MiddleWeb history and social studies resources

Articles, E-Mail and Web Links about History

= Article or E-mail you'll find right here on MiddleWeb

= A good link on the topic we've checked out ourselves

Basic Resources
History
American History
The Civil War
Early Humankind
Ancient and Medieval History
World History
Other History Topics
Government / Current Events
Other Social Studies
Multicultural Resources

ALSO SEE: Geography Resources

ASK ERIC Social Studies Lesson Plans - Lots of well-documented lessons.

Reading Comprehension in the Social Studies -- This page at "ReadingQuest.org (University of Virginia) offers social studies and language arts teachers access to many strategies to help students comprehend non-fiction, fact-filled text. To name just a few resources: Column Notes (a learning guide arranged in columns); Comparison-Contrast Charts (for comparing two concepts by looking at similarities and differences); Concept of Definition Map (a visually organized word chart for enriching understanding of an unfamiliar term); Graphic Organizers; and History Frames/Story Maps (a graphic organizer that looks at key actors, time & place of events, problem or goal, key events, outcome, and larger relevance).
Primary Source Material from the National Archive -- To encourage teachers of students at all levels touse archival documents in the classroom, the Digital Classroom provides materials from the National Archives and methods for teaching with primary sources. Includes information on workshops and summer institutes for educators and opportunities for collaboration with the National Archives and Records Administration's education program.

All History Is Local -- Want to teach your middle graders how to use primary sources in history and social studies? Here's a model project developed in Arkansas for high school students that can be adapted in any state for Grades 7-8. Students collect primary source materials from their families or local communities and examine the interplay between national, state, local, and personal history. Over a period of several weeks, students produce a digital collection modeled on the Library of Congress' American Memory collection. In the culminating unit of the Arkansas Memory Project, students built a Web page based on the analyzed archival collection, and made their own projects available online to other Arkansas schools. (At the Library of Congress American Memory Fellows Program site - includes objectives, standards, curricular connections, resources, sample lesson plans, etc.)

Mr. Kash's History Page -- Jeff Kash, a history teacher at Madison Middle School in North Hollywood CA, designed this page to be used by history students and teachers interested in exploring the Internet as part of their history studies. "The site is frequently updated to highlight the celebrations and events of the month."

Making History Come Alive -- History teachers need the time to rearrange the classroom, spread documents out on the floor, understand a common problem through an artifact, and listen to competing interpretations from others, says Alan Stoskopf in this KAPPAN article, "Reviving Clio: Inspired History Teaching and Learning (Without High-Stakes Tests)" [February 2001]. "When these moments occur, they are magical, and we need more of them."

Giving Middle Schoolers a Sense of History -- In elementary and middle schools, widespread concerns over reading achievement are prompting teachers to turn to historical narrative, fiction, and cultural myths to engage students' imagination about the people and events in history, even as they shore up students' reading skills, says this article in "Curriculum Update" (Winter 2001). Includes teacher tips and web resources.

Today in History -- Take a peek back in time with this History Channel feature, which brings you several historic events for each day of the year. Curious about your birthday or any other special date? Enter the month and date to jump to its unique history. (Surfin' with Kids review.)

DoHistory -- Established by the Harvard Film Study Center, this excellent site explores the process of historical research through the case study of Martha Ballard. The 18th-century midwife and healer is the subject of the film and book "A Midwife's Tale." Great introduction to primary sources.

Conversations With History -- Created in 1982 by Harry Kreisler and produced by the Institute of International Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, "Conversations With History" has featured interviews with over 150 distinguished men and women from all over the world. Users can now read, and in many cases view, a large selection of these interviews online. (Scout Report)

100 Most Important People of the 20th Century -- TIME marked the end of the millenium by profiling 100 individuals the magazine's editors believe are the most important men and women of the century. Education World has supplemented TIME's work with a list of websites linked to the magazine's top 100 -- and 10 follow-up activities for students.

"The Colonial Biography Unit" -- Demonstrates the curriculum-building approach advocated at ALPS (Active Learning Practices for Schools), a remarkable site developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard's Project Zero. Describes a year-long history curriculum for 7th grade. Includes sample student work (shown at three stages) and teacher reflections. One of the best examples we've seen of how to show student work on the Web.

Images of American Political History -- Over 500 public domain images related to American political history from the colonial era to the present. Users can search the collection by keyword or browse by era or one of four special topics. Teachers and other users are free to download the images for classroom or other use.

National Geographic Society Xpeditions -- Education World gave this site an A+. Built around the national geography standards, the site includes an atlas, forums, an Xpedition hall, and an archive of standards-based materials. "Very interactive and beautifully illustrated."

National History Day competition -- This site describes how students can enter an annual history research competition. This year's theme is "Science, Technology and Invention in History: Impact, Influence, Change," and the site includes a lengthy list of possible research topics. Middle schoolers can enter the junior division (grades 6-8).

National Council for Social Studies -- Membership group for social studies teachers. Site includes a useful "teacher resources" section sorted by academic standards.

Using Primary Sources -- MiddleWeb's collection of websites that help students and teachers learn more about how to use primary sources in their classroom work. Make suggestions!

History and Humanities Resources -- Teachers can find lesson plans, links to discussion lists and many history and humanities resources here.

You Be the Historian -- Part of the National Museum of American History Web site, this section lets users "be the historian." Viewers are given a series of clues, documents, and objects from a particular family. Viewers use the information and examine the evidence "left behind" by the family to figure out how many people were in the family, what the family ate, and how they made a living. Educators can use the site for class discussions about the historical process and for an activity to encourage students to personalize history by examining their own lives and objects.

ArchNet -- Serves as the World Wide Web Virtual Library for Archaeology. Provides access to archaeological resources available on the Internet. Information is categorized by geographic region and subject. Users can view archaeological sites and information for specific regions via the clickable map at the site.

The Donn's 26 History Web Sites -- Husband and wife team have produced great set of resources for history teachers: focus on ancient civilizations and U.S. history.

