Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Read. Inquire. Write. is a free curriculum using investigations to support middle school social studies learning through inquiry-based lessons; also, this site provides many supports for English Language Learners within the activities. Use the provided literacy tools to guide students in analytical reasoning and argument writing within the 5-day investigations. Each investigation includes all materials needed including teacher's guides, student packets, rubrics, student models, and a PowerPoint presentation. Also, all activities provide video models demonstrating methods to encourage student thinking and investigative responses. Each lesson includes correlation to Common Core Standards. Registration is required to download materials from this site. Videos reside on YouTube. If your school blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.

tag(s): civil war (139), colonial america (95), concept mapping (15), debate (42), democracy (24), evaluating sources (29), greece (47), inquiry (24), maps (220), mexico (37), middle east (50), native americans (109)

Quatr.us provides a collection of over 2500 study guides related to history topics. The home page includes links to study guides and articles related to the current month. Find additional topics using the keyword search. Embedded within the articles are links to related information and bibliographies including additional reading resources.
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tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), medieval (32), renaissance (38)

The Imperial War Museums are a family of five museums in the United Kingdom with a focus on conflicts from World War I through current times. Use the Search tab and type in Home Learning which contains many resources for teaching and learning about wars through storytelling, photos, video stories, and Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects. From the Learn tab choose Learing Resources and select from many topics; examples are British Art of the First World War, D-Day: People and Planning, Contemporary Art and War, Secret Messages and Spies, Tales From the Trenches, and many more. Many of these Learning Resources include teaching suggestions, videos, and PowerPoint downloads. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. The videos reside on YouTube and may not be viewable in your classroom.

tag(s): afghanistan (7), churchill (8), cold war (30), d day (11), europe (84), holocaust (42), middle east (50), russia (36), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (161)

Explore over 5,000 years of art in three exciting ways at this vibrant, interactive site from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the menu at the top find Explore the Map, where you choose and double click red or yellow markers to explore fun facts and videos about art worldwide. Next, hop into the Time Machine to learn more about specific times, geography, and big ideas such as inventions or creatures. Also, find Videos that teach about celebrations, share art made by kids, or provide detailed directions for creating your art, all on the menu bar across the top.

tag(s): africa (148), art history (103), artists (85), asia (116), china (81), europe (84), inventors and inventions (80), japan (57), middle east (50), myths and legends (37), russia (36)

Learn about children and youth in history through primary sources, case studies, and teaching modules available from this extensive site. As you begin your exploration of primary sources by world regions take the time to read the introductory essay that includes strategies for using these items successfully. Be sure to take advantage of the well-developed teaching modules including lesson plans, teaching strategies, and more.

tag(s): africa (148), china (81), england (50), japan (57), primary sources (117), Research (87), slavery (79), south america (47)

Immigrant Stories is a collection of videos sharing personal and family immigration stories. Add your story to the collection by following posted instructions and video tutorials. View all of the stories here. Each short video includes information about the participant and a downloadable transcript. Click on tags to find additional videos from participants discussing the same country or region.

tag(s): immigrants (34), immigration (68), migration (45)

Military History Now is dedicated to sharing the strange, off-beat, and lesser-known aspects of military history. Scroll through the site to find interesting stories of the military from around the world, both recent and long ago. Recent posts include the story behind the famous "I Want You" poster featuring Uncle Sam and 10 Most Famous Battle Cries. Use the keyword search to find specific information, or click on related links in posts to find more information on a topic.
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tag(s): battles (18), famous people (19), veterans (27)

This adorable video tells the Passover story through the eyes of children. Through animations and children's telling of the story, the 3-minute video provides a quick overview of the background of Passover. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. Avoid allowing students to explore this site on their own, as some comments are not appropriate for the classroom.

tag(s): holidays (187), jews (33), middle east (50), religions (95)

This YouTube playlist from the creators of Sesame Street offers 14 videos teaching the story of Passover. Grover and his friends share songs, rituals, and fun facts through these very short videos. Many videos run less than a minute, with the longest at just over 8 minutes. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): hebrew (16), jews (33), middle east (50), preK (271), religions (95)

This site provides a short explanation of Passover along with several simple activities for learning about Passover with kids. Activities include animated videos, home-made crafts, and recipes. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.

tag(s): egypt (56), hebrew (16), holidays (187), middle east (50), religions (95)

