Social Studies

Grade 3 Social Studies Content  
This test prep site lists the NYS standards along with links to resources that  cover the content areas. The resources include lessons, practice, interactive games and more.
 
Washington, DC 
Washington, DC/ The Capitol- Good pictures of buildings, good links to topics connected with the Capitol.

Government 
Theme Culture & Empathy Activity Reading
Standard 5 Theme Nation state civic values, Government  Activity Make a chart... How does government affect me? Allows students to select different buildings in 'town' to learn about different aspects of the government. President for a day! is an interactive activity that helps students learn about presidential responsibilities and activities. Inside the Voting Booth explains the voting process.
 
China 
This U.S. Department of State site contains a profile of China as well as information on the history, people, government, economy, and more.
 
All About China 
Facts include: location, capital, size, population, rivers, climate,mountains, highest and lowest points.  Related activities include Map/Quiz Printout, Map and Flag printouts and more. Link to All About the The Great Wall of China.
 
China- The World Factbook 
This site produced by the U.S. CIA  contains information and statistics on the background, geography, people, government, economy and more.  There is a map and flag too.
 
Mythology 
Mythology: Flights of Fantasy  Myths from various countries.  Limited content but includes a  good myth on Nigeria with a quiz for students.  Also available in Spanish.
 
Nigeria 
This site produced by the U.S. CIA  contains information and statistics on the background, geography, people, government, economy and more.  There is a map and flag too.
 
African Artwork 
Great pictures of African artwork, sculptures, etc.
 

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This site from Enchanted Learning is a great resource for students.  It defines what a rainforest is, where they are located, and explains the strata.  There is a link to animal printouts, a puzzle, and Find It! Quizzes.  (The Quizzes are printable and students research the answers using the site)

Sao Paolo Mini Travel Guide 
Theme Culture &  Empathy Activity Reading Standard 3 Theme Environment  & Society Activity Travel To... This is Fodors' mini travel guide to Sao Paolo. There is an overview of the city and tourist info. including maps. There are also 3 feature articles: Brazil's Melting Pot, Land of Contrast, and Playing Politics. This is a site packed with information but students will need teacher guidance.
 
Brazil  
Good basic fact site.  There are pictures, maps, travel tips, and includes Sao Paulo.
 
United Nations for Students  
Theme  Identity, Culture, Activity,Community, Use this site from the United Nations to have students compare global trends, demographic stats, country profiles, flags, and photos. Students can take a Virtual Tour of the United Nations and this site also includes five units on Peace Education. Each of the units contains learning objectives  and suggested activities. This site can be viewed in Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian.
 
All About England 
Theme, Culture & Empathy Activity Reading Theme Places & Regions Activity Maps England- Small print, good maps, concise information.
Links to leaders, government, etc.
 
Aerial Photographs  
Theme Places and Regions Activity Use of aerial photography Collection of aerial photographs, residential areas,commercial/industrial, farms, and parks.
 
Special Purpose Maps  
Theme  Empathy, Identity, Change, Culture Activity, Maps This site lets your students generate, use and print special purpose maps, dynamic maps that include physical, political & cultural, climate and weather.
 
Geography Lesson Plans   
Theme  Empathy, Identity, Change, Culture> Activity  Maps Geography site that includes lesson plans sorted by geography standard and grade level.  Resources also include black and white atlas maps that can be printed and copied.
 
Community Project    
Theme Empathy, Identity, Change, Culture> Activity  Maps Point your browser to Art Sparklers and then click on Map your Community for a cross disciplinary Map Your Community project for students.

DBQ and Teacher Resources

Social Studies Test Preparation
This site is designed to provide useful information about the NYS Social Studies Test for teachers, parents and students. Becoming familiar with the test format will takeaway the "fear of the unknown" aspect of the test and build confidence in students. This site is organized around the two sessions of the exam. For each session there will be a variety of resources and activities that can be used. 

History Place 
Standards 1-5 (depends on link you are using)
This site covers the following topics:
American Revolution
U. S. Civil War
World War II
Vietnam War
Presidents of the United States
Site also includes the Holocaust and Irish Potato Famine
Can be used for reading comprehension, DBQs and Timelines.
 
Kidport 
Standard 1, 2, 3, 4 Great reference site for all social studies. United States history, world history and geography including China and England.  This site includes teacher resources with quizzes with links to reference material.
 
