Preschool Social Studies Resources - Social Studies activities for kids from Education.co

Social Studies | Kids' Learning Guides, Tips & Activities - Feed your future global citizen with an understanding of different cultures.

50states.com - States and Capitals

The 1619 Project Curriculum | Pulitzer Center

iCivics | Free Lesson Plans and Games for Learning Civics - Engage students in meaningful civics learning. Provides teachers with free inventive resources to enhance their practice and inspire learning.

NatGeo Countries - National Geographic: Provides facts, photos, videos, and more about countries around the world.

New Jersey History Kids - Each unit of the New Jersey History Kids website contains a video clip, question sheets, worksheets, and documents, as well as suggestions for the teacher.

New Jersey History and Government Lessons - Lessons about the history, government, people and historic sites in New Jersey for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. 

New Jersey State House Activity Book- Kid friendly activity guide to all things New Jersey!

Plimoth Patuxet Museums | Home -  Plimoth Patuxet Museums brings to life the history of Plymouth Colony and the Indigenous homeland.

Smithsonian Kids - Group -  A one-stop-shop for young learners and their teachers and caregivers. Smithsonian programs and at-home resources for kids age birth to eight, offer guidance on how to locate more from individual museums, and share ideas for making museums accessible and inviting to young children. The Smithsonian to you! Smithsonian Kids digital programs, lessons, and activities are accessible anytime, anywhere.

Social Studies Activities And Lessons - Explore the past and learn about the present with resources on government, history, economics, and more.

Teaching Resources - civiced.org -  Provides high-quality curricular materials, exceptional professional development for teachers, and advocates for stronger civic education in the United States and emerging democracies.

The American Presidency Project -  free online searchable database of presidential documents.

A Biography of America - This video series for high school and college students presents American history as a living narrative rather than a collection of facts and dates. Produced by WGBH Boston in cooperation with the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Annenberg Classroom – Resources For Excellent Civics Education AnnenbergClassroom.org provides a comprehensive, multimedia curriculum on the Constitution. Free classroom resources include videos, games, lesson plans and timelines as well as our popular Annenberg Guide to the Constitution, which provides the original text and then explains it in plain language. These materials are provided to equip middle and high school teachers with the tools to create informed citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution.

Big History Project - A free, online social studies course that emphasizes skill development as students draw mind-blowing connections between past, present and future.

Bill of Rights: Primary Documents in American History | LOC - This guide provides access to digital materials at the Library of Congress, links to related external websites, and a print bibliography.

Bunk History - Digital archive of a variety of media produced about current events, public history and government. Bunk shows connection both spatially and across historic eras. Thoughtful articles explore the current Covid-19 pandemic in a historical context.

Cartoons for the Classroom: Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) - Students determine the meaning of political cartoons through the analysis of their literal, symbolic and figurative meanings of the elements the artist used and their effect. Students are asked to describe the overall effect of the cartoon, and how the artist’s choices combine to create that effect. Finally, students determine the purpose of the cartoon and how it relates to current issues through discussion questions

Citizen U Primary Source Nexus - Citizen U is operated by the Barat Education Foundation thanks to grant funding from the Library of Congress and provides free, engaging, inquiry-based learning materials that use Library primary sources to foster understanding and application of civics, literacy, history, math, science, and the arts.

City Guesser - Can you guess what city you're in? Use street level videos to identify cities in the US, monuments around the globe, and locations from countries all around the world.

Coming of the American Revolution: Lessons - Massachusetts Historical Society offers fourteen lesson plans that are aligned to the theme of The Coming of the American Revolution. The lesson plans include a mix of document analysis activities and group discussion activities. 

Constitution in the Classroom | National Constitution Center - innovative teaching tools to your classroom. Our unique approach to constitutional education emphasizes historic storytelling, constitutional rather than political questions, and the habits of civil dialogue and reflection.

