Social Studies
Discover a variety of social studies experiences all in one place. Find free history games, apps, videos, and activities to do at home.
Resources for Grades 6–8

Video
grades 6–12
Turning Vegetables into Clean Energy
Not only are vegetables good for your health, but they also can be used to make electricity and biofuel.
Video
grades 6–12
Clean Energy
Learn how clean, renewable energy can drastically lower gas emissions and reduce our use of fossil fuels to potentially save our earth's climate.
Video
grades 3–12
Eliminating Single-Use Plastics
Travel to Belize with Marie McGrory to find out how she made it through (almost) the whole trip without single-use plastics.
Video
grades 3–12
Why We Say "OK"
How many times do you say "OK" each day? Ever wonder what it actually means? Watch and discover the origins of this commonly used word.

Video
grades 6–12
A Tribute to Free Speech
Explore these art installations made from books that have been banned globally throughout various stages of history. Research the relationship between censorship and democracy.
Video
grades 5–12
Evolution of the Book
What makes a book a book? Learn about the origins of bookmaking from design and fonts to paper and spines.
Video
grades 6–12
A Hero's Journey
Learn about the story structure of the hero, from ancient warriors to modern-day Harry Potter. The variations come from the same template: the monomyth.
Video
grades K–12
Haben Girma: To Harvard and Beyond
Be inspired by the indomitable spirit and intellect of Haben Girma, who graduated from Harvard Law while living with deaf-blindness.

Video
grades 5–12
The Woman Who Made the First Step
As the first Black, female congressperson and a champion for civil rights, Shirley Chisholm broke barriers so others could follow in her footsteps.

Video
grades 8–12
A Life Against Injustice: Pauli Murray
Prepare to be astonished by the righteous accomplishments of civil rights activist, lawyer, author, and priest Pauli Murray, who stood against all forms of injustice.

Video
grades 7–12
Sissieretta Jones: The Sweetest Songs
Learn about the talented opera singer Sissieretta Jones, the first African American woman to headline at Carnegie Hall. Warning: Contains graphic content.

Video
grades 7–12
Trailblazing Sculptor Meta Warrick Fuller
Watch this video to learn why artist Meta Warrick Fuller was nicknamed "the sculptor of horrors" for her dark, expressive creations.

Activity
grades 6–12
Where Would You Live?
Choose three cities to research, and use the Quick Facts website at the top to answer the questions. Which city is your "winner" and why?
Activity
grades 6–12
Family Fridge Quotables
Each week curate a collage of quotes—from family, friends, or famous people—on your fridge. You can use sticky notes or get creative with your own cutout shapes. Discuss why you chose them.

Activity
grades 8–12
What's Going On in This Picture?
Analyze a curious new photo each week (posted on Sundays). Post your guess in the comments. Check back on Thursdays to see the actual caption.

Activity
grades 3–7
Cooking Up Culture
Choose from a variety of recipes from around the world. Then explore some tasty traditions from different cultures.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–7
Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Learn about the historic figure who served on the United States Supreme Court and championed women's rights.

Article/Ebook
grades 6–12
It's a Fact: Nurses Are Amazing
Read this article about nurses in Albania, identify the main idea, and find three facts that support it.

Article/Ebook
grades 7–12
Wishes and Luck for the New Year
Discover the history and symbolism behind the red envelopes people exchange during Lunar New Year.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–12
Matthew Henson: Arctic Explorer
Discover the trailblazing accomplishments of Matthew Henson, who broke boundaries both as an arctic explorer and African American.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–12
Essential Black History Texts
Browse, select, and read from this great collection of nonfiction and fiction texts written by Black writers, artists, and activists.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–8
Thanksgiving, Beyond the Feast
Read this history of Thanksgiving that goes beyond the feast and includes some perspective from the Indigenous people affected by the settlers.

Article/Ebook
grades 3–6
And the Winner Is …
Find out who declares the winner of an election, and how they can declare a winner before all the votes are counted.

Article/Ebook
grades 6–12
Message in a Bottle
Read an article and watch a video about the impact of plastic bottles on the environment. Then explore some of the possible solutions.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–10
World's Tallest Building
Find out about the architecture, materials, and process used to create the world's tallest building. Then explore the math problems and social justice activities.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–10
Stone Kites?
Learn about these mysterious stone structures in the western desert of Saudi Arabia. Then, try out some of the math questions.

Article/Ebook
grades 5–10
Goats That Climb
Find out how and why goats climb, and then choose one or more of the math questions to try. Check out the extra resources, too.

Article/Ebook
grades 6–12
Microbeads: Huge Problem
Find out how people worked together to ban the use of a dangerous ingredient in cosmetics. Are there movements you want to help?

