TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Dec 8, 2024

Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to go to the Featured Sites Archive

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The Best of Our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Resources - Learning for Justice

Grades
3 to 12
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Learning for Justice has compiled an invaluable collection of resources to help educators explore Dr. King's work beyond the "I Have a Dream" speech. From lessons on economic justice...more
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Learning for Justice has compiled an invaluable collection of resources to help educators explore Dr. King's work beyond the "I Have a Dream" speech. From lessons on economic justice and civil rights to multimedia tools and primary texts, these materials foster meaningful discussions on social justice, past and present.

tag(s): civil rights (201), martin luther king (45)

In the Classroom

Students could identify a modern injustice, draw parallels to Dr. King's methods, and propose peaceful solutions. Assign students to analyze and reflect on Dr. King's speeches and letters to understand his rhetoric and goals.

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Who Is Claudette Colvin? - Wonderopolis

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3 to 12
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Wonderopolis.org is an educational website aimed at children and educators. It offers a vast collection of articles called "Wonders," which explore various topics in an engaging and...more
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Wonderopolis.org is an educational website aimed at children and educators. It offers a vast collection of articles called "Wonders," which explore various topics in an engaging and informative way. This Wonderopolis page on Claudette Colvin provides a detailed account of her role in the Civil Rights Movement. It explores her upbringing in Alabama, refusing to give up her bus seat in 1955, and the subsequent legal battles she and other activists fought to challenge segregation laws. In addition to the detailed account of Claudette Colvin's role in the Civil Rights Movement, the Wonderopolis page offers further resources for exploration, an Immersive Reader tool, and a video that supplements the written content, providing visual and auditory elements to engage learners in multiple ways!

tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (201), literacy (117), womenchangemaker (32)

In the Classroom

Encourage independent or small group exploration of the content. Younger students can leverage the Immersive Reader tool, which allows customization of text settings. Pair this with a Padlet, reviewed here discussion, where students can share reflections on what they've learned. This is a link to Padlet's Help section for posting video or an image. Consider integrating interactive platforms to review what they learned using polls like Mentimeter, reviewed here. Lastly, extend learning outside of the classroom by assigning students to explore supplementary resources linked on the page, such as articles from Smithsonian Magazine.

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Change Makers - Women for Freedom - TeachersFirst

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K to 12
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The decades-long battle for women's suffrage and the Civil Rights movement were both pivotal chapters in the broader struggle to extend equal rights to all Americans. Trailblazers like...more
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The decades-long battle for women's suffrage and the Civil Rights movement were both pivotal chapters in the broader struggle to extend equal rights to all Americans. Trailblazers like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ida B. Wells traveled tirelessly, enduring harassment and jail to demand the ballot for women. Countless women played indispensable roles in fueling and sustaining the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Through her unshakable advocacy of nonviolent resistance, Diane Nash helped desegregate lunch counters and public spaces across the South. Share these true change-makers with your students through this collection of reviewed resources.

tag(s): civil rights (201), women (144), womenchangemaker (32), womens suffrage (50)

In the Classroom

Find new resources to share with your students during lessons on the Civil Rights movement, voting rights, and more. Read the details of each tool and the technology integration ideas. Find the ones that will make your students understand these true change-makers better.

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Women in the Civil Rights Movement - Library of Congress

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3 to 12
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The Library of Congress site on the women of the Civil Rights Movement shares stories and information about how these women helped fight for equal rights in America. You can ...more
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The Library of Congress site on the women of the Civil Rights Movement shares stories and information about how these women helped fight for equal rights in America. You can read articles and see interviews of the many women who helped make significant changes. This website helps us learn more about the different ways women contributed to making history during the civil rights era.

tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (201), women (144), womenchangemaker (32)

In the Classroom

Have students work in six groups and assign each group one of the featured speakers from the site. Using the website, have them create a presentation using Google Slides, reviewed here. Then jigsaw the students and let them teach each other about what they learned. If you need a refresher for the cooperative learning technique Jigsaw, it's reviewed here. Have students watch the interviews on the website and have them make a comparison on what commonalities they heard. Have them create WordClouds, reviewed here to see what the speakers have in common.

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The Freedom Riders and the Popular Music of the Civil Rights Movement - EDSITEment!

