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Virtual Talking Machine
Grades
6 to 12
tag(s): 1920s (15)
In the Classroom
Play the music over classroom speakers to display for students what the music of the 20's was really like. This would also be a cute way to teach the Harlem Renaissance. This would be particularly interesting in a US history course.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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History and Politics Out Loud
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Use this site to supplement a lecture on Martin Luther King and the impact of his "I have a dream" speech. Browse the results by speaker and select the speech under King's collection. After discussing King's role in civil rights, play the clip or as much of it as you can for students. Use the audio as a writing prompt, in which students respond to the difference in hearing vs reading the speech. Students should also respond to the emotional appeal of the speech, in addition to the overall message presented. This activity would be a great short review at the end of a unit on MLK Jr.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Circle of Stories - PBS
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): native americans (109), oral history (13), stories and storytelling (58)
In the Classroom
Use the educators guide to find ways to incorporate this site into your classroom, either through lesson plans or classroom activities. This would be a very useful site for a US history or English teacher, studying Native American Culture and story-telling.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mark Twain House
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): architecture (76), mark twain (8)
In the Classroom
Teachers wanting to introduce some of Twain's personal life before or after reading one of his books can do just that with this site. Share the site with students on the interactive whiteboard, watching the virtual tour or examining the exhibits. There may not be a ton of information, but this is a great way to get students started on understanding just a little bit more about the famous author.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Civil War Classroom Activities - PBS
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities offered in this site! The majority are somehow tied into the video, but there are some that also are broad enough that showing the video is not necessary.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Star Spangled Banner - Smithsonian
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): national anthem (3), war of 1812 (15)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an introductory activity for a lesson on the Flag's creating during a unit on the American Revolutionary War. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard before allowing students to explore it in cooperative learning groups on classroom computers. Have the students search the site with, answering specific questions on a follow-along (created by you) that encourages them to explore the site in depth. For help with making that follow-along, we recommend using Graphic Organizer Maker, (reviewed here). Afterward, have a class discussion or some sort of reflection piece to allow students to vocalize questions and opinions about the information presented.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lost in the Grand Canyon - PBS
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Try this one as a "compare and contrast" with Lewis and Clark's expedition or today's adventurers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jazz in America - Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): africa (147), african american (111), blues (22), harlem (9), jazz (16)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans offered on this site! The lesson plans are meant to be taught in American history classes, so search and see how this site can benefit your classroom. Make sure and save this one as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thoreau Home Page - Walden.org
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): literature (222), thoreau (4)
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Alaska and the Yukon - Quest Connect
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
There is also an accompanying set of lesson plans. If your students can't catch the next flight to Anchorage, this might be the best alternative.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Who2
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): biographies (94)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a starting point for students working on research projects about a famous historical character. Though the bios are brief, they offer some solid information that could help students in the beginning phases of their research.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Berlin Wall - The Newseum
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): china (81), cold war (30), egypt (56), german (49), germany (28), iran (8), politics (118)
In the Classroom
Teachers should plan on spending ample time previewing the site before using it in class. Initially view the video as a class and have a discussion. You might want to use a backchannel tool like GoSoapBox, reviewed here, for the discussion. The advantage of a backchannel chat is that every student has a voice, no matter how shy. Have small groups choose which of the extension activities they would like to investigate. Allow students to create a final project other than an essay to share their findings and present to the class. Suggest something like an online poster using Genial.ly, reviewed here, or a simple infographic using Snappa, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Best of History Web Sites
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): europe (84)
In the Classroom
Save this site as a favorite on your classroom desktop and use it as a reference for virtually everything! It's amazing how many resources they have managed to find - incredibly more helpful than a Google search would have been.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Paul Revere's House
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): american revolution (82), boston (10), evolution (89), massachusetts (8)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a way to provide more information about one important character in history, Paul Revere. Take advantage of the free activities in the "Just for Kids" section. There is also a biography offered that could easily be read aloud by students from the interactive whiteboard or projector. This would definitely be a great resource for a US history class studying colonial America.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Monitor - NOAA The Mariner's Museum
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): civil war (139), museums (51), navy (8), virginia (15)
In the Classroom
Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Have them go through the interactive tour of the monitor and take notes, with the end result being shared on Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet offers virtual sticky notes, perfect for collaboration and note-taking. Also, since this site has audio features, be sure to include headphones or earbuds near computers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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America's Founding Documents - National Archives
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): american revolution (82), constitution (93), evolution (89)
In the Classroom
This is a great site to introduce the American Founding Fathers, or for reference around Presidents Day weekend. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector, during a lesson on the individual fathers. Have students look at the site and select one image that they think represents a particular Founding Father. Have students create a multimedia presentation using PowerPoint. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. To find Creative Commons images for student projects (with credit, of course), try Pikwizard, Have students report a story on the founding fathers as if the issue of the constitution is a current one, and they are informing the public of its happenings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Tour the Ship Constitution - U.S. Navy
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), boston (10), evolution (89), massachusetts (8), navy (8)
In the Classroom
This one would be great for a study of the American Reovolution, the navy, or the role of the sea in the formation of the nation.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): jefferson (19), lewis and clark (14)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning center or station during a lesson on Lewis and Clark and their travels. Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard before allowing students to explore the site in cooperative learning groups on classroom computers. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts demonstrating their understanding of one of the concepts. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).Students can summarize their entire journey, or focus on one specific aspect, such as the explorers interactions with Native Americans. American history teachers will definitely be able to incorporate this one into their classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How Air Force One Works - Howstuffworks
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): air (102), aircraft (16), flight (34), presidents (135)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a starting point for students working on research projects or papers concerning the President and one of the many services surrounding him. This site has a lot of great information and would be a great springboard for further research. Make sure to include this site on any resource sheets concerning their research!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Alaska's Digital Archives - Historical Alaska Images - Fish and Wildlife Service
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): air (102), alaska (22), copyright (44), states (124)
In the Classroom
If you're looking for photos of early Alaska, this is a great resource. Use these images as a chance to teach students about copyright use.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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