Audio
grades 1–6
Who Was Sacagawea?
Listen to this audiobook to learn about an amazing teenager who made some of the exploration of North America possible.

Audio
grades 6–12
Anne Frank
Take some time to listen to this stirring story of a young girl hiding from the Nazis during WWII. Free on Hoopla with a library card.

Audio
grades 6–12
99% Invisible
Learn how architecture and design shape our everyday world with the stories and history behind things we rarely think about.

Audio
grades 6–12
News Bites for Young Listeners
Stay up to date on current events with these short podcast episodes on topics that matter today.

Audio
grades 1–6
Radiolab for Kids
Get your mind swirling with these fascinating podcast episodes that ask wacky questions and find fascinating answers.

Audio
grades 5–9
The Land of Forgotten Girls
Listen to this heartbreaking story about the struggles of two sisters from the Philippines who move to Louisiana. Free on Hoopla with a library card.

Audio
grades 3–6
Hello, Universe
Listen to this charming tale involving four kids, Filipino folk tales, and bravery. Free on Hoopla with a library card.

Audio
grades 4–8
The Thing About Luck
Listen to the sweet tale of a migrant worker girl who must face big responsibilities. Free on Hoopla with a library card.

Audio
grades 3–6
Listen, Slowly
Put on this audiobook about a girl's trip to Vietnam, where she learns about her family's past. Free on Hoopla with a library card.

Audio
grades 6–12
A Long Walk to Water
Dive into this gripping story of an 11-year-old boy in Sudan during the civil war, based on a true story. Free on Hoopla with a library card.

Audio
grades 3–12
Rad American Women A-Z
Learn about these amazing women who defied expectations across the centuries. Great for the whole family.

Interactive
grades 6–12
News Feed Defenders
Understand the essential qualities of good journalism, how news goes viral, and common tactics employed in news to deceive or manipulate reads.

Interactive
grades 3–8
What Came First
Try out these art-based brainteasers. Choose between two images and decide which came first.

Interactive
grades 6–12
Versailles: The Palace Is Yours
Read the stories and see the art, gardens, decor, and more of this extravagant French palace.

Interactive
grades 6–12
Learn About Mount Vernon
Take a trip to George Washington's historic estate that served as his home with Martha Washington—and the home of hundreds of enslaved people.

Interactive
grades 4–12
GeoGuessr
Motivate students to learn about the world's regions, ecosystems, and inhabitants with this addictive puzzler.

Interactive
grades 6–12
Do I Have a Right?
Lead a constitutional law firm in this interactive online game. Help match clients with the correct lawyer, and learn about how our government works.

Interactive
grades 3–8
Visit the White House
Take a virtual tour of the living quarters and workspace of the president of the United States.
Interactive
grades 3–6
Geography
Name a place in the world. The next person has to think of a place that starts with the last letter of the place.

Interactive
grades 6–12
Court Quest
Drive the "Justice Express" in this interactive game, and help citizens navigate our state and federal court systems.

Interactive
grades 6–12
Branches of Power
Control all three branches in this simulation as you learn all about law making at the local, state, and federal levels.

Interactive
grades 5–12
Win the White House
Start your own presidential campaign and learn the ins, outs, and quirks of electoral politics in the United States.

Interactive
grades 6–9
Mapping Magellan
Follow Ferdinand Magellan's first-ever route around the world. What were you surprised to learn about the voyage?

Lesson
grades 5–8
The Story of Roberto Clemente
Learn how Latinx baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente changed minds during the civil rights movement. Use the included student guide for supplemental activities.

Lesson
grades 8–12
Targeted Political Ads
Explore the ways microtargeted political ads attempt to influence elections. Watch the video, and then use the worksheet and discussion questions to dig deeper.

Lesson
grades 6–10
Success Stories
Learn about the struggles and triumphs of three extraordinary Latinx Americans including an astronaut, an actor, and a Broadway star.

Lesson
grades 6–12
The Shape of Stories
Explore this exhibition focused on quilt-maker and artist Rosie Lee Tompkins, whose "put-togethers," as she puts it, experiment with color, shape, and texture.

Lesson
grades 6–12
Math History
Discover the history of mathematics with this timeline. Read the stories behind the math and see how what we know today evolved over time.

Lesson
grades 7–8
Census Changes
Predict how the racial makeup of the country will change in ten, and twenty, years by using the U.S. Census data from 2000 and 2010.

Lesson
grades 6–12
Trade and the Black Death
Use an interactive map to complete this critical-thinking activity that investigates how trade routes affected the spread of the Black Death.

Lesson
grades 7–9
The Life and Times of Eleanor Roosevelt
Journey through three important eras of American history with one of its most influential women: Eleanor Roosevelt.

