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WORLD HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE RESOURCES, LESSONS & INTERACTIVE SITES
 

General History/Social Science Sites

United States History Social Science Sites

World History Social Science Sites.

WORLD HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCE SITES

ABACUS - http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/~elf/abacus
You or your students can receive instructions here on how to add or subtract using this ancient yet modern calculator. A good site to help you supplement your units on Asia or the ancient Aztecs.  Gives the history too!

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF GUATEMALA - http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/teachers/guatlessons.html
Lessons about Mayan achievements, and life.  Links to great pictures.  Also links to lessons on Mexico (same type), Mali, Zimbabwe, Peru and Egypt.  GREAT!!

AFRICA - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/
This website was created to support the series of PBS shows on Africa. There is something for all levels of students. For younger children, go to Africa for Kids. Learn about the daily life of students in four African nations, play a virtual thumb piano, or figure out how the hero of a Swahili folktale can accomplish his mission. Teacher tools has four wonderful units on Africa. Photography teachers can use the Photoscope area to getstudents talking about the impact of photographs. For those who think they already know it all, take the Africa Challenge.

AFRICA - http://www.geographia.com/indx06.htm
Geographia's survey of the dark continent, looking at history and modern nations in this quickly changing, evolving political climate; great layout - attractive and easy to navigate.

AFRICA QUEST - http://www.bres.boothbay.k12.me.us/wq/rpelletier/pages/teacher.html
AfricaQuest is a performance-based task. Its purpose is to provide a foundation for the study of the Civil War and its attendant problems, primarily the issue of slavery. The unit utilizes the geography of Africa as a springboard to studying the peoples of Africa, their various countries, their arts, customs, language, government, and the countries' colonization by European and other powers. Additionally, students explore the ramifications of slavery -- the loss of freedom, culture, art, language, family, and identity.

AFRICAN STUDIES -  http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/africa/cuvl/West.html
West Africa by Region and Country - flags of each country and links to everywhere.

AFRICAN VOICES  -http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/
From the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, this site explores Africa's past and the history of the land and people. Topics presented in themes are about various forms of the wealth, working and living in Africa; more themes will be added. History looks at Mali, the slave trade, colonialism and more. The Learning Center contains an excellent hotlist of African resources. Some sections of the site need browser plug-ins to enhance your experience: Macromedia Flash 4 or Apple Quicktime 4.

AFRICAN SOURCE BOOK - http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/africa/africasbook.html
This site is from the people who gave us the Medieval Sourcebook.  This is a great starting point for the study of Africa, including Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Zimbabwe, and others. It includes all of Africa from Egypt and Sudan to West Africa and Zimbabwe.  Try it, you will like it.

AKHET INTERNET: THE HORIZON TO THE PAST  -  http://www.akhet.co.uk/
A major site out of the United Kingdom, covering ancient Egypt in all its glory. Learn about the Art of the Afterlife, Grave Goods, Mythology, and Monuments and Tombs. Let your students explore the Clickable Mummy. While studying about the rulers of Egypt, they will learn more about day-to-day lives of the Egyptian people.

THE AMERICAN COLONIST'S LIBRARY - http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources
A treasury of Primary Documents pertaining to early American History, the site claims if the documents are not on the site, they are probably not available anywhere online.  They are arranged in chronological sequence from 500 B.C. to 1800 A.D. Documents of World History that affected American history are included.

ANCIENT ADVENTURES - http://members.tripod.com/~jaydambrosio/
Teacher created, interactive learning adventures for ancient history.

ANCIENT EGYPT - http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/
Board games were very common in ancient Egypt and people from all levels of society played them.  The British Museum now presents a marvelous interactive overview of ancient Egyptian life. There are ten topics (for example Pyramids, Geography, Pharaoh), each featuring a Shockwave challenge such as playing a board game or matching tools to the correct tradesman. There are curriculum notes for teachers in the Staff Room.

ANCIENT EGYPT WEBQUEST - http://www.iwebquest.com/egypt/ancientegypt.htm
You must locate the burial mask of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen - on the inside of the mask is written  a message that if successfully decoded could solve our earth's environmental crisis; your quest is to decode that  message and return to our time.

ANCIENT GREECE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS - http://www.educ.uvic.ca/Faculty/sockenden/edb363/internetprojects/ancientgreece/index.html
Lots of lesson ideas and information from the University of Victoria, British Columbia for teachers to make the most of their study of ancient Greece, including a special section on the Olympic games.

ANCIENT INDIA (BRITISH MUSEUM) - http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/
This site provides teachers with an online resource that is user-friendly and combines suggested classroom activities and online activities with background support and information, and presents information about ancient India through the use of objects from the British Museum's collection.  The sites are divided into Geography, Story of the Buddha, growth of civilization around the Indus Valley, ancient scripts, how time was kept in ancient India, and the evolution of the gods and goddesses and the development of the modern Hindu religion. Don't miss the "Staff Pages" for a browsable search tool as well as aids for using the site.

