Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This companion site to a PBS special is filled with riveting details and historical photographs that capture the significance of the Nuremberg trials, the people and events that defined this era, and the devastation experienced by citizens of Berlin after World War II. Includes an illustrated timeline with links to related sites, a photo gallery, and transcripts of interviews with a prison guard and an army photographer.

tag(s): courts (23), world war 2 (162)

Give your students practice in navigating through a typical obstacles with this interactive game. The object is to cross the finish line in a race around the world. This activity challenges students to use spatial intelligence and logic.

tag(s): game based learning (207), logic (161)

Find out how much you know about customs around the world with this entertaining, interactive quiz that focuses on table manners in various countries. A fun and eye-opening introduction to the sometimes humorous etiquette that defines a culture.

tag(s): cultures (211)

This impressive collection of magazine cover art represents some of the world's most compelling personalities and some of Time's most memorable art work. You'll find portraits of queens, presidents, popes, athletes, and entertainers - the famous as well as the infamous. Each portrait is accompanied by brief biographical information and sound clips.

tag(s): famous people (25), news (226)

Take a virtual tour of the current Pompeii exhibit at the Field Museum of Chicago with this site that brings the cataclysmic eruption to life. The true gem of the site is an interactive timeline that details and animates the events of August 24, AD 79. But be sure to check out the photo gallery - which includes images of frescoes, artifacts, and plaster and epoxy resin casts of some of the victims (a bit gruesome).

tag(s): volcanoes (55)

Use this interactive site as a review game for recognizing and locating each of the fifty states. The game provides instant feedback and the opportunity to rethink an incorrect response. Great for independent practice.

tag(s): game based learning (207), states (125)

Turn Halloween into a history lesson with this History Channel site that traces its origin from an ancient Celtic festival to the modern-day practices of trick-or-treating and Jack-o'-lantern carving. Includes some hauntingly intriguing video clips (some with specific ties to American history), ghost stories, and recipes.

tag(s): halloween (33), holidays (194)

This repository of folk tales from throughout the United States, organized by state and region, provides students with a great literary tapestry of American culture. Add to a unit on your state's history, or use to supplement your reading curriculum.

tag(s): states (125)

This site from the Library of Congress takes a detailed look at the variety of peoples and civilizations that were thriving on the American continents before they were "discovered" by the Europeans. The content includes native peoples of the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, and North America. Try this one as a counterpoint to a traditional explorers unit, or as part of a study of the Maya, Inca, or other native cultures.

tag(s): explorers (64), native americans (117)

Explore the planet and visit each major continent with the click of the mouse. The interactive maps offer general information about each country, a collection of "Fast Facts" that are ideal for student research projects, image galleries, information on national holidays and events, and much more.

tag(s): continents (33), countries (73)

Students can practice recognizing each of the fifty states with this interactive activity. As each state is highlighted on the map, students must select the correct name from a choice of four. Nice review activity.

Supplement a World Religions class with this excellent, comprehensive, and easy-to-use site. Impartial facts and useful information on each of the world's major religions are provided along with featured in-depth articles and comparison charts.

tag(s): religions (112)

Google Maps gives you live visuals of any location, ideal for planning a trip, picturing the relationship between places, and viewing physical characteristics of almost anywhere in the world. Type or paste in an address and click "search maps." If you click Satellite or hybrid versions of the map, you will see actual satellite images of the terrain. Zoom in and out, use the street view "orange man" to walk among the buildings and trees, or plan and share a route easily with Google Maps. Using your (free) Google membership allows you to save favorite places and more. Find businesses and other features near a specific map location: hotels, restaurants, schools, parks, and more. Google Maps has become more and more sophisticated, now offering many features previously only available in Google Earth, such as opening and/or saving placemarker files. Unlike Google Earth, Google Maps does not require software installation and does not use as much bandwidth for constant reloading. You can even play a tour of places you mark in Google Maps. They just keep adding more features! Google Maps is available as a free app for Android and iOS, too. The handy embed codes let you put any Google Map in a web page, blog, or wiki. Of course you do not need a membership or any special skills to simply SEE, share, or navigate a map. Membership gives you more ways to save.

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (146), directions (11), maps (224)

Although this unit plan was originally written for early elementary students, the related readings and activities are ideally suited for foreign language classes at the middle school level. With a focus on French language and culture, this series of lessons centers on family life. After learning about areas of the world where French is spoken, students explore the similarities and differences between French and American families and expand their foreign language vocabulary with French words for names of family members. Aligned to National Standards.

tag(s): family (49), french (74), vocabulary (242)

Use this creative lesson plan to introduce your students to the many social services available in your town or city, the important needs they address, and the funding that supports each one. After researching various charitable, religious and civic organizations, students are asked to select one and argue persuasively in support of a hypothetical monetary grant to further its specific cause. Aligned to National Standards.

This online tool lets you create a timeline of an individual's life using dates from 1000 AD to the present year. Enter the person's name and dates, add events (historic or personal) and their beginning/ending dates, and click the "generate" button.

tag(s): timelines (57)

This multimedia site explores various facets of American history through Lessons, interactives, Themes and more. Visitors can view objects that are part of the Smithsonian collection, navigate between historical eras, or filter the information by selected themes (Arts and Culture, Politics and Reform, etc.) Items in the exhibit are linked to National Museum of American History websites that provide more in-depth information.

tag(s): agriculture (52), american revolution (83), famous people (25), japan (61), japanese (54), jazz (17), lincoln (67), politics (118)

Take a tour of the archaeological and architectural remains of Athens, Greece on this impressive site (created by a classical archaeologist at the Indiana University) that presents a photographic archive of the city's most historic venues. All images may be downloaded and used for school projects and presentations, provided that the terms outlined in the Creative Commons License (check out the link) are followed.

tag(s): greece (47), greek (47), greeks (46), states (125)

These two thought-provoking lesson plans challenge high school students to analyze relevant issues related to population growth and the depletion of oil reserves. Using math skills, students must calculate when oil reserves in various countries will run out, project the percentage of increase in world and U.S. oil demand between now and the year 2020, graph and analyze population data over a period of years for a city in Brazil, and participate in related discussion questions. Links to national standards are provided.

tag(s): population (51), problem solving (234)

Use this searchable resource to foster understanding of Islamic history, law, and practice. The "Discover Islam" section provides a beginner's introduction to understanding Islam and Muslim traditions, as well as essays addressing similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity. The site includes a video about the Qur'an, a PowerPoint title The Rights of Believers, a Shi'ite encyclopedia, photos of sites sacred to Islam, examples of Islamic artwork, and a collection of PDF downloadable fact sheets - available in numerous languages - covering a range of topics.

tag(s): holidays (194), ramadan (10), religions (112)