American Soldiers in the Philippines Write Home about the War
During the U.S. war in the Philippines between 1899 and 1904 (which grew out of the Spanish-American War that had erupted in 1898), ordinary American soldiers shared the nationalist zeal of their commanders and pursued the Filipino "enemy" with brutality and sometimes outright lawlessness. Racism, which flourished in the United States in this period, led American soldiers to repeatedly assert their desire "to get at the niggers." An anti-imperialist movement, which rejected annexation by the Uni
Kate Richards O'Hare's Life as a Socialist Party Organizer
In her autobiographical essay, "How I Became a Socialist Agitator," which was first published in Socialist Woman in October 1908, Socialist Party organizer Kate Richards O'Hare credited her career as a "Socialist agitator" to her youthful exposure to poverty and "sordid suffering." As she explained in this essay, her disillusionment with the church and a talk by labor organizer "Mother"Jones further pushed her toward socialism.
"Sadie's Servant Room Blues": 1920s Domestic Work in Song
Domestic service was the most common category of employment for women before World War II; it was particularly important for black women, who were excluded from most other occupations. By 1920 some 40 percent of all domestic workers were African American--and more than 70 percent of all wage-earning African-American women worked as servants or laundresses. The struggles of domestic workers were sometimes recorded in songs like Hattie Burleson's 1928 "Sadie's Servant Room Blues," a musical versio
History of Geology
The Mineral Resources of New South Wales provides a brief history of geology with a focus on Australian geologic history. The site contains information on the classical period, Medieval and renaissance times, 17th and early 18th centuries, geology becoming a science, the establishment of the geological time scale, the development of geology in Australia and other geological advancements. Users can also follow links to additional geologic information and a historic photo gallery.
Rocks and Weathered Rocks
In this lab, students examine what happens when rocks weather, how different minerals weather at different rates, and what the ultimate byproducts are. This website builds context for lab use, details the learning goals and teaching notes, provides teaching materials and lab assessment recommendations, and additional references and resources.
From Mutual Assured Destruction to Star Wars
Caspar Weinberger served as U.S. president Ronald Reagan's secretary of defense from 1981 to 1987. In this video segment, Weinberger explains how deployment of the MX missile stopped the Soviet Union from believing it could successfully launch a first strike, which he feels is 'the essence of deterrence.' A better alternative to 'mutual assured destruction,' he argues, is the Strategic Defense Initiative, the Reagan administration's hotly contested proposal to design space-based weapons that cou
Harry Somers and His Music
Documentary containing interview footage with the Canadian composer Harry Somers, and narrated overview of his life and music, focusing on his interest in the native peoples of Canada. Includes performances of his music recorded for this program Somers compositions are performed for the piece. They include:'Kuyas,' with Roxolana Roslak as soprano, Julie Ranti on flute, and Allen Beard on percussion 'Shaman Song,' with Roxolana Roslak as soprano and Casey Sokol on piano'Soundings' was a music doc
How Much do you Weigh on Distant Planets?
Students in the middle level solar system activity will study the effects of gravity on the planets of the Solar System. They will view movies from the lunar Apollo missions, calculate their own weight on other planets, and propose what they might weigh on newly discovered planets around other stars.
21st Century Explorer
This site answers questions that include: Why do we want to travel to Mars? How would your body change in space? Where would a space explorer find water and oxygen? How can we travel faster in space? Student actors (on video) and hands-on activities are featured with each answer. The site is for Grades 3-5 and available in Spanish.
Who Can Live Here? Life in Extreme Environments
Astrobiology in the Classroom leads students in the exploration of the limits of life on Earth to extend their beliefs about life to include its possibility on other worlds. In this four-part activity, students first explore the environments of several mammals and birds to better understand how living things and their environments interact and depend on each other. In the second part, students match bacterial types with their more extreme environments. Students discover that an environment's tem
Guide to Finding a Local Specialist
This online article, from Biodiversity Counts, is a guide to finding local specialists who are knowledgeable about plants and arthropods. It includes: an overview of how local specialists can be of help; a link to the Directory of Local Specialists, a list of specialists who have agreed to work with participating schools; a list of additional organizations, with links to Web sites, that are good sources for local specialists; tips on how to find local specialists from Linda Beyt, a middle school
Mass Wasting/Landslide Animations
This site features Flash animations, MPEG simulations, and Real Media video clips that illustrate subsurface processes and consequences of mass wasting and landslide movement. Visualizations of slumps, flows, falls, and translational and rotational slides show bedrock failure and displacement and subsequent building damage and scarp, flowage zone, and toe formation. These resources portray a variety of modeled and real environments and are suitable for use in lectures, labs, or other teaching ac
Why Topography?
Part of the supporting resources for the School of Earth Sciences dynamic earth module, the -Why Topography?- site discusses two models introduced in the 19th century that are still used to explain topographic variations. These models are the Pratt and Airy models of isostasy. In the Pratt model, high topography (relative to surroundings) is due to lower density whereas in the Airy model, high topography is due to thick crust.
The Great Chief Justice at Home
offers photos of John Marshall's residence in Richmond, Virginia. This website also describes how Marshall, who wrote 519 opinions in his 34 years as chief justice (1801-1835), transformed the Supreme Court from obscurity into a prominent, powerful institution.
Skagway: Gateway to the Klondike
examines the impact of the Klondike Gold Rush on the development of Skagway, Alaska. This lesson allows students to trace the development of Skagway from a homestead, to a gold rush boomtown, to a permanent city.
A New Lease on Life
explains how objects such as a letter written by Abe Lincoln and a dress worn by Lady Bird Johnson's are preserved to ensure safety while on exhibit in a museum. The site looks at steps taken by conservators to preserve objects, including examination, stabilization, research, and restoration.
Thaw in the Cold War: Eisenhower and Khrushchev at Gettysburg
describes how President Eisenhower's personal diplomacy at his Gettysburg farm helped ease the tensions of the Cold War. The site offers photos and maps of the home as well as readings and suggestions for student assignments.
You Decide: Is preemptive war a legitimate means of American national defense?
This educational guide focuses on the legitimacy of preemptive war as a means of American national defense, looking at the rationale for intervention, and the related moral and strategic issues. Students are invited to examine the arguments on both sides of the debate, developing critical thinking skills as they work through the activities. Students will learn how to support their arguments with evidence and reason. It is expected that at the end of this guide students will determine where they
Challenges in Changing the Face of a City
This lesson is designed to explore the complex challenges Oakland's Mayor Jerry Brown faces as he attempts to bring change to the city of Oakland. Key issues include housing, poverty, gentrification, politics and business development.
Pioneering the Upper Midwest: Books from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, 1820-1910
This site portrays the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin from the 17th to the early 20th century through first-person accounts, biographies, promotional literature, local histories, ethnographic and antiquarian texts, and colonial archival documents. This collection depicts the land and its resources, the experience of Natives, pioneers and missionaries, soldiers and reformers, as well as the growth of local communities and cultures.
