Compiled January 2007 by John Noling, Michigan Council for Social Studies
OK, so there are more than 40…Let’s face it--there are literally thousands of great Social Studies
websites that are outstanding. Our MCSS “Top 40 Hits” should get you started in the right direction!
General Social Studies and Great Links
http://edsitement.neh.gov (super gateway for quality activities, lessons, and links)
www.marcopolosearch.org (lesson plans, links, resources for Econ, Geog, Humanities)
http://mtn.merit.edu/social.html (Mich. Teacher Network, 1000 excellent web links, lessons, etc.)
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/history/histg.html (hundreds of excellent sites, updated daily by Kathy Schrock, noted technology specialist)
www.michigan.gov/mde (Merit Award, MEAP and 5,8,11 Assessment Models, MiClimb, Soc St. Concepts, Vocab. Lists, Glossary, Soc. St. Trade Books lists, CDV lessons, History Themes Project)
www.michcouncilss.org (your MCSS official site, conferences, web links, CDV’s, Olympiad, and more!!)
www.ncss.org (our national site, conferences, web links, teacher resources)
www.pbs.org (170,000 pgs., check out PBS Teacher Source for great links to lesson plans)
www.sitesforteachers.com (go to Sharp Links, then Social Studies and watch out!)
www.askeric.org (great search engine for lessons, ideas, and resources)
www.cobblestonepub.com (Cobblestone Magazine for ages 9-14, supports Hist. Themes topics)
www.discoveryschool.com (excellent easily searchable lessons)
www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html (3,000 yrs of world hist., interactive combo of synchronoptic lifelines, timelines, and maps, incl. Science, culture, religion, and politics)
www.loc.gov (Library of Congress-“primary source heaven”, fabulous American Memory collection, Today in History, over 6 million items!)
www.michiganepic.org (the place for History Themes info, History Examples/Topics (former “postholes”), World Hist/Geog units, great CDV activities, and more!, indispensable!)
http://www.michiganhistory.org ( Mich Hist. galore!, check out Mich. Hist for Kids, Teacher Stuff!)
Economics
www.econedlink.com (super econ lessons for every grade, so easy to use)
www.fte.org (award winning lessons, excellent teacher and student programs and incentives)
www.mceeonline.org (Your Michigan headquarters for economics resources!, links, programs))
www.ncee.net (National Council on Econ Ed, great publications, lessons, links)
www.kidseconposters.com (great K-6 Econ concept posters, bingo game, econ songs, literature connections)
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/socialstd/Econ_Geog.html (32 popular K-6 trade books lessons to integrate Econ and Geog, dynamite!)
http://cob.jmu.edu/econed/Marthas.htm (absolutely wonderful, free elem, m.s., h.s. online econ lessons)
www.marcopolosearch.org (top quality geography lesson bank)
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html (info on any country, maps and more!)
www.mapquest.com (what is geography without maps?)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/xpeditions/lessons/index.html(Don’t miss Blue Ribbon Links or lesson plans)
http://www.ncge.org/ (Nat. Council of Geog. Edu., publications, links, standards, activities)
www.pbs.org (immediately click on PBS TeacherSource)
www.prb.org (Population Reference Bureau, demographic data galore!)
Civics
http://bensguide.gpo.gov (symbols of govt, documents citizenship, games, glossary, branches, laws,federalism, elections, great links to other sites.)
http://landmarkcases.org (13 Supreme Court cases most often taught, lessons, excellent!
www.socialstudies.org/resources (comprehensive NCSS clearinghouse with links, major league!)
www.constitutioncenter.org (all kinds of resources on the Constitution, funded by Congress)
www.crf-usa.org (Const. Rights Foundation, latest civics issues, public, links, etc.)
www.civiced.org (premier site for quality lessons, just click on Resources and go!)
www.civnet.org (website of Civitas International, loads of good lesson plans)
www.civics-online.org (MSU created site, very comprehensive, tailored lessons to CDV’s and concepts by grade level)
www.michiganepic.org (excellent for K-6 Core Democratic Values lessons, activities
www.michigan.gov (one stop shopping for Michigan government info, links to education)
www.miciviced.org (Center for Civic Ed. for Mich., We the People, Project Citizen, conferences, resources)
www.ourdocuments.gov (new site dedicated to civics, history and service; 100 Milestone Documents, Educators Sourcebook for using primary source documents in the classroom, lesson plans also!)
www.americanpromise.com (lesson plans, ideas to bring democracy to life, supplement to free videos produced for original PBS series)
www.closeup.org (lessons, publications, teacher/student programs, plus First Vote voter registration program w/free video & teacher guide)
www.goodcharacter.com (Character Education, free resources for teachers)
www.learningtogive.org (900+ free, teacher created,field tested, standards-based lessons focused on voluntary action for the common good. Easily downloadable, complete with handouts, rubrics, etc
www.michigan.gov/sos (electronic voter registration blank, register your students here!)
Current Events and Editorial Cartoons
www.cnn.com/EDUCATION (CNN Student News, Educator Guide w/ lessons, Curriculum Specials, Teach from
CNN Classroom Edition)
www.drudgereport.com (search for any news, anywhere; every major news publisher, very handy)
www.nytimes.com/learning (excellent current events, lesson plans, resources)
www.politicalcartoons.com (hundreds of great ones, by topic, to choose, print; also lessons for teaching with cartoons)
www.knowledgeunlimited.com (Editorial Cartoon Contest info, good resources for newspapers and ed. Cartoons)
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, use the www.google.com search engine, type in key words for what you need, and you will usually be amazed!) If you know of a Social Studies website that is so terrific that we need to make it a part of our “Top 40”, please e-mail John Noling at johnnoling@yahoo.com with the particulars. MCSS thanks you for your help!
(Last updated January 31, 2007)