Resource Centre

Social Studies Online

The College Herald
This website that showcases the best written work, photographs and cartoons of New Zealand school students in the North Island. Visit the site for student and teacher information and look at the calendar of weekly themes.
Levels 1 to 8

Consumer Jungle
An interactive site to develop consumer awareness. The topics have been chosen with students' interests in mind and include the use and abuse of credit, choosing a card wisely, dangers and downfalls of credit, rights, and resources; how to buy finance and maintain a car; how to buy, sell, navigate, and communicate online safely and efficiently; cost-of-living reality check, budgeting, apartment rental agreements, landlord-tenant rights, utilities; and how to choose the best telephone or Internet plan, consumer rights, and resources.
Levels 1 to 8

The Death Penalty
This is the version for teachers. There is a site for students that can be accessed through the teachers' site. A thoughtful and thought provoking collection of unit and lesson plans, resources and a balanced set of links. An excellent resource for both Values Exploration and Social Decision Making with older students.
Levels 5 to 8

Development Resource Centre
Wide range of links to development related sites - dig deeply through the layers! Provides access to some useful resources for teachers and senior students as well.
Levels 5 to 8

Digital Divide Project
A list of resources that is very useful for older students conducting a Social Studies Inquiry into globalisation and access to resources - such as the Internet.
Levels 5 to 8

Digital Globe
Satellites are now able to take photographs of individual people, buildings and events at will. You can view an excellent demonstration of what the satellites are able to do at this web site and select places of interest around the world. Worth a visit to show advances in technology alone!
Levels 5 to 8

Global Education
Thus AusAID site offers resources for primary and secondary on a range of global issues child labour, disasters, environment, human rights, refugees and water.
Levels 1 to 8

Greenpeace International
Looking for information on current issues? You should find relevant material at the home of one of the best known global lobby groups.
Levels 5 to 8

Human Rights Watch Arms Project Report
Ever wanted to know who produced landmines and other armaments? This article identifies US companies involved.
Levels 5 to 8

Immigration Workshop
A site specifically aimed at the Level 5 Place and Environment achievement objective. Based around investigations (activities).
Levels 5 to 8

International Relations
A site looking at various issues of international relations (especially the United States) - the current events link has excellent links to places in the news and is updated.
Levels 5 to 8

The Iraq Journal
The Iraq Journal provides a collection of regular reports from Iraq. The Iraq Journal provides an excellent collection of regular reports from Iraq. It provides a more balanced view than CNN and is co-ordinated by independent journalists.
Levels 5 to 8

Maps in the news
This website specialises in maps that focus on newsworthy events and is an excellent source of information and background resources. A great asset when maps such as these are often hard to come by.
Levels 3 to 8

The Middle East Network Information Centre
If you are looking for background information on any of the Middle Eastern countries, then this work from the University of Texas provides an excellent, reasonably unbiased view of the politics, economy, history and lifestyles of these countries.

The New York Times: 150 Years
If students are studying the history of newspapers, reporting and the media, then the collection of articles available at this site will provide an excellent insight into the changes in newspaper reporting over the last 150 years.

Overpopulation.com
Challenges the commonly propounded view of overpopulation and lack of resources. Useful for Values Exploration.
Levels 1 to 8

Science Tobacco and you
This US focused multidisciplinary, multimedia site is definitely worth a look if you are looking at the issue of smoking. A timeline looks at the history of the tobacco industry, and there are plenty of activities for students.
Levels 5 to 8

The September 11 Digital Archive
This site uses electronic media to collect, preserve and present the history of the date. It contains first hand accounts of the 9/11 attacks and the aftermath. Sections include: Stories; E-mail; Still Images; Moving Images; Audio; Documents; 9/11 FAQs; and links to related sources. Sponsored by the Center for History and New Media and the American Social History Project.

Six Billion and Beyond
In late 1999, the world's population surpassed the six billion mark. How is rapid population growth affecting both developed and developing nations? What impact will an additional billion people have on our world, future generations and the rest of life on earth? This in-depth site focuses on the issues of population, reproductive health and the environment.
Levels 1 to 8

Teaching with the news
At this site you will find a range of units of work dealing with high interest global news items. This site provides good questions that look critically at the articles that are in the news, ensuring that students apply their critical thinking skills to what they are being told.
Levels 4 to 8

UNICEF: Voices of Youth
A rich source of information on current issues relating to children. Includes Voices of Youth: A meeting place for young people.
Levels 1 to 8

UNMAS: UN Mine Action Service
A comprehensive overview of UN involvement in campaigns against landmines.
Levels 5 to 8

The Waitangi Tribunal Reports
A comprehensive database of every Waitangi Tribunal Report. Plus a link to information about The Treaty and the Tribunal.
Levels 5 to 8