Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

We know that today's students are far more accustomed to learning through images than students of the past. This site is a collection of the work of dozens of political cartoonists and is constantly updated to provide fresh content tied to the news of the day. The site is surprisingly deep, however, and has cartoon galleries that go back at least five years.

Teachers should be aware of several cautions however: Preview the cartoons collections for age-appropriateness; understand that the site does contain advertisements; and recognize that the images are copyright protected. Teachers are advised to post links to specific cartoons rather than trying to "cut and paste" the cartoons into websites or other documents.

tag(s): comics and cartoons (55), politics (118)

The Veterans History Project is both a valuable historical resource and a terrific jumping off point for a serious student or group project. The Veterans History Project uses volunteer contributors to gather remembrances from war veterans and civilians who worked in support industries. The Project includes audio interviews, interview transcripts, letters, and other primary documents related to US wars beginning with World War I up through the present conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Use the site to search for and access already preserved accounts, or to design a student project to gather new accounts (note however that volunteers are limited to students in 10th grade or older).

At the time of this review the "listening" feature was not available on the Chrome browser, however it does work if you use the Edge browser.

tag(s): afghanistan (7), iraq (26), korea (21), resources (84), veterans (27), vietnam (38), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (161)

This simple site offers several "Classroom Connections" to use in conjunction with a field trip to the museum. However, many of these ideas could easily be adapted into research projects or writing assignments for students in social studies or history class without a museum visit. All topics relate to Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, or 19th Century Kids.

tag(s): civil war (139), lincoln (66), presidents (135)

This outstanding site examines America's most profound national experience through artifacts that are housed in the Smithsonian Institution. Twelve topics - including Slavery and Abolition, Appomattox, Life and Culture, Weapons, and Mathew Brady - link to virtual collections of objects that can be individually explored. A Civil War timeline is included.

tag(s): abolition (7), civil war (139), lincoln (66), slavery (79)

Art, history, and government teachers will all delight in this informative website about Lincoln. There are pictures, detailed information, and even podcasts answering some famous questions (such as Why Did Lincoln Grow a Beard). You will also see the works of Mathew Brady. Take advantage of the lesson plans (downloadable in PDF). Specific topics cover Whitman and Lincoln, Lincoln and Photography, Life Masks of Lincoln, and several more.

tag(s): civil war (139), lincoln (66), oil (22), presidents (135)

Move over, Sparknotes! Shmoop provides students (and teachers) with so much more than summaries and character lists. This is a great site with a unique voice. Written by Ph.D. and Masters students at top universities (such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc.), the book resources include such things as Booker's 7 plot analyses, "What's Up with the Title?" and directed links to pictures, movies, and other material on the web(some for a fee). They have a very good page on plagiarism, and this is a growing site. There are also History and Poetry sections to this site.

While actually signing up (which is free) gives you the ability to "clip" files and keep them in a folder, you can access the majority of the information without signing up. Registration does require an email address. Tip: rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships.If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service.

tag(s): literature (221), poetry (193)

The Library of Congress has created this excellent resource that features over 400 images and 2,000 digital files related to the inaugurations of George Washington through Joe Biden (in 2021). There are references, diary entries, letters, and more.

tag(s): inauguration (10), presidents (135), washington (28)

Are you looking for a new way to get your students attention in history class? This site is perfect for those students who view fashion as the only thing worth their attention! The site focuses on the gowns that the first ladies wore to the inaugural ceremony (from a variety of time periods). The significance of the gowns is discussed. Several photos are included. The video clips date back to 2001 and no longer work. For commentary and speculation on what Mrs. Obama and the Obama children will wear, see this article from Womens Wear Daily

tag(s): fashion (12), inauguration (10)

This site shares Inauguration Day events: Procession to the Capitol, Vice President's Swearing In Ceremony, President's Swearing In Ceremony, Inaugural Address, Departure of the Outgoing President, Inaugural Luncheon, Inaugural Parade, and the Inaugural Ball. Each topic has a Learn More link and provides authentic photos and historical information.

