Social Studies Lesson Ideas

Ideas for Books • Book: "If the World Were a Village" by David J. Smith • Book: "Material World" by Peter Menzel • Crabtree Publishing - excellent series on many countries of the world	My Wonderful World Terrific website led by National Geographic with many other sponsors to help students learn more about the world! Sign up e-newsletter • Helping Your Children Learn Geography - lesson ideas
21st Century Skills • enGauge 21st Century Skills • Partnership for 21st Century Skills • "Are 21st Century Skills Right Brain Skills?" - article by Doug Johnson	Interactive Map Activities • Geography Games -by Sheppard (This is an amazing site filled with geography from all over the world!)
Maps and Atlas Info Online • Education Place Outline Maps - print • Nat'l Geographic Xpeditions Atlas • HRW World Atlas • Grolier Online Atlas - geopolitical, historical, agriculture, etc. • Map Machine - interactive map tool by National Geographic • Atlapedia Online • PCL Map Collection - worldwide • Mooney's Mini Flags - flags of the world • How Far Is It - distance between locations and latitude and longitude • Night and Day - choose your time zone • GeoGreeting - just for fun!	Map Skills Print Ideas • Teacher Created Resources $- Map Skills books for each grade 1-4 • Geography A-Z Activities - Free printable pdf activities from Education World
	Map Software $ • Neighborhood Map Machine • Mapmaker Toolkit • 3D Weather Globe & Atlas
	Postcards from Buster - PBS: Home, Blog, Build Flag, Connect States, Coast to Coast, Where's Buster
NCCE Conference - Seattle, Feb. 2008 • Shoreline Community Map - Click and drag to move map around screen; Click once to view icon; Click twice makes the map zoom---use the Navigation controls in top left corner instead? • Tooth Tally Project 2007, 2008 ; Echo Lake - Ms Nichols: Wall Map, Google Earth Map, Map Symbols, Kidspiration Neighborhood, Know Address, Types of Writing, Kid Questions, Blog, SWIFT website idea-$, Kids and Laptops 1, 2 • Other Online Project Ideas: Patricia-Postcard Project; Anna-Tulip Project; Barb-Geogame, Earth Day Grocery Bags; Barb-Anna-Patricia: Travel Bugs Spruce Kids Visit WA-pict; Black Baron-pict; Dueling Red Baron, pict • Some Google Map ideas for classrooms: Trip to Lake Washington, Snohomish County Parks, Oral Histories of Route 66, River Menders Little Salmon River, Coeur d'Alene(no picts), Texas Revolution, Yellowstone Webcams • Google Maps Tutorial - Make your own map / Embed Videos • Blogs and Wikis: PBWikis for Educators, Wikispaces for the Classroom, (see more ideas on Barb's Language Arts page)
Google's Neat Map Sites • Google Maps / Create Own Map Tutorial / User Guide / Embed Videos; Type in address and zip code on Windows or Mac. Use your mouse to move the map around! Check out Satellite view with or without labels. It is easier to see "Terrain" when you zoom out. • Make your own map with Google Maps / UTube Video "Creating Your Own Map" / "Our City Podcasts" / Texas Revolution / Yellowstone / Barb's Map • Google Geography - Ideas from Phil Biggs / Create Placemarks Google Maps (pdf) • Google Earth - free but you need to download this; User Guide / UTube movie "Navigating Google Earth" / Lesson Ideas / monthly Newsletter • Discovery Channel Planet Earth Google Earth Tour • Google Earth Interactive Quiz on Africa • 4th-5th grade GPS/Google Earth lesson ideas • Google Earth lessons from Discovery Education and United Streaming • Geo Greeting / Sample • Panoramio - map your photos • Globetracker's Mission - “blog” is written by two fictional teenagers, Geo and Meri, as they tour the globe on a top-secret mission
Online Collaborative Projects • **Internet Projects Registry - large collection of projects! • CIESE Collaborative Projects - Science • Digital Dan - Printable Man • Earth Day Grocery Bags Project • E-PALS Classroom Exchange • Geogame • Journey North / Tulip Gardens / Lessons / Soil Temperature / Books to Print • M&M Data Survey • "Our City" podcasts by Tony Vincent • Seasonal Changes Through Our Eyes and Yours (Grades K-3) • *Jenuine Tech - Different projects each year: Oreo Project - Pumpkin Seed Project, Egg Roll, St.Patrick's Day Project, Fruit Loops • Tooth Tally Project 2007 / 2008 • U.S. Postcard Exchange • Wonders of the US Project - Website	Early Learners • Mr. Rogers' Build a Neighborhood • Arthur Go George Go - Map Skills • Good and Services Interactive • Lots of ready-made Kidspiration Social Studies templates: citizenship, community comparision, goods and services, neighborhood map, signs, and wants and needs
