Social Studies
Elementary
State Maps
50States.com provides blank maps of all 50 states, which include major cities and the state capitals.
http://www.50states.com/maps/
Blackline Maps
This collection of blackline maps includes continents, countries, and US states. Click and Learn presents these free blank maps of the world, continents, various countries, and regions.
http://www.clickandlearn.com/documents2/BlankMaps.htm ;
The American Presidency
From the American History Museum, this site features information about all of the presidents of the United States. Each president is listed in chronological order. Information includes: the years of service, significant events,and links to objects related to each president.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/presidency/home.html
Smithsonian Kids - Collecting
Smithsonian Kids presents information about collecting. This Flash presentation shows students amazing examples of collections, gives the rational behind collecting,and how to get started. Collecting can be a powerful tool for students to connect with the objects from their own lives to tell their own history.
http://kids.si.edu/collecting/
National Geographic Kids
This online magazine from National Geographic provides animal information,videos,activities,stories,and more. Grades 3 and up.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Famous Moments In Early American History
This site contains movies based on the 'Famous Moments' series,which high light a true story of historical significance, providing students of early America with a better understanding of the people, places and events of this important era. Of added interest for viewers, each short film tells its story using scenes and portraits from the Early American Digital Library. Many of the images are primary source documents---engravings, woodcuts and drawings that date back to the early to mid-1800s. Requires Flash. Grades3-8.
http://www.earlyamerica.com/series.html
The Library of Congress presents America’s Library
The Library of Congress presents this site which includes these topics: Meet Amazing Americans (features biographies), Jump Back in Time, Explore the States, Join America at Play (includes baseball history, as well as American celebrations from parades to county fairs),and See, Hear and Sing.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
Best of History Web Sites
Best of History Web Sites is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1000 history web sites as well links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more.
http://besthistorysites.net/
The World Factbook
Did you ever need a single place where students could find current information about countries from around the world that included maps, historical background, statistics, and flags? The World Fact book has all that and more!
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
National Council for the Social Studies
Social studies educators teach students the content knowledge, intellectual skills, and civic values necessary for fulfilling the duties of citizenship in a participatory democracy. The mission of National Council for the Social Studies is to provide leadership, service, and support for all social studies educators. The site includes sections on advocacy, publications, and resources for your classroom.
http://www.socialstudies.org/
The Teachers Corner
WOW, thematic units everywhere—and all written and implemented by practicing teachers. Searchable, easy to read, and very clever!
http://www.theteacherscorner.net/thematicunits/
National Geographic
Xpeditions is home to the U.S. National Geography Standards—and to thousands of ideas, tools, and interactive adventures that bring them to life. And lots of great down-loadable maps!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/
Middle School
Educator’s Guide to Literature
Teacher Vision is dedicated to helping teachers save time. Find 12,000+ pages of classroom-ready lesson plans, printables, and resources at this site. Select one of the titles listed in Educator Guides to Intermediate / Middle Literature to view great supplemental material that will assist students in enjoying and understanding literature. Be sure to click “Go Directly to my Link” in the top right hand corner of the page after linking to the below URL. Also note that you may view up to 10 free articles / resources and then the website will require you to subscribe for $30 a year.
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/literature/reading-instruction/5832.html?wtlAC=GS_2007-02-05,email-gs_5
Explorers on the Web
Cyber Sleuth Kids is well-rounded website with resources for all subjects. This link provides access to extensive information about famous explorers, hooking directly into the DPS social studies curriculum.
http://www.cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Explorers/index1.htm
Best of History Websites
Best of History Web Sites is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1000 history web sites as well links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more.
http://besthistorysites.net/
American History
New York Times on the Web is a site full of authentic resources for teachers. This American History page provides links under “Issues in Depth”, “Lesson Plans”, “and News by subject” as well as the opportunity to “Ask A Reporter”. There are “Slideshows” and “Crossword Puzzles” to peak student’s interest and keep them motivated about learning our national history.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/subjects/ushistory_index.html
Professional Cartoonists Index
This is the Teachers' Guide for using the Professional Cartoonists Index website in your classes. Daryl Cagel has developed lesson plans for using the editorial cartoons as a teaching tool in Social Sciences, Art, Journalism and English at all levels.
http://www.cagle.com/teacher/
Teacher’s Domain
Teachers' Domain is an online educational service with two related components — collections and courses — that help teachers enhance their students' learning experiences and to advance their own teaching skills. The Teachers' Domain collections include classroom-ready multimedia resources for use in lessons or independent study,and the Teachers Domain Professional Development courses utilize many of the same resources, along with videos of exemplary classroom practice.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/
The Library of Congress presents America’s Library
The Library of Congress presents this site which includes these topics:Meet Amazing Americans (features biographies), Jump Back in Time, Explore the States, Join America at Play (includes baseball history, as well as American celebrations from parades to county fairs), and See, Hear and Sing.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
Best of History Web Sites
Best of History Web Sites is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1000 history web sites as well links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more.