Lesson
grades 5–9
The Unsung History Makers: Maria Moreno
Go on a research quest to discover the story behind the influential labor rights activist Maria Moreno.

Lesson
grades 6–12
Important Activist: Frederick Douglass
Visit this online exhibition to read about Frederick Douglass and see the actual documents he wrote.

Lesson
grades 8–12
Is Breaking News Broken?
Work through this lesson plan that'll help you consider how social media has affected breaking news as well as elections and voting.

Video
grades 6–12
Turning Vegetables into Clean Energy
Not only are vegetables good for your health, but they also can be used to make electricity and biofuel.
Video
grades 6–12
Clean Energy
Learn how clean, renewable energy can drastically lower gas emissions and reduce our use of fossil fuels to potentially save our earth's climate.
Video
grades 3–12
Eliminating Single-Use Plastics
Travel to Belize with Marie McGrory to find out how she made it through (almost) the whole trip without single-use plastics.
Video
grades 3–12
Why We Say "OK"
How many times do you say "OK" each day? Ever wonder what it actually means? Watch and discover the origins of this commonly used word.

Video
grades 6–12
A Tribute to Free Speech
Explore these art installations made from books that have been banned globally throughout various stages of history. Research the relationship between censorship and democracy.
Video
grades 5–12
Evolution of the Book
What makes a book a book? Learn about the origins of bookmaking from design and fonts to paper and spines.
Video
grades 6–12
A Hero's Journey
Learn about the story structure of the hero, from ancient warriors to modern-day Harry Potter. The variations come from the same template: the monomyth.
Video
grades K–12
Haben Girma: To Harvard and Beyond
Be inspired by the indomitable spirit and intellect of Haben Girma, who graduated from Harvard Law while living with deaf-blindness.

Video
grades 5–12
The Woman Who Made the First Step
As the first Black, female congressperson and a champion for civil rights, Shirley Chisholm broke barriers so others could follow in her footsteps.

Video
grades 8–12
A Life Against Injustice: Pauli Murray
Prepare to be astonished by the righteous accomplishments of civil rights activist, lawyer, author, and priest Pauli Murray, who stood against all forms of injustice.

Video
grades 7–12
Sissieretta Jones: The Sweetest Songs
Learn about the talented opera singer Sissieretta Jones, the first African American woman to headline at Carnegie Hall. Warning: Contains graphic content.

Video
grades 7–12
Trailblazing Sculptor Meta Warrick Fuller
Watch this video to learn why artist Meta Warrick Fuller was nicknamed "the sculptor of horrors" for her dark, expressive creations.

Website/App
grades 6–12
Latinx, Hispanic, and Chicano Genius
Browse and read—or learn about—the work of Latinx, Hispanic, and Chicano artists, activists, and more. (Note: Some texts require sign-in.)

Website/App
grades 6–12
Discover Her Story
Choose a theme to explore behind-the-scenes videos, stories, and objects featuring women who have shaped America as we know it.

Website/App
grades 6–12
A Cultural Journey Across America
Choose an artist or area to explore and discover the rich diversity of cultures and folk traditions across the United States.

Website/App
grades 3–12
African American Oral Histories
Get lost in this gold mine of in-depth and highly accessible video interviews and biographies of notable African American people.

Website/App
grades 6–12
Wonders of Mexico
Explore the influence of Mexican art and culture in this stunning collection of influential work from painters, architects, filmmakers, writers, and other artists.

Website/App
grades K–12
Latinx Resources
Use this curated collection to commemorate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Latinx Americans.

Website/App
Preschool–grade 12
National Geographic Education
Find high-quality, standards-based resources relating to science, geography, world history, engineering, cartography, current events, and more.

Website/App
grades 8–12
Important First-Person Perspective
Use this app to better understand the experiences of a young refugee who fled to Malaysia from Myanmar. Note: Some disturbing content.

Website/App
grades 5–12
Cool Crowdsourced Collection
Journey through these videos and photos to get a sense of the people, places, and nature around the world. Then submit your own content!

Website/App
Preschool–grade 12
Asian Art Museum
Take an in-depth look at Asia's influence on art and history with inventive lessons, activities, videos, and images.

Website/App
grades 5–6
TIME for Kids
Read these kid-friendly articles about current events, cool science facts, and more.

Website/App
grades 6–12
American Archive of Public Broadcasting
Find reference media and historical recordings in this extensive collection produced by public TV and radio stations.

Worksheet
grades 6–12
Dig into History
Use this Google Doc to research a leader from the Mexican Revolution. Who were they, and what role did they play?

Worksheet
grades 4–6
Ancient Art
Color the Incan textile pattern and then try to create your own version. What patterns do you see? What shapes will you include?