Oz's Kingdom - A History Teacher's Page -- Good set of resources for history teachers at every level. One of our favorite pages: the lyrics of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," with hotlinks that reference all of the personalities and events mentioned in the song.

The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School -- The Avalon Project at Yale Law School is an major resource for historical research. Documents dating back to the12th Century are presented in entirety, with links to supporting documents, glossaries and indexes for each one. Major documents relevant to Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government.

National Geographic - Great site, as you would expect!

Words and Deeds in American History -- This site collects and posts original manuscripts and letters archived at the Library of Congress. Grouped by such topics as: The Presidency, Military Affairs, Arts and Literature, etc. You can perform keyword searches.

Social Studies Lesson Plans - Resources and links compiled by a middle school teacher.

Social Studies School Service -- Commercial site with variety of social studies materials.

Making of America -- Making of America (MOA) "represents a major collaborative endeavor to preserve and make accessible a significant body of primary sources related to development of the U.S. infrastructure. ... A thematically-related digital library documenting American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. Approximately 5,000 volumes with imprints between 1850 - 1877 will be selected, scanned, and made available to the academic communities at each institution." (Blue Web'n review.)

Humanities and Social Sciences OnLine - Great resource for listserves and other information, from African Expressive Culture to sports literature, U.S. Civil War history, to teaching U.S. history and social studies.

Some Social Studies Sources - Explore many social studies topics. Excellent basic source.

The CIA World Fact Book -- One of the best sources of basic information about countries of the world. Includes maps and flags.

Biography - The A&E website with a searchable online collection of 15,000 biographies.

The Biography Maker -- How do you write a good biography? These online lessons explain what a biography should be and walk student writers through questioning, learning, synthesis, and story-telling. Includes embedded links to relevant Internet resources and tips for effective writing.

The National Teacher of the Year's social studies website -- If you're a social studies or humanities teacher, you'll enjoy perusing the site developed by the 1998 National Teacher of the Year Philip Bigler and his teaching partner. One assignment requires students to participate in a new constitutional convention at which they're required to write a new amendment representing their faction's point of view-- and make a one-minute speech. Read Bigler's comments about teaching.

The Ft. Braden (FL) Social Studies Site -- This site offers interactive lessons and links
in K-12 social studies. Developed by middle school teacher Todd Byars. The focus is on US History, Geography, Current Events, Government and Tallahassee History. Includes several lessons plans. You will also find lessons on internet use, research and news servers. Graphics and Icons are available free for download.

LISTSERVE: Teaching American History - A listserve for history teachers who want to "share ideas, compare notes, discuss historical or social issues," etc. To subscribe, click on this link, then include a message that says: subscribe tamha (your first name) (your last name)

The History Net - A central resource for teachers and students supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Teachers will find discussion groups on more than 80 topics.

The Concord Review -- The Concord Review has published more than 300 history essays (average 5,000 words) by secondary students of history. One teacher says the articles "in addition to being scholarly, are readable, and the 'right size'. . . appropriately challenging, yet 'intellectually digestible' for all students, not just the gifted few in an AP section . . . ." The site includes the complete text of award-winning essays about King Authur, Kamikaze Pilots, John Maynard Keynes, the Negro Leagues, the Great Awakening, the Conquest of Mexico, Mormon Settlement, Constantine and Christianity, Soviet Dissent, and Woman's Suffrage.

Social studies teachers will enjoy a visit to Mark Roberts' homepage, where they can peruse several elaborate lesson plans, including "Road to Revolution" -- complete with teacher notes and student role-playing materials.

The History Ring -- Features nearly 200 history-related websites. The "ring" allows visitors to travel from site to site without using search engines or entering URL addresses. Peruse the current list of History Ring members. Wonderful resource that's likely to grow over time.

Women's History Month at Education World -- A selection of stories and web resources that have been researched by editors at Education World. Includes a web scavenger hunt for "women of accomplishment."

American History

The Outline of American History -- Prepared by the U.S. Information Agency.

The Library of Congress American Memory Project -- Documents, photographs, movies, and sound recordings that tell America's story. Many teacher resources.

America's Story from America's Library -- Think of this as the Library of Congress, light. Let students of American History explore this colorful site to find out tidbits about history, culture and the people of the United States. (Blue Web'n review)

American Biography -- American Biography is produced by Gotha Middle School in Windermere, Florida. The site contains an extensive list of biographies of important figures in American history, past and present, all written by middle-school students! (Education World)

Mayflower Web -- This comprehensive site covers the history of the Mayflower and the pilgrims of Plymouth. Included are passenger lists, geneology information, pilgrim writings, and much more.

Salem Witchcraft Papers -- If you want your kids to dig into some stimulating primary sources, peruse the rare documents at this website documenting the Salem Witch Trials. Includes narratives of witchcraft cases, historical maps, and answers to frequently asked questions. Students may need a little help getting started, but the site is worth the effort. (University of Virginia.)

Amistad and the History of Slavery -- We've compiled a list of useful links.

Benjamin Franklin : Glimpses of the Man -- Find out almost everything there is to know about Benjamin Franklin, the inventor, philosopher, writer, and diplomat. Includes lesson plans (ie. solar energy, electricity, and hot air balloon experiments) that focus on current implementations of Franklin's ideas. By the Franklin Institute. Interdisciplinary link to science.

The Colonial Biography Unit -- Demonstrates the curriculum-building approach advocated at ALPS (Active Learning Practices for Schools), a remarkable site developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard's Project Zero. Describes a year-long history curriculum for 7th grade. Includes sample student work (shown at three stages) and teacher reflections. One of the best examples we've seen of how to show student work on the Web.

Murder in Virginia: A Creative Conspiracy -- The year is 1830, and an old woman is reminiscing about a murderous event that occurred when she was a young girl living in colonial Virginia. Can you guess who done it? Investigate the mystery -- and delve into thirteen activities designed to connect the crime to the curriculum. (Created at the Education World site.)

