the public policies
it produces. The site also hosts lesson plans and reference
and historical materials related to congressional topics.
CongressLink is divided into three major sections: Information
Center (daily-updated guide to Congress); Features (historical
info, basic congressional processes); and Classroom Resources
(lesson plans, online historical materials, information to
assists teachers, annotated links). The Dirksen Congressional
Center, a non-profit, nonpartisan research and educational
organization, designed the site as a service for teachers.
Excellent educational resources for middle and high school
classrooms to learn about the Spanish Conquistadors in the
New World, and the legacy of their contact with Native Americans.
There are extensive lesson plans for teachers and in-depth
online content for students. Available in English and Spanish.
Content to Help Teach
About Iraq and Middle East
This resource helps teachers and students look back at the
causes and consequences of the Gulf War, in an effort to
contextualize the current conflict. The teachers guide includes
classroom activities about the role of media in wartime
and the decision to go to war, as well as a timeline of
events.
Nine activities that deal with the roots of terrorism and
the complex evolution of U.S. policy and Islamic fundamentalism.
This feature area describes the family dynamics of Iraq's
ruling class; an overview of Iraq's government and economy;
undercover reporting on Iraq's weapons program; and debates
over U.S. sanctions against Iraq.
AP Digital is a division of The Associated Press, the world's
largest news agency. They produce these short Flash movies,
called Multimedia Features, on a variety of topics both
international and domestic including: Focus on Iraq, Weapons
of War, Opium's Trail, Zimbabwe, Raising the Kursk, Homeland
Security, Oil Addiction, Understanding Islam,Obesity in
America, GPS (global position satellite system), Tornado
Formation, and more.
This section of the Extra news site for teens features articles,
timelines, maps, editorials by students(including an Iraqi
refugee), a lesson plan for educators, and more. This site
is updated weekly with additional content.
Lesson plan with supporting info
Information about events over the past few months leading
up to the present crisis, including lesson plans and a column
written by a teenage Iraqi refugee living in the U.S.
This site offers a variety of resources for teachers and
students to understand the history and culture of many Middle
Eastern nations, including Iraq, as well as the legacy of
20th century U.S. foreign policy decisions for the region.
Global Nomads Group helps connect K-12 educators to prepare
children for the future of cross-cultural collaboration
through "in-country learning" experiences.
"Invasion of Iraq" takes viewers behind the scenes
of the allied invasion on Baghdad. Through interviews with
key commanders and soldiers – U.S., British, and Iraqi
– as well as Iraqi civilians, the documentary offers
a rare battlefield perspective on the war, as told in first-hand
accounts of those who lived it. The website offers interviews,
chronology, analysis, links to further readings, an FAQ,
video excerpts from the TV show, and a teacher guide with
lesson plans.
This site contains information about Annan, the U.N., and
a classroom section with special lesson plans about conflict
resolution, peacekeeping, and human rights. It also points
teachers to the U.N.'s CyberSchoolBus Web site – an
excellent resource for teaching about the role of the UN
and world affairs.
Articles on BioWarfare, Germ Defense, Making Vaccines and
more.
Lots of information including Latest News; New Government;
Humanitarian Needs; During the War; Path to War; History
of Conflict; Country Info, activities and lessons. Information
is broken down into manageable chunks for students and picks
up on some topics not covered by other sources.
Students will explore the consequences of Iraq's use of
chemical and biological warfare on civilians. Students will
also explore the question of whether the U.S. and other
countries should further develop such means for their own
protection.
Examine Saddam Hussein's use of chemical and biological
weapons against Kurdistan, through photo essays, maps, infographics,
lesson plans, and personal narratives.
Discover how high school students designed virtual campaigns
for the Presidency. Educators will find lesson plans and offline
activities that address national history, civics, math, economics
and language arts curriculum standards for grades 9-12.
This Web site was designed and developed to support the teaching
of American History in K-12 schools and colleges and is supported
by the Department of History and the College of Education
at the University of Houston.
This is a nationwide network of young people who know they
can make a difference in their communities and want to take
action to change the world around them.
Step right in to America's most famous house with this companion
site that opens the doors to the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
residence. See the history of the executive mansion unfold,
embark on an interactive tour, meet some famous residents
and guests, access a teacher's guide and more.
There are links to museums, Web sites, archeological digs,
resources and organizations all dedicated to the study of
ancient Egypt.
The Library of Congress commissioned an archive of all digital
materials covering the Election of 2000. A directory organizes
over 907 sites in this collection.
