Homeschool Resource: Social Sciences

It’s Thursday, and time for our Homeschool Resource: Social Sciences. I would like to ask you to check out the Recommended Websites: State Symbols USA, Spies in the Shadows and Castles of Wales.

State Symbols USA

Age Range: All (All grades; children with parental supervision) If you are looking for an all-in-one website to concisely learn about state symbols, icons, mottoes, landmarks, and much more, then today’s website is the site for you.
After arriving at the link, there are few ways to explore the site:

Use the clickable state map at the center of the page to select a state.
Use the left hand side bar menu of the state names.
Use the right hand side bar menu to search for specific types of state symbols and icons.
Scroll down below the map and click on the images of specific categories such as capitals, coat of arms, flags, historic and iconic figures, holidays and events, museums, name origins, tartans, threatened species, and much, much more.
The upper menu on any page contains links to get back to the home page, search by state symbols, places and even includes a whole section for national symbols.

If you select to research by state, after selecting the state, when the page loads there will be images of the various symbols and facts relating to the state.

Select your topic of interest and discover a brief overview. Or you can use the sub-menu located above the images across the top to search for related information based on:

Symbols & Icons
Cities & Towns
Parks
Landmarks
Historical Markers

Navigating this ad-supported website with so many options makes short work of searching for specific information and the succinct text keeps even the most reluctant student interested. This is one website you will want to bookmark for all of your state study adventures.

Recommended Website: Spies in the Shadows

Age Range: 12-18 (Grades 7-12, with parental supervision) Companion to the documentary series, Spies in the Shadows, this interactive educational website provides visitors with tools to understand the role that intelligence and espionage played in shaping Canada.

When arriving at the home page of this website, read the brief summary “Why Spy?”, then go to the upper tool bar to select “Teacher’s Lounge”. On this page you will find downloadable lesson plans that include all the associated masters. In addition to the downloadable “Elements of Intelligence History“, which provides a list of resources for further exploration, choose from:

Lesson 1: Spy Identities and Methods: War of 1812
Lesson 2: Spy Tools of the Trade: Cryptography, Codes, and Ciphers
Lesson 3: Women and Intelligence
Lesson 4: The Role of Intelligence and Espionage in Canada During the Cold War

In the “Teacher’s Lounge“, you will also find additional resources such as:

The Secret Files – Explore an interactive file cabinet filled with ‘index cards’ profiling some of the most unique participants in spy history.
The Espionage Glossary – Learn the words and phrases in the language of spies.
The Great Canadian Spyglass of Espionage Abbreviations – Uncover the meaning of intelligence acronyms.

After reviewing the lessons, use the features at the website to bring the lessons to life. Some of the special interactive features found in the top menu include:

Cryptography Laboratory – Discover the world of codes and breaking codes with activities that include using Morse code, color shielding, book codes, and secret ink.
Espionage Games – Engage in the decision making process faced by commanders in the War of 1812 by ‘joining’ in five battles which include the Battle of Detroit, Battle of Stoney Creek, Battle at Beaver Dams, Battle of York, and Battle on Washington D.C.
Espionage Timeline – Travel through time with this interactive timeline and explore the history of espionage and intelligence. Find key icons along the way to reveal important events.
Links – dozens of links to other websites for further study of Canadian espionage and the War of 1812

Students intrigued by mystery, espionage, and the world of spies will enjoy exploring this website and will learn a great deal about Canadian history and the Spies in the Shadows along the way.

Recommended Website: Castles of Wales

Age Range: 8-18 (Grades 3-12, with parental supervision) This non-profit, educational resource website created by Jeffrey L. Thomas features photographs and/or information relating to over 400 different medieval castles of Wales.

Not only will visitors be able view images of the well-known and lesser known castles, but they can also learn about the castle builders and Welsh history.

When arriving at the site, you can read the introduction, and then use the upper text link menu to navigate through. Select “Main Menu” to easily arrive at areas of interest such as:

Main Castle Index – Use the hyperlinked, alphabetized index of castles to quickly arrive at the castle you wish to visit.
Complete Castle Database – provides a larger annotated list of the castles in Wales, including those that no longer remain but have been mentioned in historical records
Castle Locator Maps – maps showing the locations of the major castles of Wales
Historical Essays – historical overviews, the evolution of the castle in Wales, and additional essays
Castle Builders – Discover the Welsh and Norman castle builders.
A Timeline of Medieval Wales and A Timeline of Welsh Castles
Castle Terminology – short definitions for terms associated with medieval castles, some of which are hyperlinked to examples
Abbeys & Other Religious Sites in Wales – includes a hyperlinked list of holy wells, abbeys, cathedrals, priories, and churches
Pre-Medieval & Other Historic Sites in Wales – a selection of other historical sites and monuments
Welsh Language Pages – In an effort to preserve the ancient Celtic language of Wales, some pages are available in Welsh. There are also a few links to Welsh language sites.
Drawings and Illustrations of Welsh Castles