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The People's House: History, Art & Archives - Office of the Historian, US House of Representatives
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (62), congress (39), house of representatives (8)
In the Classroom
Understanding the separation of powers is fundamental to learning about how the US is governed. While it may be tempting to group the Senate and the House of Representatives into one legislative entity, there are important differences between the two bodies. This site can help students see the specific role the Founders had for this branch of government. Looking at important events in US history, like women's suffrage, civil rights, and foreign policy through the lens of the House gives added depth to the lesson. Students may be interested in the process by which the House conducts its business. Who is a "whip" and why do they call him (or her) that? Take some time to check out the lesson plans and other resources designed for educators as well.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Trace Effects - U.S. Department of State
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): communities (36), conflict resolution (9), conservation (86), cross cultural understanding (155), women (138)
In the Classroom
This site offers a window on American culture that you can use in comparing cultures. It is a great way to engage ESL/ELL teens as they practice English skills. Since the State Department created it, an AP Civics or Government class might even want to critique or discuss its portrayal of U.S. culture. Have ESL/ELL students work on individual laptops and explore this site alone or with a partner. Provide this link for students to access both in and out of the classroom. Challenge your students to collaboratively write the dialogue for an additional visit Trace might make to a community near you using Google Docs/Drive reviewed here. Your more technologically savvy students may like to create another version of a Trace visit to go along with the dialog! In a world language class, have students work collaboratively to create a visit to a cultural site using this game as a model.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Find the Data - FindTheBest.com
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): countries (70), data (147), ecology (99), politics (113), sports (77), transportation (32), trivia (18)
In the Classroom
Find and compare data for almost anything your class needs! Compare salaries or life spans between countries. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here). Find and compare economic data for your state, look for the biggest meteor to hit the earth, or find the earliest recorded sighting of a meteor. Share with students to use when completing research projects. Have students share the information by creating a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Bookmark this site to use to find data or interesting facts at anytime.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ClassTools - Russel Tarr
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): essays (21), qr codes (17), quiz (65), social networking (65), spelling (95), twitter (19), venn diagrams (15), vocabulary (236), word choice (14), word study (58)
In the Classroom
The possibilities abound in nearly any subject area. Be sure to check out all of the free templates to use. Use the many tools yourself or have your students create a Fakebook page or use the Z (still called Tweet) Generator to present information in any subject area. Create a Fakebook page about a famous historical person or government figure in social studies or science class. Share the Burger Diagram for writing essays. Use the Arcade Game Maker to create practice activities for students who need the extra help. Create a random word generator with vocabulary from a science or social studies unit to review before testing. Allow students to create Venn diagrams to be posted on the class website using information from current lessons. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Save this site in your Favorites on your teacher computer! Use the embed code or URL created when saving your project to include with other items such as maps, videos, and images within class presentations made using Sway, reviewed here or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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People's Pie - iCivics.org
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): branches of government (62), financial literacy (92), game based learning (173)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the basic concepts of the challenge on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Have students create "talking pictures" to debate funding (or lack of) for a particular budget item using Blabberize, reviewed here. Use this game as a springboard for an economics or government class to debate and discuss the impact of financial decisions on different segments of the community. Have students research current candidates' financial plans and play the game using the politician's strategies. Have students compare and contrast the impact on the economy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Connect the Dots for Democracy - Witte Design, LLC
Grades
8 to 12What's missing? There is no audio recording of the script that could accompany the slides; you must print the script and read it while viewing the slides. And, despite its goal of "making it simple" for busy folks, you have to dig a little in the site to discover that the author is firmly in the "Progressive" political camp, and that the presentation on Health Care, for example, includes one section on "GOP Myths" and repeatedly slams the Republican party's handling of the health care crisis. To its credit, the sources for the information presented on the graphics are cited. Be aware also that the graphics use language like "We're Getting Screwed!" which may be inappropriate for younger kids.