This Web site is about the heritage, history and culture of
our nation's capital. It is a wonderful portal for teachers
and students planning a trip to Washington; for families coming
to the capital region for holidays and vacations; or for armchair
Web surfers looking to learn more about American history.
From Socrates to OJ Simpson, you'll find timelines, photos,
excerpts from the trial, maps and other pertinent materials
for various trials throughout history. You will also find
thought-provoking sections such as Exploring Constitutional
Conflicts.
This unit is designed to introduce secondary students to the
American federal court system. It contains basic information
about the structure of the federal courts, what kind of cases
that federal courts hear, and how to use federal court decisions
in research. After completing this module, students should
be able to: 1) Understand the differences and similarities
between the various types of federal courts; 2) Identify the
levels of the federal court system; and 3) Grasp the basic
principles of legal research.
Numerous sections about the First World War include: How
It Began, Battles, Who's Who, Timeline, On This Day, Vintage
Audio, Photos, first person accounts, and more. Also includes
a search tool.
This powerful public-affairs series and Web site serve as
a valuable resource for teachers and students. Be sure to
check this site often, as various themes are presented linking
our documentary content to classroom learning.
An online geography game that tests your knowledge of world
geography alone or against another online player. Players
try to locate a city on a world map. A fun way to reinforce
geography facts.
Recently, Google Maps added satellite imagery to the site.
After doing any search, click on the "Satellite"
link in the upper right hand corner. Then you can zoom in and out and drag the image
with the mouse to view adjoining areas and even print the
image. It is advertised to cover all of the U.S. and Canada, though imagery
for northern Mexico is in there too. Some sensitive areas, such
as the roof of the White House have been edited out.
Global Connections: Putting World Events in Context, produced
by public broadcasting station WGBH, is a new Web site designed
to provide the background information needed to understand
events occurring in the Middle East. Users can view this site
either through a timeline containing events that span the
past 100 years or by looking at single themes such as economics
or religion. This site was designed particularly for educators
and contains lesson plans, activities, and connecting questions
which pose higher-level inquiries.
Works of art are grouped into four sections. The first introduces
the many cultures that influenced colonial Mexican art. The
next sections focus on art made for the church and for domestic
use. The final section introduces new styles inspired by art
from ancient Greece and Rome and 18th-century France and England.
Resources
for Teachers includes a handbook, standards-based lessons,
games and activities. There is also a Timeline that provides
links to other sources of information.
En
Español.
Homecoming is the story of African-American land loss and
a chronicle of blue farmers from civil war to present.
This interactive, online tutorial develops skill in desinging
instruction that integrates instructional technology. Somewhat
unsettling because homepage opens up with a login screen and
no additional info; however, registration is free. When completed,
the user produces a professional instructional design. Tutorial
is divided into 6 categories. If you get lost, make use of
the "Go to Where I Left Off" button! Takes quite
a bit of time and commitment to complete; but allows you to
login whenever and go back to where you left off. Requires
Flash.
It's My Life invites kids to share their feelings about the
social, emotional, and physical issues that affect them.
Baskets accompanied Indian people throughout their lives.
Babies were carried in baskets, meals were prepared and cooked
in them, worldly goods were stored in them, and people were
buried in them. Today, baskets serve as markers of cultural
pride and inheritance. To help illustrate continuity from
past to present, six weavers chose four baskets from the Smithsonian
collections and paired them with baskets from their own or
other Native basket-makers' contemporary works. These juxtapositions
and the weavers' thoughts on what they tell us, are presented
in "The Weavers' View.
The focus of this Website is to offer students in the 4-8th
grade an opportunity to experience the Johnson Presidency
first hand.
Each lesson plan has been designed for a specific grade or
two, but in the hands of a good teacher, any of these lesson
plans can be adjusted for other grades to use. There is also
a short Powerpoint "Archaeology 101" for teachers
to use. This site complements the earlier interactive modules
designed for Jamestown Rediscovery,
Interactive
Exercises. The lessons themselves are downloadable pdf's
aligned to National Standards.
Story of the American Revolution---two and a half decades
of debate and rebellion, war and peace. It begins in the aftermath
of the French and Indian War and ends with the creation of
the Constitution.
