Enjoy these worthwhile, educational sites! U.S. history, geography, American art, Abraham Lincoln, and biology are among the topics of 10 new resources at FREE, the web site that makes teaching resources from federal agencies easier to find:
http://www.ed.gov/free
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==== Arts ====
"Exploring Themes in American Art"
is 10 illustrated essays exploring themes in American art. Each essay focuses on one theme: abstraction, the figure, historical subjects, landscape, marine painting, portraiture, narrative, genre, still life, and topographical views. (NGA)
http://www.nga.gov/education/american/aasplash.htm
==== History ====
"Geography: U.S. Geological Survey"
provides online maps and map tools. Find maps that are popular with teachers, tools for teaching students how to read and make maps, resources on land use, and satellite images related to the journey of Lewis and Clark. Design your own map to display boundaries, geographic names, transportation systems, water, land cover, climate, and more. (USGS)
http://education.usgs.gov/common/secondary.htm#geography
"Jamestown Journey"
marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first permanent English settlement in America. Lessons examine the perspectives and struggles of those who made the voyage to Jamestown and those who witnessed the arrival, and economic factors that influenced emigration to Jamestown in 1607. (MA)
http://www.JamestownJourney.org/
"Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial"
recounts Abraham Lincoln's growth from boyhood to manhood in the newly formed state of Indiana on the western frontier. Learn about his family's move there, his mother's death (when he was 9), his education, his various jobs, frontier life, and the books, people, and experiences that shaped his thinking. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/126libo/
"Lincoln Home National Historic Site: A Place of Growth and Memory"
recounts the life of our 16th president. See photos of the house in Springfield, Illinois, that Abraham Lincoln and his family occupied for 17 years. Read news accounts of the day he departed for Washington, D.C., and of his funeral. Learn about the series of events that led to his election as the first president born west of the Appalachians. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/127liho/
"Minuteman Missile National Historic Site: Protecting a Legacy of the Cold War"
tells the story of one of the most significant strategic weapons in U.S. history: the Minuteman ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile). By 1965 there were 1,000 Minuteman ICBMs hidden across the Great Plains in six missile fields, transforming the prairie into a military-technological frontier and providing a key component in the U.S. Cold War policy of deterrence. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/128MIMI/
"Spanish Treasure Fleets of 1715 and 1733: Disasters Strike at Sea"
discusses Spain's search for gold and silver in the New World (1500s-1700s) and its "treasure fleet system," which was intended to protect its treasure-laden ships from being seized by England, France, and the Netherlands. In 1715 and 1733, hurricanes devastated Spain's treasure fleets off the coast of Florida. Today, two of the sunken ships' remains are protected as Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserves. (NPS,TwHP,NRHP)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/129shipwrecks/
==== Science ====
"Biology: U.S. Geological Survey"
provides research results, photos, projects, and other resources for studies in biology, biodiversity, and ecology. Learn about butterflies and moths of North America, bat research, invasive species, environmental contaminants' effects on plants and animals, redwood research, surf scoters, sea otters, reptiles and amphibians of southern California, the desert tortoise, habitat conservation, and genetic diversity across different species groups. (USGS)
http://education.usgs.gov/common/secondary.htm#biology
==== Language arts ====
"Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry"
examines 18 historical American songs and poems. Organized by time periods and considered from historical perspectives, songs and poems include Bonny Barbara Allan, Yankee Doodle, John Brown's Body/The Battle Hymn of the Republic, You're a Grand Old Flag, We Shall Overcome, and others. Sound recordings and original documents are provided. (LOC)
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/
"Literature and Poetry Community Center"
is a collection of resources about poetry, literature, and writers -- William Blake, Stephen Crane, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and others. Hear Allen Ginsberg, Rita Dove, and Stanley Kunitz talk about their work. Watch videos of Americans discussing their favorite poems. Read a weekly column featuring an American poem. Use the "guide to streaming video literature" to find webcasts of writers discussing their work. (LOC)
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_literature.php
Acronyms
LOC -- Library of Congress
MA -- Multiple Agencies
NGA -- National Gallery of Art
NPS -- Nat'l Park Service
TwHP -- Teaching with Historic Places
NRHP -- Nat'l Register of Historic Places
USGS -- U.S. Geological Survey |
