Homework by Subject: Primary & Secondary
History , National History Day, Social Studies
National History Day for Students https://nhd.org/students
The official site of National History Day, this page provides links for students to how to do research, how to format different types of projects, and to resources for searching their topic. The home page also has a link to the year's topic. From this page, students can download the complete rules booklet. 2019-2020 Theme: Breaking Barriers
Topics and Resources for Breaking Barriers:
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
from Mount Vernon
from Truman Library
from Newseum
Minnesota
from Docs Teach at the National Archives
Colorado
from Edsitement
Florida
from National Museum of African American History & Culture
from University of Washington
Wisconsin
National History Day: Thesis Statements http://education.mnhs.org/historyday/news/blog/short-sweet-and-point-thesis-statements
Geared to the yearly theme, this page from Minnesota gives clear instructions on the writing of thesis statements, "best done when students are about halfway through their research".
Peoples of Africa https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/peoples/
Part of a larger web site on African culture, this is a list of the African peoples, with links to more information and population figures, and who lives in which country. Encyclopedia Britannica also has articles on most tribal peoples.
African American Biographies for Children http://www.enchantedlearning.com/history/us/aframer/bios/
Very short biographies, some with links for more detailed information. Includes some of the inventors, and also has links to coloring pages and other materials.
African American History for Kids http://extension.illinois.edu/bhm/historyforkids.html
A list of web sites and resources for students and teachers, from the University of Illinois Extension service.
Ancient Civilizations for Kids http://www.mrdonn.org/ancienthistory.html
Part of a collection of sites by a social studies teacher, this presents the information in a student-friendly version, and includes common report questions, like what type of games did they play in Ancient Rome. The other sections are World History and American History. Includes clipart, lesson plans, and games.
AP Archive on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHTK-2W11Vh1V4uwofOfR4w/featured
Film clips from AP archives and British Movietone News.
"The YouTube channels will include more than 550,000 video stories dating from 1895 to the present day. For example, viewers can see video from the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, exclusive footage of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Marilyn Monroe captured on film in London in the 1950s and Twiggy modeling the fashions of the 1960s." Search AP Archive AND and event or keyword to get a list of videos. Also includes playlists. Note that the videos play automatically, with sound.
British History http: //www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/
History site from the BBC on British History, arranged by time period.
Digital History http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
A digital textbook for United States History, with a time line, primary source documents, and overviews of different eras and events. You can view it by type of resource, time, or topic.
Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory http://www.greatchicagofire.org/
The Chicago History Museum offers an interactive exhibit on the Great Fire of 1871. A nice collection of oral history, pictures and maps, so it is also a good introduction to Primary Source Documents.
History Channel http://www.historychannel.com/
Good starting place, particularly for historical subjects that might be in the news. Includes a "This Day in History" page that details important events for a submitted date. The link is in small print beneath the masthead.
HyperHistory http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
Although not as user friendly as some, useful for looking at historical timelines that compare regions and types of event. Can be manipulated to look at history in different ways.
Immigration https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/index.html
An introduction to the history of Immigration to the United States, including photos from the LOC collection and links to additional resources. A good starting point for History Day projects on any aspect of the topic.
Internet History Sourcebooks https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/index.asp
Links to a large number of primary source documents, arranged by country and historical period.
Our Story Smithsonian Museum of American History http://amhistory.si.edu/ourstory/activities/byhistoric.html
Activities and information about U.S. History, arranged by historical time period.
Social Studies for Kids http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/
Links to a variety of sites on different topics, including history, geography, and economics. Includes sites for teachers and resources as well as informational articles and web links. Use the left hand menu on the home page for navigation.
United States National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/history/
The National Parks include many historical sites as well as parks. The individual sites often have good links for kids and good sources of information. The NPS site also has a for kids section, with information and games.
Women's History http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/
Resources for students and teachers from the National Women's History Museum. The biography section, arranged by category, is notable.
Oral History Interview Guide https://museumonmainstreet.org/sites/default/files/Smithsonian%20oral%20history%20guide.pdf
A comprehensive guide to doing and recording Oral History Interviews from the Smithsonian Museums.
For Filmmakers: Documentary Resources from POV http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/news/2013/05/for-filmmakers-documentary-filmmaking-resources-from-pov/
A collection of resources for documentary filmmakers from the PBS series POV: Point of View.
American Archive of Public Media http://americanarchive.org/
Audio and Video from public broadcasting radio and television stations. Searching and browsing options. Excellent source for primary sources for history in the twentieth and twentieth first centuries or for people looking for speeches or popular culture information. "We are a collaboration between WGBH and the Library of Congress with a long-term vision to preserve and make accessible significant historical content created by public media, and to coordinate a national effort to save at-risk public media before its content is lost to posterity." (web site accessed 3/9/2017)
Digital Collections: Harvard University Libraries http://library.harvard.edu/digital-collections
The Harvard University Libraries have digitized and provided access to a wide variety of historical materials, mostly text and photographs. There are many different collections, including American, Chinese, and Iranian history, and historical maps. The main page lists the various collections, and individual collections are searchable.
