Social Studies Resources
General
Best of History Websites Start here. It is the gateway to greatness.
The British National Library- Explore the World's Knowledge
Museum Box Create your own museum exhibit of historical artifacts
Zinn Education Project Howard Zinn teaches a People's History which is often the untold story when it comes to American History and what is not in your text book
FedFlix This site has over 18,000 free movies on many social studies topics.
RaceBridges Videos Videos of storytellers weaving tales to build bridges between the races.
8BillionLives mini documentaries of the lives of special unknown people all over the world
Mr. Donn must be a great social studies teacher. Awesome links and resources.
Facing History and Ouselves This site is dedicacted to linking the past with moral choices today.
C-Span Video Library Videos dating back to 1987
Geocommons Map the World’s Data
National Geographic for Kids
Our Courts Free Interactive Civic Lessons Outstanding middle school site
Academy of Achievement This is an outstanding online museum with achievers from all areas of society.
Historical Voices audio and text files of historical speeches and more.
My Hero read stories and biographies of famous heroes. You can also submit your own stories.
National Geographic Homepage
The Smithsonian Homepage Known as the nation's treasure house for learning.
American Revolution Interactive site that teaches about the American war for independence.
GeoNet Games Excellent site that with games that teach location, physical and human characteristics, physical systems, human systems, human environment interactions, and changes over time for all the places in the world.
Terra Server Use this if you do not want to download Google Earth, satellite images of the Earth.
Avalon Project Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy
National Humanities Center Visual Toolbox of primary documents organized by theme.
LIFE Photo Timelines
American Cultural History
This Day in History by the History Channel
Docs Teach - This site has ready made lesson plans to go with documents from the National Archives
One Day In The World's History
The Week in Rap This is a great current events site
Family Echo Free online family tree maker.
The British National Library- Explore the World's Knowledge
Museum Box Create your own museum exhibit of historical artifacts
Zinn Education Project Howard Zinn teaches a People's History which is often the untold story when it comes to American History and what is not in your text book
FedFlix This site has over 18,000 free movies on many social studies topics.
RaceBridges Videos Videos of storytellers weaving tales to build bridges between the races.
8BillionLives mini documentaries of the lives of special unknown people all over the world
Mr. Donn must be a great social studies teacher. Awesome links and resources.
Facing History and Ouselves This site is dedicacted to linking the past with moral choices today.
C-Span Video Library Videos dating back to 1987
Geocommons Map the World’s Data
National Geographic for Kids
Our Courts Free Interactive Civic Lessons Outstanding middle school site
Academy of Achievement This is an outstanding online museum with achievers from all areas of society.
Historical Voices audio and text files of historical speeches and more.
My Hero read stories and biographies of famous heroes. You can also submit your own stories.
National Geographic Homepage
The Smithsonian Homepage Known as the nation's treasure house for learning.
American Revolution Interactive site that teaches about the American war for independence.
GeoNet Games Excellent site that with games that teach location, physical and human characteristics, physical systems, human systems, human environment interactions, and changes over time for all the places in the world.
Terra Server Use this if you do not want to download Google Earth, satellite images of the Earth.
Avalon Project Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy
National Humanities Center Visual Toolbox of primary documents organized by theme.
LIFE Photo Timelines
American Cultural History
This Day in History by the History Channel
Docs Teach - This site has ready made lesson plans to go with documents from the National Archives
One Day In The World's History
The Week in Rap This is a great current events site
Family Echo Free online family tree maker.
Geography
National Geographic Maps: Tools for Adventure Interactive games to learn map skills along with other Social Studies concepts
My Wonderful World This site was made by National Geographic to turn geography into an interactive, multimedia, cultural enlightening experience.
GeoGames Build Planet Earth from the big picture down to the local with click and drag map features.
ArcGIS This is a Web2.0 tool where you can create your own maps or view maps created by others.
Geography 4 Kids
Shappard Software Geography Games
My Wonderful World This site was made by National Geographic to turn geography into an interactive, multimedia, cultural enlightening experience.
GeoGames Build Planet Earth from the big picture down to the local with click and drag map features.
ArcGIS This is a Web2.0 tool where you can create your own maps or view maps created by others.
Geography 4 Kids
Shappard Software Geography Games
Interactive Maps
Latitude, Longitude, and Mapmaking - This lesson requires students to review the concepts of latitude and longitude and to use these concepts to create maps of different countries on the computer
Maps that Teach from Owl & Mouse software - Learn the countries of different continents and their capitals with these fun and educational map puzzle games. Interactive maps to learn continents, countries, states, capitals, borders, physical features and cultural monuments. Download maps from all over the world to use in class.
The Map Machine from National Geographic - interactive maps, or go to their Xpeditions section to find maps to print.
Maps of War Visual History of war, religion, and politics
Maps that Teach from Owl & Mouse software - Learn the countries of different continents and their capitals with these fun and educational map puzzle games. Interactive maps to learn continents, countries, states, capitals, borders, physical features and cultural monuments. Download maps from all over the world to use in class.
The Map Machine from National Geographic - interactive maps, or go to their Xpeditions section to find maps to print.
Maps of War Visual History of war, religion, and politics
Countries
CIA World Factbook - links to information about every country in the world
Continents - Scroll over a continent to learn more, click on a continent to visit its interactive map.
Country at a Glance - presented by the United Nations
Country Studies - an index of country information on the web posted by the Library of Congress
InfoNation - An easy-to-use, two-step database that allows you to view and compare the most up-to-date statistical data for the Member States of the United Nations.
