For Kids
Teacher Resources
Related Databases
ABC, Follow Me! »
A practical e-book covering the basics of phonemic awareness with lessons plans on letter and sound recognition to help build the foundation for an effective reading program in the classroom and library.
ERIC »
An indexing and abstracting service to education research and practice published in journal articles and a wide range of non-journal publications (ED accession numbers) from 1966 to present.
Featured CPL Resources
Resources for Choosing Great Books
Best of the Best »
Each year the Chicago Public Library recommends what it considers the very best books published in the previous year.
Great Reads for Kids Author List »
Recommended authors for kids from toddlers to teens.
Chicago History Resources
Chicago Metro History Fair »
Find helpful resources for History Fair projects, from online newspaper articles to the Library’s Digital Collections.
Popular Topics: Chicago History »
Learn more about Chicago. Resources include a Chicago timeline, biographies of Chicago mayors and descriptions of Chicago symbols.
Teacher Resource Center
Social Science and History Department »
The Social Science and History Department at the Harold Washington Library Center features a wide range of activity-based resources and titles offering curriculum support. This collection assists teachers, administrators, students and others interested in creating lesson plans and the practice of teaching.
Helpful Websites
Busy Teacher’s Cafe »
An award-winning website that links to approximately 20 categories of interest to teachers of K-12 showcasing high-quality resources that have teacher and student appeal while presenting quality of information and access to a realm of resources and lesson plans.
Chicago Metro History Fair Center »
View pertinent and up-to-date resources for the annual history fair projects.
Civil War in Art: Teaching & Learning Through Chicago Collections »
This website features nearly 130 works of art that can help teachers and students learn about issues, events and people connected to the Civil War. The photographs, paintings, sculpture and other artworks are from Chicago institutions, including the Chicago Public Library.
edHelper.com »
Put together by a team of teachers, this site has lesson plans, web quests, downloads and worksheet generators.
EDSITEMent »
The National Endowment for the Humanities presents lessons plans, websites and bulletin boards related to literature, art, social studies/history and languages.
Illinois State Board of Education »
Navigate this site to locate the Illinois Learning Standards, information on early childhood education, a child care resource guide or any other information about teaching and learning in Illinois.
International Reading Association »
This professional association is dedicated to improving reading instruction.
Internet Public Library »
This largely student-run site was originally created by the University of Michigan and now extends to a consortium of schools. They oversee this project to present authoritative information resources to the user on a variety of subjects including topics for kids and teens, ready reference, subject collections and pathfinders.
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators »
This is a list of sites, classified by subject, that are useful for enhancing curriculum and teacher professional growth. It’s updated daily to keep up with the tremendous number of new websites. (Schrock’s guide is part of DiscoverySchool.com, which also has a terrific Puzzle Maker that lets you create word searches, mazes and jumbles for students of all ages.)
Learningpage.com »
Specifically targeted worksheets and lesson plans are available for preschool and primary grades. Membership (free) also includes clip art and downloadable books.
The Lesson Plans Page »
Over 1,000 lesson plans are collected here for both elementary and secondary classrooms.
NCTE »
National Council of Teachers of English presents a savvy website replete with information about their annual convention, information about professional development, lesson plans and the latest research about elementary and secondary learners.
NCTM Illuminations »
This is a comprehensive site, assembled by the National Council of Teachers of Math, which presents web resources, lesson ideas and best practices ideas for math instruction.
NICHY: National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities »
This site provides information on disabilities and related issues for youth through age 22. Of particular interest is the state-by-state resource pages found here. Information is also available in Spanish.
PBS Teachers: Resources for the Classroom »
View and select from over 3,000 lesson plans, activities, guides and curriculum connections for grades K-12 correlated to PBS programming.
Schools Online »
University of Illinois Extension offers activities/lesson plans loosely based on their services: horticulture (apples, worms), the environment, aging, and character building (4-H and character education).
United States Department of Education »
Find statistics, funding opportunities (including financial aid), educational policy statements and more.
Xpeditions @ Nationalgeographic.com »
National Geographic offers enrichment for teachers of geography. Don’t miss the interactive Xpedition Hall.