tag(s): branches of government (62), congress (39), elections (80), media literacy (103), politics (113)
In the Classroom
The infographic presentations would be great for discussions of election-year politics for Civics/Government classes or Current Events debate. They would be better if the accompanying scripts were available in an audio file. Exercise caution, however, because there is clearly a political agenda here. Ironic that a site that purports to cut through the rhetoric is loaded with its own. Use it, therefore, as yet another example of how a savvy media can "spin" the issues. Invite students to look for the bias inherent in some of the information presented. What questions should be asked about the data contained in the slideshow? How could you verify the information? How would you rebut it with your own infographic? Can you find a site that presents an opposing spin on the same topics?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The White House Tour - Google Maps
Grades
K to 12tag(s): presidents (122), virtual field trips (80), white house (15)
In the Classroom
Take your students on a virtual field trip! This is a great way for kids to "visit" the White House. Include it during inauguration week or any time you are studying U.S. government. Show the website using a projector, and have students write a tour script or a tale of something that might happen in the White House. Younger students might want to write a story from the President's dog's (or other pet's) point of view! Before using the site, you should familiarize yourself with how to use the Google Maps street view tools to navigate through the house. Better yet, have a student operate the tour on the whiteboard or projector.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Knoema - Knoema
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): charts and graphs (169), countries (70), data (147), maps (207), statistics (116)
In the Classroom
Use in Social Studies or World Cultures to compare economic indicators of countries. Create data sets and visualizations of environmental data around the world. Use data in the writing of papers or creation of presentations on the country statistics such as GDP or exported goods. Trying to find meaningful data to include in an infographic? Knoema has it! Math teachers can use data sets for practice activities with statistics.Comments
I absolutely love Knoema! They also have World Data Atlas (Chrome Web Store app for free) - chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/world-data-atlas/knlgfedckdhkgjinnhogmhkbcjpmmhko that I strongly advise to use.Olga, , Grades: 0 - 12
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Critical Past Stock Footage Archive - Jim and Andy Erickson
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 20th century (61), afghanistan (8), africa (139), american revolution (83), china (62), europe (75), north america (14), south america (36), video (260)
In the Classroom
Use photos or videos on Critical Past to help illustrate what students are learning in history. Ask students to be "eyewitnesses" of history and watch a video before they have context for it. Students can write or blog about what they think they are witnessing. Afterward they can research the event in more depth and write a follow-up reflection on what was actually happening in the clip. Challenge your students to use a site such as Sutori, reviewed here, to create timelines of topics researched on the site. Use images from public domain sites, such as the collections, reviewed here, to illustrate the events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How Our Laws Are Made - Mike Wirth
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (62), congress (39)
In the Classroom
Use the graphic as an introduction to a detailed discussion. Share the site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Use it to reinforce the process once you've taught the lesson. Encourage students to bookmark it to review or test their understanding. Anyone who teaches civics, government or US history will be able to use this graphic on an interactive whiteboard. For that matter, it should be required viewing for citizens and politicians alike!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New Math - Craig Damrauer
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creativity (91), logic (165), puzzles (143), vocabulary (236)
In the Classroom
Display a new slide on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) weekly as a conversation-starter in a math class, social studies class, or gifted classroom. Ask students to explain what the equation might mean. Challenge students to create their own new math word equations and share them using a talking avatar using a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced). Use a site such as Blabberize, reviewed here. Much of the vocabulary used with the equations is very advanced. Use this in English class for vocabulary development. Then challenge students to create some of their own "equations" with other new vocabulary words.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poster My Wall - 250 Mills LCC
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Have students create posters to demonstrate understanding. After an assigned reading, have them create a poster to explain the text. Have students email their finished product to you as an informal assessment. Create a quick presentation of the best posters to share with the class when discussing the reading the next day. Offer posters as one of several options for students to share what they know with you and their peers. Of course, you will want to require proper credit for any images students use in their posters. Use student-made posters to reinforce class rules at the start of the year or to visually display concepts such as branches of government or story elements.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Payscale Cost of Living Calculator - Payscale, Inc.
