6th Grade Theme by Theme Resources for HMR
Theme 1 (Courage)
Launching the Theme:
United Streaming:
 Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement (clip on 1955: Rosa Parks,
The Bus Boycott, MLK is Arrested: 1956: Bus Segregation Becomes Illegal)
Rosa Parks Bus; Pictures and information about Rosa Parks
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/rosaparks/home.asp
Rosa Parks Pioneer of Civil Rights: Pictures and information about Rosa Parks
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/par0bio-1
Race to the Moon: Information about the Apollo 11 mission and the astronauts from
Scholastic
http://teacher.scholastic.com/space/apollo11/index.htm
Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand: Read a biography of Gandhi (all text)
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761575565
Eleanor Roosevelt: Video clips, family tree, FBI files, and other information about
Eleanor Roosevelt’s life and work from PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/
The Flight of Amelia Earhart: Read about Amelia Earhart from Scholastic
http://teacher.scholastic.com/earhart/
Selection 1: Hatchet
Denali for Kids: Site for kids from PBS includes a Survival Skills link
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/denali/kids/
Selection 2: Passage to Freedom
United Streaming:
 The Holocaust: In Memory of Millions (clips on Jewish Ghettos and Deportations,
The Jewish Resistance Efforts, Attempts to Save the Jews from Genocide, etc.)
 Witness: Voices from the Holocaust (clips on Jewish Children in Hiding with
Christian Families, The Witnesses, etc.)
World War II: Click on selected links from the Galleries section of this BBC site to hear
from Veterans and children who survived the Holocaust
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/index.shtml
Chiune and Yukiko Sugihara: Pictures and information from the Jewish Virtual Library
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/sugihara.html
Concentration Camps: Site contains photos taken in 1996 of the camps and maps. Click
on Interactive Map (Birkenau 1996) and then the Latrines link and the Men’s Barrack
link to see two of the many images that clearly display conditions in the camp.
http://www.remember.org/camps/
Selection 3: Climb or Die
United Streaming:
 Daily Planet: Scientific Cliffhangers (section on Indoor Rock Climbing on a Monster
Scale)
 Survival! The Shackleton Story
The Endurance: Photography of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition by Frank Hurley
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/features/endurance/
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton: Learn about the expedition
http://indigo.ie/~jshack/ernest.html
I Was the First to Conquer Everest: Photos, information and an interview with Sir
Edmund Hillary from Scholastic
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/hillary/index.htm
Everest50: Click on the Virtual Climb link or the 360 Degree View From Summit link
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/everest/index.html
Selection 4: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
No suggested online resources
Theme 2 (What Ever Happened?)
Launching the Theme:
Cybersleuth Kids: Links to sites about unsolved mysteries that might be of interest to
students. Teachers could begin a discussion with class by sharing the list from the site
and talking about which ones they know something about already. If possible small
groups of students could choose an unsolved mystery to learn more about and then share
findings with the class by the end of the theme.
http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/Unsolved_Mysteries/
Selection 1: Amelia Earhart: First Lady of Flight
United Streaming:
 The Sky’s the Limit: Women Overcoming the Odds (clip on Amelia Earhart)
The Official Site of Amelia Earhart: Includes quotes and photos that teachers could share
with the class
http://www.ameliaearhart.com/
The Flight of Amelia Earhart: Read about Amelia Earhart on a site from Scholastic that
includes an illustrated timeline that teachers could share with the class
http://teacher.scholastic.com/earhart/
The Earhart Project: This site includes myths and theories of her disappearance, photos,
and footage of her final take-off. Teachers could share this site as an example of what
happens when people don’t really know what has happened (in other words, how do you
know when to believe what you read?).
http://www.tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/AEdescr.html
Social Studies Link: Barnstorming Bessie Coleman
United Streaming:
 The Sky’s the Limit: Women Overcoming the Odds (clips on Bessie Coleman and
Lola Brown or on Barnstorming)
Bessie Coleman (1892-1926): Coleman’s biography from PBS Fly Girls site includes lots
of text that could be printed and shared to further understanding of the selection
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flygirls/peopleevents/pandeAMEX02.html
Other female pilots and barnstormers: if time permits and if students want to know
more about other female pilots of the time they could look at these sites
Jackie Cochran (1906-1980): Cochran’s biography from PBS Fly Girls site
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flygirls/peopleevents/pandeAMEX01.html
Nancy Harkness Love (1914-1976): Love’s biography from PBS Fly Girls site
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flygirls/peopleevents/pandeAMEX03.html
Harriet Quimby (1875-1912): Quimby’s biography from PBS Fly Girls site
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flygirls/peopleevents/pandeAMEX05.html
Amy Johnson (1903-1941): Johnson’s biography from PBS Fly Girls
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flygirls/peopleevents/pandeAMEX04.html
Selection 2: The Girl Who Married the Moon
Alaska Native Heritage Center: This site is mostly text but includes a live web cam and
recorded video (Windows Media Player). Teachers can share web cam or recorded video
with class.
