I am a 7th and 8th grade middle school social studies teacher. My favorite subjects to study in history are World War 1, The Great Depression and World War 2.
I am a 7th and 8th grade middle school social studies teacher. My favorite subjects to study in history are World War 1, The Great Depression and World War 2.
In this web quest, students will learn about the Missouri compromise, the compromise of 1850, Harpers Ferry and the election of 1860. Students will research the growing rift between the North and the South and the attempts to keep the country united. Provided are links for each of the questions. To be directed to the links, students just need to click on the link with their mouse.
If you have any questions or comments please right it down below. Enjoy!
Powerpoint is also included
1. Religious Freedom: Engel vs. Vitale-School Prayer
This activity is very excellent when studying the first amendment, religious freedom and the separation of church and state. Students will be researching and having a Socratic seminar on whether prayer should be allowed in school. Provided is videos, resources and links to scaffold student research etc... Students will also have a worksheet to help them fill out arguments for their respective side.
-3 day assignment with debate
2. Four Supreme Court cases
Students will examine four Supreme Court cases and research how they relate to the Bill of Rights. Great homework assignment!
-1.5 hour assignment
In groups of three or four, students will study a pivotal Civil War battle and technology that made the Civil War one of the first modern war. There are 10 key battles and new technologies that students can select from. There are three roles in this project: Historian, Artist and Thespian.
The Historian will study the battle and answer 10 questions relating the the battle. They should put this on a powerpoint presentation or a Prezi.
The Artist will draw an overhead view of the battle, so students can have a visual of the battle that occurred. Make sure they include arrows and directions for troop movement.
The Thespian is in charge of creating a 45 second play of the battle as well as studying the technology.
Recommended-Students will need technology for this project.
Attached is also a video guide that introduces the civil war to your students.
For this project, Students team up individually or in pairs and become modern day “muckrakers”. Their mission will be to investigate a problem that currently exists and is causing damage or harm to some sector of our modern-day society. The problem must relate to something that is happening today.
Students will learn what it is like to be an investigative journalist. I have brainstormed 20-25 topics for your students to the project on. There are 6 questions that will help scaffold your student's research. You can make this into a essay paper, brochure, Prezi or PowerPoint presentation. My students loved pretending to be journalist and investigating topics that were of fascinating to them.
-Students will need access to internet to research for this project
Total Pages
2
Teaching Duration
3 Days
Students will be brainstorming ideas and creating a Bill to make their school a better place. Students will put their knowledge of the process of how laws are created and ultimately submit their ideas to the Principle if their Bill is chosen. A very fun 3 day assignment. Great essay assignment on how to change your school. This was my final benchmark for my 8th graders, after we had finished studying Constitution, US government and the democratic process of how ideas become laws.
Attached is a Powerpoint, links to videos and a webquest on the Cuban missile crisis and future of nuclear war. This webquest has students explore the threat of nuclear war during the cold war era in conjunction with the threat today and how countries are attempting to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of Terrorists.
*Technology is needed for this assignment.
The activity provide four primary documents that students must analyze on an accompanying worksheet. Students are analyzing what influential and common people of the United States so passionately believed in Manifest Destiny.
Powerpoinst also included:
California Gold Rush and Texas Independence and Mexican American War
Total Pages
4
Teaching Duration
70 Minutes