Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This is a companion site to a PBS series on the forces world wide that are affecting global population. There is a wealth of information here on historical trends in population growth, the impact of population on the environment, and the continuing imbalance between the rich and the poor in the world. Although there are still flash-enabled slide shows illustrating global population growth over history, they are few. Don't miss the Teachers Guide in the right menu. The teacher's guide gives further information about using the resources in the classroom.

tag(s): demographics (13), environment (252), population (51)

This teacher friendly site has it all - thinking questions, facts, research activities and more! This site is designed for grades 6-8, but could be useful in grades 5-10. The students are taken back to the late 1800s by authentic pictures and creative learning activities. Topics include working women, railroads and other forms of transportation and mass production.

tag(s): industrialization (12)

A thorough site on planning for a career. Includes timelines, options, many links to different career paths and college planning resources, even a cover letter generator. the site does have some advertising, but it is tolerable (turn on your pop-up blocker). Special Education teachers working with students on transition planning will also find this site helpful in providing a structured approach.

tag(s): careers (156), college (45), financial aid (13)

What would a world map look like if countries and continents were sized not by land area, but by population, number of elderly, various type of imports, or emigration? This site presents dozens of cartograms - or density-equalizing maps - in which each country is resized according to a specific variable. Each map is accompanied by a downloadable Excel file and a printable poster.

tag(s): immigration (68), maps (220), migration (45), population (51)

Here are economics lessons for elementary through high school students that explores the rights of individuals versus the obligations of government to preserve and protect natural resources. The site presents opposing economic theories and asks students to evaluate the merits of each as they apply to a hypothetical example. While written as an economics lesson, this example could also work as part of a government class. Aligned to national standards. Many engaging and relevant lessons that are highly engaging.

tag(s): natural resources (37), resources (84)

Give your students some real-world experience with the concept of interest rates over time. This authentic lesson plan puts students in the driver's seat as they contemplate lending money to a sibling. Is it more lucrative to demand payment at once, or accept a series of installments? Great basic introduction to a vital economic concept. Aligned to National Standards.

World cultures or government classes will find the multidimensional counters on this site a wonderful way to illustrate the growth (or depletion) population, resources, and other global activity. It's a very tangible illustration of the rate at which things are changing in our world. Teachers can be creative with this one.

tag(s): ecology (103), population (51), resources (84)

The Library of Congress has created a site which presents information and images from early American adverstising efforts - 1850-1920. The site uses the Library's standard HTML layout, and as usual, the stars of the exhibit are the archival images that have been digitized and included. If advertising is a measure of society's interests, this site offers a unique glimpse into the past.

tag(s): advertising (26), industrialization (12), news (229), newspapers (93)

Teach about the history of currency in different cultures and the basic economics concepts of barter and currency. Three lessons include activities studying past currencies as works of art and designing a new currency.

tag(s): currency (14)

This site offers a collection of economics lessons, some with reproducible handouts, for elementary and secondary students. The lessons vary in the detail they provide, but users can select by grade level, subject, or standard. This is a great source for hard-to-find lessons on economics for younger students.

tag(s): money (113)

Wonderful interactive lesson where students are asked to learn about budget debt and then take a stand by e-mailing the U. S. Congress. Well designed and most useful for middle school students. Sponsored and updated by Pacific Bell

tag(s): speech (69)

This is a web implementation of the popular computer game by the same name. Players must figure out how to operate their lemonade stand profitably, taking into account pricing, cost of materials, rent, and other economic factors. Students may want to try different strategies and see how they fare with their customers.

tag(s): money (113)

This site provides a scenario in which to learn about supply and demand and consumer markets. Uses a case study model of learning

tag(s): supply and demand (5)

This online exhibit from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco offers a history of American currency, complete with descriptions, images, and explanations about how the American currency system has evolved. It would be a great supplement to introductory economics or a lesson on, "Why is a dollar worth a dollar?"

tag(s): money (113)

Find Streaming Videos from John Stossel to engage your students in discussions about interesting and thought-provoking issues. Each month this site posts a new video for your use, and all videos come with suggested discussion questions and quizzes. Also, you will find lots of discussion topics in the archived section titled with categories like the environment, celebrities, and consumer issues, just to name a few. Registration is free; you need to log in to view the teacher's guide and discussion questions! There are some items of interest on the top menu bar: Both Sides of the Issue, Features, Video Library, and Teacher Resources.

tag(s): character education (79), endangered species (27), financial literacy (93), foreign policy (13), news (229), politics (118), video (266)