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Documenting America - Library of Congress
Grades
8 to 12
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This site is based on the Library of Congress collection of thousands of photos taken in the 1930s and early 1940s. They document everyday life during the depression and the ...more
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This site is based on the Library of Congress collection of thousands of photos taken in the 1930s and early 1940s. They document everyday life during the depression and the years leading up to World War II. Geographic and chronological indexes make this collection an interesting research tool and photo source.
tag(s): great depression (30), primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
So many of these pictures can be used in your classroom whether it be as for an activity, such as a picture walk or a visual discovery; or as an introduction or supplement to text materials to studying events such as the Great Depression.For use as a visual discovery, select 3-5 images from this site, choosing the most powerful and moving images. Placing the images on individual slides, allow students 1-2 minutes to observe each image. During that time period, students should be taking notes based on what they observe, predict and infer about each image. The more powerful and detailed the image is, the more information students can take out. After the class has observed all the chosen images, have a class discussion based on the notes students took. This is a great way to introduce content in a way that gets students thinking, as well as avoiding the typical lecture format.
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American Life Histories - Library of Congress
Grades
9 to 12
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Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project (1936-40) ...more
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Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project (1936-40)
tag(s): biographies (94), primary sources (117)
In the Classroom
Use quotes from the interview page as starters or "do nows" for when your kids first come into your classroom. Select the quote that seems most likely to get students thinking or even communicative and have them respond in writing or verbally their reactions to the quote. Students could be specifically looking at perspective, biases, point of view, context or really just the quote itself in their responses. This kind of a starter is great to open up class with because it focuses students on the topic as well as previews what class that day will be about.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Titanic Sinks: Newspaper Reporting - University of Virginia
Grades
6 to 12
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This site, created by the University of Virginia, examines the role of the press in creating the massive public reaction to the Titanic sinking. The site examines the large number ...more
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This site, created by the University of Virginia, examines the role of the press in creating the massive public reaction to the Titanic sinking. The site examines the large number of erroneous reports, as well as some of the sensationalized coverage of the tragedy. Excellent site for research or discussion-starters.
tag(s): disasters (37), newspapers (92)
In the Classroom
These headlines do a great job of providing a detailed and reliable perspective that students may not consider when thinking about such a colossal human tragedy. Printing these headlines out or sharing them on a projector, students can use the headlines to lead students through the progression of events that led up to the sinking of the ship. This could also lead in to a conversation of media framing, with students comparing and contrasting the different stories coming from the various sources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Moving Images Collection - Early Motion Pictures - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12
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This site has film clips of American Factories, The McKinley Era, New York circa 1900, San Francisco before and after the earthquake, and other indexed historical early films. The clips...more
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This site has film clips of American Factories, The McKinley Era, New York circa 1900, San Francisco before and after the earthquake, and other indexed historical early films. The clips are long, so take a few minutes to download, but the results could illustrate a history lesson or a communications study. This site also links to Edison's early motion picture and sound recordings. Students can also use these for primary research for National History Day or other major projects.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector. Because the clips are long, make sure to preview them to help decide whether to play the whole thing or just portions. This videos would be great to use during a study of Edison, or even the content covered in the videos. It could lead to a very interesting conversation as to the value of videos as resources, and what criteria we should judge them by.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Conservation Movement - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12
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The Evolution of the Conservation Movement documents the historical formation and cultural foundations of the movement to conserve and protect America's natural heritage. The collection...more
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The Evolution of the Conservation Movement documents the historical formation and cultural foundations of the movement to conserve and protect America's natural heritage. The collection consists of 60 books and pamphlets, 140 Federal statutes and Congressional resolutions, 34 additional legislative documents, excerpts from the Congressional Globe and the Congressional Record, 360 Presidential proclamations, 170 prints and photographs, 2 historic manuscripts, and a two-part motion picture. The chronologies, each with multiple links, are particularly useful for students.
