Social Studies/Geography - Online Activities
Adventure Learning Foundation
http://www.questconnect.org
This site takes students and teachers on real and virtual expeditions around the world.
Through a collection of original pictures and journal excerpts, visitors can accompany
travelers exploring the natural environment, culture, and peoples of different continents.
Past expeditions include Alaska and Yukon, Baja California, American Southwest, and
Southern Africa. Each expedition is accompanied by a mixture of information, links, and
classroom activities.
Africa
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/
This website was created to support the series of PBS shows on Africa. There is something
for all levels of students. For younger children, go to Africa for Kids. Learn about the
daily lifeof students in four African nations, play a virtual thumb piano, or figure out
how the hero of a Swahili folktale can accomplish his mission. Teacher tools has four
units on Africa. Photography teachers can use the Photoscope area to get students talking
about the impact of photographs. For those who think they already know it all, take the
Africa Challenge.
A Journey to a New Land
http://www.sfu.museum/journey/
This multi-level educational resource represents a series of reusable learning objects,
thus maximizing its educational potential. Based on a spiral curriculum approach, the site
targets multiple learning styles as well as cognitive, affective and other domains to
present complex current research in a public forum. There are stunning visuals, engaging
games, interactive timelines and video interviews with leading scientists, all accessible
by a large variety of viewers.
Amazon Interactive
http://www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
Explore the geography of the Ecuadorian Amazon through online games and activities. Learn
about the rainforest and the Quichua people who call it home. Discover the ways in which
the Quichua live off the land. Then try your hand at running a community-based ecotourism
project along the Río Napo.
American Mile Markers
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/features/onTheRoad/home/index.shtml
Cross the entire United States, mile by tedious mile, from the comfort of your home and
personal computer. Follow Matt as he drives and takes a picture at each mile from the
Statue of Liberty to the Golden Gate Bridge. Students may Email a picture postcard using
any of Matt's photos or use them as writing motivators. The onscreen
"grease-pen-on-a-map" trail of his journey will spark many geography-related and
even math-related (scale, distance) activities.
Animated Atlas: Growth of a Nation
http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie.html
A ten minute narrated movie, divided into smaller segments, which depicts the geographic
history of the United States from the beginning of the nation to fifty states. Geographic
elements are interactive, as is the timeline. It will take sixty seconds to load with a
56K modem. A teachers' guide is located at http://www.animatedatlas.com/teachersguide.html
Arthur: Connect the World
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/connectworld/connectworld.html
Play "Connect the World," a card matching game, with Buster Baxter to learn
about different countries and cultures. Learn to recognize the flags, foods, favorite
sports, and arts of places around the world. This easy-to-read site with audio
reinforcement and colorful graphics makes for an excellent activity to use with English
language learners.
Be WorldWise
http://www.beworldwise.org/
Travel the seas virtually aboard a Tall Ship on a 19 month, 22 country voyage. On board,
you will learn about the two teachers who signed on for the journey and their fellow crew
members. Although the journey began in November of 2000, there are 12 months left to
follow, so join in and track their progress. Classroom activities and lessons on Exploring
the Oceans and Environmental Investigations.
Cram Web
http://www.cramweb.com/
At this site students can use games to practice Geography and Math skills.
Da Vinci Code - Visit the Places
http://www.panoramas.dk/da-vinci-code/
Personalize the thrill of the "Da Vinci Code" by visiting the historic spots
(via full screen 360 degree panoramas) made even more famous by the movie. Examine two of
da Vinci's most famous paintings:"The Last Supper"and "Mona Lisa"; go
inside the Louvre Pyramid, and view the legendary Rosslyn Chapel as well as other
important locations in the tale.
D.C. Flyby
http://birdseye.octo.dc.gov/main.html
This Web site is a great way to get a Bird's Eye Tour of Washington, D.C from your
computer! Use the red arrows to move the screen up and down or from side to side. There is
a mini map in the bottom corner showing where you are. To explore the sites click on the
blue icons or the buildings. Those will bring up a pop up window full of information about
the location you’ve clicked on and what goes on there.
Discovering Antarctica
http://www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk/
This truly well-done website, by the U.K.'s Royal Geographical Society, provides an
excellent look at the frozen, windswept continent of Antarctica. Extremely
student-oriented, it includes many colorful videos, photos, and interactive activities
that will enhance students' understanding of this last great wilderness. It also includes
an extensive "Teachers' Notes" section to help create lessons incorporating the
site's features.
Enchanted Learning Geography
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/
This great Web site helps younger students begin exploring the continents of the world.
Print-outs, activities, crafts, quizzes, games, and facts for each continent can be found
here.
Everest 50
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/everest/index.html
Travel with National Geographic to the top of the world. This is an excellent, exciting
site about Everest. There are so many interesting aspects. Take a Virtual Climb that
employs actual footage. View Everest and the surrounding mountains from the peak. Travel
with renowned photographers to Tibet. Also for all those "Into Thin Air"
readers, here are interviews with some of the survivors. Be sure to click on "Everest
Expedition to Uncover Its True Height" for a panoramic view. Many more interesting
articles and lesson plans for K-12 are here.