The American Revolution: Maps and Charts -- A product of the Library of Congress American Memory project. Features over 2,000 maps and charts of North America and the West Indies from 1750 to 1789, many from famous mapmakers and major London map publishers. Can be searched by keyword or browsed by subject, creator, title, or geographic location.

When Rice Was King-- Investigate early rice plantations in Georgetown, South Carolina, to learn how rice cultivation transformed the native environment and promoted the South's dependence on a plantation economy. National Park Service lesson plan.

Women and Social Movements in the United States -- This site may be too advanced for most middle grades students but will be of interest to history teachers who want to deepen their own knowledge of U.S. women's history. The site covers the period from 1830-1930 and presents a collection of learning modules addressing specific topics, such as African-American Women and the Chicago World's Fair, 1893; Women's Peace Mission to European Capitals, 1915; and Pacifism vs. Patriotism in Women's Organizations in the 1920s, among others.

The Mission Internet Trail - Students in California are building this site, which explores the history of the California Missions, part of the state's history framework. Some mission stories are still under development but visit "San Diego De Alcalá" in English or Spanish.

Historic Steps of Lewis and Clark --This USA Weekend site will introduce middle school students to the Lewis and Clark expedition. Users become virtual explorers by addressing six key decisions and choosing a answer. Feedback make this an educational experience. As a PacBell review notes, "Teachers and students could create similar activities to engage users in understanding and problem-solving a situation from the inside."

Westward Expansion -- At the K.I.D.S site, middle school students compile and review Internet information on various topics. The December 1997 issue featured reviews of 14 sites related to western expansion and "manifest destiny." Featured in USA Today.

Western Expansion Webquest Site -- Developed by several fifth grade teachers.

Westward Expansion Links -- A brief overview with links to some primary sources, including the Donner Party.

History of the Cherokee -- Covers the history of the Cherokee, beginning with the creation of the world according to Cherokee legend. The site moves on to explore pre- and post-Western contact, the Trail of Tears, the impact of the Civil War on Cherokee lands, and more. The site also includes downloadable files and an image and map gallery. A good overview, appropriate for use in the classroom. The history section begins with the oral history of the Cherokee and includes several traditional legends. The legends begin to blend into traditional practices in A View Of Traditional Cherokee Law. It is from here that the story of Western contact begins, and the inspiring and tragic events leading up to the Trail of Tears. (Education World)

End of the Oregon Trail -- Developed by the "interpretive center" of the same name, this site not only describes the center's offerings but includes useful information for students researching the Oregon Trail, including an excellent page on "Black Pioneers."

Life as a Frontier Family -- An integrated unit developed by middle school teachers.

Ghosts of the Gold Rush - A wonderful site about the Klondike Gold Rush. Oral history, lots of "frontier flavor."

City of San Francisco Museum -- Rich in primary sources, this site documents the history of San Francisco, from early Spanish days to the Gold Rush, the great earthquake and fire, through the present day. The many transcribed newspaper clippings offer teachers and students a wealth of primary source material. See, for example, a typical anti-Chinese newspaper account following the Earthquake of 1906.

The Old Colorado City Historical Society -- Nice site with lots of old photographs, historical documents and personal stories about the settlement of Colorado City and the Rockies.

Adeline Hornbek & the Homestead Act -- Subtitled "A Colorado Success Story," this lesson offers students an opportunity to study the life of Adeline Hornbek, a single mother of four who became a successful homesteader in Colorado. Includes pictures and diagrams of her house and land near Colorado Springs and gives readings and suggested school assignments about women owning land.

The Wild, Wild West -- Stories about the Oklahoma Territory and the Indian Nation mix fact and fiction, as the author admits. Might be a useful part of an exploration of establishing historical evidence -- and just what it means to be a "good guy" or a "bad guy." It's pretty exciting stuff.

The Moonlit Road -- Take a walk down The Moonlit Road if you want to read or listen to interesting folktales presented at a state-of-the-art Website. Begins with compelling stories of the American South, then adds RealAudio versions read by celebrated storytellers and appealing graphics. Good example of how artistically presented sites can also be user-friendly and quick-loading. (from Blue Web'n review.)

Uncle Tom's Cabin and American Culture -- This site from the Institute for Advanced Technologies in the Humanities at the University of Virginia contains many materials concerning Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and the nation's response to it. The site features a complete electronic edition of the first published version of the novel. The site's unique value, though, lies in the documents it presents that set the novel's historical and cultural context. (Scout Report review.)

Abraham Lincoln -- This site developed by a former American history teacher includes this offer: I "If you have a specific Lincoln question that you would like me to research for you, please e-mail me. I cannot answer broad questions, only very SPECIFIC ones. I will try to find the answer and get back to you." Lots of resources -- and they're all easy to access from the homepage.

Frederick Douglass -- "American Visionaries: Frederick Douglass" features items owned by the famous abolitionist, human rights & women's rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer. The site includes enlargeable images of items in the museum and archival collections at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

The History of Five Generations -- "Your Place in Time": 20th Century America" highlights five generations of the 20th century & looks at everyday technologies that shaped each of those generations. Each exhibit is presented through a series of vignettes. The site offers classroom activities and links for teachers.

Patents and Inventions -- "Alexander Graham Bell's Patent for the Telephone & Thomas Edison's Patent for the Electric Lamp" introduces students to significant inventions of the late 19th century. Linked to the National History Standards. Primary source documents.

Ellis Island -- Teachers and students can use the Ellis Island immigration museum to explore US immigration history from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.

American Life Histories -- A massive collection of life histories compiled during the Depresssion-era Federal Writers Project. A wonderful source of authentic information about life in the 1930s.

Vietnam Oral History -- A collection of oral histories about the Vietnam War era. Students can learn about the war and conduct their own oral history interviews, which can be added to the site. Developed in association with PBS documentary about Vietnam Memorial designer Maya Lin.

World War I: Trenches on the Web -- "An internet history of the Great War," this site is a rich resource for students and teachers exploring the first global conflict.