tag(s): conservation (101), ecology (102)
In the Classroom
Use an image from each different period of the conservation movement for a visual discovery activity about the evolution. Select an image that represents each period, choosing the most powerful and moving images. Placing the images on individual slides, allow students 1-2 minutes to observe each image. During that time period, students should be taking notes based on what they observe, predict and infer about each image. The more powerful and detailed the image is, the more information students can take out. After the class has observed all the chosen images, have a class discussion based on the notes students took. This is a great way to introduce content in a way that gets students thinking, as well as avoiding the typical lecture format.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Make the Dirt Fly - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
6 to 12
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This multimedia site, based on a Smithsonian exhibit, provides in-depth documentation of the Panama Canal's fascinating history. Start with the brief introductory slide show - and be...more
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This multimedia site, based on a Smithsonian exhibit, provides in-depth documentation of the Panama Canal's fascinating history. Start with the brief introductory slide show - and be sure to have your speakers on! Students can discover the purpose behind the construction, how the route was selected, what life in the Canal Zone was like, and many little known facts about the project.
tag(s): south america (44)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on the interactive whiteboard or projector before allowing students to explore it on their own. Have students go through the exhibit in pairs or cooperative learning groups on classroom computers to learn about the Panama Canal in a non-lecture format. This would be a useful site in a US history course, particularly for the upper reading levels. Challenge students to find an image for the most interesting facts they learned about the Panama Canal project. Then, have students create an annotated, narrated image, including text boxes and related links, using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here, about the facts behind the image they chose.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Haymarket Drama - Chicago Historical Society
Grades
9 to 12
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While this comprehensive site about the Chicago labor unrest of 1886 offers seemingly endless narrative, its most useful feature is probably the collection of archival images and photos...more
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While this comprehensive site about the Chicago labor unrest of 1886 offers seemingly endless narrative, its most useful feature is probably the collection of archival images and photos from the period. These give students a far better feel for the passion of the era. There's also plenty of research information.
tag(s): illinois (6)
In the Classroom
This site would be useful in a comparative study of labor history, or for a lesson on media reporting of news events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hayes vs. Tilden - Harpweek.com
Grades
6 to 12
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Compare the 2000 election controversy to the 1876 presidential election, in which the Electoral College ended up deciding the presidency. This site is especially noteworthy for its...more
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Compare the 2000 election controversy to the 1876 presidential election, in which the Electoral College ended up deciding the presidency. This site is especially noteworthy for its use of historical political cartoons and its day-by-day recounting of the events following the general election. From Harpweek.com, which creates resources from archival editions of Harper's Weekly.
Although this resource was created based on the 2000 election, the background information and historical comparisons are valuable for teaching about elections in general and for comparing elections as part of U.S. history.
Although this resource was created based on the 2000 election, the background information and historical comparisons are valuable for teaching about elections in general and for comparing elections as part of U.S. history.
tag(s): college (44), electoral college (22)
In the Classroom
Use the political cartoons as starters or introductory activities during a lesson on the controversial election. Find a cartoon that you think would be the best understood boy your students as well as the one that will most likely get them communicating and thinking about the topic on hand. Posting the image on the projector, have students reflect on the image either verbally or in some sort of journal writing. To differentiate it for a higher-level class, have the students respond to a specific component of the image, such as perspective, point of view, bias, intent, various layers, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Stephen Collins Foster - University of Pittsburgh
Grades
6 to 12
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This site from the University of Pittsburgh traces the life and songwriting career of Pittsburgh native Stephen Foster. Foster's music is seen by many as helping to define American...more
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This site from the University of Pittsburgh traces the life and songwriting career of Pittsburgh native Stephen Foster. Foster's music is seen by many as helping to define American culture during this period. This site offers interesting research material, as well as more detailed content for the advanced student.
tag(s): biographies (94)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans with the Teacher Resource portion of this site. Great supplements for a unit on the Civil War, just make sure to save this site 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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Railway Women in Wartime
Grades
7 to 12
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This is a fascinating archival photo collection describing how important women were to the railroads during World War I and World War II. The site includes some British and European...more
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This is a fascinating archival photo collection describing how important women were to the railroads during World War I and World War II. The site includes some British and European content as well.