September 11, 2001 in Newspapers https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2018/09/september-11-2001-in-newspapers/
See also Specialized Encyclopedias in Almanacs, Encyclopedias and Fact Files
See also Primary Source Documents: History in College Assignments
See also Places
See also Lesson Plans and Teacher Resources in College, Careers and Education
Language Arts
EasyBib http://www.easybib.com
Creates a bibliography in MLA style by entering the various elements into a form. Can be saved as RTF for copying and pasting or saved online. You can create MLA citations for free but must upgrade to the paid Pro version for APA citations and other features.
Knight Cite http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/
This free site from Calvin College allows you to create bibliographic citations in MLA, APA or Chicago formats. It offers a variety of choices for both print and electronic resources, but you have to copy and paste each citation into another document; you can't save them on the site. Easy to use. Direct students to the left hand menu.
Citation Styles Handbook: MLA
http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/citation/mla/
For APA, go to http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/writers/citation/apa/. Both are from the University of Illinois writing center.
NoodleTools Express http://www.noodletools.com/noodlebib/express.php
The free version of this comprehensive bibliography and citation management system. Create single citations in MLA, APA, or Chicago style.
Essays http://www2.actden.com/writ_den/tips/essay
Step by step site on essays, with examples listed at each step.
Guide to Grammar and Writing http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
Has drop down menus for every part of writing. Definitions are aimed at middle school to high school students and above.
Writing the Research Paper https://irsc-asc.weebly.com/research-paper---getting-started.html
This page takes you step by step through the writing process. Use the left hand menu to go through each step in the process, beginning with an overview and choosing a topic.
Research Like a Librarian: Using Big6 Skills for Better
For beginning researchers of any age.
Research Project Organizer http://big6.com/pages/kids/grades-7-12/big6-research-project-organizer.php
Using the Big6 research skills model, this organizer form helps students organize their research process. The form can't be saved -- print it out before you leave the page.
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handout
Grades http://www.nypl.org/blog/2013/11/18/research-using-big6-skills-better-grades
Takes you through the research process step by step. Good for beginning researchers of any age.
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/
Offers handouts and exercises on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Also has PowerPoint presentations related to grammar, and a section of handouts and resources for English as a Second Language learner. Aimed at upper high school and college students.
Writing Transitions http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/organization/transitions.html
Types and examples of transitions.
Point of View http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/point-of-view/
Gives a comprehensive overview of each point of view for literature. It also includes teaching worksheets and examples of the different points of view taken from children's literature.
Interactive Tools for Language and Literature http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/
From the National Council of Teachers of English, these interactive tools and games can help you with your homework, or be used for your own projects. My favorites include: Literary Elements Map, for understanding a book or a story -- or writing one, Writing Poetry, Compare and Contrast,, and Comic Creator, but there are a lot of different ones. Searchable by subject and grade level, but many can be used by K-12 and even college students. This page is designed for teachers, so you have to go to the interactive and open the link. It also has a Parent & Afterschool section, with a complete list of games.
301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/05/301-prompts-for-argumentative-writing/?_r=1
Written by the New York Times for a High School Writing contest, these prompts are organized into subject areas. A good source for students looking for current topics.
For books and reading, see: Find a Book
For literature and literary criticism, see: Literature
For additional information on writing look at this section of College Assignments
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Math
Illuminations http://illuminations.nctm.org/Games-Puzzles.aspx
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics have created games, puzzles and apps to illustrate different concepts in Math. Join Calculation Nation and play online, or find the puzzle for something you're studying or want to learn.
Math is Fun https://www.mathsisfun.com/index.htm
This site is designed for K-12 users and has very straightforward and well illustrated descriptions of concepts from numbers to algebra. There is also a section of games.
Math for Elementary School Kids http://www.teachrkids.com/
Teach R Kids Math is a Web site with a large assortment of interactive lessons that demonstrate basic mathematical concepts. The material ranges from basic counting for preschoolers to more advanced topics for elementary school students. Online worksheets help children practice multiplication, division, rounding, fractions, number sequences, and much more. Some of the activities are timed, which allows the child to see his/her improvement. The site "has been designed by children and adults," making it especially tuned to the most efficient ways of conveying information. (From the Scout Report).
The Math Forum @ Drexel http://mathforum.org/math_help_landing.html
Information of interest to mathematicians, math teachers, parents, and students studying geometry and other branches of math. Math resources broken down by grade level and type of math. There's a great page (hidden in the teacher's section): Math Ideas for Science Fair Projects. And, don't miss Ask Dr. Math, an excellent place to ask all those K-12 math questions. It has a searchable archive and FAQ that includes all the classic problems.