ANCIENT INDUS VALLEY - http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html
Extensive treatment of this rich culture from ancient times, including Around in Indus in 90 slides.

ANCIENT OLYMPICS - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/
Wonderful comparison of the ancient Olympics and the Centennial Modern Games in Atlanta with plenty of substance provided from the Perseus Project; this is a first rate treatment of the evolution of the Olympic tradition

ANCIENT ROMAN TECHNOLOGY - http://www.unc.edu/courses/rometech/public/frames/art_set.html
This site contains links to a technology handbook and other ancient  technology pages.  Includes arts and crafts, survival, mines and iron, stoneworking, transportation, construction and civil engineering, organization of cities and other technology. It is a work in progress so visit often.

ANCIENT STONES OF SCOTLAND  - http://www.stonepages.com/ancient_scotland/
This fascinating site is part of SCRAN, a searchable archive of history and culture. Links lead to pictures of natural and manmade stone outcroppings, with the local lore included. The glossary can pump up your vocabulary a bit, too.

ASK ASIA - http://www.askasia.org/for_educators/fe_frame.htm
An all-inclusive listing of lesson plans for Asian country study, with resources galore. Lessons also at http://afe.easia.columbia.edu

ATLAS OF WORLD CULTURE - http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ATLASES.HTM
From Washington State University, Historical atlases and map resources for Greece, Hebrews, Judea and Israel, India, Italian Renaissance, Japan and Rome.

THE AZTECS: A Pre-Columbian History - http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1999/2/99.02.01.x.html
This curriculum unit endeavors to offer a supplement to the present high school textbooks and lesson plans on the Aztec Civilization on the eve of the Spanish conquest. This information is appropriate for World Cultures, Latin America Cultures and Spanish Language courses.

AZTEC HISTORY MEXICO - http://members.aol.com/TeacherNet/Aztecs.html
Links to medicine, religion, rulers, graphics

AZTECS MEET THE SPANISH -  http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/aztecs_spanish/
A research simulation written by Gina Otto, this lesson begins: "Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes encountered the Aztecs in 1519 and conquered them in 1521, claiming their empire for Spain.  He then destroyed the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan and rebuilt a Spanish city on its ruins.  It is the year 1527 and an Independent Counsel has been chosen by the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church to determine a policy for the Church toward future exploration, conquest and conversion of the native people of Mexico."  Students are asked to represent either the Spanish or the Aztecs, research the information pertinent to their roles and cultures, and present a legal argument before Coronado begins his search for the legendary Seven Cities of Gold, and Pizarro sets off on his expedition to Peru.

BBC AFRICAN INSTRUMENTS - http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutmusic/features/africa/
Dance music, pop, jazz, rock, rap, blues - there aren't many genres which don't carry an element of African 'DNA' somewhere in their make up. A variety of music has its foundation in a blend of African and European sounds. This interactive site lets you explore various parts of Africa and provides information, examples, photos, or videos of musical instruments. Requires Real Player. From the About Music web site, British Broadcasting Corporation.

BBC: ROMANS - http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/romans/
Highlights of this wonderful BBC site include seven printable activity sheets, a quiz about Roman technology such as aqueducts and arches, a Roman timeline, and a glossary of Roman terms from "amphitheater" to "wreath." Learn the story of how Rome, Italy's capital, got its name from the legend of Romulus and Remus, two orphaned twins raised by a wolf and other things.

BLACK HISTORY - http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/AfroAm.html
Nice overview of what's available, including links, a subject sampler, interactive treasure hunt, a Webquest and video conferencing events.

BRITISH MONARCHY:  KIDS' ZONE - http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page218.asp
Check out British monarchy or a peek at their art and residences, you'll find it all here.  This entry page take you to the kids' section which includes a fact file about the Queen (she owns twelve dogs) and her heirs, and an ABC glossary of royal vocabulary.  To explore the rest of the site, use the menu displayed horizontally across the top of any page.

BUILD A MEDIEVAL CASTLE - http://www.yourchildlearns.com/castle.htm
Play an on-line game of heraldry, build a castle -- this is free software, links to Shields, Knights and Heraldry - http://www.yourchildlearns.com/heraldry.htm and other fun things.
 BYZANTIUM 1200 A.D. - http://www.byzantium1200.com
A project aimed at creating computer reconstructions of the Byzantine Monuments located in Istanbul, TURKEY as of year 1200 AD. These pages will be updated as new models are added or the existing ones completed.

CARMEN SANDIEGO'S GREAT CHASE THROUGH TIME - http://www.carmensandiego.com/products/time/columbusc10/ebmain_c10.html
With information provided by Britannica Online, this case (number 10 in a series) specifically focuses on Columbus, Isabella, the voyages and Spanish colonialism in the new world. Lots of great information here excellently done.

CAVE ART: DISCOVERING PREHISTORIC HUMANS THROUGH PICTURES - http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=362
Students explore how people in earlier times used art as a way to record stories and communicate ideas.