Vaudeville and Houdini -- "The American Variety Stage: 1870-1920" is a multimedia anthology illustrating the vibrant and diverse forms of popular entertainment, especially vaudeville, that thrived during the period. The Houdini section includes143 photos and 29 related items. Part of the Library of Congress' "American Memory" series.

Women's Suffrage Links -- Here's an annotated collection of good links about the fight to win women the right to vote in the United States. At the "Surfin' the Net with Kids" site.

Jazz Age Chicago -- Quality city developed by young historian with an interest in Chicago and urban American in the 1920s and 1930s. Enough here for a research project.

American History in the 1930s -- Education World has put together a lesson plan built on events of the 1930s, including the Great Depression, FDR, Superman, the Empire State Building and more. Some of the activities are tied to the U.S. Postal Service's 1930s stamp series.

World War II -- A commeration of World War II includes articles and photos, biographies of key war figures, and information about battles. From Grolier. Includes other WWII links.

World War II: The Homefront -- This remarkable site, based on a middle grades teacher's curriculum, was developed by students at Galesburg (IL) High School as an entry in the ThinkQuest competition. The site includes a war artifact museum showing items that local kids found in the homes of relatives. There's also a family simulation that explores the lives of typical American families during 1943-44. The students "would love to have others come to the site and send in examples of artifacts from their communities," writes their teacher.

Dr. Seuss Went to War -- Between 1941 and 1943, Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) was the chief editorial cartoonist for the New York newspaper "PM", penning over 400 editorial cartoons that commented first on American neutrality and then involvement in the Second World War. The entire collection of these cartoons has now been placed online and is browseable by year, month, and day.

Institute on World War II and the Human Experience -- Supported by the history department at Florida State University, this site includes documents, photos and links.

The Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust -- A "must see" web site, says Blue Web'n. With the powerful combination of words, music, photographs and art, the site provides a factual but chilling account of the Holocaust, its victims and perpetrators. Teacher resources, classroom activities, Web links, a Holocaust glossary and timeline. And see Nizcor , a site designed specifically to refute those who claim the Holocaust never happened. Also see an e-mail discussion on teaching the Holocaust.

Witch Trials vs. McCarthyism -- This site describes a standards-based, inter-disciplinary project where students pursued a "Big Question": How can we raise our consciousness against methods of scapegoating used by groups facing a crisis situation?" Students investigated the social problems in post-World War II America during McCarthyism and those in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 "which resulted in the persecution and banishment of many innocent victims. " Includes pre/post test, handouts, student work products. A Co-NECT project.

American History 1945 - Present -- Collection of links at Homework Central.

Millard Central Middle School Links for The American Revolution, US History 1790-1825, The Titanic, and The 1950s.

Radical Times: The Antiwar Movement of the 1960s -- Created by students for ThinkQuest, this site explores the AntiWar Movement and its effects on modern society. An introduction to the site includes a brief flash movie (336 kb) introducing the Vietnam War and the movement against it.

Watergate -- Comprehensive site about the history of the Watergate scandal contains full texts of speeches given by and in honor of Mr. Nixon. Also included are links to a variety of other Watergate resources. Begins by defining what "Watergate" has come to mean in American politics.

Selected Civil War and Related Resources

Civil War Publishing Project -- Ongoing teacher project in Rochester, Minnesota includes original research by 9th graders. Assignment directions and grading rubric for teachers. Other students can contribute. High quality.

Links to Lincoln -- Not surprisingly, there's a wealth of information about Abraham Lincoln on the Web. Students of all ages will learn from six great sites; among them are sites created by a high school history teacher, the White House, and a class of first graders. Education World has identified activities to engage students for each site.

Selected Civil War Photographs -- From the Library of Congress' American Memory series, over 1000 high-quality photographs that can be searched for bykeyword or browsed from a less-friendly table. Because there are no known restrictions on use of the images, students and teachers should be free to download them for educational use.

Civil War Gazette -- In this WebQuest project for 8th graders, students research, write, and edit an of a Civil War era newspaper that focuses on a specific battle. Articles for the paper include: a news article about the battle; a human interest story; an editorial; and a letter to the editor from someone against the war. Includes examples of actual Civil War newspaper material.

Millard Central Middle School Links for The Civil War -- Comprehensive list!

The Civil War Home Page -- A rich collection of historical writing, primary sources, and Civil War buff material.

American Civil War Ethnography -- By gathering links by subculture / category (such as "Letters," "Slave Narrative," "Female Perspective," and "Civil War Photos"), the author has created a powerful set of links. The outlines of conducting an ethnography are sketched out by the author, but they are more tips than step-by-step lesson plans. Use them as a springboard or dig into the resources to create your own activity. (Adapted from Blue Web'n.)

Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War-- A remarkable site, full of rich primary resources. Developed by the University of Virginia, with significant student involvement, U.S. history teachers will need time to explore all that's available here, from actual soldiers' records to details of the life of two Civil War towns -- one in the North, one in the South. Soon to be published on CD.

Early Humankind

Origins of Humankind -- Read about the latest controversies in anthropological research at the OOH site, which regularly posts articles from Nature magazine and other research journals. There's some humor, as well -- and useful annotated links.

Cave of Lascau -- This Webby award-winning site lets you take a virtual tour of the Palaeolithic wall paintings of Lascaux. Explore the caves and learn more about the images created by artists 15,000 years ago.

The Lucy Test -- Evaluate the fossil evidence and decide for yourself whether Lucy is the missing link. Students will enjoy taking this test, which will complement their studies of early hominids.

The Lithics Site -- The place to start for all things Stone Age.

Early Life in the North Pacific -- The Jesup Exhibit provides a rare and compelling visual record of the people of the North Pacific and their cultures. The first area, Drawing Shadows to Stone, contains the many exceptional photographic images. The second area, Exhibition Correspondence, includes actual field correspondence written by anthropological expedition leaders and traces the routes of the expeditions.

