Resource Centre

Social Studies Online

The 30 second Candidate
There's plenty in this web site for teachers and students. A timelime takes you into examples of US presidential election ads, but in particular, the sections "From Idea to Ad" and "Tricks of The Trade " contain clear scaffolding and useful information about creating ads. Some great ideas for your social studies classroom.
Levels 5 to 8

7am.com
This site brings you news as it breaks, and it organises it so that you can avoid an overload of information when all you want is to be up to date on the biggest breaking news of the day. Headlines organised country by country are handy too.
Levels 1 to 8

ABC News 4 Kids
This newly launched site requires Flash (one of those plug-ins that allows more animation). This site uses multimedia technology to get to the heart of current events. New stories are added every Tuesday and Thursday, allowing kids to learn about diverse topics such as sea horses and the Napster controversy.
Levels 1 to 8

ABCNews.com Reference
Claims to be the place to come for background on the people, places and issues in the news. The country profile and newsmakers sections are good starting points for Inquiries and Current Issues.
Levels 1 to 8

AJRNewslink: American Journalism Review
An online resource primarily for journalists but it has an awesome set of links to over 4 500 newspapers, magazines (news, business, entertainment and more), radio/TV and Top Sites.
Levels 1 to 8

Archives on the Web
Links to Non-US Newspaper Archives on the Web (but not including the Pacific). Useful resource for Inquiry and values exploration, especially for senior students.
Levels 5 to 8

Australian Newspapers on the Internet
A huge database of links to over seventy Australian newspapers with a brief description of each one.
Levels 5 to 8

BBC News
The BBC's world news service in print audio or video, with excellent In Depth and Talking Points sections.Well worth exploring.
Levels 1 to 8

CNN
CNN is well worth the visit. It features a marvellous In Depth section, a Multimedia Showcase, analysis and much much more. Digging into this site is an adventure. Visit the Video Vault, Audio Select, CNN Anchors for transcripts of interviews and Sports Illustrated.
Levels 1 to 8

FIND articles.com
A specialised search engine that finds articles from a range of magazines on specified topics. Useful for gathering a range of points of view about current issues and social studies topics generally. Very handy for values exploration.
Levels 5 to 8

GuardianUnlimited
Online access to the Guardian and Observer newspapers in the UK. Archive section can be searched. Useful for background material for Current Issues and Values Exploration in particular. Education section on Tuesday for your professional development.
Levels 5 to 8

In the Mix - Exploring Media Images
This lesson uses discussion and activity to help students explore how advertising and the media affect self-image.
Levels 5 to 8

ireland.com THE IRISH TIMES
A site for all those with Irish ancestry - and for those without. Check out the St Patrick's Day site before you turn green.
Levels 1 to 8

Letter From America
Yes, Alistair Cooke's Letter From America is online. His famous radio broadcasts are now running into their 52nd year. You'll find biographical details and classic Letters From America.
Levels 5 to 8

Media Literacy
This excellent site for teachers and senior social studies' students provides a clear introduction to this vital subject and supports it with some excellent articles and information for those who want to explore in more depth. Highly recommended.
Levels 5 to 8

Mondo Times
Mondo Times is a directory of all kinds of mass media - newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and news agencies - that have a web site. This site is easy to navigate and also gives users a valuable perspective on their popularity, content quality, ownership and political orientation.
Levels 1 to 8

Net Guide Online
The Net Guide is a consumer magazine which lets you know what's the best stuff on the web. The articles are written in non technical language, and it is also New Zealand's fastest growing magazine.
Levels 5 to 8

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.

The New York Times on the Web
Claimed by many to be the best newspaper in the world. Check it out and decide for yourself.
Levels 1 to 8

New Zealand Herald
Auckland's NZ Herald Online. Follow the link to MyTown to find news about - your town. Keep up-to-date with the news; dig into indepth sections on sport, travel, technology, entertainment and global news.
Levels 1 to 8

Newspapers in Education
Includes links to participating newspapers.
Levels 1 to 8

NZoom
Claims to be The Site for New Zealand news. It is good too! And you can find out what's on TV tonight.
Levels 5 to 8

Online Journalism Review
An online journal from the USC Annenberg School for Communication dedicated to the study of online news reporting. A valuable resource for examining current issues, especially for senior students.
Levels 5 to 8

Pacific media
Pacific Island Travel provides a websites of links to Pacific newspapers;. This portal site also provides links to most countries of the Pacific and summaries of their culture and history. There is a link for the most up-to-date news as well.

Pacific Islands Report
Not only does this site provide you with daily updates of Pacific news, it also links you through to a huge number of Pacific newspapers, magazines, radio/TV stations and government sites.
Levels 1 to 8

Pacific News
Links to newspapers from around the Pacific. Great for up-to-date information and for Pacific viewpoints on current issues.
Levels 5 to 8

The Paper Boy
Browse full text newspapers from New Zealand and around the world.
Levels 1 to 8

The Paperless Guide to New York City
Always wanted to go to The Big Apple? Now you can, without leaving your computer.
Levels 1 to 8

Radio New Zealand
Listen to Radio New Zealand, or subscribe so you have access to Kim Hill, Checkpoint and a range of other RNZ programmes.
Levels 1 to 8

Resources from The New York Times Learning Network: Social Studies
Resources such as news summaries for students; lesson plans for teachers; news conversation starters for parents; On This Day in History; a huge network of resources on the web....in other words, a rich collection of material for Social Studies teachers wanting to tackle Current Issues on a global scale.
Levels 1 to 8

Scoop
This is a great online news source for New Zealand with the currency of radio and the depth and coverage of newspapers.
Levels 1 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.

Social Critic
A vast array of selected readings in social criticism on many topics, from authors whose voices may differ from those we often hear in the mainstream media. Topics range from progress and protest to science and sustainable development.
Levels 5 to 8

STUFF
INL's New Zealand site is easy to use, and gives full news coverage from both metropolitan and regional newspapers such as The Dominion, Press, Manawatu Evening Standard and community news. The photo and cartoon galleries will be very useful too.
Levels 1 to 8

Time For Kids
Time magazine for kids. Some of the main stories in Time adapted for children. Archives back to 1997. Also links to an author staying over at McMurdo. Good for current and global issues.
Levels 1 to 8

Time Magazine
Time magazine online is excellent for exploring current issues in depth. Dig into this site for some rich resource material. Check out the Photo Essays and Newsfiles sections.
Levels 1 to 8