CAVE OF LASCAUX - http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/
From the Ministry of Culture in France, this site lets you take a virtual tour of the Palaeolithic wall paintings of Lascaux. Explore the caves and learn more about the images created by artists 15,000 years ago. Available in English, French, Spanish, and German.

CHESSKIDS ACADEMY  - http://www.chesskids.com/
Students of all ages can access these easy-to-understand lessons that teach the basic strategies of chess. There are online line lessons, offline lessons to download (you need to load a special font on our computer), and free interactive quizzes.

CINCO DE MAYO RECIPES - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9087/cinco/crecipes.html
Every great Cinco de Mayo celebration must have great Mexican food! Here is a page for students to create their own  Mexican feast, with tortillas, salsa, tacos, and more.

CINCO DE MAYO WEBQUEST  - http://www.zianet.com/cjcox/edutech4learning/cinco.html
Written for 2 and 3rd graders  this could be adapted for any grade and it is so cute!

CLEOPATRA: A MULTIMEDIA GUIDE TO THE ANCIENT WORLD -http://www.artic.edu/cleo/index.html
An interactive guide to the Ancient Art Collection of The Art Institute of Chicago, Cleopatra, queen of Egypt from 51 to 30 B.C., embodied the three great cultures of the ancient Mediterranean region: she was Greek by birth, ruled Egypt as its queen, and lost her kingdom to Rome. To see the "Close-up" views of the Ancient Art objects, their "Stories" and listen to the Glossary pronunciations you will need QuickTime. Includes printable lesson plans for grades 4 thru 12 (http://www.artic.edu/cleo/Teachfolder/LPMainSearch.html).

COLLAPSE: WHY DO CIVILIZATIONS FALL? - http://www.learner.org/exhibits/collapse/
Another superb Annenberg online project, examining ancient Mayan culture and the reasons for its demise. The history of humankind has been marked by patterns of growth and decline. Some declines have been gradual, occurring over centuries. Others have been rapid, occurring over the course of a few years. What does this mean for modern civilizations? What can we learn from the past?  Explore the collapse of four ancient civilizations. the Maya, Chaco Canyon, Mali and Songhai, and Mesopotamia.  Hands on activities and related sources.

A COMPENDIUM OF COMMON KNOWLEDGE - http://renaissance.dm.net/compendium/home.html
Covering everyday life in Elizabethan England, this website has all kinds of fascinating information about life in the late 1500s.Topics include games, money, marriage and family, services and occupations, religion, food, education and much, much more. Each local link offers a concise explanation, an illustration where appropriate, and links for additional information.
THE COSTUME PAGE - http://users.aol.com/nebula5/tcpinfo2.html
List of Internet sites dedicated to historical clothing and its history, listed by time period, from ancient to modern times.

COSTUMERS’ MANIFESTO - http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/costhistpage.htm
Links and links to costumes and fashion in history.  Don’t miss.  Includes sites that tell how-to.

CROWN OF AFRICA: UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF MT. KILIMANJARO - http://www.altrec.com/features/crownofafrica/
Can you combine a geography lesson with fitness training? Learn about the history of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, and the gear and training it takes to make a successful climb. Study the geologic formations, and what those features mean to trekkers climbing the peak. The information comes from altrec.com, a lifestyle destination website.

DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS - http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/indexlife.html
This site is exactly what it says. Learn all about the daily life of many different Ancient Civilizations. - Think of all the ways you could incorporate this into your teaching.  Another great site from Mr. Donn.

A DAY AT THE BATHS - Rome - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/roman/
Wander through the frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, and other vital rooms in an online reconstruction of the famous Baths of Caracalla. Part of the PBS NOVA series.  You can also construct an aqueduct!

DECISIONS, DECISIONS ONLINE - http://www.tomsnyder.com/products/product.asp?SKU=DECDEC
Bring contemporary issues alive in your classroom with the Internet version of the award-winning Decisions, Decisions series from Tom Snyder Productions

DISCOVER THE RENAISSANCE - http://education.iupui.edu/webquests/rennais/rennai.htm
A webquest aboout the Renaissance.

DISCOVERING CHINA - http://library.thinkquest.org/26469/
A ThinkQuest project developed by three high school students from USA, Japan and South Africa. Discovering China is composed of six sections:  History (from Opium war to reunification of Hong Kong); The Cultural Revolution (its history, background, impact and aftermath); Movers and Shakers (biographies of famous Chinese including from Empress Dowager Cixi to Yo-Yo Ma); Cityscape (history, culture, economy and tourism of main cities and province of China); Contributions (various Chinese contributions to art, food, and medicine); and the Interactive section (quizzes and polls.)  Grade Level:  High School

DISTINGUISHED WOMEN - http://www.DistinguishedWomen.com/subject/field.html
Categorized by fields of work, this site covers important women and their roles contributing to society.

EGYPTIAN MATHEMATICS - http://www.eyelid.co.uk/numbers.htm
This page offers basic lessons in the Egyptian number system and then offers several pages full of math problems that require students to work with Egyptian numerals in order to solve them.