	Picture Books • "What is a Community from A-Z" and "Community Helpers from A-Z" by Bobbie Kalman (available Amazon) • "Me on the Map" by Joan Sweeney - room, house, street, town, state, country, Earth • "City: Neighborhood Walk" by Peggy Pancella - other books in series are Fram, Small Town, Suburb • "Geography from A-Z" by Jack Knowlton - a picture glossary
GPS Ideas • "Fun with GPS" - book published by ESRI with a terrific overview of what GIS means • Garmin eTrex GPS - about $100 • Compass (Brunton-REI) • Garmin-GPS Guide for Beginners - pdf guide • DVD Guide: Garmin eTrex $15 • GPS Lesson Ideas - (top section of the page!!) • GPS lesson ideas on a school campus • Coordinate Graphing Lesson Ideas	Geocaching / Travel Bugs • Geocaching Kids / Project with elementary students near Seattle---be sure to check out all of the links • DVD: Complete Guide to Geocaching - $17 Excellent with tons of specifics! • Geocaching with Kids - Annette Lamb • Geocaching.com - new sport!! • Travel Bug FAQ • Travel Bug Picts: Soldier of NW-pict, Spruce Kids Visit WA-pict; Black Baron-pict; Dueling Red Baron, pict • Other Travel Bugs: Seattle Umbrella, Flat Stanley
Research and Project Tips • *What Research Says • *What Info and Where to Find It - Think Tank, Asking Questions, Webquests, Search Tools, etc. • *Read and Understand Your Info - Web Walk, Graphic Organizers, etc. • *Synthesize and Share Your Info - "Show Your Thinking" in many ways: Drawing tools, Word and Powerpoint ideas, Rubrics, Digital Camera ideas etc.	50 States • Fact Monster 50 States • Enchanted Learning 50 States • Stately Knowledge • 50 States • The US 50 • Kids.Gov State Websites • U.S. Postcard Exchange • Mystery State (pdf files-Education World) • State Data Map - click "Data Sets" to compare land area, population, etc. • GeoNet - tough questions on regions, also continents • Explore the States - Library of Congress
Read Write Think • Fact Fragment Frenzy • Flip Book
Explorers and World Info • Explorer Webquest 1, 2 • Video explorer reports - Willowdale Elementary in Omaha (also podcasts)	Create Timelines • Timeliner - $ Software by Tom Snyder • Teachnology Timeline - make your own
Current Events for Students • Time for Kids Online News • Scholastic News Online • KidsNewsroom.org - select Weekly News • Lesson Ideas for Teaching Current Events - Education World • Time for Kids News Magazines • Newsmap • Today's Front Pages	Civics Lesson Ideas • Ben's Guide to US Government / ABC's / Scavenger Hunt Activity pdf • White House for Kids • Kids Work - exploring interesting jobs in the community (theatre, hospital, TV station) • Democracy Project - Interesting Interactive activity by PBS Kids
	Constitution Day - Sept 17th • Scholastic's Constitution Day Activities • Primary Source Set: The Constitution from Library of Congress
Colonial Williamsburg • Teacher Resources (Catalog, Newsletter, Lessons Plans, etc.) • Explore and Learn / Podcasts
Library of Congress Ideas & Other Primary Resources • Primary Source Learning - Many excellent lesson ideas using the Library of Congress materials; Workshops / Special Activities for Elementary Students / Zoom-In Powerpoints • American Memory Collections from A-Z (book to accompany these links) • Historical Treasure Chests - specific lesson ideas by CIESE • Picturing Modern America 1820-1920 - incredible, interactive site
Canadian Resources • 2Learn Canada • Canadian Geographic Kids • Canadian Geography Challenge • CGKids Online Atlas • Learn Alberta • TCE: The Canadian Encyclopedia • United Streaming Canada - $ (video streaming on demand)	Ingenuity Works - $ • Crosscountry Canada Photo Safari • Crosscountry USA Photo Safari • Crosscountry Canada 2 • Crosscountry USA 2
	Edsitement Lesson Ideas Search by Grade Level and Topics (Art and Culture, Literature and Language, Foreign Language, History and Social Studies)