The Jewish Kids Passover page offers videos, crafts, songs, stories, and games to learn about theoverPassover holiday. Click Videos then Passover to find the videos which include Out of Egypt, the Passover Mini-Series parts 1, 2, 3, how the Jews left Egypt and several others. There are printables featuring coloring pages, mazes, and a mystery. The Guide starts out with a challenge for children called The Big Clean, explains Chametz vs. Matzah, The Lighting of Candles, and much more. There is no registration necessary to enjoy these activities.

tag(s): hebrew (16), holidays (187), jews (33)

Discover several activities for children to learn about Passover on this Gateway page. Each resource downloads in PDF format and full color. Download and read a kid-friendly, illustrated Story of Passover, and also find symbols for a board game, a Passover Activity Placemat, visuals for The Order of the Seder, 10 Plagues, Blessings, Songs, and matching activities. There is no registration necessary to enjoy these activities.
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tag(s): egypt (56), hebrew (16), holidays (187), middle east (50)

Chronas is an interactive timeline of world history. Move the timeline bar along the bottom of the map to view the world map as it appeared during that period. Click on any country to see that nation's Wikipedia entry. Other map icons allow users to load images for the selected year and browse through data such as populations by religion and culture. Chronas includes many features buried in the maps and timelines, be sure to watch the short introductory video with an overview of the basic features. If your district blocks YouTube, this video may not be viewable.

tag(s): 1600s (20), 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), explorers (64), maps (220), religions (95), timelines (56)

CyArk offers an online library of cultural heritage sites using 3D and digital technology. One of their main goals is to provide a resource for saving representations before losing them to the natural progression of time, disasters, or other unknown factors. View offerings by theme or project for 3D images, photographs, and in-depth information about the site. Within the theme link, use the timeline to view by period, or use the dropdown boxes to choose by culture or country. CyArk also includes many lesson plans based on principles used in creating the website.

tag(s): archeology (28), egypt (56), environment (252), erosion (15), graphic design (49), mayans (23), photography (130), romans (52), speech (69), virtual field trips (128)

Watch the growth of human population from 1 CE through 2050 with this interactive map and timeline. A five-minute video provides an overview of population growth, use the drop-down box to view the video in several different languages. Personalize your viewing experience to adjust features on the map with themes, overlays, and map dots. Click on the timeline below the map to view additional information about events throughout time. Choose the menu to find all the resources on this site, including several lesson plans.

tag(s): advanced placement (26), conservation (102), environment (252), population (51)

Find five decades of the Metropolitan Museum of Art publications available for free download or online reading at this extensive public collection. Browse by keyword, date, title, or topic as you choose from over 450 available titles. Choose your publication, and then follow the links for downloading in PDF, reading online, or other options. Not all titles have all options available.

tag(s): art history (103), artists (85)

Mr. Moore's Classroom shares resources used in his social studies courses which include AP US History, Debate, and World History. Each content area includes a course syllabus, learning calendars, and information by unit. Some sections include more information and activities than others. Choose the Presentations link to find links to videos, Prezi presentations, and interactive games and simulations. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.

tag(s): 1700s (36), 1800s (75), 1900s (72), 20th century (62), advanced placement (26), american revolution (82), aztecs (9), civil rights (209), civil war (139), debate (42), industrial revolution (22), industrialization (12), speech (69), world war 1 (77), world war 2 (161)

Histography is an interactive timeline spanning history from the beginning through 2015 (as of this review), pulling historical events from Wikipedia. Drag the bar across the timeline to any point in history to view stacks of dots representing events. Click any dot to view the event and then go to the link on Wikipedia, if desired. Use the left sidebar to view specific topics such as music or politics throughout history. Be sure to take some time to explore this site by clicking around to find other options such as "Feeling Lucky" or to expand your view using slider bars at the bottom of the graph.

tag(s): timelines (56)

The Los Angeles Unified School District offers a large selection of resources for teaching history and social sciences aligned to Common Core Standards. Choose from elementary, middle, or high school to find curriculum maps and lessons. One very useful portion of the site includes lessons created in partnership with Reading Like a Historian, reviewed here, that engage students in the creation of historical knowledge. Both sites are a must-visit for anyone teaching Social Studies!

tag(s): assessment (147), commoncore (73), professional development (385)

Torah Tots teaches young children all about Jewish traditions and holidays through games, coloring pages, and music. Select holidays to take an adventure based on holidays such as Chanukah, Yom Kippur, Passover, or Rosh Hashanah. Other sections teach about the Jewish Calendar, Jewish history, and offer traditional Jewish music.
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tag(s): hanukkah (12), holidays (187), jews (33), puzzles (149), religions (95), rosh hashanah (13), yom kippur (15)