From the nonprofit Shoah Foundation comes "Surviving
Auschwitz: Five Personal Journeys," a new online exhibit
that takes a look at the extraordinary lives of five men and
women who lived through the tragedies of the Holocaust. Organized
around an interactive map of the world that traces the survivors'
paths across five continents, the web site seeks to demonstrate
how the shared experience of the Holocaust affected individuals
from a diverse mix of cultures and backgrounds. Geared toward
students in grades 8-12, the site uses four hours of video
testimony from the Shoah Foundation's archive. In October,
lesson plans and other teaching resources also will be available
for downloading from the web site. "Surviving Auschwitz"
is the third in a series of online exhibits commemorating
the Holocaust and the lives of Holocaust survivors. Other
Holocaust exhibits accessible from the Shoah Foundation web
site include "Voices of the Holocaust: Children Speak"
and "Survivors: Testimonies of the Holocaust."
Logon to this online feature from Archaeology Magazine, the
official publication of the Archaeological Institute of America,
that explores 300 years of an American farm in Brooklyn, New
York.
Find nearly any place on Earth, and view it by population,
climate, and much more. Plus, browse antique maps and find
country facts. Also includes Country Profiles (191independent
nations plus U.S. states and Canadian Provinces). Use the
"Search and Browse" button to get a site map.
This version of KidsClick! is organized by Dewey Decimal Number.
There are multiple
search
tools including a page with dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Created by the Learning Technology Center at the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education (with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities), the Presidential Timeline of the 20th Century provides a single point of access to an ever-growing selection of digitized assets from the collections of the 12 Presidential Libraries of the National Archives. Among these assets, you’ll find documents, photographs, audio recordings, and video relating to events in the presidents’ lives, and a multimedia exhibit featuring the key challenges and decisions each faced--including the stock market crash, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, Little Rock school integration, Gulf of Tonkin, Berlin Wall, and more. A special section for educators suggests activities that incorporate the site’s various resources; for example, a webquest on the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution asks students to research the topic and answer the question, "As an editor of one of the most important and influential newspapers in the country, would you have supported the decision?"
Want to see the Sphinx close up? Clamber inside the Great
Pyramid? Visit the magnificent tombs and temples of Luxor?
Simply click on the images and enjoy a self-guided QuickTime
tour through the Land of the Pharohs. There's so much here,
it's easy to get lost. Use the Site Guide to see the list
of everything available. Classroom resources <
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/classroom.html>
section helps you customize your own lesson plans, check out
their lesson plans, or get started with ideas to energize
your students.
This site is full of great resources: Find Maps, Facts,
and Photos; Take the GeoBee Challenge; Lesson Plans and the
Top Ten Online Tools for School plus much more.
The New Americans is an online adventure targeted to grades
7-12, and tied to an upcoming documentary mini-series exploring
the immigrant experience through the personal stories of a
number of individuals. This online learning adventure engages
users in the immigrant experience in a way that builds empathy
and understanding for the subjects of the documentary.
What separates NewsHour Extra from other news sites, and the
reason why teens will find it useful, is the premium it places
on context. Ongoing news topics, like the war in Iraq and
the United States’ standoff with North Korea, are given
their own special sections. These sections break down complex
issues by providing relevant historical timelines, maps and
other interactive features, so they give you a well-rounded
view of the situation.
Experience the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B.
Anthony-at home or in the classroom. Track key events in the
suffrage movement, delve into historic documents and essays,
and take a look at where women are today.
This site aims to bring the in-depth coverage of the NewsHour with Jim
Lehrer into the classroom. Every Thursday you will find a
new "Top Story" that makes connections between world
events and the lives of teenagers. There will also be a new
"Buzz" written by a teen.
To help voters make sense of the candidates' stands on the
issues, ONLINE NEWSHOUR offers an intereactive quiz that presents
each candidate's response to questions in 14 major policy
areas, without revealing which candidate gave which answer.
Voters choose the answer they agree with most. The "Vote
by Issue" quiz then tells voters which candidate they
like best based on whose views they choose.
This site includes classroom activities and lesson plans,
links to other Web resources and discussion guides.
Go
to Social Studies resources.
"Income Levels & Social Class: Is It All About Cash?"
In this activity, students use the concept of cost of living
to explore some interesting real-world math applications.
This site explores the potential of interactive storytelling
by investigating the concept of 'borders' in everyday life.
Planned content for the Portal embraces all geographic areas of Texas and covers prehistory through the twentieth century. Designed to appeal to historians, students, and lifelong learners, the Portal emphasizes access to primary sources. It features digital reproductions of photographs, maps, letters, documents, books, artifacts, and more. Portal curriculum Primary Source Adventures that comply with TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) standards will highlight relevant materials for classroom teachers.
Three of America's most compelling presidents – Kennedy,
Johnson and Nixon – bugged their White House offices
and tapped their telephones. They left behind thousands of
secretly recorded conversations, from momentous to mundane.