Teacher Resource Sites 
Teacher Resource- This is a site which links you to a variety of relevant sites.  It covers all content areas.  "Our World" is a good place for culture and world studies, including language and religion.
 
Resource Links for Teachers 
Teacher Resource- This resource list includes links to web sites regarding Latin America. 
 
We The People 
TEACHER RESOURCE- Excellent support site from Houghton Mifflin for WE THE PEOPLE  textbook series. Choose a unit to find theme-related extension activities, links to relevant web sites, a theme project organizer for students, and an up-to-date bibliography.

Holocaust Site 
The subject of this site is the holocaust.  The site has numerous links throughout the timeline to photos which have narratives or captions detailing events.  This site can be used for DBQs.

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New York State History

Explorers  
This web link shows a map highlighting the route that each explorer took including Henry Hudson.There is a brief biography on each explorer and some links to additional resources.  

Early New York 
Early Dutch settlements- History of the Dutch in New York and US from Henry Hudson to now.
 
New York State History 
Excellent site for grade 4 curriculum. Includes web pages on New York State History, Symbols, Origin of County Names, State Seal, Empire State Facts and more. Activities for students include a Facts Crossword Puzzle and a Facts and Symbols Coloring Book. There are additional pages to color including New York Counties, State Arms, Cities, Towns and Villages. These pages are presented by the New York State Department of State.
 
The Erie Canal 
This basic information site covers the Erie Canal and has good maps, links, and explains the lock system. 
 
Famous New Yorkers 
This site lists the names of famous New Yorkers and allows you to search the web to find more information about them.
 
Drums Along The Mohawk
The American Revolution on the New York Frontier.  This web site chronicles the Revolution's events in the Colonies and in New York as well as people and places.  Letters From Home contains primary documents for student use.

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United States History

Time Machine 
This site is a cross-curricular interactive classroom resource where students can travel in a time machine to different eras in American History.
 
Explorers 
This web link shows a map highlighting the route that each explorer took.  There is a brief biography on each explorer and some links to additional resources. 

Go West Across America with Lewis and Clark 
This is an interactive site where students become a member of the expedition.  Students make choices, and view journal entries. 
 
Kidport 
Great reference site for all social studies. United States history, world history and geography including China and England. This site includes teacher resources with quizzes with links to reference material.
 
Kidspace 
Be patient, this site takes a few moments to load. Stately Knowledge- Facts About the United States. Basic facts of any state in the Union, including Washington D. C. Includes comparison charts of size and population, dates each entered Union, capitals, largest cities, birds and flowers. Includes links to other resources. This web page is from the Internet Public Library an educational initiative of the University of Michigan School of Information.
 
Congress for Kids 
A fun and challenging resource for learning about the American government.Includes short interactive quizzes.  Learning about the federal government doesn't have to be boring.  Congress for Kids gives students access to interactive, fun-filled experiences designed to help students learn about the foundation of our federal government and how its actions affect them.  Designed for students in grade four through high school,
 
Liberty! The American Revolution
 Chronicle of the Revolution includes headlines, timelines, resource material and related topics.  Perspectives on Liberty- Picture this:  Daily life in the Colonies, the Global Village, and a Military point-of-view.   Liberty Toady- A photo essay of newly naturalized citizens. Site also includes a Revolutionary Game. (Excellent interactive learning
experience)
 
Early America  
Early America is primary source material from 18th Century America-- all displayed digitally.  A unique array of original newspapers, maps and writings come to life on your screen just as they appeared to our forebears more than 200 years ago. The Famous Moments film series highlights  a true story of historical significance, providing students with a better understanding of the people, places and events of this important era. Many of the images are primary source documents--- engravings, woodcuts and drawings that date back to the early to mid-1800s. Films presently include The Life of George Washington, Declaring Independence, Paul Revere: Messenger of the Revolution,  The Shot Heard Around The World, The Treason of Benedict Arnold, The Real Face of George Washington, and Molly Pitcher: An American Heroine.