Grades
8 to 12
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This fascinating lesson plan includes six teaching activities that focus on how civil rights activists used the power of song to share their message of equal justice under the law ...more
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This fascinating lesson plan includes six teaching activities that focus on how civil rights activists used the power of song to share their message of equal justice under the law for all. The lesson begins with guiding questions and stated learning objectives aligned to Social Studies and Common Core literacy standards. Then, students listen to several songs from the 1960s and analyze the lyrics to understand the civil rights messages during their study of the materials. This lesson includes links to all media and music referenced within the activities.

tag(s): 1960s (26), black history (130), civil rights (201), martin luther king (45), oral history (14)

In the Classroom

Integrate this lesson into your teaching about civil rights, Freedom Fighters, or the 1960s to engage students in learning about this period through music. Enhance learning by dividing students into groups to analyze different songs, then ask them to share their findings with the class by sharing a presentation created using one of the tools found at Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. After viewing the presentations, encourage students to look for similarities within each message. Use Answer Garden, reviewed here, to post a question and ask students to post responses to create a word cloud. For example, ask each group to share important words or concepts from their song, then view the word cloud to understand overlapping content. As a final activity, extend learning by asking students to create interactive timelines that include important civil rights events, 1960s music, and highlights of civil rights leaders' activities. Use a timeline creation tool such as Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here, or the timeline feature found in Padlet, reviewed here. Using either option, ask students to include links to videos, recordings, and discussions of the civil rights events.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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Freedom Riders - PBS

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6 to 12
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This documentary film from award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson tells the story of six months in 1961 that changed America's future forever. Follow the wrenching tale of 400 black...more
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This documentary film from award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson tells the story of six months in 1961 that changed America's future forever. Follow the wrenching tale of 400 black and white Americans traveling throughout the south in the face of oppressive Jim Crow laws through non-violent means of activism. The film begins with information on the background of segregated travel and follows the Freedom Riders through training and travels to cities throughout the south. The conclusion celebrates the final chapter of the story with Justice at Last.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): 1960s (26), black history (130), civil rights (201), congress (39), racism (79), social and emotional learning (96)

In the Classroom

This film is almost two hours long; however, it includes dividing points that break the video into several shorter chapters. Consider sharing this film with students for several days not only as a means for adapting to time constraints but also to allow time to process and discuss the information in shorter chunks. Consider including this video as part of a Symbaloo Learning Path, reviewed here. Include additional resources as part of the learning path for students to read and view, along with short quizzes or opportunities to share their reflections on the information. As an opportunity for reflection use PodcastGenerator, reviewed here, to encourage an ongoing conversation about the events shared in this film. Create a channel to discuss each chapter, including a prompt to initiate student discussions. For more ideas on facilitating difficult conversations in the classroom, visit the TeachersFirst Special Topics Page, located here, that is devoted to resources for difficult conversations.

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20th Century America (1945-2000) Resources - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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20th Century America Part 2 includes the years after World War 2 through the end of the 20th Century. During this period, there were global conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and ...more
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20th Century America Part 2 includes the years after World War 2 through the end of the 20th Century. During this period, there were global conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East. In addition, the Cold War, a period of tension between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their allies, continued for decades. The latter half of the 20th Century was also a tumultuous time for Civil Rights. Strong African American leaders who worked for social justice included Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and the Little Rock Nine. It was also a time of innovation and technological advancements. Read all about these events and more in the resources shared in this curated list.

tag(s): 20th century (62), black history (130), civil rights (201), cold war (30), korea (20), martin luther king (45), middle east (45), rosa parks (9), segregation (18), vietnam (38)

In the Classroom

Use these resources as you prepare social studies lessons related to American History 1945-2000. Each review includes technology integration ideas. This list includes resources for elementary and secondary students.

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Reading Trek: March, Book One - TeachersFirst

Grades
7 to 12
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration...more
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for sharing the autobiography of Congressman John Lewis who as a student met Martin Luther King, was instrumental in the birth of the Nashville Student Movement and their "lunch counter sit-ins." View the robust instructional guide for suggestions to use with students in grades 7-12. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.

tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (201), congress (39)

In the Classroom

Using the Reading Trek, explore the periods of the 1930s and 1960s using maps and other non-fiction resources. Engage students and use an online organization tool like Padlet, reviewed here, to collect and share resources with students. Organize information within the Padlet using columns to sort content by decade. Be sure to allow comments to encourage student discussion and collaboration. Enhance learning by asking students to create infographics using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here. Use the infographics as an alternative to a book report and ask students to share important places, dates, and historical characters to tell the story of John Lewis.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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Case Maker - Bean Creative

Grades
6 to 8
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Case Maker is a collection of 20 civics challenges for middle school students. Share individual challenges with students using the provided Challenge Code. Once students access the...more
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Case Maker is a collection of 20 civics challenges for middle school students. Share individual challenges with students using the provided Challenge Code. Once students access the challenge, the site offers tools for adding annotations and creating case folders. Once complete, students use information as a reference for other assignments or share their work using the site's presentation mode feature. Use your free Case Maker account to modify text and associated primary sources within challenges and follow student progress. Be sure to watch the introductory videos for teachers and students.

tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (201), constitution (93), democracy (20), elections (81), freedom of speech (14), immigrants (34), immigration (68), inquiry (24), media literacy (107), politics (116), racism (79), Research (84), world war 2 (161)

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free materials on this site to encourage debate and discussion within your current civics lessons and lessons on civil rights and racism. Introduce Case Maker by showing the class the student introductory video. Each lesson includes primary sources to use when responding to prompts; ask students to find and share additional primary sources to include in their response to each question. Instead of just creating a list of additional resources, engage students and augment classroom technology use by sharing additional resources using Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet offers features for adding comments; ask students to use this feature to indicate important information found on the document. Enhance learning by finding and sharing videos that support the topic being discussed. Use edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add comments and question prompts for students. Upon completing student projects, extend learning by having stidents share their thoughts through a podcast featuring students' challenge solutions. Be sure to include a group of students in each podcast featuring various points of view and their backup documentation. Try using Acast, reviewed here, to create student podcasts.