Virtual Autopsy -- Yep, could be social studies, if you teach early human history. Offers students a chance to look over the shoulder of anthropologist as he examines the partially preserved body of an Incan maiden, sacrificed to the gods centuries ago. Using computed tomography (CT) scans and studying tissue samples, scientists have gleaned information about her DNA and possible links to living relatives as well as details of her death that provide new insights into Inca ritual and religion. "Stunning" National Geographic site also links to Ice Treasures of the Inca, a chronicle of the mummy's discovery.

Ancient and Medieval History

also see "World History"

Ancient Civilizations: A Comprehensive Database for Teachers -- This exhaustive list of teaching resources (except textbooks) concerning the ancient civilizations of Rome and Greece including mythology, history, literature, language study, archaeology, art, philosophy, drama. Includes materials on other ancient civilizations also, but they are not so fully developed. A companion site to "Dr. J's Guide to the Classical World."

"Turn of the Century" -- Author Ellen Jackson has painstakingly researched the centuries to create little composite vignettes that relate how a boy or girl might have lived at the turn of each century during this millenium. Jackson has created ten highly interesting character sketches that will captivate, and sometimes amaze, young readers! (Read a detailed description of this book at the Education World site.)

Mr Donn's Ancient History Page -- Units, lesson plans, activities & resources for Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, India, Africa, Aztecs, Incas, Mayans, Canada, Holidays, Map Skills and more, for ancient history teachers and students.

Hammurabi's Code -- What should be done about a wife who ignores her duties and belittles her husband? What happens if a man is unable to pay his debts? Middle school art teacher Phillip Martin created this site - complete with engaging cartoons - to help 4th-8th grade students explore ancient history through the Hammurabi Code of Law. (Blue Web'n "hot site of the week.")

MiddleWeb's Middle Ages -- Our selection of resources about the middle ages, full of castles, knights, maidens, and the details of feudal life.

Perseus Project -- An "evolving digital library" of scholarly material on ancient Greece and other civilizations. Includes primary source documents, maps, essays on varous topices.

AncientSites -- Developed in connection with the webgame S.P.Q.R., this site now offers a virtual classroom for students and teachers, with activitites and links. Lots of bulletin-board type chat. Teachers should explore first. Strong collection of links about Rome, Athens, Egypt, Babylon, Machu Picchu, as well as a Latin language section. Rome materials strongest.

Trekking to Troy -- Teaching about the Trojan War? This Iowa teacher's webstie includes links and a process for students to write a persuasive essay arguing whether Troy actually existed or not. Designed for high schoolers but could certainly be adapted for middle school.

Ships of the Ancient Greeks -- An annotated collection of internet resources, including archaeology sites, history sites, classics sites, museum sites,bibliographies, syllabi, articles, lectures, book reviews, and images.

Greek Mythology - Easy to use site will link you to many mythological sites. Another site delineates the "family tree" of the Olympians.

World Mythology -- The Minneapolis Institute of Arts website uses 24 mythological images to build an integrated approach to the study of world mythology. Lots of teacher resources and ideas about using the materials across the curriculum. Exceptional.

Argos Ancient Culture Search - This dedicated search engine focuses on ancient civilizations.

Odyssey in Egypt - Wow! This project allowed Michigan students (6th-8th) to participate in a live archaeological dig. Scientists and writers supplied weekly text and pictures fromt he excavation of a 4th century Coptic monastery at Wadi Natrun, Egypt. Creators are looking for funding to make this a national project in the 1997-98 school year; in the meantime, teachers and students can explore eight weeks' worth of rich material about the site, Egyptian life, and the work of archaeologists.

Ancient Egypt Webquest -- While engaging in this WebQuest to locate the burial mask of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen (King Tut), students learn about Ancient Egyptian daily life, games, mummies, and hieroglyphs. The site includes links to Egyptian facts.

The Art of Ancient Egypt -- A collection of museum and other links from "Surfin' the Net with Kids." Just the thing for that unit on Egypt.

Zeus Spoke! -The latest offering from OnLineClass gave middle schoolers an opportunity to study and "interact" with different gods from the Greek Pantheon. Schools and classes register for the interactive fee-based program (it began February 10, 1997). New programs emerge regularly. Get all the details at the OnLineClass site. A modest participation fee is required.

MayaQuest - "Lost Cities of the Rainforest." Long-term project provides meaningful interactions between students around the world and the MayaQuest team, exploring Latin America.

Exploring Ancient World Cultures - A teacher's site, this on-line college-level textbook will help teachers deepen their content knowledge about the ancient world. Very high quality site with links to pertinent sites.

World History

Ancient China -- Resources about ancient Chinese history and culture.

Electronic Samurai -- Full of photographic images of the Orient, this is a great resource on Asian culture. Includes QuickTime VR movies, sound bytes, and Samurai art. Also includes images of temples and shrines and tours of Mongolia and China. (Gr. K-12)

China: An Ancient Country in a Modern World -- Opportunities for teachers to introduce students to the history and culture of China and its people. Lesson plans and links to many resources, including Chinese History for Beginners. (Education World resource.)

Discovering China -- A ThinkQuest project developed by three high school students from USA, Japan and South Africa. This well-designed site is composed of six sections: History (from Opium war to reunification of Hong Kong); The Cultural Revolution (its history, background, impact and aftermath); Movers and Shakers (biographies of famous Chinese including from Empress Dowager Cixi to Yo-Yo Ma); Cityscape (history, culture, economy and tourism of main cities and province of China); Contributions (various Chinese contributions to art, food, and medicine); and the Interactive section (quizzes and polls.)

Egyptian Art -- Ancient Egyptian masterpieces, contemporary art, and other images from the Brooklyn Museum's collections.

Chinese Historical and Cultural Project -- This project, done in partnership with the San Jose Historical Museum, includes three excellent sample lessons from a commercial curriculum called "Golden Legacy," including a study of foot-binding.

Turkish History -- The ambitious TAY (Archeological Settlements of Turkey) Project is the first, and currently only, culture/settlement inventory of an entire country on the Internet. The TAY project was begun in 1993 "to build a chronological inventory of findings about the cultural
heritage of Turkey." TAY accomplishes this mission by locating, identifying, and protecting archaeological sites, as well as providing a huge data pool and scientific reference base for researchers and students. (from the Scout Report review.)