Constitution Facts: Official US Constitution Website - Learn About the United States (US) Constitution & More

C-SPAN Classroom - Free video-based materials for social studies teachers

DocsTeach - An online tool for teaching with documents from the National Archives

EduHam at Home - An extension of the Hamilton Education Program (EduHam), students study primary source documents from the Founding Era, learn how Lin-Manuel Miranda used such documents to create the musical Hamilton, and finally create their own original performance pieces based on the same material.

EyeWitness to History - history through the eyes of those who lived it - Your ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to the present. History through the eyes of those who lived it, presented by Ibis Communications, Inc. a digital publisher of educational programming. 

Facing History and Ourselves | Classroom Resources - A collection of classroom resources/materials to plan a unit.

GeoGuessr - Let's explore the world! -GeoGuessr is a geography game which takes you on a journey around the world and challenges your ability to recognize your surroundings.

History Labs - A Guided Approach to Historical Inquiry in the K-12 Classroom

History Resources | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America Curriculum | @voiceofwitness

iCivics | Free Lesson Plans and Games for Learning Civics - Engage students in meaningful civics learning.  Provides teachers with free inventive resources to enhance their practice and inspire learning.

Learning for Justice - Free educational resources—articles, guides, lessons, films, webinars, frameworks and more—help foster shared learning and reflection for educators, young people, caregivers and all community members

NatGeo | Education - National Geographic Education is a massive database of high-quality educational content, searchable by grade level, subject, resource type, or audience: either educators, families, or students.

National Council for Geographic Education - Professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education, the NCSS's vision is a world in which all students are educated and inspired for lifelong inquiry and informed civic action.  

National Council for the Social Studies-  A non-profit organization committed to enhancing the status and quality of geography teaching and learning by providing professional development opportunities, producing journals and other publications, developing and distributing content and resources, and advocating for geography in schools. Includes a library of lesson plans, maps, and other classroom resources.

National Museum of the American Indian Educational Resources | Native Knowledge 360 -  NK360° provides educators and students with new perspectives on Native American history and cultures. These educational materials, virtual student programs, and teacher trainings incorporate Native narratives, more comprehensive histories, and accurate information to enlighten and inform teaching and learning about Native America.

Newspaper Map - Locate and read newspapers from locations all around the world. Just browse the map then click on a placemark to open the link within to read a newspaper. You can also locate newspapers by using the search boxes to locate a newspaper by title or location. Includes translation tools.

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People | NCSS - Annual listing of books for children in grades K-12 that emphasize human relations, represent a diversity of groups and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences, present an original theme or a fresh slant on a traditional topic, are easily readable and of high literary quality, and have a pleasing format and, when appropriate, illustrations that enrich the text.

New Jersey History and Government Lessons - Lessons about the history, government, people and historic sites in New Jersey for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. 

Primary Source Sets | DOLA - Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators - complete with teaching guides for class use.

Programs for K-12 Teachers and Students | Pulitzer Center - Cultivate a more curious, informed, empathetic, and engaged public by connecting teachers and students with underreported global news stories and the journalists who cover them.

Quandary - A free, nonprofit teaching tool designed to engage students 8+ to develop critical thinking and perspective-taking, practice empathy, and learn to make ethical decisions through fun and engaging gameplay. Includes eacher guide, classroom implementation video, and lesson plans.

Rise Up! An American Curriculum: Studio Pathways - Rise Up! uses creative inquiry to explore Hamilton: An American Musical. Lessons help students to understand and critically examine Hamilton themes and artistry, and to express their own personal narrative through writing and performance.

Social Studies Activities And Lessons | PBS Learning - Explore the past and learn about the present with resources on government, history, economics, and more.

Social Studies Lesson Plans | Teacher.org - Lessons created by real teachers working in schools across the United States. The lessons range from elementary through high school and are organized by grade.

The Story of the Bill of Rights - The story of the Bill of Rights is told in this documentary. Each amendment has its own short video.

Teaching Resources - civiced.org -  Provides high-quality curricular materials, exceptional professional development for teachers, and advocates for stronger civic education in the United States and emerging democracies.

