Better Planet Productions
Earth Care: Wild Waters Downtown
Urban settings have many wild animals and they need water just as humans do. Students will investigate the animals around them and determine where they get clean water. This is followed by a discussion of how these animals might be...
PBS
The West: Sitting Bull Tatanka Iyotanka
This is a biography of Lakota Indian Chief Sitting Bull who led his tribe in the Battle of the Little Bighorn against General George Custer.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: Art of the Stamp: Annie Oakley
View the artwork for a U.S. postage stamp issued in 1994 of Annie Oakley, famous for her acts in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in the late 1800s. Includes a short passage on her life and contributions.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Texas Ranch House
What was it like to be a cowboy in 1867? Visit the Cooke Ranch and explore a cowboy's working and dwelling quarters. Play the interactive games to learn about the many aspects of daily life in the American West. (Click "Interactive...
Other
World Web: Calgary: The Wild West Becomes a Modern Metropolis
Great reference article on Calgary in Alberta, Canada that once was called a 'cowtown' but is now a cosmopolitan city. Offers information on history, economy, climate, transportation, and special attractions.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Buffalo Bill Cody
America's Story gives a concise overview of Buffalo Bill Cody's (1846-1917 ) life. He helped to create the captivating picture of myth of America's West. Hyperlinks to additional stories about Buffalo Bill.
Other
Colorado Historical Society: Kit Carson: A Hero in Fact and Fiction [Pdf]
A short biography of the legend of the West, Kit Carson. PDF (requires Adobe Reader).
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: A Convert of the Mission by Bret Harte
Classic Reader provides numerous classic works from famous authors. One work is a Convert of the Mission, a selection about the 1800s Wild West.
Open Library of the Internet Archive
Open Library: The Wild Man of the West: A Tale of the Rocky Mountains
This ebook version of Robert Michael Ballantyne's The Wild Man Of The West: A Tale Of The Rocky Mountains has been made available in multiple formats by the Open Library. Editions of the full novel, organized by year of publication, may...
Ducksters
Ducksters: History: Famous Gunfighters of the Old West for Kids
Kids learn about the famous gunfighters of the old west including fun facts, lawmen, Wild Bill Hickok, Jesse James, and the Wild Bunch.
Other
Wild Things: Seven Swinging Sand Dollar Facts
Written by a wildlife reporter for a newspaper, this blog entry about sand dollars briefly explains behavioral and feeding aspects of sand dollars on the west coast of the United States.
Calisphere: University of California Libraries
University of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era: Murder and Mayhem
A collection of primary source materials and informational text that looks at law and order in the "wild west" of California, identifying changing ethnicity in a growing population seeking gold and other resources.
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Portraits of Texas Governors
Explore the lives of Texas' governors. This site organizes the governors into six eras: Early Statehood (1846-1861); War, Ruin, and Reconstruction (1861-1874); The Wild West (1874-1887); Texas Rising (1887-1915); The Politics of...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Utah History Encyclopedia: Outlaws in Utah
This site discusses the cultural icon of the western "outlaw" in the context of the state of Utah.
Other
Epcc Libraries: Borderlands: Black Cowboys Rode the Trails, Too 21 (2002)
Faculty-edited college student articles on the US-Mexico border giving insight to what life was like for black cowboys in the late 1800s. The article explains how many were ex-slaves that became cowboys after Emancipation, what their job...
National Women’s History Museum
National Women's History Museum: Annie Oakley
Biographical account on Annie Oakley, famous markswoman known for her sharpshooting.
CNN
Cnn: Wolves Get Help to Make a Comeback in the West
CNN news story about the efforts to reintroduce wolves into the wilds of America.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: John F. Kennedy's Remarks, Berlin [Pdf]
"John F. Kennedy: Remarks in the Rudolph Wilde Platz, Berlin" is a one page persuasive speech delivered by JFK on June 26, 1963. In it he commended West Germany in its efforts to have a democratic government and berated the Communists...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Buffalo Bill in Show Business
This 3-part article explores how William Cody found his calling as "Buffalo Bill," in show business.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Utah History Encyclopedia: Butch Cassidy
This resource features an article on the life and exploits of the outlaw Butch Cassidy.
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Will Rogers
One of the most popular men in America during his time, Will Rogers was a film star, author, radio performer and vaudeville actor among other things. This PBS page offers a look at his life.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Nebraska
Why is Nebraska named the "Cornhusker State?" Use this site to find out about Buffalo Bill Cody and explore the many sides to Nebraska culture.
Oklahoma Historical Society
Oklahoma Historical Society Home
Find facts about Oklahoma's rich history and famous people, and explore museums and historic sites. An interactive map of the state allows you to choose museums, military sites, historic homes, and other notable locations in Oklahoma,...
Other
Erwin E. Smith, Cowboy Photographer (Teaching Guide)
This guide provides a sampling of the vast number of photographs taken by Erwin E. Smith (1884?1947). It is designed for use with fourth through seventh grade students and places particular emphasis on social studies and Texas history....