Napoleonic Links -- Page developed by the Florida State University history department.

South America -- Collection of links from StudyWeb.

The Wars for Viet Nam: 1945 to 1975 -- Teachers hungry for more content about modern Viet Nam can fill their plates at this Vassar College site, developed around a senior seminar. Includes numerous official documents. Professor Robert Brigham was the first American scholar given access to Vietnamese archives in Hanoi, and some of his translations are here.

The Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust -- A "must see" web site, says Blue Web'n. With the powerful combination of words, music, photographs and art, the site provides a factual but chilling account of the Holocaust, its victims and perpetrators. Teacher resources, classroom activities, Web links, a Holocaust glossary and timeline. And see Nizcor , a site designed specifically to refute those who claim the Holocaust never happened. Also see an e-mail discussion on teaching the Holocaust.

Teaching the Holocaust -- Twelve lessons for teaching about one of history's most tragic events. Compiled by Education World; includes link to a guide for teachers developed by the United Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Teaching about China -- The Boston Globe has assembled a list of 10 websites world history and government teachers will find useful in teaching about China.

China Unique -- China Unique is a large website devoted to the subject of China's culture and history. The site also offers advice to people traveling to China. From the home page, click on Education for a long list of topics covered in the site including geography, history, language, holidays, human rights, famous people, religion, and population. The brief nature of many of the texts makes this site a good one for young people. (Education World)

Six Paths to China -- The Blue Web'n review describes "Six Paths to China" as "a living example" of Web teaching/learning strategies described in a seminal article on Web pedagogy: Working the Web for Education. Developed by the article's author, Tom March, "Six Paths to China" demonstrates how teachers can target student learning using a Topic Hotlist, Subject Sampler, Multimedia Scrapbook, Treasure Hunt, or WebQuest. This revised version of the popular website "Searching for China" includes "more scaffolding for student cognition and more effective use of the Internet." A great site for students and teachers exploring China.

BBC Modern World History -- While this site was designed for high school and college students, middle school history teachers will find many useful materials, including 30 animated maps, an animated timeline, and a special section for teachers. Covers period from 1915. Useful links. Animation requires Shockwave software but site is accessible with most browsers.

Holocaust Lesson - The Nobel Channel features lesson plans built around various Nobel Prize winners. This lesson, "Bearing Witness," is drawn from the life and work of Elie Weisel, who received the Nobel Prize in 1986 for his work in memorializing the life of those who died in the Holocaust. Many resources and lesson plan ideas. Teachers will find lesson plans in other subject areas at the Nobel Channel, including science and literature.

The Spartacus Encyclopedia of British History -- Recommended for grades 9-12, this is also a useful site for 8th graders and middle grades teachers researching British history. Contains a large body of information about the time period of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain.

World Surfari - Created several years ago by a12-year-old cybernaut, this well-done site visits a new country and on a different virtual adventure on a regular basis. World Surfari takes a look at the people who live, work, and play in each country we visit. Who are they? How many of them are there? What about their religions and their languages? Visits developed thusfar: Japan, Italy, Kenya, Jamaica, and Greenland.

Russia Interactive Learning Exhibit -- A website that examines the enormous changes that have affected the former USSR. Students can learn about this part of the world through an interactive atlas and it has many related web sites to check out. (Annenberg/CPB collection.)

Other History Topics

National Geographic Pirates - Students can explore the adventures of actual pirates and sharpen geography skills in the process. Through May 23, 1997 five new questions will be posted from the National Geographic Bee. Visual treat for kids!

Lessons of War -- Lessons of War looks at the evolution of tactics and technology and how it has influenced European warfare from ancient to modern times. Combining the study of historical background information with interactive battle simulations allows history to come alive, captivating students. Users are pitted against the computer as they direct their armies in battle against Rome, Napoleon, or Hitler. (Education World A+ site)

Circus History -- We developed this page of circus resources and we're not sure where to put them! But we know that social studies teachers can use just about anything, so here they are....

Frank Lloyd Wright -- Created as a companion piece to the PBS film profiling the life and work of one of America's greatest architects. Includes many Real Player film clips. Also includes a collection of teaching and research resources.

A Walk Through Time -- A nicely done introduction to the history of time, and time-keeping. Created by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology, the site includes pages on ancient calendars, early clocks, the "revolution in timekeeping," the atomic age, world time scales, and the NIST's high-tech time calibration system. Suitable for middle-schoolers.

Art For Sale - A complete interdisciplinary lesson on the Web. Your art brokerage firm has been contacted by a rich entrepreneur. Her recent travels to the Pacific Northwest have peaked her interest in the cultures of that area. She has decided to add three pieces from that region to her collection. It is your job to research the art of the tribes of the Northwest Coast and to select three pieces to add to her collection.

Journey to the Ballot Box - Election 2000 -- In this Internet project supported by "The Learning Space," classrooms across the United States will work together to determine the outcome of each state's presidential election as based on samples of other participating classrooms. As the project proceeds, classes will look at the presidential campaign issues and statistics and predict winners. Get your kids involved in the 2000 elections! (Also check out Yahoo Politics.)

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids (Grs. 6-8) -- Beginning with basic ideas such as symbols of the government, the site progresses to topics such as the branches of government, historical documents, national versus state government, and citizenship. The Parents and Teachers section offers curriculum links and links to government Websites for kids.

Dirty Money -- We imagine that some enterprising social studies teacher can make use of this site. Developed by a pro-environment group, it allows visitors to track contributions made to politicians by Political Action Committees.

History and Politics Out Loud --This searchable archive of politically significant audio materials is designed for scholars, teachers and students. Includes speeches by Martin Luther King, John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Bill Clinton and others, plus excerpts from the Watergate tapes.

Ponzini, the Net Professor -- Uses "Trinary Visual Logic" to make what happens in the US Congress quickly and easily understandable to kids, the creators of this unusual social studies website say. The site allows students to e-mail members of Congress and track how they vote. The site dissects various Congressional votes, usually about one a week.