EGYPTIAN SYMBOLS AND FIGURES: SCROLL PAINTINGS - http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=349
Students identify and represent in their own drawings figures from the Book of the Dead, a funereal text written on papyrus and carved on the walls of tombs to help guide the deceased through the afterlife.

EGYPTOLOGY RESOURCES - http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/egypt/
This site provides a World WideWeb resource for information on Egypt.

EMPIRES: A STUDY OF ANCIENT EGYPT, GREECE AND ROME - http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/
A  depth of information at this site can be navigated either by the links on the left-hand side or via the nifty drop-down menu across the bottom of each page. Use the Site Maps found under Extra Information in the bottom menu.  Check out crafts (such as a Trojan Horse constructed from boxes and paper mache), recipes (anyone for Egyptian fig cakes?) and interactive activities (quizzes, jigsaws, crosswords, flash cards and interactive timelines.)

ENCHANTED LEARNING: ITALY - http://www.enchantedlearning.com/europe/italy/
Click here for a great introduction to Italy for elementary and middle-schoolers, which has an overview of important country stats, and lots of maps and flags to print and color like the coloring pictures of Italian art masterpieces by Michelangelo, da Vinci and Raphael, and an overview of Italian inventions such as the battery, eyeglasses, parachute and radio. Be sure to look at the printable story books with Italian vocab.

EURO DOCUMENTS - http://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Main_Page
Western European (mainly primary) historical documents that are transcribed, reproduced in facsimile, or translated.

EXPLORE JAPAN - http://explorejapan.com/land.htm
A neat site for specific information about Japan.  Beware the music when you click on the site...

EXPLORING ANCIENT WORLD CULTURES - http://eawc.evansville.edu/mepage.htm
This is the link to Middle Ages, but also Near East, India, Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, and Islam are other topics.  Includes essays, images, texts.  When you click on a personality, the link takes you to Argos index request and the links that were found.

EXPLORERS OF THE WORLD - http://www.bham.wednet.edu/BIO/explore.htm
Another great site by Jamie McKenzie, this sites divides explorers by land, ideas, sky and art and links to biographies, student ideas, etc.

FOOD TIMELINE - http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/food.html
Ever wonder what the Vikings ate when they set off to explore the new world? How Dolly Madison made her ice cream? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? Who invented the potato chip...and why? Food is the fun part of social studies! The tricky part is finding recipes you can make in a modern kitchen, with ingredients bought at your local supermarket and bring into school to share with your class.

FREE COAT OF ARMS GRAPHICS - http://digiserve.com/heraldry/graphics.htm
Two samples and you can ask for any name-  1,000 coat of arms graphics available.

FRENCH VIRTUAL JOURNEY - http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/france/frindex.htm
Click on the topics on the left-hand menu to take a virtual "journey through France and experience the culture, cuisine and scenery of this beautiful and diverse country. Find out why France is world famous for its cooking, and learn how to make a Crêpe. Read about the biggest annual sporting event in the world, and see what the French like to do in their spare time." Notable clicks include the fast facts found in the Guide Book, and the printable quiz with answer sheet (even though it is not interactive.) You can also take virtual journeys through the meridian-line countries of Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Algeria, Spain and the United Kingdom.

GET A CHINESE NAME - http://www.mandarintools.com/chinesename.html
This is a fun way to learn about Chinese Names (like, the fact that there is no one right way to directly translate an English name to a Chinese one) and to get a name that's based on the sounds in your English name and the meaning you choose."

GREEK MEDICINE (NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/index.html
An online exhibit, this site covers loss and recovery of Greek medicine, timeline, vocabulary, Olympian healers, Hippocrates, Aristotle, Galen, and other Greek physicians.

HERALDRY GAME - http://www.yourchildlearns.com/heraldrygame/index.html
Free on-line heraldry game - learn about Shields, Knights and Heraldry. Role-play as a young aristocrat, recognizing friends and enemies.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION RESOURCES - http://refdesk.com/facthist.html
Historical Information resources in alphabetical order from the A-Bomb to WWII and more.  Links to archives, historical  documents, university collections, lessons and more.  Links to virtual newspapers, virtual encyclopedia too.  Searchable.

HISTORY TIME TRAIL - http://www.nettlesworth.durham.sch.uk/time/time.html
A site by kids.  Nettleworth Primary School hosts a site with links to kids' work on the Aztecs, the Romans (see tour of a Roman Town below), the Victorians, the Vikings, the Tudors, World War II, with quizzes, so far.  Super!

I WANT MY MUMMY - http://home.cfl.rr.com/mrshebert/Mummy/index.htm
The Scientific and Social Controversy of  Unearthing Human Remains this is a WebQuest for Grades 6 and up.

IBN BATTUTA: THE GREATEST TRAVELER IN THE MIDDLE AGES - http://crf-usa.org/bria/bria18_1.htm
This information is part of he Constitutional Rights Foundation lesson plan link on Africa.  Scroll down to Ibn Battuta or use the find function.  The original article appeared in the 2001 Winter volume, but the on-line version contains neat hyperlinks to other information.  GREAT!