Lesson Plans - Teaching with Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service) - Teaching with Historic Places offers a series of more than 160 classroom-ready lesson plans that use historic sites as a means for exploring American history. Educators and their students can work through these online lesson plans directly on the computer or print them out and photocopy them for distribution.

This Day in History - What Happened Today - History.com provides daily insights into historical events. 

Today's Document from the National Archives - Explore Today in History through the holdings of the National Archives with Today's Document! Learn about today's significant anniversaries or discover new historical curiosities through a collection of fascinating documents, photographs, and films from throughout the history of the United States.

Untold History - Stories you won’t learn about in a textbook. New videos released every week. Developed in partnership with The New York Historical Society, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, iCivics, White House Historical Association and American Battlefield Trust.

U.S. News Map - An archive of American newspapers printed between 1836 and 1964. Searchable by keyword or phrase and displayed on an interactive map. Click a marker to be shown a list of newspaper articles and read articles on the Library of Congress' Chronicling America website.

World History for Us All - A powerful, innovative curriculum for teaching world history in middle and high schools. The site offers a wealth of teaching units, lesson plans, and resources. 

Zinn Education Project - Promotes and supports the teaching of people’s history, introducing students to a more accurate, complex, and engaging understanding of history than what is found in traditional textbooks and curricula. Offers free, downloadable lessons and articles organized by theme, time period, and reading level.

Explore resources relevant to the 2019 History and Contributions of Individuals with Disabilities and LGBT (N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.35-6) statute; please see New Jersey’s Department of Education’s Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.

Campaign for Disability Employment: PSA Campaigns - Public service announcement campaigns funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy / U.S. Department of Labor to challenge misconceptions about the employment of people with disabilities. The “Who I Am” and “I Can” PSAs could be used with their corresponding discussion guides to consider the social and economic contributions of people with disabilities today.

Disability History Museum - Collections of primary sources representing the cultural and social history of people with disabilities, largely in the United States from 1800 to the present. Lesson plans are designed for secondary and higher education, but the overall site may be a good reference for other teachers as well.

Disability History: National Museum of American History - This hub of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History curates exhibitions, collections, and blog posts that highlight the experiences of those who have been “tagged as disabled or impaired” throughout our country’s history. 

Disability Rights Timeline - A timeline of historical milestones in the Disability Rights Movement from 1815 to present day. Compiled by Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities.

Free to Use and Reuse: Disability Awareness - A Free to Use primary source set from the Library of Congress that features people with disabilities throughout U.S. history. The Library of Congress also has a Getting Started with Primary Sources guide for teachers, as well as teacher guides for specific types of primary sources and an analysis tool for students (here).

How the wheelchair opened up the world to millions of people | National Geographic - Wheelchairs have existed since the invention of the wheel. But technological advances have revolutionized the way that people use them.

How People with Disabilities Help the Economy Grow and Thrive - A Forbes article providing an overview of employment statistics of people with disabilities and recommended steps for full inclusion in the workplace. Includes an option to listen to the article as well.

Model Lessons on Disability History - Accessible, inquiry-based lesson plans on disability history developed by Emerging America in partnership with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium. Find detailed lessons for 2nd through 12th grades that are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

Museum of disABILITY History - A project of People Inc. and chartered by the New York State Department of Education Board of Regents, this museum seeks to advance the understanding, acceptance, and independence of people with disabilities. The virtual museum includes wings for media, medicine, society, education, and advocacy. Educational resources include lesson plans for grades PreK-3, 4-8, and 9-12.

Parallels in Time: A History of Developmental Disabilities - A collection of resources developed by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities featuring video and audio clips, as well as primary source documents. This collection presents the history of developmental disabilities from the ancient era to modern times in narrative form.

Resources | Disability Organization, Arts and Culture | Judithheumann - Learn more about Judy Heumann, the history of the Disability Rights Movement, and much more through the resources below.

Teaching Now: Learning About (Dis)ability in History - This mini-unit encourages elementary students to discover how people experience ability differently.  Developed by Dr. John Bickford and The Councilor: A Journal of Social Studies in collaboration with Citizen U, the teaching guide includes analysis prompts, graphic organizers, and opportunities for civic engagement, as well as an accompanying primary source set.