tag(s): inauguration (10)

This site, affiliated with the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, presents a lesson plan related to the history of civil disobedience. The site provides a short handout for students, and a more detailed summary for teachers to prepare for discussion on civil disobedience and its role in creating change. There is also a collection of historical quotes focused on the issue, including the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Henry David Thoreau, and Bishop Desmond Tutu. You need Acrobat Reader to print the quotes and other downloadable documents. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.

tag(s): civil rights (209)

This searchable, no-frills site brings together thirty historical documents that were instrumental in creating the freedoms enjoyed by Americans. It's all here - the Mayflower Compact, the 19th Amendment, Martin Luther King, Jr,'s "I have a dream" speech, and much more. Good reference site for a history or civics class.

tag(s): bill of rights (33), constitution (96), presidents (135), speech (69), speeches (23)

This site from the American Radioworks series uses a series of documentary audio recordings along with text and images to tell the story of the Jim Crow segregation laws in the United States. Featuring remembrances by those who where there, the site offers an engaging perspective on an era that ended more recently than many realize. If you teach American History, or have any lessons around Black History month, there is so much information to learn at this site, that you don't want to miss it!

tag(s): africa (148), african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), racism (79), segregation (18)

Stanford's collection of King resources is among the most complete, and includes biographical and contextual information on King and his work. There are original documents as well as timelines and other study aids. Visit the King Resources tab on the top menu, for an online dictionary and other features.

tag(s): 1960s (26), african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), holidays (187), martin luther king (45)

This section of the Avalon Project's extensive collection of documents in American law, history, and diplomacy deals with the African American experience. It consists of a selection from each of the following: Martin Luther King, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. DuBois, and Booker T. Washington. This is a great source for teachers writing document-based questions.

tag(s): africa (148), african american (115), civil rights (209), slavery (79)

These 10 featured items, from the website for the PBS Newshour Extra, offer both a set of structured questions about integration and racism and a set of resources that documents Dr. King and the struggle for equal rights in America. The lesson includes links to important documents, extension activities, thinking questions, audio and video footage, and correlations to National Standards in history, civics, culture, and more.

tag(s): african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), holidays (187), martin luther king (45)

Find everything you need about Martin Luther King and the Nobel Peace Prize from this page on the Nobel Peace Prize site. It includes Dr. King's Acceptance Speech (lecture) on the occasion of his award of the Nobel Peace prize in 1964 and has elements that still resonate in the political structure of today's world. You can seaarch for other Martin Luther King resources (facts, lesson plans, etc) using the search bar.Try this resource as part of a study on non-violence, civil rights, or government. The document is longer than some students might like, but it is not difficult reading. The site also includes a two minute sound recording.

tag(s): african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), holidays (187), martin luther king (45)

View this Youtube Playlist to see a PBS special focused on the last five years of Dr. Martin Luther King's life, from his "I Have a Dream" Speech in 1963 to his assassination in 1968. Highlights include a discussion of his non-violence philosophy. This is a great resource for a 20th century American history class. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.

tag(s): 1960s (26), africa (148), african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), martin luther king (45)

Reading, writing, and thinking come together with history in this beautifully detailed lesson plan that focuses on the power and passion of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. After reading and interpreting the text, students are asked to create original poetry using words and themes taken from King's speech. All materials, including rubrics, handouts and worksheets (mainly PDF, a captioned audio clip, video clip, related Web resources, and links to NCTE/IRA standards) are included.

tag(s): african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), holidays (187), martin luther king (45), poetry (193)

This site features countless quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. with reference to where and when he said them. This site can be helpful as a starting point for students to find important dates and events in Martin Luther King's life. Be aware this site is user-contributed, but most quotes include attribution to a source. The Discussion tab at the top reveals comments by other user-contributors regarding certain quotes that they dispute.

tag(s): african american (115), black history (133), civil rights (209), holidays (187), martin luther king (45)