1627 american-history results | sort by:

History of Flight - The Franklin Institute
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): aviation (35), inventors and inventions (92), wright brothers (20)
In the Classroom
Fly into the spirit of aviation and the Wright brothers while watching historical videos of the 1911 Model B Flyer. Watch the sequence of events and diagram them on a timeline. Examine the step by step instructions for assembly. Use these as an example for a "How to" tutorial or project. Study the steps of invention and creation. Your unit on Inventors has the wings for the Wright brothers.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Women, Their Rights and Nothing Less - Newseum Digital Classroom
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): civil rights (119), women (94), womens suffrage (25)
In the Classroom
It can be tempting to relegate resources like this one to a special unit during Women's History Month, but the primary sources here need to be integrated throughout any study of civil rights in general and the importance of universal suffrage to a modern democracy. While the sources may all be related to the fight for votes for women, much of the content is also relevant in understanding the social and political history of the United States, particularly during the 19th and early 20th century. The lesson plans are comprehensive and include printable discussion guides and worksheets, as well as extension activities. They are standards aligned and Common Core compatible. For the extension activities, consider asking students to create a multimedia project rather than an essay. Either Sway, reviewed here, or Adobe Spark, reviewed here. Both of these tools will allow students to create a multimedia magazine or booklet. You may also want to require students create a magazine cover using Magazine Cover Maker, reviewed here, to summarize info in their magazine with titles and as a way for them to double check and make sure they are not missing any requirements.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Year We Had Two Thanksgivings - Marist College
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): primary sources (93), roosevelt (14), thanksgiving (33)
In the Classroom
Use information from the article and documents as part of any lesson about Thanksgiving. Share the documents as part of a unit on primary resources. Print and share documents with students and challenge them to present an opposing point of view or write a reply from President Roosevelt. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare and contrast different points of view. Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook "as" President Roosevelt or one of the writers of letters to the president.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Yale Photogrammar - Laura Wexler
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1930s (13), 1940s (12), agriculture (60), maps (298), photography (156)
In the Classroom
Share images from the map to compare and contrast life in your location now versus in the 1930's and 1940's. Display images on your interactive whiteboard to compare photographs from different parts of the country. Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects exploring American life following the Depression Years or on the home front during World War II. Have students choose an angle or area of emphasis to investigate, such as home life, work, farms, building, etc. 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 life as an American in the 1930's and 1940's.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Wright Experience - The Wright Experience
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): flight (31), inventors and inventions (92), wright brothers (20)
In the Classroom
Bring the spirit of invention alive in your classroom. Follow the process, from the earlier designs through each later design, each building upon its predecessor. Discover the many types of testing done to determine limits for each problem. The videos of flight will bring your class on board with Wilbur or Orville! Share the videos on your projector (or interactive whiteboard). Discover the steps to the scientific method or design process to apply in other projects. Include this project in a study of leadership or as a lesson in the perseverance of innovation! Use it as an introduction to your Discovery Fair or Science Night.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cartoons for the Classroom - The Association for American Editorial Cartoonists
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): comics and cartoons (65), politics (97), satire (5)
In the Classroom
These one-page discussion starters could help students keep up with current political issues, provide an opening or closing activity, or serve as an enrichment activity for students who move through other assignments more quickly. Available either with or without guiding questions, and covering a wide range of relevant and timely topics, they are perfect to keep as a Plan B or for an emergency substitute teacher activity. Elsewhere on the site are links to other information about political cartooning through history; most of these links connect to outside sites so be sure and preview carefully. In Art class, create a "political" option during a line drawing unit for current events enthusiasts to draw their own political cartoons. Include these cartoons during a unit on humor and satire in an English/Language Arts class or gifted program.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Past/Present - Experience History From the Inside Out - Center for New American Media and Muzzy Lane Software
Grades
5 to 11tag(s): 1900s (36), critical thinking (120), immigrants (22), immigration (60), industrialization (14)
In the Classroom
Prepare to use this activity in your classroom by thoroughly exploring the documentation and videos before you plan to use it. Introduce this interactive to students on a projector or whiteboard using the demo videos and videos about Anna and Walter. Next, have students pair up and sign up for an account. One must be Walter, and one must be Anna. The characters both meet the same townspeople and participate in the same global events, but the roles and social positions are different, so they will have different tasks. Pairing students will allow for maximum participation in post-activity discussions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ContextU: Understand Your World - ContextU
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): american revolution (85), civil war (144), timelines (59)
In the Classroom
Consider using the ContextU organizing framework as a regular touchpoint for a unit on either the American Revolution or the American Civil War. As you progress through the important events that comprise each era, return to the larger context to help students "see the forest" as well as the trees. ContextU might also be added to your storehouse of bookmarks for each unit so students could access it while doing outside assignments or projects. Find age-appropriate literature to share with your students about Colonial America and the Revolution or The Civil War and Slavery at TeachersFirst's CurriConnects booklists for all ages. Use class discussions or student essays to draw together what they learn from independent reading, this site, and their "regular" curriculum.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Where We Came From and Where We Went State by State - New York Times
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): census (19), demographics (19), immigrants (22), immigration (60), migration (58), states (165), transportation (43), westward expansion (29)
In the Classroom
A great introduction to population change and the changing nature of social and physical mobility in the United States, these charts can prompt discussion about why families move. Although the charts begin in 1900, they are still useful in looking at Westward Migration in the US. Also explore such issues as changing job markets, natural resources and industries, movement between high density and low density areas, and the places where non-native born residents are most likely to settle. Invite students to create their own infographics about a certain state or region based on what they discover here. Learn about infographics in the classroom and the tools to make them in TeachersFirst's Now I See!.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Interactives: Historical Thinking Skills - Annenburg Media
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): evaluating sources (16), maps (298), primary sources (93)
