Calendars Through the Ages
This exhibit looks at the astronomical basis of calendars, the history of our (Gregorian) calendar, and when various countries moved from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Learn about Leap Year, the solar cycle, equinoxes and solstices.
International Politics
International Politics podcast from Johns Hopkins University
FBI Youth
This site invites students to take the special agent challenge, spend a day in the life of an FBI employee, follow a case through the FBI lab, learn about investigations throughout the world, see specially trained dogs that locate bombs and drugs, and read about the history of the FBI.
Extreme Global Makeover
Modernization is an important issue in the New York State Global History and Geography curriculum. Students are expected to understand how modernization may impact such areas as society, politics, the economy, and the environment. In the Global History and Geography curriculum, a study of historical examples of modernization includes examples of attempts to transform society, such as the Meiji Restoration or Kemal Ataturk. In this lesson, two PBS WIDE ANGLE documentaries -- "To Have and Have Not
Driving Through Geologic Time - An analogy
This activity uses an analogy to illustrate the scale of geologic time and our limited view of the Earth's history. It relates the history of the Earth to a drive across the country. The drive is 4560 km (rough distance between Washington D.C. and Seattle), with 1 km equaling one million years of Earth's history. This analogy is used by the author as a springboard to talk about the limits of our personal perceptions and experiences when making conclusions. Learning goals, context for use, teachi
Earth's history in 4.56 meters: constructing a timeline with calculator tape
In this short activity, students make a timeline of Earth's history using calculator tape. The tape is 4.56 meters long, so that one billion years is equal to one meter. This exercise is designed to introduce students to the scale of Earth's history and help them gain a familiarity with some major events. It also teaches about scaling, the metric system, as well as the concepts of large numbers and deep time. The activity may be used in an introductory geoscience course. Learning goals, context
Question of the Day: ANWR Drilling Policy
This "Question of the Day" activity asks students to examine two policy positions regarding drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as a part of the interplay between science and politics. The students also determine their viewpoint on the issue and share/defend it with their peers. This site offers teaching notes and tips, downloadable materials, and links to additional online references and resources.
Winter Field Lab: Pond Hydrology
This field activity may be implemented during late winter or early spring when things have not quite thawed. From a frozen pond, students collect bathymetric data, measure water temperature and conductivity, locate ground-water inputs, and extract a sediment core. Back in the lab, they make hand and computer-contoured bathymetric maps, temperature and conductivity cross-sections, and run visual-core log, loss-on-ignition, and magnetic susceptibility tests. Then they draw conclusions about water
Toilet Paper Analogy for Geologic Time
This in-class demonstration involves using a 1000 sheet roll of strong toilet paper to demonstrate the vast length of time involved in Deep Time. Important events in geologic history are marked on the toilet paper. As the toilet paper is unrolled, from the front of the room to the back and around the room, students begin to get a sense of how little time humanity has been on Earth and how much time is really involved. Learning goals, context for use, teaching tips, materials, assessment tips and
The Geologic Story of the Great Plains
This site provides a non-technical description of the origin and evolution of the landscape of the Great Plains physiographic province. Information about the history and descriptions of the various landforms of the Great Plains is included.
NYC Preservation
This game will test your knowledge of New York City and its history. And you will play the role of a landmarks commissioner - and decide in five specific cases what is worth preserving for future generations.
Suggested Lesson Plans Using the CIA Web Site
The CIA Kids' Page has a wide range of information that you can incorporate into your classroom. We have compiled several ideas for lesson plans to get you started. These plans – which emphasize history, communication, and problem solving – are adaptable for students of any age.
The Estimation of Species Richness in Pennsylvanian Coal Swamp Communities
This resource is a detailed manual of protocols and instructional information for carrying out an undergraduate laboratory exercise in paleoecology and natural history, including student outlines, background information, and instructors notes.
Using Computer-Interfaced Physiological Measurement Systems in the Biology Laboratory
Students in General Biology perform two different laboratory exercises using computer-based physiological measurement systems to record data from student subjects. Using equipment from Intelitool, students measure resting and post-exercise ECGs, noting relative changes in each portion of the tracing. Then in a second exercise students measure lung volumes and capacities in resting and post-exercise subjects. Forced expiratory volumes (F.E.V.) for 1, 2, and 3 seconds are also measured. Notes for
Celebrating Stephen Sondheim
Looking for ways to introduce students to one of the most influential figures in musical theatre history? These lesson plans and activities, a comprehensive glossary of terms, and additional resources will introduce students to the magical world of musicals and the legendary Stephen Sondheim.
Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou
This Web site, created to complement an American Museum of Natural History exhibition, offers insight into how Vodou reflects the history of Haiti's people, whose ancestors were brought from Africa to the Caribbean in bondage.
Capturing Time: The New York Times Capsule - Exhibition
This Web site, created to complement an American Museum of Natural History exhibition, reports on The New York Times Magazine's millennium time capsule project and offers insight into the concept of time.
Vietnam: Journeys of Body, Mind, and Spirit
This Web site, created to complement the Vietnam: Journeys of Body, Mind, and Spirit exhibit, includes the following sections: Introduction is an overview of the incredible diversity of Vietnam's people and landscapes; Journeys Through Time and Space provides a look at Vietnam today and a time-line of this ancient country's history; Journeys of Gods, Families and Ancestors considers the importance of lunar New Year and the ancestral altar; Journeys of People and Goods examines how international
Drawing Shadows to Stone: Photographing North Pacific Peoples
This Web site, created to complement an American Museum of Natural History exhibition, takes a look at an anthropological expedition to record the people and cultures of the North Pacific.
Fighting Dinosaurs: New Discoveries from Mongolia
This Web site, created to complement an American Museum of Natural History exhibition, reports on one of the most famous fossil finds in the world (the fighting dinosaurs of Mongolia) and other ancient animal fossils discovered in the Gobi Desert.