IN OLD POMPEII - http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=271
Students take a virtual field trip to the ruins of Pompeii to learn about everyday life in Roman times.

INSTITUTE OF EGYPTIAN ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY - http://www.memphis.edu/egypt/
Online exhibit of ancient artifacts plus a virtual tour of a dozen sites along the Nile; brings together Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Math and Health

INVESTIGATING THE RENAISSANCE - http://www.artmuseums.harvard.edu/Renaissance/
Investigating the Renaissance demonstrates the ways in which computer technology can be harnessed to add to our knowledge about Renaissance paintings and how they were made. Computer-assisted imaging can reveal aspects of the process of making art not visible to the unaided eye. It also  reveals the alterations of intervening centuries, alterations that were intended to repair the ravages of time and use, and to adjust images to reflect changing aesthetic preferences."

ITALY GUIDES: VIRTUAL TRAVEL IN THE CITY OF THE RENAISSANCE: FLORENCE
http://www.italyguides.it/us/florence/florence_italy.htm
Like a mini-vacation, Italy Guides brings you the best of Florence with QuickTime Virtual Realty tours, downloadable audio tours in MP3 format, and a photo gallery. Virtual tours are available for the Duomo (cathedral) of Florence, the Giotto's Bell Tower, the Dome of Brunelleschi, and twelve other sights.

JOURNEY THROUGH THE MIDDLE AGES - http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/4051/titlepg.htm
A Thinkquest Junior choose your own adventure.

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE RENAISSANCE - http://library.thinkquest.org/C005356/
The saga begins in Constantinople, with the attack of the Ottomans in 1453.  After the fall of this great Byzantine city, many scholars fled to Italy, thus contributing to the academic atmosphere that spawned the birth of the Renaissance. Created for the ThinkQuest 2000 Internet Challenge by a team of three high school students, this site has made it into the semi-finals. The material can be accessed either as an animated Flash slide show, or in a static version titled Marketplace.  The visual and multimedia effects are fabulous, but the narrative could use another round of editing to tighten it up.

KAUSAL.COM: LEONARDO DA VINCI - http://www.kausal.com/leonardo/
Martin Kausal's biographical site traces Leonardo's life from his 1452 birth in a Anchiano farmhouse, just outside the town of Vinci, to his death at age sixty-seven.  Be sure to put your mouse over the photos, as additional details will pop up when you do. Other highlights include an article  exploring  Mona Lisa's mysterious smile, the possibility that Leonardo invented the bicycle and two streaming videos.

KID’S CASTLE - http://www.kidsonthenet.org.uk/castle

KINGS AND QUEENS OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND - http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/royalty/
Includes dukes, earls, knights, lords, popes, princes and others.

LEONARDO DA VINCI - http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeoHomePage.html
From the Boston Museum of Science; this site begins with a letter to teachers, followed by an Inventor's Workshop, a look at Leonardo's Perspective, and other resources. Curriculum connections to History, Science, Math, Health, and Language Arts

LEONARDO'S CODEX - http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/codex/
From the American Museum of Natural History, the Codex Leicester, written between 1506 and 1510, ""s a lively record of Leonardo's thoughts. It embraces a wide variety of topics, from astronomy to hydrodynamics, and includes Leonardo's observations and theories related to rivers and seas; the properties of water; rocks and fossils; air; and celestial light. All of this is expressed in his signature mirror writing, as well as in more than 300 pen-and-ink sketches, drawings, and diagrams,  many of them illustrating imagined or real experiments."

LEONARDO'S WORKSHOP - http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/leonardo/index.html
Someone has changed history! You must travel back in time to the Renaissance and explore Leonardo da Vinci's workshop in search of clues. (Fourth grade to adult).

LIFE IN A CASTLE - http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle33.htm
This is a page of information about life in a castle.  No pictures but interesting information.

LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL CASTLE - http://www.castlewales.com/life.html
Info on The Hall, The Kitchen, Accommodations, Water, and The Chapel, and a link to the call Greensleeves.

LIFE IN MEDIEVAL TIMES - http://www.wellesley.mec.edu/wms/library/pages/projects/medieval/index.html
Want to know about clothing and accessories or medicine and health? --here is a neat site from Wellesley Middle School.

LIVE FROM ANTIQUITY - http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=330
Students explore the cultural and historical context of Greek drama.

MAGIC TALES OF MEXICO - http://www.g-world.org/magictales/
Nine stories with English and Spanish side by side.

THE MARINERS MUSEUM - AGE OF EXPLORATION - http://www.mariner.org//educationalad/ageofex/
The age of exploration from the Ancient World of Egypt, Phoenicians, Greece, China, to Arabia and Ibn Buttuta, the Vikings, Portuguese, Spanish and others.  Can be explored by Menu or Timeline.  Great stuff.