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Use this tool to determine how far a dollar goes in various locations. Allow students the opportunity to play with a standard salary and occupation to look at the differences in costs of living. Report on trends for cities in different areas of the country. Create a list locally of the various items that would be found in each category and the salary for that occupation where you live. Create a budget that allows for savings and vacation or large purchases. Use the data for practice with graphing and creating infographics. In government classes, use this tool and census data to make hypotheses or draw conclusions about patterns of population movement and economic trends in various areas of the country, especially in connection with political trends and election data.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reel Life Wisdom - Doug Manning
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): back to school (63), firstday (22), movies (51), quotations (20)
In the Classroom
Reel Life Wisdom supports character education programs with a parent PDF offering useful tips. Use relevant quotes in discussions on theme, choice, and empowerment. Lead your students to understand they are in charge of their lives. Improve reading comprehension of any text, by making connections or comparisons to a movie. Strengthen writing skills by critiques, explanations, and point of view essays. Challenge students to reach a deeper understanding of theme by finding a quote to match the theme. Use movies as an example for positive, effective goal setting strategies. Develop written or oral language by using the quotes as writing/speaking prompts. Challenge students to discover the many choices available to every individual. Encourage a meaningful sense of story development while connecting to each student's interest. The movies also offer a personal story into the study of people, government, and values. Create a thematic bulletin board of quotes on a topic, or have students generate word clouds from several favorite quotes on the same theme. Use a tool such as WordClouds, reviewed here. Post the clouds for class inspiration. During the first week of school, share this site and ask each student to share a favorite quote on a class blog or wiki for students to get to know each other.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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EL Civics for ESL students - EL Civics
Grades
3 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): branches of government (62), holidays (167), states (122)
In the Classroom
Have ESL/ELL students search for answers to previously prepared questions or do a scavenger hunt to find relevant information. Pair ESL/ELL students with a verbally strong English speaking partner so they can listen to the text being read. Use the links under U.S. Geography as an introduction for students doing state projects. Have students create posters from the info they gather here using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here or PicLits (reviewed here. Or use an online poster creator, such as Padlet (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MyPlate - USDA.gov
Grades
1 to 12In the Classroom
Dietary guidelines can be a help to all teachers, faculty, and staff. Challenge students to track their food and physical activity. Plan meals to bring you perfect health. Plan a nutrition day in which every student shares some aspect of this site in a presentation with other classes and parents. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Evaluate the cafeteria lunches to bring even more fun into your recipe! Add an international portion with your students' multicultural recipes to add to make your own cookbook, or website. Be sure to add this link to your own site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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West Virginia Legislative Information Kids' Page - West Virginia Legislature
Grades
2 to 5tag(s): branches of government (62), states (122)
In the Classroom
Print and use pages from the website to share with students. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to create a visual comparison of your state's legislative process with that of West Virginia.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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North Carolina...for kids! - State of North Carolina, Office of the Governor
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): branches of government (62), north carolina (4), states (122)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard then allow students to explore on their own. Share the site with students as a resource for state research projects. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Missouri Kids! - Office of the Secretary of the State of Missouri
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): branches of government (62), states (122)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard and allow students to explore on their own. Share this site with students as a resource for research projects on the states. Challenge your students to create a web exhibit collection about states using a tool such as Pocket, reviewed here, to share all of the important links, information, and even brief descriptions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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U.S. National Debt Clock: Real Time - USDebtClock.org
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): charts and graphs (169), data (147), financial literacy (92), statistics (116)
In the Classroom
Display this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector for students to view the ever-changing amount of U.S. debt and other statistics. Create a graph by recording daily debt amounts over a period of time for students to observe and discuss. Research and find debt statistics for previous years for students to compare.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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