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Great variety of resources! Toni, , Grades: 5 - 8

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Civil Rights Timeline - NewseumED

Grades
8 to 12
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This interactive timeline from NewseumED uses primary source news articles and photographs, with explanations, about the events covering America's civil rights from the ratification...more
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This interactive timeline from NewseumED uses primary source news articles and photographs, with explanations, about the events covering America's civil rights from the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791 through Alexander vs. Holmes in 1969. Use the slider at the top to see all of the articles. Of course there are the usual articles about the assassinations of President Kennedy, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, the March on Washington, The Formation of the Black Panther Party, and Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963. However, there are many other interesting articles that are pertinent to today's news, too many to list here. Some of these are: Poor People's Campaign 1968, Riots Spur National Study 1967, Orangeburg Massacre 1968, Watts Riot and the Bloody Sunday March 1965, Freedom Summer Campaign for Voter Registration (and education for black children) 1964, Baptist Church Bombing 1963, and The Children's Crusade 1963. To access this timeline you must register for a FREE NewseumED account.

tag(s): black history (130), civil rights (201), constitution (93), martin luther king (45)

In the Classroom

Civil Rights is about more than a movement that took place forty plus years ago. Americans have fought for their civil rights going back to the late 1700s. We are still fighting for them today. Review the timeline with a projector and the whole class. Extend student learning by suggesting to students that some of the articles have parallel situations going on today. Have them choose an article and research the situation from back in the 1960s and then compare it to a similar situation that is ongoing in the 21st century. Challenge students to redefine their technology learning by presenting their findings to classmates with an interactive, multimedia infographic or interactive poster using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here.

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CurriConnects Book List - 20th Century America, Part 2 (1945-2000) - TeachersFirst

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K to 12
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Do your students remember 2000? How about 1950? This booklist explores the times of JFK and Reagan, the tumultuous 60s and Woodstock, Civil Rights, and so much more. CurriConnects thematic...more
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Do your students remember 2000? How about 1950? This booklist explores the times of JFK and Reagan, the tumultuous 60s and Woodstock, Civil Rights, and so much more. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, ESL levels and Lexiles'''® to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. For more on text complexity and Lexiles'''®, see this information from the Lexile Framework. This list features books for all levels of readers. Let students choose a book in one area of interest during the 20th century and share with the class about times (probably) long before they were born. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your library does not have the books, try interlibrary loan!

tag(s): 20th century (62), book lists (164), independent reading (86), kennedy (20), vietnam (38)

In the Classroom

Make the 1950s and beyond come alive during your unit on American History. Have students choose a book from this list and present their impressions from it in the form of a blog post from the times. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Have students interview parents about different times that they learn about. Have students include the interview in the blogs. Collect the links to all the student posts on your class web page for students to browse and gather a "human" experience of history.

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Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute

Grades
8 to 12
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This is the site for the foundation created by Rosa Parks to assist children in learning about the civil rights struggle. The site also includes biographical information on Rosa Parks...more
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This is the site for the foundation created by Rosa Parks to assist children in learning about the civil rights struggle. The site also includes biographical information on Rosa Parks and her achievements.

tag(s): africa (142), african american (110), civil rights (201), rosa parks (9), segregation (18), women (144), womenchangemaker (32)

In the Classroom

Refer students working on research projects or papers on Rosa Parks to this site. Use eMargin, reviewed here with your weak readers for the very text-heavy biography, but the information is all useful and reliable.

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Remembering Rosa Parks - Academy of Achievement

Grades
6 to 12
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Rosa Parks' confrontation on a Birmingham, AL, bus helped spark the American civil rights movement. Her death in October, 2005, offered an opportunity to remember that contribution...more
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Rosa Parks' confrontation on a Birmingham, AL, bus helped spark the American civil rights movement. Her death in October, 2005, offered an opportunity to remember that contribution to American society. This site's biography offers background on the story that could be used in a number of instructional settings.

tag(s): africa (142), african american (110), civil rights (201), rosa parks (9), women (144), womenchangemaker (32)

In the Classroom

Within the site is an interview with Parks, in which she accounts segregation in her childhood as well as the bus boycott that made her so famous. Play this for students during a unit on the Civil Rights movement in place of a lecture, or afterwards to review the content.

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