Just The News - Links to over 100 direct RealAudio/Video radio and television news clips from around the world. A current affairs' teacher's delight.

25 Great Ideas for Teaching Current Events -- Education World offers help for middle school social studies teachers, but English, math, and science folks will find some ideas, too.

Civil Liberties and Student Rights -- The American Civil Liberties Union maintains a webpage for teachers and students with background material on civil liberities and the current legal rights of students in middle and high school.

Washington Trip -- Some middle schoolers (and elementary kids) are lucky enough to go on a trip to our nation's capital. Teachers at Newark Valley Middle School have shared their list of Washington trip resources on their website. And here's a related site, the White House for Kids, which features a cartoon sketch of Socks, the First Cat as part of its logo.

"The Flood of '97" -- Here's one veteran teacher's early experiment with authentic assessment, including student assignments, a description of the standards covered, a scoring guide, and an example of student work.

POTUS: Presidents of the United States -- This comprehensive site on the American presidency includes biographies, speeches and writings, election results, and more. From The Internet Public Library.

CNN Interactive - Great resource for current events, social studies. Updated hourly.

E-Conflict World Encyclopedia -- A global reference guide done in a style similar to a world almanac. Sponsored by an organization dedicated to reducing world strife.

The Journey Exchange - A curriculum based project for grades 4-12 on the Internet that meets many curriculum standards in Social Studies and English. Student groups and classrooms work collaboratively on a technology-based social studies project; a planned and researched five-day journey across the world into another student's mind using geographic, social,economic, political, and historical clues.

Core Documents of U.S. Democracy -- A basic electronic depository collection that provides direct online access to the essential documents that define our democratic society. Topics include Legislation, Public Law, Regulations, Office of the President, Demographics, and Economy.

Design Paradise - Outstanding interactive simulation demonstrating the interrelationships among industry, environment and population on the Hawaii island of Kauai. Award-winner designed by high school students. Students can play role of land developer.

Rivers of Life: Mississippi Adventure -- Students who live along flooding rivers in Minnesota and Wisconsin posted their own daily reports and photographs. Interactive program includes river-related classroom activities. Models how students can use the Internet to engage in pressing issues and events. A subscription service, but many resources are accessible without signing up. High quality site by the Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University in St. Paul.

Peg Cagle is a middle school teacher in Los Angeles. Her husband Daryl is a syndicated cartoonist and vice president of the National Cartoonists Society. Daryl maintains a website full of nationally syndicated cartoons by many artists, including several Pulitzer Prize winners. Peg and Daryl have created lesson plans that suggest ways teachers can use editorial cartoons to increase student interest in current events. It's all free and great fun, too! And it includes a teacher's guide. See, for example, middle school current events.

Liberian Folk Tales -- The stories used in this lesson were collected by the author while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia, West Africa, in a town surrounded by the rainforest, or "the bush." The tales are "kid - tested" with students of all ages. Good introduction to the wealth of African culture and history.
Africana.com -- This terrific new website created by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. "offers a black perspective on everything from the daily news, history and the arts to practical advice like how to make it in business or manage your hair." Gates hopes the site will serve to link blacks across the globe. The site is sponsoring an "adopt a school" program that allows contributors to purchase copies of the new encyclopedia "Encarta Africana" and donate them to school libraries.

American Indians and the Natural World -- Hosted by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, this site is an exploration of four tribes of Native Americans: the Tlingit of the Northwest Coast, the Hopi of the Southwest, the Iroquois of the Northeast, and the Lakota of the Plains. It includes the "belief systems, philosophies, and practical knowledge that guide [these] peoples' interactions with the natural world." (Blue Web'n review)

Ethnic Rivalries -- "Worlds Apart," a feature from Britannica.com, explores the destructive role that ethnic rivalries have played in twelve diverse conflicts around the world. From the main page, users can access concise briefings of these conflicts, four analysts' viewpoints on the issues involved, and expanded coverage on (currently) two conflicts: Indonesia and the Kurds.

Using Folk Tales to Compare Cultural Values -- This teacher used "Cinderella stories" from different cultures to explore cultural values and attitudes toward women. From internet e-mail.

The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords -- This site was developed in conjunction with the PBS film of the same name. Offers an historical overview of the men and women of the Black press. Includes a variety of supplemental text and online resources: links to information about four key newspapers and nine noted personalities in the world of the Black press; film clips of interviews with modern journalists; and an interactive timeline that traces important dates and events related to the subject. Part of a larger project on the African American Journey.

African American Women Writers of the 19th Century -- An online collection of 52 full-text works. Users can browse the books by author, title, or literature type (fiction, poetry, biography and autobiography, and essays). Each work is (unfortunately) presented in a rather cramped frame, navigated with a table of contents on the left side. The site also includes a helpful introductory essay,technical notes, a discussion of editorial methods, a citation list, and an internal search engine. (Web Scout review)

Frederick Douglass -- "American Visionaries: Frederick Douglass" features items owned by the famous abolitionist, human rights & women's rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer. The site includes enlargeable images of items in the museum and archival collections at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

Chicago's Black Metropolis -- Subtitled "Understanding History through a Historic Place," this lesson plan from the National Park Service examines the history of a "city-within-a-city," a self-supporting African-American community in Chicago that prospered from the late 19th century until the 1930s.

Indigenous People's Literature -- A compilation of writings and information about indigenous peoples from around the world. The collection includes legends, poetry, quotes, biographies, important documents, and much more. This is an extensive site that will take a while to go through. The majority of the collection is on indigenous peoples of North America and includes a lot of information about the peoples of Mexico and Canada. Be sure to check out biographies of Great Leaders, the Famous Documents, Stories, Famous Quotes, Poetry, and Writers and Speakers sections of the site. (Education World A+ site)

Aboriginal Australia -- Created as a vehicle for Australia's aboriginal peoples to share their heritages and advance their independence. The teaching and learning section offers background information about aboriginal history and traditions and tips for teachers.