Explore London
http://www.explore-london.co.uk/index.html
Explore this interactive photographic tour of the city of London. Easy navigation allows
you to find panoramic views of almost all of the major places in the city.
Explorers
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/explorers/explorers_start.htm
This site provides an excellent way to learn about the explorers. The esays, written by
students, offer profiles of most of the great explorers of the past. Click on the name of
any explorer to access a brief biography and summary of explorations. In addition to the
profiles, their are suggested activities and online quizzes.
Geography Action! (National Geographic)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/
Geography Action! is an annual conservation and awareness program designed to educate and
excite people about natural, cultural, and historic treasures. Each year, they will
present a different topic related to conservation and the environment. The Geography
Action! program features: a) Kids Take Action!, an activity-based conservation awareness
program ; b) Geography Awareness Week, a series of events to celebrate conservation; c)
Lesson Plans; d) Games; and e) Photo Galleries. Topics so far include: Biodiversity,
Conservation, Habitats, Population, Rivers, U.S. Public Lands.
Geography Games
http://www.quia.com/pages/all.html
This page has tons of Geography Games created by Brad Bowerman of Lakeland School District
in Pennsylvania. These games will be challenging for middle school and high school
students.
GeoNet
http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/
This is an online geography game. Students may choose between two levels - Easy and Hard.
To begin a game you first choose a country or region. The questions for that game session
will be based on the country or region you chose. You can play the game over and over,
choosing the same region or a different region for each game. If you become a GeoAdvisor,
GeoExpert, or GeoChampion, you get a certificate which you can print or save.
GeoSpy
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geospy/
Practice your geography skills with the interactive
game.
Global Online Adventure Learning Site
http://www.goals.com/Index.htm
This is a terrific site for teachers interested in taking their students on virtual
journeys. Each location allows students to view graphics and read about an area. They can
then e-mail the explorers with comments and questions. The Classroom link provides lesson
plans and activities.
Journey into Amazonia
http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/
Journey into Amazonia features the swollen rivers, flooded forests, and dense canopy of
the vast rain forest recognized as one of Earth's natural wonders. The site is divided
into 3 episodes that correspond to the PBS broadcasts: 1) Waterworlds, features the
churning waters of the world's mightiest river; 2) Land Reborn, reveals a new world
teeming with predators; 3) Episode 3: The Big Top, the luxuriant mantle of the world's
greatest rainforest. Also includes an interactive game.
Journey to a New Land
http://www.sfu.museum/journey/
"People first arrived in the Americas at least 12,000 years ago. The timing of their
arrival and the route by which they travelled are not known. Did they follow an inland
ice-free corridor route from Siberia to the unglaciated regions south of the ice sheets?
Or did they take a coastal route, travelling by boat down the Pacific Coast? Did people
arrive during the ice age, or not until after the glaciers receded? This site explores
these and other questions, and looks at some of the evidence and ideas that have been
proposed to resolve them." The site is divided into five levels - Primary,
Elementary, Middle School, Secondary and Post-Secondary.
Kids Geography
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/index.php
The Earth is a complex and fascinating world. Come explore it with the KidsKnowIt Network.
Everything from the surface of the Earth, to the atmosphere. Play geography games, and
practice geography skills.
Kids National Geographic
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Lots of activities, games, stories, photos. and much more for kids to enjoy. Visit the
sections on Animals and People & Places for great information.
King Tutankhamun: Unraveling the Mysteries
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/tut/mysteries/index.html
This media-rich site from National Geographic offers the opportunity to examine the body
of King Tut and explore the markings inside his tomb. Timed with the traveling exhibit to
several U.S. museums in 2005-2006, this virtual musuem uses CT scan technology 360 degree
views, and interactive options. Online visitors will find this virtual museum most
fascinating.
Map Guessing Game
http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/usaquiz.html
Test your geography skills with this map quiz. Choose from eleven different maps. (Takes a
long time to load.)
Mexico for Kids
http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/index_kids.html
This is a good site to learn about Mexico. Categories include History, Government,
Explore, Biodiversity, Games, About Mexico, and News. The site is also available in
Spanish, Italian, and French.
Mexico Para Ninos
http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/index_esp.html
This site is truly Mexico para Ninos, and in addition to Spanish, the site includes
English, French and Italian translations. Students can explore the states of Mexico as
well as the government and history. Diversity not only covers plants and wildlife, but the
indigenous peoples of Mexico. Cultural information on Mexican mythology, foods, games and
music can be found throughout the site.
Mughal India
http://www.mughalindia.co.uk/room.html
The British Museum produces this interactive website on Mughal India. Totally
Flash-driven, the site is set up to simulate a room filled with various items including a
globe, file cabinet, books, and a calendar. When you roll over interactive items in the
room, you can click and learn about paintings, coins, weapons, jewelery and models from
The British Museum's collections. Don't miss "the Staff Room" -- pages developed
to help teachers. Several lessons are included as well as practical guidance on classroom
set-up, using the website, printing, and navigation.