In the Classroom
Use this site to challenge students to apply their knowledge of WWI and WWII knowledge in combination with their creative writing skills. Assign students to cooperative learning groups and have them select an image from the site. Students will narrate the image as a story, using their knowledge of the war in combination with their imaginations. Have students explain who this women is, what is she doing, why is she important, and how the war has affected her. Her personal profile may be made up, but the information concerning the war should be all factual. Have students create a multimedia presentation using PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Quilts and Quiltmaking in America - Library of Congress
Grades
6 to 12
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Used for more than warmth, quilts frequently told stories and histories. This Library of Congress site explains how and shows examples. ...more
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Used for more than warmth, quilts frequently told stories and histories. This Library of Congress site explains how and shows examples.
In the Classroom
This site is a great way to show that not all historical sources have to be text. In fact they can include art, oral communication, stories, and even quilts as we see in this site. Show some of the quilts on the projector and have students hypothesize what they're about or what they are trying to portray. Would be a great quick activity to get students thinking outside of the box in concern to sources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Travel Where Women Made History - National Park Service
Grades
4 to 8
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The National Park Service created this cybertour of locations in New York, Washington, D.C. Massachusetts, and other states that were important in the women's literary, rights, and...more
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The National Park Service created this cybertour of locations in New York, Washington, D.C. Massachusetts, and other states that were important in the women's literary, rights, and suffrage movements. The presentation is dated, but useful for showing where people lived and events happened.
tag(s): women (148), womenchangemaker (35)
In the Classroom
Use the maps and timelines on this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector to guide students through a class lecture or discussion of the Seneca Falls Convention. The images do a great job of putting the convention in perspective with other event locations. This would be useful in a US history classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Museum of Women in the Arts - National Museum of Women in the Arts
Grades
7 to 12
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Here you will learn about prominent women artists of the past and great women artists working today. On the top menu, click Art + Artists to find a Collection of ...more
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Here you will learn about prominent women artists of the past and great women artists working today. On the top menu, click Art + Artists to find a Collection of works by women artists, search by artist or artwork, time periods, medium, and or topic. The rest of this page displays 225 artworks that, when clicked, give you information about the artwork and the artist. When you click Artists, you'll find photos and profiles of women artists. Search by time periods and or medium. This page displays photos of the artists, and there is an interactive button at the top where you can shuffle which artists are displayed. Teachers: From the top menu, you can also click Learn and then For Educators to find Art, Books, and Creativity (ABC) curriculum that uses artists' books to highlight natural connections between visual arts and language arts. Scroll down the page to find additional resources.
tag(s): artists (83), women (148), womenchangemaker (35)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard (or projector). Take advantage of the free art lessons then allow students to explore on their own or in collaborative groups. Since many of the lessons include writing, enhance learning by having students create online posters individually or together as a class. Use a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here, to display a photo of the artwork or artist and explain what they learned. Then use the poster makers once again as a final project for the students "on their own" exploration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Women in Uniform
Grades
6 to 12
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Here's a site - with an attitude - about women in the military. There's plenty of information on the roles of women from the 18th century to the present, with ...more
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Here's a site - with an attitude - about women in the military. There's plenty of information on the roles of women from the 18th century to the present, with an emphasis on the extent of women's accomplishments. Nice source for some information that's hard to find elsewhere.
In the Classroom
Although the current events may be a few years behind, the facts that this site has on women of earlier wars is really interesting quality information. Incorporate this information into a women's history month special, or simply into your every day curriculum. Especially interesting is the information offered about the Revolutionary and Civil War - students will be interested to hear about these important characters who are typically ignored in their textbooks.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thomas Jefferson - Life and Labor at Monticello - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 12
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Students can approach this online exhibit from the Library of Congress at several levels. Elementary students can make use of the collection of captioned images (click to enlarge them)....more
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Students can approach this online exhibit from the Library of Congress at several levels. Elementary students can make use of the collection of captioned images (click to enlarge them). Older students can benefit from the discussion of Jefferson's experiments with farming, physics, and practical contraptions. Great exposure to a man who studied everything.