http://www.alaskanative.net/37.asp
Selection 3: Dinosaur Ghosts
United Streaming:
 When Dinosaurs Roamed America (clip Dinosaur Profile: Coelophysis)
Dino Fact File: Coelophysis: Site contains images, a video clip and information about
coelophysis and Ghost Ranch. Teachers can download the narrated animation clip. It will
open and play in Real Player.
http://www.abc.net.au/dinosaurs/fact_files/dried/coelophysis.htm
DinoBuzz: What Killed the Dinosaurs? Article from the University of California
Museum of Paleontology is challenging reading but could provide background for
teachers or be of interest to Challenge students.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/extinction.html
Dinosaur Cannibal? – Mystery in New Mexico: National Geographic article about
coelophysis and Ghost Ranch that could be printed and shared with class.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/12/1219_021219_dinocannibal.html
Desert Dinosaur Hunting Sites: Listing of sites in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada,
New Mexico, Texas and Utah where dinosaur fossils have been hunted that might be of
interest.
http://www.desertusa.com/mag03/Jan/dinosites.html
Additional resources related to lost people and archaeology:
Search for the Lost Cave People: Site from PBS with video clips, pictures and
information about a group of archaeologists and their discovery in Mexico.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/laventa/
Lost City of Arabia: Site from PBS with interviews, pictures and information about
archaeological discoveries in Saudi Arabia.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ubar/
Lost King of the Maya: Site from PBS with video clips, maps, pictures and information
about archaeological discoveries in northern Honduras.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/maya/
Secrets of the Lost Empires; Easter Island: Site from PBS where you can virtually Move
the Moai and learn about the secrets of Easter Island.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/easter/
The Beast of Loch Ness: Site from PBS where students can hear eye-witness accounts
from people who say they saw the Loch Ness monster and see an animation of sonar.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lochness/
Easter Island: Site with links to the story, the island tour and controversies. It includes
many pictures.
http://www.mysteriousplaces.com/Easter_Island/index.html
Welcome to the Legend of Nessie: Another instance of a site that teachers could use to
show students that everything they read isn’t necessarily true.
http://www.nessie.co.uk/
Theme 3 (Growing Up)
Launching the Theme:
When They Were Young: A Photographic Retrospective of Childhood: Collection of
photos from the Library of Congress portraying the stages of childhood.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/young/young-exhibit.html
I’m Growing Up --- But Am I Normal?: Information about variations in growth patterns
to help kids understand the process of growing up.
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/growing_up_normal.html
Selection 1: Where the Red Fern Grows
United Streaming:
 The Great Depression (clips on Poverty and Unemployment, Dust Bowl, etc.)
 The Tarnished Dream: 1929-1931 (clips on Quality of Life Deteriorates Across the
Country While Families Fall Apart, Farms Fail, etc.)
The Great Depression Background: Site contains audio files, video, photographs, posters
and links to many other resources about the Depression era.
http://www.thinkbright.wned.org/teachers/viewResource.asp?ContentID=4121
Selection 2: Last Summer with Maizon
No suggested online resources
Selection 3: The Challenge
No suggested online resources
Selection 4: The View from Saturday
No suggested online resources
Theme 4 (Discovering Ancient Cultures)
Launching the Theme:
United Streaming:
 World History: Pre-History
 World History: Ancient Civilizations
 Ancient Civilizations: The Beginning Is The End (clips on Starting with the Ruins:
Evidence of Ancient Civilizations, How and Why Did Civilizations Begin?, Factors that
Contribute to the Formation of Civilizations, etc.)
 Ancient Civilizations: The End Is The Beginning (clips on The Fragility of
Civilizations, The Demise of Ancient Civilizations, Why Do Civilizations End?)