History of the Cherokee -- Covers the history of the Cherokee, beginning with the creation of the world according to Cherokee legend. The site moves on to explore pre- and post-Western contact, the Trail of Tears, the impact of the Civil War on Cherokee lands, and more. (Education World)

Black Pioneers -- The "End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center" has compiled a useful page of information about black pioneers, with a half-dozen biographies, a timeline, and other background information about legal status, etc. Also see Black Cowboys and Pioneers.

Black History Month links -- Compiled by Barbara Feldman at her "Surfin' the Net with Kids" website. Also see her "Underground Railroad" links. And here's a related link: A Virtual Underground Railroad Quilt. And check out these resources in our social studies section.

Infoplease.com's Black History Month page -- Each day in February the site is posting a biography of a distinguished individual and a special feature. In addition, the site offers statistics and figures, a Civil Rights Timeline, a reading list of black literature, information about black personalities of note (politics, arts, and sports), quizzes, and a crossword puzzle.

Exploring African-American Issues on the Web -- Resources developed by Internet education columnist Mary Shrader-Lasica for the Pacific Bell Knowledge Network. "If every teacher is left to their own devices, all your students may learn about are a few of the most prominent African American leaders. There is so much more available, providing students an opportunity to discover, discuss, and analyze how the unique contributions of many individuals enhance our lives."

Writing Black -- A collection of African-American and related literature sources, developed by the American Studies program at Keene University, UK. A good starting place.

"Amigos" -- This PacBell-sponsored site provides information to help kids thrive in multicultural settings. In the "Ask Carmen" section, students and teachers can read original articles and send their general questions to Dr. Carmen Guanipa of the Counseling and School Psychology Program at San Diego State University. The "Information" section lists links related to ethnic diversity, culture shock, self-esteem, drugs and alcohol, healthy living, mental health, relationships, and more. The "Multicultural Stories" section will share personal experiences. Available in Spanish.

Kokone -- This Spanish-language kids' site is about Mexico's culture. It includes some great information about the indigenous peoples --- their traditional culture and lifestyle, and their impact on modern culture. The site is mostly in Spanish, but one excellent area ---Animals of the Ancient Miztecs--- is translated into English. This is the kind of site that will make kids want to learn Spanish just so they can spend time exploring this site. It's packed full of great stuff. (Education World A+ site)

World Cultures: An Internet Classroom and Anthology --This site combines the reading and course materials of two World Cultures courses taught using web-based materials at Washington State University."World Cultures" is meant to be an interactive reading environment. "The entire design is oriented to teach independence, interactivity, recursive reading and learning skills, and constructed knowledge."

International Schools CyberFair - An on-going global learning project that has collected information about local culture from hundreds of schools across the world. Links to other curriculum projects.

Future Culture - Teachers who want to help their kids probe the meaning of "culture" will likely find creative ways to use this site, which includes a culture quiz.

Black History - Internet-based lesson plans. Good links to many topics, including Buffalo Soldiers, profiles of 19th century leaders, Nelson Mandela, much more.

Britannica Guide to Black History - Covers nearly 400 years of African-American history, over five distinct time periods, from the struggles of slavery to the successes of the Civil Rights Movement. Good biographies that cover more than just the most famous African-American leaders.

Multicultural Pavilion -- Created by a group of University of Virginia graduate students, this well-developed site includes ideas for multicultural lessons and activities, a reading list, and information about a listserve for those interested in multicultural education.

Seeds of Change Garden - Inspired by the Smithsonian Institution. Teaches about diversity and history by looking at the evolution of agriculture and cuisine throughout the world. Suitable for browsing or teaching. Teacher/parent notes embedded on pages.

Ask Asia -- Site supported by the Asia Society includes high-quality, content-rich lesson plans on Asian topics. See, for example, the study project "Chinatowns and Chinese Communities in America."

Beauty & Darkness - Subtitled "The Odyssey of the Khmer People," this site explores the rich and tragic history of Cambodia, with particular emphasis on the Khmer Rouge period. Photos.

Future Culture -- Teachers who want to help their kids probe the meaning of "culture" will likely find creative ways to use this site, which includes a culture quiz.

LatinoWeb - Education and history of Latin cultures. Links in Spanish and English.

Coleman's Website For Hispanists - A comprehensive collection of Hispanic studies and culture. Includes on-line learning sources, teaching with technology.

Native American Resources - An index of Native American materials on the Internet.

National Council for Black Studies - See especially the links to Africana sites.

Asian American Studies Center - Offers a rich variety of links to the many Asian cultures represented in the United States.

African Americans in the Sciences -- Profiles of African American men and women who have contributed to the advancement of the sciences and engineering.

Hispanics in America's Defense -- Extensive collection of pictures and documents describing the role of Hispanic-Americans in United States history. Department of Defense document.

Multiculturalism: We Hold These Truths to Be Self Evident -- Guides educators in the exploration of multiculturalism and democratic principals in schools. Includes web lessons students can pursue on their own.

Multilingual and Multicultural -- A comprehensive site from the University of Southern California's Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research. Focus on Latino and language-minority teachers.

50 States and Capitals -- Basic information on states and capitals. Very popular site.

Pop Clock - Students can explore population growth at this census-related site. This link takes you to a lesson plan for social studies and mathematics.

United Nations - Connect to the United Nations' resources through the CyberSchoolBus. Good resource for social studies teachers. Includes connection to Model U.N. activities, information for kids on refugees, child labor, much more.

Future Culture -- Teachers who want to help their kids probe the meaning of "culture" will likely find creative ways to use this site, which includes a culture quiz.

Adbusters -- Adbusters magazine regularly challenges our commercial-saturated, consumer-obsessed culture. The Adbusters website reflects the magazine's goal of raising our consciousness about the hundreds of commercial messages we are bombarded with daily. The site could be part of a balanced exploration of commercialism and can help students "question what's presented." Students will also enjoy the Adbuster spoofs on popular ads like Calvin Klein and Joe Camel.