7th grade reconstruction lesson plans

lessons on reconstruction

7th grade civil war lesson plans

In the is activity students will study and explore which candidate for President they most identify with. Students will take a series of online tests to discover where they stand on the issues, the candidate who is the closest to matching their political ideology and which political party platform is most congruent with their beliefs. Students will also read and answer what it takes to be a great President and the characteristics that defined great Presidents of the past. Also included is an activity that explores how physical characteristics of men and women can influence voters and why men may have an evolutionary advantage in politics. The activity explores how men and women have different leadership styles.

Students will have an opportunity to choose from 14 major events of the Cold War. They will research the event and it's consequences during this hostile and politically charged period . Provided are instructions for their presentation, a rubric and online links to help students gather information for their project. For my 8th grade students I gave them 2 to 2.5 hours to research, create and practice their presentation. I then had students take notes on why each event was significant. -Your students will need technology for this assignment -I would suggest you have students do this in pairs and that you assign them topics. -Make sure you check for understanding and preview what students said was significant.

1. Reparations Students will discuss if African American’s should be given reparations (repaid) for past slavery and discriminated. There are online resources available to help students with their research. 2. Affirmative action and Free Speech This worksheet discusses affirmative action and should Americans, even extremist groups (KKK, neo-nazis) have freedom of speech. This great for Socratic seminars. Has online resources to help students answer questions 3.Busing The worksheet with the video included discusses busing issue that occurred in the 1970's in Boston. Students will examine the perspectives of African Americans, whites and the elected leaders involved.

"Give Us the Ballot, We Will Transform the South" This video guide will demand students use their critical thinking and writing skills to look at the perspectives of key figures in African American's quest for the right to vote. Included is essay questions as well as video questions that follow the movie.

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.

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

Students will study the Prisoner's dilemma and how it relates to economics, psychology and the modern day world. Students will watch exciting videos (clips from the British game show golden balls), answer critical thinking questions and play an exciting interactive game that will sure to get everyone in the class involved! This activity is for students age 14 to college. DefinitionThe prisoner's dilemma is a standard example of a game analyzed in game theory that shows why two completely "rational" individuals might not cooperate, even if it appears that it is in their best interests to do so. It was originally framed by Merrill Flood and Melvin Dresher working at RAND in 1950. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner%27s_dilemma

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

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.

7th-1920's, 1930's lesson plans

pre-revolution, constitution lesson plans-8th

Constitution bill of rights lesson plans

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

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.

Students will have opportunity to choose and research one of 13 important events that have occurred over the last 25 years in the United States and the World. Examples: September 11th, Dot.com boom, Great Recession. Students will be analyzing the impact and the ramifications these events had on they had on history. For my 8th grade class I gave them 2.5 hours of class time to research and create a presentation, I then had students introduce and present their topic to the class. In total the project took about 3.5 hours of class time. Provided in this project outline with guided questions and a grading rubric.

For this comprehensive web quest, students will explore the reforms and changes that occurred during the progressive era. This 25 question web quest delves into many different moral and political issues that occurred during this time period and is an excellent Segway to transition from teaching the Industrial revolution to the early 20th century. Topics students will study include: Muckrakers and progressives Women's Suffrage Conservation Temperance-prohibition hygiene and sanitation-the jungle, pure food and drug act I have provided links that take your students to the website that provides the answers. Total Pages 6 Teaching Duration-2 hours Shirt-waist-triangle factory video guide: This video documents the tragedy of the shirtwaist factory in which 146 immigrant girls died after a fire started and they were not able to get out because all the doors were locked from the outside to keep them working. The tragedy helped to usher in the progressive era and reforms to protect workers. This video guide is great when you discuss the history of conflict between big business and the workers union. There are 11 questions from the video and one follow up analysis question. The link to the video is provided. Total Pages 2

1.Roaring 20's/causes of Great Depression Powerpoint PowerPoint discusses the culture of the 1920's and the causes of the Great Depression. Includes videos Bank Run, Great Depression etc... 2.1920's research project This is a highly interactive project based learning activity that allows students to research and explore important events and the culture of the 1920's. Students have the opportunity to explore one of 14 different topics of the 1920's and become experts on that particular topic. Involves subjects such as: crime, sports, fashion, entertainment etc.... Total Pages-2 Teaching Duration-3 Days 3.Dust Bowl Powerpoint/Grapes of Wrath video guide This Powerpoint discusses the Dustbowl that swept across middle America in the 1930's and it's repercussions. It also discusses modern day dust bowls and it's effect. Has videos and links Also included: Grapes of Wrath video link with video guide. Great to use when talking about the Great Depression. 3 hours in length if video is included. Total Pages-6 Teaching Duration:3 hours Vocabulary and notes on the 1920's are also included