America's Story 
Much of what you see on America's Library will be primary sources, non-book items, and many of those historic materials are found only in the collections of the Library of Congress.  Topics include: Meet Amazing Americans, Jump Back in Time, Explore the States, Join America at Play, and See, Hear and Sing. This is a very rich and complete site that includes grade appropriate activities and links.
Jump Back in Time covers:
Colonial America (1492-1763)
Revolutionary Period (1764-1789)
The New Nation (1790-1828)
Western Expansion & Reform (1829-1859)
Civil War (1860-1865)
Reconstruction (1866-1877)
Gilded Age (1878-1889)
Progressive Era (1890-1913)
Great War & Jazz Age (1914-1928)
Depression & WWII (1929-1945)
Modern Era (1946 - present)
 
The History Place 
Standards 1-5 (depends on link you are using)
This site covers the following topics:
American Revolution
U. S. Civil War
World War II
Vietnam War
Presidents of the United States
Site also includes the Holocaust and Irish Potato Famine Can be used for reading comprehension, DBQs and Timelines.
 
National Archives Posters 
This online exhibit from the National Archives features 33 posters used in rallying public support for World War II.

Posters from WWII 
Powers of Persuasion- 11 more World War II posters used to rally support.  This exhibit is broken into two parts.  Part 1 appeals to patriotism while part 2 confronts the viewer with the frightening stakes of war and human cost.  Teacher should review contents for appropriateness.
 
An Interactive Tour of Ellis Island 
Scholastic presents this multimedia site which allows students to see and hear first hand accounts of people who came through Ellis Island while they take a virtual tour of the island.    
 

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Civil War

Civil War Timeline  
This timeline begins in 1861 and ends in 1865, it includes selected Civil War photographs from the American Memory collection.

History Place 
This site covers the following topics:
American Revolution
U. S. Civil War
World War II
Vietnam War
Presidents of the United States
Site also includes the Holocaust and Irish Potato Famine
Can be used for reading comprehension, DBQs and Timelines.

America's Story   
Much of what you see on America's Library will be primary sources, non-book items, and many of those historic materials are found only in the collections of the Library of Congress. Topics include: Meet Amazing Americans, Jump Back in Time, Explore the States, Join America at Play,and See, Hear and Sing. This is a very rich and complete site that includes grade appropriate activities and links.
Jump Back in Time covers:
Colonial America (1492-1763)
Revolutionary Period (1764-1789)
The New Nation (1790-1828)
Western Expansion & Reform (1829-1859)
Civil War (1860-1865)
Reconstruction (1866-1877)
Gilded Age (1878-1889)
Progressive Era (1890-1913)
Great War & Jazz Age (1914-1928)
Depression & WWII (1929-1945)
Modern Era (1946 - present)

Civil War Primary Documents  
Civil War Treasures from the New York Historical Society. Collections of primary documents include include manuscripts, drawings, photos and prints and recruitment posters. Great visuals!

Women and the Civil War 
This site brings links to diaries, letters, photos, and other primary documents reflecting women's experiences during the Civil War.

ehistory 
Ohio State University hosts this history web site.  The Civil War pages on this site include links to primary source documents including diaries and letters, maps and medical reports.  There are links to articles, timelines, essays, pictures and more. 

Civil War Photos  
This amazing site contains over 1,000 Civil War Images.  Photographs include Army Life, United States and Confederate Government Officers, Union and Confederate Generals and Soldiers, Civilians, Battle Field Photos, Casualties, Infantry Units, Cavalry Units, Artillery Units, Engineering Units, Navy Units and Vessels, Prisoners, Hospitals and Doctors, Factories, Quartermaster, Lincoln Assassination Conspirators and much more.

Famous Americans

Famous Women Biographies 
Biographies of Women of Influence, Sports Personalities, Famous African  Americans, and Entertainment Personalities.
 
Women Journalists, Photographers, and Broadcasters of WWII 
This exhibit, from the Library of Congress, features eight women who made history by capturing World War II with cameras, microphones and notebooks.
 
Famous New Yorkers  
This site lists the names of famous New Yorkers and allows you to search the web to find more information about them. 
 
Amazing Americans 
Meet Amazing Americans- Discover the inventors, politicians, performers, activists, and others who made this country what it is today. Biographies include timelines and links to primary documents.
 
The American Presidency-  A Glorious Burden 
This is the online version of the Smithsonian Institution's Exhibit.  The Campaign Trail, Foundations, Limits of Power, Life and Death in the White House and Communicating the Presidency are all covered.  There are interactive online activities for students to complete. The site also has a section for teachers that includes a Teacher's Manual with lesson plans and  a 'How to Use This Site With Your Class'.
 