Mathway http://www.mathway.com/
Solves math problems and provides step-by-step work with explanations. Covers Basic Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Linear Algebra, Trigonometry, Precalculus and Calculus.
WebMath http://www.webmath.com
Got a math problem to solve? Plug it into WebMath's "math-engine" and not only get the answer, but step-by-step instructions on how it's done, too. Covers such basic topics as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, scientific notation, ratios, and proportions, as well as geometry, pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, data analysis, and problems to solve. Great for students with tough homework assignments.
Wolfram Alpha http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=y%3D%281%2F2%5E3x%5E2%29%5E4
Enter an equation and the site will help solve it.
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Science
Acceleration Nation http://www.accelerationnation.com/homepage.html
How do race cars work? What is the science behind NASCAR? STEM resources, games, and activities to help you answer these questions and more.
Biology For Kids http://www.biology4kids.com/
Graphics heavy and advertising supported, this site provides excellent basic information on biology that can be useful through high school, though the writing is more a upper elementary/middle school level (Ages 9 and up). One of a set of sites, including Physics4Kids and Chem4Kids. You do have to follow the links on each page or use the google based search engine to find specific information, as it is set up as a tutorial.
MadSci Network http://www.madsci.org/
Funky looking site that provides email answers to science questions. Answers are provided by scientists and science educators and aimed at the K-12 audience. Has a searchable database of answered questions that cover a lot of curriculum assignments.
The Physics Classroom http://www.physicsclassroom.com/
Created and maintained by a High School physics teacher, this site has tutorials, interactive materials, and other materials for beginning students and their teachers.
Science Games http://www.ssec.si.edu/games/students
From the Smithsonian Science Museum in Washington, DC, a collection of games and apps about science and animals.
The Space Place http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/
From NASA, this site includes projects, amazing facts, games, downloadable phone games and more on the sun, solar system, stars and space. Includes a section for parents and educators.
Science Fair Project Ideas http://sciencefair.math.iit.edu/projects/
A variety of science fair ideas, as well as information on how to analyze data and write up experiments. Use both the project ideas list and the left hand menu for a complete science fair guide. Or you can find the section you want from the home page. From the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Julian's Science Fair http://www.juliantrubin.com/fairprojects.html
A wide variety of science project ideas, arranged by branch of science. The site also includes a search engine for science projects, a section on how to do science fair presentations, and examples of projects by grade level.
The Water Cycle http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
A good graphic overview of all the steps of the water cycle. From the United States Geological Survey, the page also includes links to a lot of information about water and the water cycle. Includes information for students and a reproducible graphic for teachers.
Minerals http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geophys/mineral.html
Part of the Hyper-Physics site from Georgia State University, this page give you an overview of minerals and then a link to each individual mineral, which gives you a picture and scientific information.
National Zoo: Animals http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/default.cfm
Browse the collections, look at the AnimalCams, or look up specific animals in the Animal Index.
Animal Diversity Web http://animaldiversity.org/
Searchable by common or scientific name, this site has comprehensive information on an animal's habitat, food, and life cycle. If you search for the name of an animal and "animal diversity" in a search engine, it will take you directly to the animal page. The Critter Catalog covers only Michigan. From the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
Science Fair Project Ideas http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
Science Buddies provide a variety of science fair ideas. Features the project wizard to help you pick a topic.
NASA's Climate Kids http://climatekids.nasa.gov/
A variety of games, projects, and information on different aspects of climate change.
Intro to Micro-organisms http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/microorganisms/
From the University of Manchester, an interactive introduction to many different types of micro-organisms including fungi and bacteria.
Neuroscience for Kids https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html
Includes a wide variety of information on the brain, brain research, and the effects of different situations and drugs on the brain. Includes experiments and links to news -- excellent for science fair research.
Health and Science for Kids https://kids.usa.gov/health-and-safety/health/index.shtml
Information, games and videos on a variety of health-related topics. Designed for grades 3-5 but might be useful for science fair research through middle school.
Physics for Kids http://www.physics4kids.com/
This site and the others in its group provides good basic information on scientific concepts. This is called "4kids" but it is good though high school or even for adults who need basic information.
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Last Updated: 7/29/2015 AAH
Links added 1/22/2016 AAH
Links added 8/10/2017
Links added 8/16/2017 AAH
Links added 8/17/2017 AAH
Link added 10/4/2017 AAH
Link added 10/10/2017 AAH
Links updated 1/1/2018 AAH
Moved the Colonial US sites to another page; added NHD theme 9/18/2018 AAH
History links checked and updated 9/27/2018 AAH
Some Links added and updated in History and Language Arts 11/19/2018 AAH
removed outdated Science links 09/25/2019
Added current National History Day links 10/03/2019
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