MAYA CALENDAR  - http://www.mayacalendar.com/
The Maya Calendar was the center of Maya life and their greatest cultural achievement. The Maya Calendar guided Mayan existence from the moment of birth and little that escaped its influence.

 A MEDIEVAL ADVENTURE IN PROBLEM-SOLVING - http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/4471/
MATH AND HISTORY?  This website is for you. If you like medieval history and stories about knights, that is the theme for all the problems.  Travel back in history and enjoy!

MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE INSTRUMENTS -  http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrumt.html
Just click on the name of the instrument and you will get a picture and a history.  Great stuff.

MEDIEVAL CLIP ART - http://historymedren.about.com/homework/historymedren/library/weekly/aa061898.htm
Just what it says - spice up your handouts, presentations, lessons.

MEDIEVAL SCIENCE - http://members.aol.com/McNelis/medsci_index.html
Want to integrate Science into your study of the Middle Ages? This site will help with a look at all kinds of information on everything from alchemists to societies and programs of the time. The links on instruments, for example, include the astrolabe, the armillary sphere, the torquetum and the water clock. Not all the links work, but it is worth looking at.
MEDIEVAL SOURCE BOOK and OTHERS - http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html
Do you need primary sources?  This site has links to original sources, projects, legal history, lives of saints, how to cite Internet sources, ancient history and modern history source books, and African History, Indian History, Islamic History, Jewish History, Women's History and Science History source books.

MEDIEVAL TECHNOLOGY PAGES   - http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Technology.html
 From Agricultural Tools to the Wine Press, learn how inventions and adaptations made a difference in how people lived their lives 500-1500 A.D.

MEDIEVAL TECHNOLOGY TIMELINE - http://scholar.chem.nyu.edu/tekpages/Timeline.html
A timeline organized in 200-year increments from 500-1600 AD; compliments of the Department of Chemistry of New York University.  Items are listed by time period, but you can click on the item to get a picture or drawing and further information about it.  This is a great source!!.

MESOAMERICAN BALLGAME  - http://www.ballgame.org/
Take me out to the ballgame, as played in Mesoamerica, the subtropical area between present-day countries of Mexico and El Salvador. Learn about the eight major cultures found in this area between 1500 BC and 1519 AD, as well as the effect of the Spanish conquest in this region. Then, explore the architecture of the court, as well as the the balance between sport and religion within the game. Offline activities include creation of masks, clay effigies, headresses and clay ballgame figurines.

THE MIDDLE AGES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM - http://users.netonecom.net/~clchoponis/outlines/curriculum.html
Math, Science, Language Arts, etc.-- the ideas could be adapted to any other time period.

MIDDLE AGES - WORLD HISTORY LESSON PLANS - http://members.aol.com/MrDonnHistory/World.html#MIDDLE
This is my personal favorite after my own of course!  Tried and true lesson plans and activities on ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, Egypt, Rome, China, Africa and the Americas, and all other world history.

MONARCHS OF BRITAIN - http://www.britannia.com/history/h6.html
Need to memorize the order of the English royals?  Try the mnemonic ditty that starts with William the Conqueror: "Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee.  Harry, Dick, John, Harry three." You'll find the rest on the Monarchs' front page at  Brittania.com  Other goodies include a brief British history, a guide to royal titles and honors, and many biographies.

MR. PITONYAK'S PYRAMID PUZZLE  - http://wcvt.com/~tiggr
This site features an interdisciplinary Web-based project designed for middle school math students to determine how much it would cost to build an Egyptian pyramid today.

THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA : WORLD TREASURES - http://www.nla.gov.au/worldtreasures/
Have students explore the contributions of world cultures in this online exhibit. Lessons in the teacher's section supports the online materials. Each treasure lists the museum that houses it; an interesting supplemental activity would have students uncover how foreign museums ended up with another culture's treasure.

NORMANDY 1944 - http://normandy.eb.com/
Presented by Encyclopedia Britannica, a multimedia remembrance of Operation Overlord and the triumph that followed.  Great!

ODYSSEY IN EGYPT - http://www.website1.com/odyssey/home.html
Ten week virtual dig in Egypt in which students can follow the excavation of an ancient Egyptian monastery and participate vicariously via QuickTime movies - nice format and lots of information for Middle School on up.

ODYSSEY ONLINE  - http://carlos.emory.edu/
The study of the ancient history of the Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Africa has gotten a great addition from three museums' collaborative work. Visit the Middle School and Elementary Site to get an idea of the resources assembled for discovery.  Teachers can access activity ideas and lessons

OLYMPIC GAMES - The Real Story -  http://www.upenn.edu/museum/Olympics/olympicintro.html
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology presents this website which compares the Ancient Olympics and the modern Games. You can learn if the athletes were amateurs or pros, or study if politics influences the Olympics past and present. Additional links include the Ancient Olympic Games Virtual Museum.

ONLINE MEDIEVAL AND CLASSICAL LIBRARY - http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/
The Online Medieval and Classical Library (OMACL) is a collection of some of the most important literary works of Classical and Medieval civilization.  Has a searchable database by title, author, genre or language and you can search all the texts in the collection as well for words, phrases, etc.  A great site.

THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE MUSEUM - http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/OI_Museum.html
From the University of Chicago, a great site for ancient Egypt, ancient Nubia and ancient Mesopotamia.  It has a Virtual Museum and photographic archive.

PALENQUE - http://www.mesoweb.com/palenque/
Welcome to Mexico's Palenque. This website, presented by the Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute, Merle Greene Robertson and Mesoweb, hosts the official homepage of a current archaeological dig at this classic Maya site. Check out the update links and reports.

PEACE CORPS. KIDS WORLD - http://www.peacecorps.gov/kids/
This Peace Corps site for kids is designed to educate and entertain children about world geography and the cultures of other countries. Children can also send electronic postcards, read folk tales from around the world, download coloring pages and test their geography savvy with an interactive game. Grade Level: Elementary, Middle School.
PEGASUS' PARADISE - http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/4553/
This ThinkQuest entry focuses on Greek Mythology, with a special section on Heroes and Heroines and a contrasting view of Gods and Villains. The site requires the QuickTime plugin to see and hear everything it has to offer, but it's worth the time to download if needed.  The section on mythical animals will be a hit with your students too. See also http://www.mythweb.com/heroes/heroes.html for additional treatment of Greek heroes from a child's point of view.

REAL STORY OF THE ANCIENT OLYMPIC GAMES - http://www.upenn.edu/museum/Olympics/olympicintro.html
From the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, this site takes a popular culture look at the ancient games.  This site may be easier for younger students to understand

RENAISSANCE - http://www.learner.org/exhibits/renaissance/
An Annenberg/CPB project on the cultural rebirth of the Middle Ages - excellent production and activities.

RENAISSANCE CONNECTION - http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/
With a creative interface and six lesson plans written in PDF, you can hear accompanying music as you explore the life of a Renaissance artists or imagine yourself a patron of the arts.

RENAISSANCE & REFORMATION - http://www.sc.edu/library/spcoll/sccoll/renprint/renprint.html
An online exhibit with text and pictures originally exhibited by the Thomas Cooper Library, University of South Carolina.  Thumbnails of the documents/paintings and links to enlarging them in another window.  Great stuff.

RENAISSANCE SECRETS  -  http://www.open2.net/renaissancesecrets/index.html
A joint offering of the BBC and Open University, this website explores four mysteries from a historian's point of view. Although built to support a television series on the BBC, teachers can use this site to explore conspiracy, medicine and inventions in Renaissance Europe. Use this site to trigger a discussion of overlooked careers and standards in historical research.

RENAISSANCE: WHAT INSPIRED THIS AGE OF BALANCE AND ORDER? - http://www.learner.org/exhibits/renaissance/
Renaissance,  French for rebirth, perfectly describes the intellectual and economic changes that occurred in Europe from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries.  During the era known by this name, Europe emerged from the economic stagnation of the Middle Ages and experienced a time of financial growth. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the Renaissance was an age in which artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions.  It includes some interactive activities.

ROMAN BALL GAMES - http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/romeball.html
Ball-playing was popular among the Romans, and they often spent their morning exercises playing games on the fields (palaestra) or ball-courts (sphaerista). The Romans enjoyed a variety of ball games, including Handball (Expulsim Ludere), Trigon, Soccer, Field Hockey, Harpasta, Phaininda, Episkyros, and certainly Catch and other games that children might invent, like Dodge Ball. An additional game called Roman Ball is theorized to fill some gaps. The pages linked on the right provide descriptions of these games. Also see Board Games below!

ROMAN BOARD GAMES - http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/roma/rbgames.html
The Romans played a wide variety of board games, including Knucklebones, Dice (Tesserae), Roman Chess, Roman Checkers, The Game of Twelve Lines, The Game of Lucky Sixes, Tic-Tac-Toe, Roman Backgammon, Egyptian Backgammon, and others. Site has all with directions and pictures of the board.  Great!

THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN - http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/romans/home.html
Activities, resources, a glossary and activities, this site is really neat and user friendly.  Info includes roads, technology, religion, remains, invasion, etc.

THE ROMAN INQUISITION - http://galileo.rice.edu/
A brief history of Galileo and the Inquisition - timeline, censorship, the process and trial

ROMAN TECHNOLOGY HANDBOOK - http://www.unc.edu/courses/rometech/public/frames/art_set.html
Roman technology, arts and crafts, survival, mines and iron, quarries and stoneworking transportation, construction and civil engineering, war, health, death, medicine, science and gadgets.

SILKROAD FOUNDATION - http://www.silk-road.com/toc/index.html
Links to everything about the silkroad -- China and  Rome, timelines, history, geography.  Everything you wanted to know and more.

SILK ROAD SEATTLE - http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/index.shtml
Silk Road Seattle is an education project using the "Silk Road" theme to explore cultural interaction across Eurasia from the beginning of the Common Era (A. D.) to the Sixteenth Century. Translations of primary texts are available.