Interactive Quizzes about a variety of countries
Travelocity offers information about countries around the world. You may select a country, region, or city from a pull down menu, or click on a map for a list of countries is a continent.
U. S. Department of State: Background Notes - These publications include facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty.
Continents - Scroll over a continent to learn more, click on a continent to visit its interactive map.
Country at a Glance - presented by the United Nations
Country Studies - an index of country information on the web posted by the Library of Congress
InfoNation - An easy-to-use, two-step database that allows you to view and compare the most up-to-date statistical data for the Member States of the United Nations.
Interactive Quizzes about a variety of countries
Travelocity offers information about countries around the world. You may select a country, region, or city from a pull down menu, or click on a map for a list of countries is a continent.
U. S. Department of State: Background Notes - These publications include facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty.
States of the United States
Coast to Coast - students try to complete a cross-country road trip by answering questions about the states. The questions are hard, but students quickly learn interesting facts about the states. When they make it to Hawaii, there is a surprise.
Fifty States index gives links of interest for each state. You can find out what a state bird or flower is, for example, but a link will also show you the bird or flower. This looks good for projects on any of the states.
Fifty States Guide - Website consists of concise and meaningful information about each state. Take a trip around the country without ever leaving home! Includes history, geography, outdoors, tourism, State links and State Info.
Fifty States index gives links of interest for each state. You can find out what a state bird or flower is, for example, but a link will also show you the bird or flower. This looks good for projects on any of the states.
Fifty States Guide - Website consists of concise and meaningful information about each state. Take a trip around the country without ever leaving home! Includes history, geography, outdoors, tourism, State links and State Info.
Interactive U.S. Geography Activities
- How well do you know the states of the United States?
- Do you know the names of the state capitals?
- Can you locate these major cities? (this one is very hard)
- Can you find the major rivers and lakes?
- How well do you know the major land features in the United States?
U.S. Capitols (as seen from space) - images taken from LANDSAT satellites
U.S. Counties - Capitol Impact provides an index of state pages. At each state page you will see a map linking to information about the counties of that state.
United States of America - geography and history
U.S. States - States web games; locate states, name states and more
U.S. State Images from 30 Second Topographic Data
U.S. Puzzle for younger students - place the states where they belong. The name of each state is given to help place them.
Where in the USA - students choose from three categories (U.S. capitals, cities, or landmarks) and have two minutes to answer as many as they can
Government
icivics The Democracy Lab a super cool Interactive Animation site
Our Courts Free Interactive Civic Lessons Outstanding middle school site
Center on Congress This site has e-learning modules and videos that teach students about congress from the inside out.
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
First Gov for Kids
Kids World: Government and Politics
USA Government
Kids in the House Learn about the house of representatives
Contacting the Congress
The White House for Kids
Shappard Software USA for Kids
Interactive White House Tour
Our Courts Free Interactive Civic Lessons Outstanding middle school site
Center on Congress This site has e-learning modules and videos that teach students about congress from the inside out.
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
First Gov for Kids
Kids World: Government and Politics
USA Government
Kids in the House Learn about the house of representatives
Contacting the Congress
The White House for Kids
Shappard Software USA for Kids
Interactive White House Tour
Time Lines Applications and Mind Mapping Graphic Organizers
Time Toast- Easy to use, Start with this one for no fuss time lines
Capzles free multimedia time line maker
x-Time Line Students can work together on this time line maker.
Time Rime These time lines can be made with text, pictures, audio and video files.
Dippity another multimedia time line maker like Time Rime but with a different layout.
Preceden A super easy, free online application to make awesome time lines.
Internet4Classrooms list of timelines
Read, Write and Think Timeline Creator
Timelines
Drop Mind highly interactive mind mapping software online
Creately
bubbl.us - free web application for brainstorming online
Gliffy.com
Flowchart.com - Flowchart software - Create Flowcharts Online with Realtime collaboration - [BetaOnline Mind Mapping - MindMeister
Capzles free multimedia time line maker
x-Time Line Students can work together on this time line maker.
Time Rime These time lines can be made with text, pictures, audio and video files.
Dippity another multimedia time line maker like Time Rime but with a different layout.
Preceden A super easy, free online application to make awesome time lines.
Internet4Classrooms list of timelines
Read, Write and Think Timeline Creator
Timelines
Drop Mind highly interactive mind mapping software online
Creately
bubbl.us - free web application for brainstorming online
Gliffy.com
Flowchart.com - Flowchart software - Create Flowcharts Online with Realtime collaboration - [BetaOnline Mind Mapping - MindMeister
Games
Playing History 126 and counting Interactive Games that teach history
History Globe Links to The Jamestown Online Adventure, the Oregon Trail, and Anglo Apache Conflicts
School Time Games/Social Studies
Big Picture Small World Experiential Games
Interrobang?! Real World Problem Solving Games and Projects where you can experiment, collaborate, create and possibly save the world for real.
Taking it Global for educators Rich, Interactive experiences that help develop Global Citizenship, Critical Thinking, and Leadership Skills
e-learning for kids Lots of graphics and interaction
History Globe Links to The Jamestown Online Adventure, the Oregon Trail, and Anglo Apache Conflicts
School Time Games/Social Studies
Big Picture Small World Experiential Games
Interrobang?! Real World Problem Solving Games and Projects where you can experiment, collaborate, create and possibly save the world for real.
Taking it Global for educators Rich, Interactive experiences that help develop Global Citizenship, Critical Thinking, and Leadership Skills
e-learning for kids Lots of graphics and interaction