My Beautiful America
http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm
This is a beautiful site containing landscape pictures from all fifty states. It is just a
site to sit and watch, but I thought it worth sharing here.
National Geographic Education Guide
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/
The National Geographic Education Guide is a wide-ranging resource for any educator who
teaches some aspect of social studies, geography or science. The site has a well-designed
search interface that enables teachers to located resources by subject area, resource type
or grade. The site contains sections on maps and geography, online adventures, lesson
plans, a teacher community, and a teacher store.
National Geographic Kids
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/index.html
An online, interactive magazine (e-zine) for elementary students. Look for the Kids
Magazine, the Explorer Classroom Magazine, games, activities, crafts, experiments, and
homework help. The same high quality you'd expect from National Geographic but packaged
for kids.
National Geographic Xpeditions
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/
National Geographic Xpeditions Activities
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/
Xpeditions activities offer younger and older Xpeditioners the opportunity to use
geography to complete a variety of missions. Parents, teachers, and friends can lend a
hand. Xpeditioners are encouraged to use the "X-tras"—maps, games, stories,
Web sites, and interactive features—to complete the tasks and to visit related
annexes in Xpedition Hall once their mission is through.
New York State for Kids
http://www.iloveny.com/kids/index.asp
Students can learn about the state of New York by exploring State Facts, Puzzles &
Games, History of New York State, and an online Coloring Book.
Seven Wonders of the World
http://www.cleveleys.co.uk/wonders/sevenwondersoftheworld.htm
Take a virtual tour of the seven wonders of the world and and learn about The Temple of
Artemis, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The Great Pyramid, The Lighthouse of Alexandria
plus three others.
State Web Games
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm
This site contains web games that are a wonderful way to learn about our fifty states.
Students learn state capitals, abbreviations, and locations. The games provide clues that
include over 500 important and engaging facts.
Test Your Geography Knowledge
http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/
Choose a quiz by clicking on an area of the map. Then answer the questions correctly to
build up your score. Good practice for students studying Geography.
Test Your Geography Knowledge
http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf
It's time for your U.S. Geography Test! You must drag and drop all 48 states in the time
allotted to be promoted to the 4th grade! This would be great practice for students.
United Nations Cyberschoolbus
http://www.un.org/pubs/cyberschoolbus/
View information about member nations, take a virtual tour, explore issues of human rights
relating to children or take quizzes and play games to help you learn about the countries
of the world. Interactive and well designed for school-age children.
Westward, Ho
http://www.cyberbee.com/wwho/
Westward Ho is now taking registrations. The wagon train leaves in January, so pack your
wagon and start heading to Independence, MO, the starting point for the journey. If you
want your class to participate in this trip, go to the site and register.
Where Is That?
http://www.funbrain.com/where/index.html
Where is That? is a challenging Internet geography game that allows players to choose
among five skill levels. Players also select an area of the world they want to test
themselves in. You can even play a two person version of the game. It's loads of fun for
everyone from map beginners to geography wizards!
WHT: World Heritage Tour
http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/info.html
World Heritage Tour is dedicated to preserving the heritage of people all over the world
through multimedia and to bringing awareness to countries at the benefit of tourism. The
WHTour is creating a documentary and educational image bank of printable panographies and
online virtual tours for all sites registered as World Heritage by the UNESCO (United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Panographies are complete
virtual views made from 28 images stitched together, so you can look up and down, turn
around, and see the locations just as though you were standing there in person, looking
around. At the top of the page you'll see three links: World Heritage List, WH Map, and
WHTour Info. Click the Map link to see dots representing areas that they have covered.
Click a dot to visit a site! Be sure you have lots of time to explore!
Wild Ireland
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/ireland/map.html
From the PBS (Public Broadcasting System) program "Nature" comes this
interactive site allowing users to explore a map of Ireland's wilderness and wildlife. The
map shows items of particular geologic and biologic interest. Clicking on each brings up a
slideshow of that natural environment.
World in the Balance (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/
World in the Balance, the companion Web site to NOVA's Earth Day special, features
educational resources on population and the environment. Produced by TV station WGBH
Boston, World in the Balance provides interactive population maps, classroom role plays,
and activities including a population growth calculation, a global trends quiz, and a
demographic matching game. The site also offers articles, expert interviews, and
recommended links and books. Drawing from moving personal stories in India, Japan, Kenya,
and China, World in the Balance gives visitors a deeper understanding of the massive baby
boom in developing nations, the plunging birth rates in industrialized countries, and the
impact these trends will have on the global environment.
Your Mission: The Last Mission
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/the_last_mission/
Your students are charged with finding a location for the last California Mission, and
work as a team to research the geography, native peoples, and natural resources of the
region. This can be a great alternative to the traditional “mission model.”
Teachers can also use the hotlist of resources to supplement the fourth grade curriculum.
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