Telling All Americans’ Stories: Disability History - A series by the National Park Service that highlights disability stories throughout our country’s complex history that are connected to NPS parks and programs. Browse by themes, places, or people. The series introduction provides a good overview of the available resources.

Explore resources relevant to the 2019 History and Contributions of Individuals with Disabilities and LGBT (N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.35-6) statute; please see New Jersey’s Department of Education’s Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.

DocsTeach - Query results displaying primary sources that are relevant to LGBTQ history and rights.  Filter by historical era or document type. Related activities by the National Archives Education Team include The Long Struggle for LGBTQ+ Civil Rights and “We Are Badly in Need of a Breath of Fresh Air”: A Letter to President Kennedy about LGBTQ+ Rights.

LGBTQ History and Why It Matters - A lesson by Facing History, Facing Ourselves in which students consider whose experiences have been excluded from the way history has been traditionally taught and learn about LGTBQ history from the Roman Empire to 2016. Includes three possible extension activities: The Lavender Scare in Post-WWII America, LGBTQ Textbook Analysis, and The Times of Harvey Milk Documentary Film.

Hidden Voices: LGBTQ+ Stories in U.S. History Lesson Plans (Public Facing) - Twenty lesson plans developed by the NYCDOE Department of Social Studies and Civics in collaboration with historians to highlight the social, political, artistic, and economic contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals who were often hidden from the traditional historical record.

Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students - A guide by Learning for Justice on creating an LGBTQ-inclusive school.  Includes sections on school policy, classroom culture, instruction, and family and community engagement, as well as a list of LGBTQ historical figures in Appendix B.

The Role of Gay Men and Lesbians in the Civil Rights Movement - A lesson by Learning for Justice that introduces students to four key figures in LGBTQ history who made incredible contributions to the civil rights movement: James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, Pauli Murray and Bayard Rustin.

LGBTQ-Inclusive Lessons & Resources - Social Studies lesson plans developed by Garden State Equality and Make It Better for Youth that address gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or LGBTQ inclusion.  These NJSLS-aligned lessons were designed using the frameworks of Understanding by Design and Making Learning Visible.

Pride - A Google Arts & Culture collection of high resolution images and videos of artifacts, articles, and primary source materials depicting the history and symbolism of the Pride flag, preserving the memory of Stonewall, highlighting LGBTQIA+ pride parades around the world, and more. Includes a lesson plan geared toward high school: “Beyond the Rainbow: Milestones in the Pride Movement.”

Primary Source Set: LGBTQ Activism and Contributions - A primary source set by the Library of Congress, which includes 18 primary sources and a teacher’s guide with background information and suggested classroom activities. The Library of Congress also has a Getting Started with Primary Sources guide for teachers, teacher guides for specific types of primary sources and an analysis tool for students (here), and a research guide for LGBTQIA+ studies.

Military History and the LGBTQ+ Community - A collection of primary and secondary sources, as well as additional resources, that highlight the experiences and contributions of LGBTQ+ service members throughout U.S. history.  Developed by ASHP/CML at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Social History for Every Classroom: Gender and Sexuality - Classroom-ready primary documents and teaching activities developed by ASHP/CML at the CUNY Graduate Center related to gender and sexuality.  Narrow search using filters for item type, tags (e.g., LGBTQ+), and historical eras.  

Seneca Falls, Selma, Stonewall: The Stonewall Riots in the Fight for Equality - A lesson by TeachRock in which students analyze visual sources, read primary documents, and examine popular music in response to the essential question, “What were the Stonewall Riots and what role did they play in ongoing struggles for LGBTQ+ equality in the United States?” Requires free registration to fully access materials.

The Journey to Marriage Equality in the U.S. - A lesson by TeachRock in which students analyze court documents, congressional legislation, press articles, and music in response to the essential question, “How did same-sex marriage become legal in the United States?” Requires free registration to fully access materials.