In the Classroom
Create a link on classroom computers for students to complete interactives on their own or display on an interactive whiteboard or projector to view as a class. Most interactives take 20-30 minutes to complete so may need to be split into two class sessions. Assign the interactives as homework (flipping the classroom) to allow time for in-class discussion. Create a mind map using a tool such as Mindmeister, reviewed here, to display ideas upon completion of an interactive.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Civil War - Teaching American History
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): agriculture (60), civil rights (119), civil war (144), gettysburg (26), industrial revolution (26), railroads (11), slavery (67)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector to explore and understand different components of life during the Civil War period. Challenge students to create a presentation using Prezi, reviewed here, with information from this site. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare two states during Civil War times or to compare one state during the Civil War era to that state today. During your Civil War study, don't miss TeachersFirst's Gettysburg By the Numbers for more questions and data to use in your discussions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Stuff You Missed in History Class - Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): archeology (32), black history (56), civil rights (119), civil war (144), cross cultural understanding (123), mental health (26), native americans (78), podcasts (57), religions (68), vikings (10), world war 1 (55), world war 2 (142)
In the Classroom
Use podcasts from Stuff You Missed in History to enrich current lessons or lure students into thinking history can actually be "cool." Provide a link on class computers or your class website for students use. Have students use a mapping tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here, to create a map of one of these events (with audio stories and pictures included)! Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about one of the people in these lesser known historic events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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100 Leaders in World History - National History Day
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): art history (77), black history (56), famous people (23), native americans (78)
In the Classroom
It goes without saying that this is a great resource for students thinking about a National History Day project. However, any course or lesson involving leadership will find lots of good supporting content here. Consider categories of leaders across time, for example. Do political leaders exhibit similar traits regardless of the time period in which they lived? Are there differences between male and female leaders? Are there different kinds of leaders? Are leaders always good? Help students analyze these questions using a tool such as Canva, reviewed here, or Draw.io, reviewed here, to make charts for the comparisons. Share this site during Women's History Month, Black History Month, and other observances that highlight "significant" leaders.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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40 Maps That Explain World War I - Vox
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): europe (74), map skills (84), maps (298), world war 1 (55)
In the Classroom
These maps are perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard. If you are teaching World War I, these maps need to be among your "go to" bookmarks for illustrating important highlights about the War. Consider also providing a link to the maps as part of materials students can access to learn more, as extra challenge, or for independent or group projects. The maps illustrating important technology first used in World War I will fascinate students who enjoy learning how things work. Have students create a multimedia project about the aspects of WWI that fascinate them most.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Huzzaz Music - huzzaz.com
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1960s (26), 1970s (11), 1980s (8), 20th century (50), video (278)
In the Classroom
Include the Throwback Machine as part of modern history lessons to help students understand the culture of the period. Have students use ClipNabber, reviewed here, to grab favorite clips from online video sources such as Huzzaz (click to their YouTube page to get direct links) and other YouTube sources to include in multimedia projects. Challenge students to create a presentation using Prezi, reviewed here, and include videos discovered on this site. Have students create timelines (with music, photos, videos, and more) using Capzles, reviewed here. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools, reviewed here. Embed a video from this site onto your webpage or blog, and ask students to explore other events and famous people from a time period.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BBC iWonder - BBC
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): consumers (18), earth (224), ethics (19), human body (132), inquiry (34), news (262), nutrition (159), religions (68), reptiles (14), robotics (29), space (221), water (134), world war 1 (55)
In the Classroom
Use iWonder to help build students' background knowledge or spark interest in many topics. Share the site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Put a bookmark for this site on class computers for students to investigate at a learning station or when they finish other work early. If teaching World War I, use the interactives in that section as student learning stations, but be sure to load them ahead of time since the buffering process takes some time. An alternative is to assign the interactives for students to complete at home and discuss the next day in class (a flipped classroom idea). Teachers of gifted can offer iWonder explorations to inspire individual projects from middle elementary and up.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 (26), civil rights (119), kennedy (25), presidents (123)
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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A Moment in Time - New York Times
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): creative writing (165), cross cultural understanding (123), debate (46), expository writing (43)
In the Classroom
Each of the "moment in time" photographs provides a wonderful thinking/writing/discussion prompt. What Just Happened Here? If it happened somewhere far away from me, how is it different from what happens in my backyard? What do I have in common with what is pictured? What don't I understand? Use this site to generate ideas for writing, for art, for debate. Use this as an avenue to open discussion about different cultures. Imagine a "moment in time" from another date, such as June 6, 1944, Sept 11, 2001, or an ordinary day in 2014. Challenge students to imagine and create their own moments in time to share.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Big History Project - Big History Project LLC
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): agriculture (60), geologic time (10), industrialization (14), solar system (119)
In the Classroom
Use Big History Project as a complete year-long course in your high school. Adapt portions of the project for use within current classroom content. Share videos or use lessons or animations as part of any unit. If you employ Project Based Learning activities, use the three PBL learning activities embedded within the project. Be sure to read through the FAQ provided on the site for guidance on using the Big History Project in your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Smarty Pins - Google
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (179), map skills (84), maps (298), trivia (19)
In the Classroom
Smarty Pins would be great as a reward for students who finish work promptly, for advanced students who have completed an assignment before other students, or as a way to focus student attention quickly at the beginning of class. It can be used collaboratively from an interactive white board, or it launches from both the Android and the iOS Google map app or from a desktop. Challenge your students to design their own geography quizzes using Animaps, reviewed here, adding their own "stories" with questions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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