Presidential Families  
Like Father, Like Son: Presidential Families
The lessons in this unit provide an opportunity for students to learn about and discuss two U.S. families in which both the father and son became President.
 
Presidential Biographies 
This site covers the following topics:
American Revolution
U. S. Civil War
World War II
Vietnam War
Presidents of the United States
Site also includes the Holocaust and Irish Potato Famine
 
Distinguished Women  
This site has biographies of women who contributed to our culture in many different ways. There are writers, educators, scientists, heads of state, politicians, civil rights crusaders, artists, entertainers, and others. Some were alive hundreds of years ago and some are living today. 
 
First Ladies' Gallery  
The biographies and portraits of past First Ladies, in order by date, are presented on the White House web site.
 
Biographies 
This web page contains biographies of historical people related to American History.

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50 States and Government

Government Structure 
This site covers the basic structure of the United States government.

The White House  
This is the official web site of the White House.  The site has links to Your Government, History and tour, President's page, Vice-President's page, 1st Ladies and more.
 
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government (for kids) 
This very complete site produced by the U.S. Government Printing Office covers Your Neighborhood and Beyond, Our Nation, Historical Documents, Branches of Government, How Laws Are Made and More.  There are links that explain the Election Process, Citizenship, and Symbols of the U.S. Government.  The site contains a glossary, games and activities, and links to other government web sites for kids.
 
Learning About Our Government  
Theme Culture & Empathy> Activity Reading Standard 5  Theme  Nation state civic values, Government Activity Make a chart...How does government affect me? allows students to select different buildings in 'town' to learn about different aspects of the government.  President for a day! is an interactive activity that helps students learn about presidential responsibilities and activities. Inside the Voting Booth explains the voting process.
 
History Place  
This site covers the following topics:
American Revolution
U. S. Civil War
World War II
Vietnam War
Presidents of the United States
Site also includes the Holocaust and Irish Potato Famine.
 
First Ladies Gallery  
First Ladies' Gallery- biographies and portraits of past First Ladies, in order by date, that are linked
to past Presidents.
 
About our Capitol 
The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for the United States Capitol Complex, which includes the Capitol, the congressional office buildings, the Library of Congress buildings, the Supreme Court building, the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Capitol Power Plant, and other facilities.  Good pictures of buildings and good links to topics connected with the Capitol.
 
How the Census is Used  
A resource for students from the U. S. Census Bureau that explains why our government takes the census and how it is used. Students use tables of facts from the census that include population, age, residency, households, languages and school enrollment. Additional information for each state includes the state flag, capital, year of statehood, flower, tree & bird. There is also a Quiz students can take.
 
Pilgrims, States & Capitals and the American Revolution 
This site (Grade 5) covers Pilgrims, States and Capitals and the American Revolution.
 
Clue Maps  
This site challenges students to match the given clues to the correct state or region.
 
Animated Atlas  
This site allows students to explore  an animated timeline that traces the growth of the United States.

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Maps and Globes

Map Reading Activities
This page contains map reading activity printouts from Enchanted Learning that are used to test a student's knowledge of map reading. 

Maps and Globes  
This website has been designed to help students learn and review various basic concepts about maps and globes. Students click on a section to learn about different concepts. After each section is a short review quiz of the ideas covered. Concepts covered include Maps and Globes, Earth, Water Forms, Land Forms, Climate, Time, and Maps. The site contains a glossary.

 

World History and Culture

Culture Quest World Tour   
This site has students join Ophelia Owl and Parsifal Penguin on a worldwide tour that introduces the customs, beliefs, arts and institutions of different groups of people.
 
 
Kidport 
Great reference site for all social studies. United States history, world history and geography including China and England.  This site includes teacher resources with quizzes with links to reference material. 
 
History Place  
This site covers the following topics:
American Revolution
U. S. Civil War
World War II
Vietnam War
Presidents of the United States
Site also includes the Holocaust and Irish Potato Famine
Can be used for reading comprehension, DBQs and Timelines.


Powers of Persuasion  
This online exhibit from the National Archives features 33 posters used in rallying public support for World War II.  
 