http://besthistorysites.net/
A Three Hour Tour by Kathy Schrock
Ever wonder where to find great primary sources on the Internet for your students to use in their research? Well, here is a place called “Primary Source Super Sites”.Scroll down to the middle of the page to find internet links to: The Library of Congress, The University of Virginia Library, The U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and many more.
http://kathyschrock.net/navigating/
Digital History
This web site was designed and developed to support the teaching of American History in K-12 schools and colleges and is supported by the University of Houston.The materials on this site include: a U.S. history textbook,400+ annotated documents on slavery, Mexican American, Asian American, and Native American history’ and U.S.political, social, and legal history; short essays on the history of film, ethnicity, private life, and technology; multimedia exhibitions; and other great historical resources. The site's Ask the Hyper Historian feature also allows users to pose questions to professional historians.
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
Meet Mr. Donn
Once you do, you will visit his website again and again. Still a practicing teaching, Mr.Donn offers a wealth of lesson plans and resources—all with the teacher and students in mind.
http://members.aol.com/donnandlee/SiteIndex.html
Archiving Early America
Here at Archiving Early America, you will discover a unique array of primary source materials from 18th Century America. Scenes and portraits from original newspapers are provided and maps and writings come to life on your screen, just as they appeared to America’s forebears more than two centuries ago.
http://www.earlyamerica.com/
All About Presidents American Presidents: Life Portraits
From CSPAN comes this easy to navigate link to learning more about any one of our amazing Presidents!
http://www.americanpresidents.org/
American President
The University of Virginia hosts this extensive collection of information on the Presidents, includes a biography, listing of advisors and cabinet members, and a time line of pertinent events in their administrations.
http://www.americanpresident.org
History Central Biographies
These history makers include generals, presidents, first ladies and important people of the 20th century. Wonderful resource!
http://www.historycentral.com/bio/index.html
Presidential Libraries
In Thanks to the Discovery Channel for another fabulous teaching resource, this site includes virtual tours of the Presidential libraries, links to websites on the presidents and First Ladies.
http://www.ibiblio.org/lia/president
Presidents of the United States
This is a “don’t miss” as it offers the standard Presidential information by biography, birth or death date, etc., but also includes information about books, campaigns,Cabinet,speeches, coins, genealogy and much more.
http://www.presidentsusa.net
Lesson Plans for Teaching About the Presidents
Looking for some good, fun lesson plans on teaching about Presidents?
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/history/government/presidents/
High School
SAT Test Help
It’s getting to be that time of year! Offer your students some on-line SAT problems, quizzes and practice tests. All free.
http://www.syvum.com/sat/
Internet for Historians
This is an excellent site with tutorial and links on how to search the Internet, specifically for historical information. It’s very user-friendly and students will benefit from learning how to cite internet sources, critique history sites, etc.
http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/history/
A Biography of America
A comprehensive and rich site from the Annenberg Foundation. This website will take you on an adventure back into time with its primary resources, on-line videos, and information for every era in U.S. History.
http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/
Famous Trials (University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law)
Ready for some in-depth, easy to understand information on the most famous trials in history? This is an easy-to-follow site offering trial information, maps, pictures, briefs, and other trial information from Socrates to Bill Clinton.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/ftrials.htm
Eyewitness To History
Your ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to the present - this site provides history through the eyes of those who lived it, presented by Ibis Communications,Inc.a digital publisher of educational programming. Read and watch the words of people who lived history, from the Ancient World, Middle Ages,17th Century,18th Century,19th Century, Civil War, the Old West, 20th Century,World War I and World War II.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/index.html
Primary Sources
From the good folks at EduPlace, a very comprehensive list of web-based primary source documents, maps, images, and more that you can use in your classroom.The sites are sorted into two categories: sites relating to United States history and sites relatingto world history.
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/primary.html
Social Studies Resources
From Jefferson County Schools in Tennessee, this very rich website offers resources in every area of Social Studies, including interactive games and a long list of good,
http://www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/tools/socst-hs.html
The History Channel
The History Channel brings their excellent TV content to the web. This site features Todayin History, over 24,000 hours of archival film footage and 20 million photographs, engravings and drawings spanning over 3,000 years of world history.
http://www.history.com
Mr. Donn's Amazing Website
Meet Mr. Donn, and once you do, you will visit his website again and again. Still teaching a full schedule, this teacher offers a plethora of lesson plans and resources; all with the teacher and student in mind.
http://members.aol.com/donnandlee/SiteIndex.html
National Geographic
Xpeditions is home to the U.S. National Geography Standards—and to thousands of ideas, tools, and interactive adventures that bring them to life. And lots of great down-loadable maps!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/