It’s Thursday, August 15, 2019, and time for Social Sciences. I would like to invite you to check out the Recommended Website: If you have used these resources leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of them and why.
Age Range: 10-15 (Grades 5-9, with parental supervision) Mr. Dowling is a teacher who developed this website from his interest in history and the lessons he taught in the classroom. “Travel” and learn with him as he reads each lesson!
When you get to the ad-supported site, scroll past the ads to get to the 16 icons and click on a destination to learn about a variety of places including:
- Mesopotamia
- Ancient Egypt
- Africa
- India and the Himalayas
- China
- America Before Columbus
- Ancient Greece
- Ancient Rome
- The Middle East and North Africa
- The Caribbean
- And more!
Just click on an icon such as “Ancient Greece” and a new page opens with an introduction; and on the right side of the page are links to selections such as Greek Mythology, The Iliad and The Odyssey, Sparta, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great and more.
The information is presented in user-friendly text enhanced by illustrations and photographs. Each lesson also has a link to an audio file of Mr. Dowling reading the lesson, so your child can follow along; and links to download additional resourses.
Or you can look under Site Tools at the top of the page and click on Download Free Teacher Resources to see all the resources in one place.
Social Studies Video Dictionary
Age Range: 10 and up (Grades 5 and up approximately; children with parental supervision) The Georgia Department of Education offers this terrific free “Video Dictionary” to help students learn Social Studies.
When you get to the site you’ll see a menu of over 30 topics that include:
- African Savanna
- Anti-Semitism
- Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
- Cortes
- Ganges River
- Great Barrier Reef
- Incas
- Montezuma II
- NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement
- Ottoman Empire
- Simon Bolivar
- The Cultural Revolution
- Toussaint L’Ouverture
- Treaty of Versailles
- And more!
Click on a topic of interest, and watch a professionally produced, well-narrated video that explains the term, its history, and its relevance – all accompanied by a montage of film clips, illustrations, and photographs.
These videos are a great way to introduce the people, cultures, countries, and events that have impacted our world.
Recommended Website: Growing A Nation: The Story of American Agriculture
Age Range: 11 and up (Grades 5 and up; children with parental supervision. This was designed for middle and high school classrooms.) This website provides a free multimedia social studies program that explores the history of American agriculture and how it has affected our lives today.
It uses digital story telling to engage learners and help them understand that “the history of America is much more than just war battles.”
When you get to the site, you’ll see a menu that includes:
- Explore Multimedia Program – Launch or download the free program that is divided into four lessons delivered through a narrated video presentation (turn on your speakers):
- Lesson 1 – 1600-1929, Seeds of Change
- Lesson 2 – 1930-1949, From Defeat to Victory
- Lesson 3 – 1950-1969, Prosperity & Challenges
- Lesson 4 – 1970-Present, Into a New Millennium
- Classroom Resources – Access pdfs of the instructional units (lessons) along with activities and resources based upon primary source documents. You’ll also find options for assessment.
- Historical Timeline – Explore the various eras of American agriculture including Economic Cycles, Farm Machinery & Technology, Crops & Livestock, Transportation, Agricultural Trade & Development, and Government Programs & Policy.
- External Resources – Find more free lessons on agriculture including pest management, water quality, food safety, understanding wetlands and the environment, the history of cotton, cattle ranching, and more.
This program is designed for classroom use to stimulate discussions and promote understanding. There is lots of flexibility in the material that can be tweaked for independent study. It supplements any study of history and meets national standards.
Recommended Website: Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
Age Range: 9-18 (Grades 3-12, with parental supervision) Today’s website introduces students to the life and times of President Harry S. Truman. This guide was developed based on the most requested topics about Truman from students in elementary and secondary grades.
When you get to the site you will see a menu that provides biographical information accompanied by photos and text and all kinds of student activities to enhance learning about Truman’s presidency. The headings include:
- Truman’s Early Life (1884-1922)
- Truman Family
- Early Political Career
- Truman’s Presidency
- Timelines
Once you’ve had a chance to explore the site’s contents, try your hand at the Games and Activities including secret codes, a maze, fill in the blanks, alphabetize, and more that test your knowledge of Truman and his presidency.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