In this documentary project, American RadioWorks eavesdrops
on presidential telephone calls to hear how each man used
one-on-one politics to shape history. Includes photographs
and recordings.
This website includes an interactive SiteMap of the Franklin
D. Roosevelt National Historic Site which allows you to "tour
the grounds" and the mansion. There are also 360 degree
panoramic tours, Stories, Photographs, and a Timeline. Requires
Flash.
Reporting Civil Rights presents the reporters and journalism
of the American Civil Rights Movement and the efforts of various
journalists, activists, and others to secure civil freedoms
and liberties for African-Americans. An interactive timeline
chronicles the years 1941 to 1973. The Library of America
companion site is a two-volume anthology that brings together
nearly 200 newspaper and magazine reports, book excerpts,
and features by 151 writers.
(Use the
Table
of Contents to efficiently navigate the anthologies.)
This site presents civil rights information in an engaging, Flash-interactive "road trip" format for teachers and students. The site organizes information by People, Places, Facts, and a "My Trip" function that allows students to bookmark resources and record their impressions. The site also includes downloadable and streaming video of national and state-level civil rights people and events.
This educational Web site, created by the Smithsonian Institution,
teaches about diversity and history by looking at the evolution
of agriculture and cuisine throughout the world.
The September 11 Digital Archive uses electronic media to
collect, preserve, and present the history of the September
11, 2001 attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania and
the public responses to them. The Archive is collecting firsthand
accounts of the 9/11 attacks and the aftermath, organizing
and annotating the most important web-based resources on the
subject, and developing materials to contextualize and teach
about the events. Sections include: Stories; E-mail; Still
Images; Moving Images; Audio; Documents; 9/11 FAQs; and links
to related sources. Sponsored by the Center for History and
New Media and the American Social History Project.
Grades: 6-12
This interactive, flash-based game was produced by the Montreal
Museum of Archaeology and History. It is based on research
associated with the discovery of the wreck of the Elizabeth
and Mary which sank in 1690 following Sir William Phipps'
attack on Quebec. The challenge is to "excavate and restore"
artifacts from the ship. The site is not very intuitive so
it might be best to explore it yourself before you turn your
students loose.
A national education project dedicated to helping teachers
foster equity, respect and understanding the classroom and
beyond. Free magazine subscription, classroom activities and
resources available.
"Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa
Parks" is free to schools and community organizations
that work with youth. Watch a preview of the film online,
and find out how to order your free copy.
Have a great project idea, but need some
money to make it go?
Apply for a grant from teaching tolerance.
For 30 years Texas Monthly has chronicled life in Texas, reporting
on vital issues, such as politics, the environment, industry,
education, culture and entertainment. Now the magazine comes
to television. Produced by award-winning documentary producer
Karen Bernstein these new segments aim to provide more context
to contemporary life in Texas.
A thoughtful study in the way humans access, process, agree
and disagree in the search for truth as it chronicles the
war through multiple perspectives from both sides of the conflict.
Promotes the study of American history and culture, and the
teaching of both subjects in schools.
(Oral History Webquest)
An oral history project for students in grades 6 through 12
created by Enola Boyd. In this webquest, students follow oral
history processes to contact and interview a World War II
veteran or person alive during the World War II era. They
then use the information to write a script for an historical
documentary to be submitted to Old Segundo Productions for
consideration for documentary production.
This site explores how ballots and voting systems have evolved
over the ears as a response to political, social, and technological
change, transforming the ways in which Americans vote.
Geared towards elementary and middle school-aged students,
White House Kids contains a wealth of teachable moments, with
numerous links to historical and biographical points of interest,
complete with quizzes and self-correcting answer keys and
an emphasis on reading.
The Smithsonian Institution invites you to visit Within These
Walls and a real two-and-one-half story house brought from
Massachusetts to the Smithsonian.
• Discover the stories of five families who lived in
the house over 200 years and how their lives reflected the
great changes and events in American history, from colonial
times, the American Revolution, slavery and abolition, immigration
and industrialization, to World War II.
• Using this Site with Your Class
Covering five time periods from 1757-1945, this Web site introduces
historical evidence from the exhibition and shows not only
how historians researched this house, but also how you and
your students can research the built environment. National
Standards for U.S. History: This site covers Eras 2, 3, 4,
6 and 8.
KLRU Contact Information
Mary Alice Appleman
Assistant Director
Educational Services Dept.
E-mail: maappleman@klru.org
Voice: (512) 475-9051