Ancient Egypt Timeline: Illustrated timeline of the history of ancient Egypt from the
BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/timeline.shtml
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: Links to information about all aspects of daily life in ancient
Egypt.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/egypt/dailylife/dailylife.html
Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh: Biography of Cleopatra
http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/alexandria/history/cleo.html
The Ancient Greek World: Information about ancient Greece and a virtual tour of the
gallery at the University of Pennsylvania.
http://www.museum.upenn.edu/Greek_World/Index.html
Selection 1: The Last Temple of Aztecs
United Streaming:
 Ancient Americans: The Mayas and Aztecs
Conquistadors: Site from PBS provides information, maps and images about the Aztec
Empire and Cortes as well as the Inca Empire and Pizarro. Teachers and students may
want to click on the Online Learning Adventure link to see a timeline, watch a video clip
or read about the ancient empires.
http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/
The History of Mesoamerica: Information for kids about past rulers of Mexico and the
conquistadors.
http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/history/html/conquista/home.html
Selection 2: The Great Wall
United Streaming:
 China: From Past to Present: The Silk Road, the Great Wall, Changes in Government
(clip on The First Emperor and the Great Wall of China)
The Great Wall A Virtual Tour: Virtual tour contains information, maps and images of
the Great Wall.
http://www.chinavista.com/travel/greatwall/greatwall.html
Selection 3: The Royal Kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay
Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa: click on the History link to for information about
Ghana, Mali and Songhai as well as an historical time line.
http://mali.pwnet.org/
Why Do Civilizations Fall? Mali and Songhai: the rise and fall of Mali and Songhai is
described in this site from Annenberg.
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/collapse/mali.html
Theme 5 (Doers and Dreamers)
Launching the Theme:
Setting Goals: article about setting goals (all text)
http://www.wholefitness.com/setgoals.html
Selection 1: A Kind of Grace
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Joyner-Kersee’s biography from the Gale Group (all text)
http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/joyner_j.htm
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Information and pictures of Joyner-Kersee from Sports Illustrated
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/goodwillgames/1998/athletics/kerseegallery/
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Article about Joyner-Kersee from SacBee.com
http://www.sacbee.com/static/archive/news/projects/people_of_century/sports/kersee.htm
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Selection 2: Under the Royal Palms
No suggested online resources
Selection 3: Chuck Close, Up Close
NGA Kids: Students may search the National Gallery of Art Kids’ site for information
about famous artists such as Hans Hallerin, Gilbert Stuart, Pablo Picasso and Chuck
Close. To search the Collection’s database, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on
the Search the Collection link (directly under Homework?).
http://www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm
Theme 6 (New Frontiers: Oceans and Space)
Launching the Theme:
United Streaming:
 Earth Science: Space Exploration (clip on A Brief History of Space Exploration)
Selection 1: The Adventures of Sojourner: The Mission to Mars That Thrilled the
World
United Streaming:
 Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner Rover
Mars Pathfinder: Pictures and information about the mission before it took place
http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/index0.html
Mars Pathfinder: Pictures and information gathered from the mission
http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/index1.html
Selection 2: Franklin R. Chang-Diaz
United Streaming:
 Pilots and Astronauts
Selection and Training of Astronauts: Text-only site from NASA that contains interesting
information to share with students about the selection and training of astronauts.
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/astronauts/training.html
Space Station: Astronaut Training: Pictures and information from PBS about training for
the crew of the International Space Station.
http://www.pbs.org/spacestation/station/training.htm
Selection 3: Beneath Blue Waters
United Streaming:
 Our Wondrous Oceans: Oceans, The Cradle of Life (clip on The History of Ocean
Exploration: Oceanography)
Dive and Discover: Expeditions to the Sea Floor: Exploration information from Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution
http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/
Oceanography – And Your Career: Information about oceanography careers from the
Navy (all text)
http://pao.cnmoc.navy.mil/PAO/Educate/career-o.htm
Blue Frontier Oceans for Life: Click on the Explorer link to hear a greeting from Sylvia
Earle (audio requires Real Media Player) and read information about her explorations.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/seas/
Selection 4: Out There
Blue Frontier Oceans for Life: Click on the Explorer link to hear a greeting from Sylvia
Earle (audio requires Real Media Player) and read information about her explorations.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/seas/
Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.: Profile, biography and interview with Sylvia Earle
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/ear0pro-1?rand=1925