Telling All Americans’ Stories: LGBTQ Heritage - A series by the National Park Service that promotes LGBTQ histories and stories found in our nation’s parks, homes, and historic sites.  See also the NPS publication, LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of LGBTQ History and the accompanying guide, The Pride Guide: An interactive Workbook, which includes a summary, discussion questions, and activity for each chapter.

Understanding LGBTQ+ Identity: A Toolkit for Educators - A collection from PBS Learning Media consisting of professional development and classroom resources.  Includes digital media resources to help teachers integrate LGBTQ+ history and narratives into U.S. History classrooms, as well as resources to help all educators understand and effectively address the complex issues facing LGBTQ youth.

OutHistory - A nonprofit public history website committed to documenting LGBTQ+ U.S. histories. The landing page features a “This Week in History'' section and “OutHistory Highlights,” both with links to supporting documents.

LGBTQ Rights Timeline in American History - A timeline of milestones related to LGBTQ rights developed by Teaching LGBTQ History.org. Explore their other resources as well, including lesson plans, videos, and multimedia.

LGBTQ History - Resources curated or created by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN), including LGBTQ+ History Cards, multimedia resources, student resources, and educator resources.

LGBTQ History: National Museum of American History - This hub of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History curates exhibitions, collections, videos, news releases, and blog posts that depict the experiences of diverse identities based on sexual orientation and gender identity throughout history.

Critical Practices for Social Justice Education - A resource to support K-12 educators in growing their understanding of social justice principles and integrating them into their practice.

Global Oneness Project - Brings the world’s cultures alive in the classroom using stories as a pedagogical tool for growing minds. Committed to the exploration of cultural, environmental, and social issues, we offer a rich library of multimedia stories composed of award-winning films, photo essays, and articles. Companion curriculum and discussion guides are also available.

Guides By Subject - Research Guides at Library of Congress - Research guides to the Library's general collections of books and periodicals, as well as general subject guides prepared by Library of Congress reference librarians.

History Educational Videos - Free K-12 educational videos focusing on history. WatchKnowLearn organizes thousands of free educational video clips in all subjects for teachers, students, and parents.

History Lessons | Stanford History Education Group - Teaches students how to investigate historical questions by employing reading strategies such as sourcing, contextualizing, corroborating, and close reading.  Resources are downloadable with free account.

Learning for Justice | Classroom Resources - Bring relevance, rigor and social emotional learning into your classroom. The Social Justice Standards provide a common language and a road map for anti-bias education at every grade level.

National Council for Geographic Education - Professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education, the NCSS's vision is a world in which all students are educated and inspired for lifelong inquiry and informed civic action.  

National Council for the Social Studies-  A non-profit organization committed to enhancing the status and quality of geography teaching and learning by providing professional development opportunities, producing journals and other publications, developing and distributing content and resources, and advocating for geography in schools. Includes a library of lesson plans, maps, and other classroom resources.

NJCSS.ORG| New Jersey Council for Social Studies: Teacher resources, lessons and additional links for social studies education.

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People | NCSS - Annual listing of books for children in grades K-12 that emphasize human relations, represent a diversity of groups and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences, present an original theme or a fresh slant on a traditional topic, are easily readable and of high literary quality, and have a pleasing format and, when appropriate, illustrations that enrich the text.

Smithsonian Learning Lab - Create your own interactive learning experiences-or adopt exemplars made by teachers and Smithsonian experts.

Social Studies Activities And Lessons - Explore the past and learn about the present with resources on government, history, economics, and more. Discover thousands of social studies activities, lessons, and interactive resources for all grades.

Social Studies Lesson Plans | Teacher.org - Features a variety of Social Studies lessons written by teachers from all over the United States.

Social Studies Lesson Plans - Kickstart your students' growth while learning about the past and present with education.com's social studies lesson plans!

Social Studies Educational Videos - Free K-12 educational videos including cultures, geography, government, and holidays.

Teachinghistory.org - Designed to help K–12 history teachers access resources and materials to improve U.S. history education in the classroom. Provides lesson plans and best practices. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Center for History and New Media.