tag(s): jefferson (19)
In the Classroom
Use the images on this site to create a "picture walk" in your classroom, introducing the topic of Thomas Jefferson, the Founding Father. Select 10-15 of the more powerful and diverse images, hanging them up in different locations around your classroom. Have students rotate around the classroom every 30-45 seconds, jotting down what they observe and infer about each image until the entire class has completed the circuit. After the class is back in their seats, have a class discussion based on what they observed and what this says about Jefferson. A great way to get students thinking about the content in a way that's more personal and lecture-less!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thomas Jefferson's Monticello - Thomas Jefferson Foundation
Grades
6 to 12
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Step into the world of Thomas Jefferson through a virtual visit to Monticello, his mountaintop home and plantation. Explore his life and legacy by reading biographies written by presidential...more
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Step into the world of Thomas Jefferson through a virtual visit to Monticello, his mountaintop home and plantation. Explore his life and legacy by reading biographies written by presidential experts, listening to podcasts about Jefferson's life and career, or discovering a typical day in Jefferson's life after retirement through anecdotes and pictures. Visit the Educators Resources to find virtual tours, coloring pages, primary source documents, and a Build Your Own House activity highlighting Jefferson's architectural career.
tag(s): jefferson (19), presidents (135), primary sources (117), virtual field trips (122)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this resource. It offers many ideas for including in lessons about Thomas Jefferson's life and presidency. Take advantage of the 45-minute free digital learning experience led by a Monticello guide to learn about Thomas Jefferson and his home. Share primary source documents available on this site with students and visit the memoirs and oral history project featuring the enslaved families and their descendants with older students to get a deeper understanding of the complex history of Jefferson. Encourage students to explore many options available on this site by creating a playlist or choice board that includes podcasts, videos, and virtual tours. Learn more about these teaching strategies by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: Playlists to Personalize Learning, reviewed here and OK2Ask: Engage and Inspire: Choice Boards for Differentiation Part 1, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spy Letters of the American Revolution - University of Michigan
Grades
4 to 12
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This site offers a collection of resources dealing with spies and espionage during the American Revolution. In addition to copies of actual letters, there are stories about famous spies...more
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This site offers a collection of resources dealing with spies and espionage during the American Revolution. In addition to copies of actual letters, there are stories about famous spies and their impact on the conflict. There are also several neat "experiments" showing how to create secret codes, invisible ink, and other spy tricks. From the University of Michigan.
tag(s): american revolution (82)
In the Classroom
In the "Teachers Lounge" section of this website there are resources for study questions, classroom activities, themes and projects concerning primary sources. This site is an excellent way to get students interested in a time period of which they may think they know everything already. Teachers can also tie the information they learn here into a classroom discussion of espionage and its use in our world today. Definitely check this site out if looking for some fresh ideas on the American Revolution.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ben Franklin - Franklin Institute
Grades
4 to 12
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Ben Franklin is one of America's most colorful patriots. As this site from the Franklin Institute shows, his accomplishments as legislator, diplomat, and scientist were recognized as...more
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Ben Franklin is one of America's most colorful patriots. As this site from the Franklin Institute shows, his accomplishments as legislator, diplomat, and scientist were recognized as extraordinary even in his own day.
tag(s): american revolution (82), evolution (89), franklin (12)
In the Classroom
Within the "learn more" section are k12 resources that list several lesson plans and interactive exhibits and games that could easily be used as learning centers or stations. Have students work on them in the beginnings and ends of a unit, having the material serve as both introduction and review. Great resource for a teacher working on a unit about the Founding Fathers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Revolution - Chronology - The History Place
Grades
4 to 12
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Dates and events from the first settlers through 1800, along with links to biographies and related documents. ...more
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Dates and events from the first settlers through 1800, along with links to biographies and related documents.
tag(s): american revolution (82), colonial america (95)
In the Classroom
Use the timelines on this site to guide students through the events of Colonial America. Open this site on the interactive whiteboard or projector as a semi-agenda for the days activities. This would be a useful site for a US history classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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World War I Document Archive - Brigham Young University
Grades
9 to 12
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Collection of primary sources from Brigham Young University. This site contains extensive, contemporary accounts of World War I events broken out both by theme and chronologically....more
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Collection of primary sources from Brigham Young University. This site contains extensive, contemporary accounts of World War I events broken out both by theme and chronologically. For students interested in working with primary sources, this site is an ideal starting point. Endless research possibilities.
tag(s): world war 1 (77)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for finding invaluable treaties and documents concerning the First World War, which can be used to discuss causes or even the ending of the war. Although it may take some time to go through all of the information, history teachers will appreciate having all of that information in one place.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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