SNAITH PRIMARY SCHOOL - http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/index.htm
Snaith’s website has  kid links to all kinds of times and places is a great find for any elementary classroom. There are all kinds of excursions into the middle ages, great cities of Europe and Asia, myths, legends and other tales, and even animals, plants and water. Each trip is written expressly for students, and the site is GREAT.

THE TOME - http://www.sirclisto.com/
Sir Clisto Seversword's  Tome of Adventure and Knowledge takes you on a journey through the Middle Ages in the first person using sight and sound to simulate a right medieval experience - very different! There are 75 chapters of information on every aspect of Renaissance life from armor, weapons and castles to architecture, arts and monarchs. Each chapter is a concise collection of links that look at the students.

TOUR OF A ROMAN TOWN - http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/nettsch/time/rtour.html
This site created by Nettlesworth Primary School has a clickable map and great information about Roman towns.  Click back to the Roman pages which link to "Fun and Fames," "Arts and Crafts," "Military News," "Child's Life," "Important People." and "Important Events" which has a great timeline.

TRAVELS WITH MOUSEY - http://members.aol.com/egyptmouse/
Mousey is a stuffed animal known as the "world's formouseyest Egyptologist," and this is the documented trip Mike Schreiber and Mousey took to Egypt in 1999. Great for elementary aged students as it presents historic Egypt through a child's eyes.

TUDOR HISTORY - http://www.tudorhistory.org/
Information about Henry VII, Henry VIII, his six wives, Edward VI, Jane Grey, Mary I and Elizabeth, plus Who'S Who in Tudor History, Life in Tudor Times, and Maps.  If you are studying that time period, this is the site to head to first!!

THE ULTIMATE HISTORY SITE FOR MEDIEVAL STUDIES - http://www.omnibusol.com/medieval.html
An Internet book on the Medieval/Renaissance/Reformation world from the Fall of Rome through the Age of Absolutism. Links to all kinds of lessons and sources.

Click on previously featured units.

VIRTUAL RENAISSANCE: A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME - http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Renaissance/VirtualRen.html
You have traveled back through time and space to a period completely different from your own. You will meet many interesting characters who will be most happy to speak with you about their lives and times. Learn about the different people from this time period; what they did and who they were. See how the technology and medicine differs from today, and experience the dramatic change in life conditions.

VIRTUAL TOUR OF EDO - http://www.us-japan.org/edomatsu/
This website is designed to take you exploring in Edo. Hopefully it will offer not only some enjoyment, but also some insights into the source of "traditional Japan". Although modern Tokyo may look  very "Western" on the surface, in its heart the spirit of Edo still lives on!

A WALK THROUGH HISTORY - http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/walk/games_index.shtml
From the BBC, students can walk through a Roman street, a Tudor Street, a Victorian Street, a Viking house and a 1950s living room, the click on the things that don't belong there.

WHAT IS CURRENCY? A LESSON FROM AFRICA - http://smithsonianeducation.org/db/detail.asp?id=416
In modern society, trade transactions are often hidden in computers behind the doors of banks and mail-order companies. It is possible to buy a house, a ticket, or even a pair of shoes without ever meeting the seller face-to-face or passing money from one hand to another. To understand the meaning of currency and to appreciate why precise weights and measures were once necessary for fair trade, it is useful to examine trade practices in Africa several hundred years ago when trading transactions were quite visible and direct.

WIDE HORIZON - A NEWSLETTER FOR TEACHERS OF WORLD HISTORY/ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS - http://members.aol.com/WERlessons/Newsletter.html
Scroll down to the index bar at the bottom for the different civilizations written about.  Includes, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Kush, Greece, Rome and others.  You may wish to pay for a great lesson.  Or just click on a newsletter--you'll get websites, ideas etc. for free.

WOMEN IN WORLD HISTORY - http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/
Full of information and resources  about women's experiences in world history. For teachers, teenagers, parents, and history buffs.  Includes women rulers.

WOMEN'S LIFE IN GREECE AND ROME - http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/wlgr/
Documents explaining the role of women.

WORLD HISTORY LESSON PLANS - http://members.aol.com/MrDonnHistory/World.html#MIDDLE
This is my personal favorite after my own of course!  Tried and true lesson plans and activities for K-12 students and teachers in all facets of of history.

WORLD HISTORY WEB RESOURCES - http://www.ouhsd.k12.ca.us/sites/cihs/WCres.htm
Resources by Geoff  Lillich of Channel Islands High School and my co-instructor at the Vons & Pavilion 'Teach the Teachers' Summer Institute, includes links to sources from "The First Humans" to the present time, with links to all the units in between.

XEROX PARC MAP VIEWER - http://www.parc.xerox.com/istl/projects/mapdocs/
A World-Wide Web HTTP server that accepts requests for a World or USA map and returns an HTML document including an image of the requested map.

Also see Innovative Ways to Teach and other Interesting Lessons
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Last Updated August, 2006

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