Holocaust 
The subject of this site is the holocaust.  The site has numerous links throughout the timeline to photos which have narratives or captions detailing events.  This site can be used for DBQs.
 
On The Line   
This site compares the cultures of the UK, Mali, Algeria, Togo, Guana, Burkina Faso, Spain and France. It has a section on "Daily Life" where kids tell about an average day and a great  section called "Speaking Out" where kids tell their hopes for the future. Students will need a teachers guidance. This site can be viewed in Spanish or French.
 
Famine 
This site contains extensive information on the Irish Potato Famine (narrative form.)  The introduction covers the history of potatoes in Ireland.  The chapters cover periods before, during and after the blight.  The economic impact of the famine is explored in depth.  
 
Cyber School Bus 
Use this site from the United Nations to have students, Grade 4 & up, compare global trends, demographic stats, country profiles, flags, and photos. Students can take a Virtual Tour of the United Nations and this site also includes five units on Peace Education. Each of the units contains learning objectives and suggested activities. This site can be viewed in Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian.   
 
 
World Culture and Geography   
This site is sponsored by Houghton Mifflin it contains  interactive maps links, The Write Site, biographies, and the Weekly Reader current events link.    

Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Roman Jobs
Take a look at the wide variety of Ancient Roman jobs which were pretty much those you would expect today, teaching, farming, medicine and so many more.

Winged Sandals  
This excellent site has animated stories, interactive games and an online version of the Delphic Oracle of Ancient Greece. The animations are illustrations of mythical people and places. The site contains a very complete Who's Who guide to the characters of Greek Mythology as well as pages that reflect the history of life in Ancient Greece. Have students use the Flash Version when entering the site. Students can use what they learn at this site to create their own myths.       

World History  
This site presents 3000 years of world history with a combination of graphics, lifelines, timelines and maps. Not the greatest looking site but it's packed with information. This site covers people, history, events, and maps. 

Ancient Egypt   
This site, created by The British Museum, covers Ancient Egypt. There are pages on Egyptian Life, Geography, Gods & Goddesses, Mummification, Pharaoh, Pyramids, Temples, Time, Trades, and Writing. The Staff Room provides an overview of each section as well as resources to use with each section. Resources include lesson plans, worksheets and some cases follow-up activities.

Eyewitness History  
History through the eyes of those who lived it. This history site begins with the Ancient World and continues with sections on the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries. Photos, audios and more.

Ancient Civilizations  
This site covers, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece. It also has links to information about the U.S. Constitution and presidents.

Ancient Civilizations for Kids
This web page is a great resource for student research. It is updated often and has links to a great number of sites about China, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, and more.    
 
CyberSlueth Ancient Civilizations  
This page presented by CyberSleuthKids has information about all the Ancient Civilizations as well as links to clip art (including maps) and photographs that students can use to enhance their research
reports.   

Life in Ancient Egypt
Click on tabs to learn about Education, Artwork, Jobs, Entertainment and so much more in Ancient Egypt times.
 

Current Events

Scholastic News  
This web site presents weekly news stories.  Each top news story includes Teacher's helpers- critical thinking questions and a printable version of the story that can be copied and distributed.  There are links to related web sites or news stories.  The site also has games and quizzes.
 
Time for Kids
This site is a good source for current events.  Time for Kids also contains tools that include an online dictionary, a map maker, and links to Ask Jeeves for Kids and Factmonster. 
 
CNN Student News 
Written for students this page is a good resource for current events.  CNN Presents Classroom  Edition can be recorded every Monday morning between 4am and 5 am and includes an Educators Guide to be used with the selected news stories.
 
Factmonster
The social studies resources at this site cover the World, News and the U.S. This site includes an almanac, dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas, and a biography search. (This is a complete reference site)

 

Black History

History & Timelines
Learn about famous firsts by black Americans, read the history of black history, and find information about milestones in black history.

Contemporary Issues & Facts
Find out about recent developments in civil rights cases, milestones in affirmative action, population statistics regarding African Americans, and more.

Biographies & Special Features
Brush up on the Harlem Renaissance and Negro League Baseball, read biographies of famous African Americans, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali, and more.

Holidays
Learn about the history, traditions, and significance of Kwanzaa, Juneteenth, and Martin Luther King Jr Day.