Interactive
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: School Publishers: Unraveling Ancient Mysteries: Pompeii

For Students 9th - 10th
Harcourt School reveals the background to the 79 C.E. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the destruction of the Roman city of Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum. Features include animations of the eruption, pictures, and information to explore.
Handout
University of Groningen

American History: Outlines: The Enduring Mystery of the Anasazi

For Students 9th - 10th
Time-worn pueblos and dramatic "cliff towns," set amid the stark, rugged mesas and canyons of Colorado and New Mexico, mark the settlements of some of the earliest inhabitants of North America, the Anasazi (a Navajo word meaning "ancient...
Activity
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Activity: Easter Island Mystery

For Students 9th - 10th
In this activity, you'll look at a single event-the collapse of the population on an island-from different points of view. You're going to try to make sense of what happened there, and you'll do this using an interdisciplinary approach....
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Mysteries of Vernacular: Bewilder

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The history of the word bewilder is more straightforward than you might think. Roots can be traced back to the Old English words wilde (undomesticated) and deor (untamed animals), eventually combined into the word wilderness. Jessica...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Mysteries of Vernacular: Fizzle

For Students 9th - 10th
From a stinky and crude inception, the word fizzle's history is nothing to poo poo at. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel track the road from flatulence to its modern meaning of a failure or weak ending. [1:50]
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Mysteries of Vernacular: Tuxedo

For Students 9th - 10th
How did tuxedo's roots extend from Native American history to black tie evening wear? Jessica Oreck reveals what the Delaware Indians and formal fashion have in common. [2:04]
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Everyday Mysteries, Who Invented the Toothbrush?

For Students 3rd - 8th
The Library of Congress offers a concise history of the toothbrush. Did you know a some form of a toothbrush has been around since 3000 BC?
Website
Other

Mysteries of the Bible

For Students 9th - 10th
This web site is dedicated to looking at mysteries that appear in the Bible. There are links to maps, theories, photos, and many other resources. The authors have actually done the exploration themselves!
Website
Other

American Film Institute: Top Ten Mysteries

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a top-ten list of the greatest mystery movies of all time, as chosen through a poll of leaders in the creative community. Number one is "Vertigo," which was released in 1958.
Unit Plan
TES Global

Tes: "Mystery: What Happened to the Princes in the Tower?" Booklet

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students are asked to solve the mystery of what became of the two princes, Edward and Richard, who were sent to the Tower of London when their father died. Edward was in line to become king. Can you...
Website
Other

The Museum of Unnatural Mystery: The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

For Students 9th - 10th
The Statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was part of the great Temple of Zeus situated at the site of the ancient Olympic games. Similar in design to the Temple of Artemis and the Parthenon, the Temple of Zeus...
Article
University of Washington

Neuroscience for Kids: Discovering the Sweet Mysteries of Chocolate

For Students 3rd - 8th
Read about the history of chocolate and why we crave it.
Website
The Field Museum

Field Museum: Exhibits: Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Incas

For Students 9th - 10th
In the Andes Mountains lies the focus of the research presented in this exhibit, Machu Picchu, thought to be a retreat for ancient rulers of the Inca.
Activity
Cynthia J. O'Hora

Mrs. O's House: Mystery Object Challenge

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
With a brief story and photo of an image, students will do some digging to figure out how old the object pictured is and the history behind it.
Handout
NBC

Nbc: Olive Branch Solves a Bronze Age Mystery

For Students 9th - 10th
This article describes the discovery of an olive branch that had been buried by a volcanic eruption on Santorini. This discovery is challenging the timeline of the history of Greek Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.
Handout
Other

North Carolina History Project: Virginia Dare (1587 ?)

For Students 4th - 8th
Tells the story of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World. She was the granddaughter of John White, Governor of the colony established on Roanoke Island in 1587. While White was on a trip to England to replenish the...
Article
DOGO Media

Dogo News: Week of 5 12 14: Tomb Painting Provides Answers to Pyramids Mystery

For Students 3rd - 8th
Modern people have always wondered how the pyramids of Egypt were contstructed. Learn what we are now discovering that may unveil the facts about this ancient achievement.
Website
PBS

Pbs: Mystery of Great Zimbabwe

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the racist views of European imperialists when they encountered the ruins of Greater Zimbabwe. Also describes the archaeological history of the ruins and explores the question: who built them?
Article
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies

Mocomi: Sir Dig a Lot: History Mysteries: Greek Architecture

For Students 1st - 5th
Journey with Sir Dig-a-Lot and Rohan as they explore the ins and outs of Greek Architecture.
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Rasuptin: Mysteries of a Monk's Life and Death

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
Handout
San Diego Natural History Museum

San Diego Natural History Museum: Fossil Field Guide: Lambeosaurus

For Students 9th - 10th
A look at what fossil evidence reveals about the life and ecological interactions of the lambeosaurus dinosaur.
Website
Other

Harappa: Gola Dhoro

For Students 9th - 10th
Well done site presents information on an archaeological dig near the village of Bagasra in the Indus Valley. Discover the mysteries they have uncovered through narrative and slides of the dig and the artifacts.
Article
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies

Mocomi: Sir Dig a Lot: History Mysteries: Qin Dynasty

For Students 1st - 6th
Join Sir Dig-a-Lot and Rohan as they journey on a brief history of the Qin Dynasty.
Activity
Children's Museum

Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Geo Mysteries

For Students 3rd - 8th
This interactive site will engage students' curiosity as they learn about the various types of rocks and how they are formed. Also includes a fantastic timeline, showing the formation of rocks throughout history.