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.
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.
This is a great summative project for students to apply their knowledge about government works and how to change they can change their community!
Students begin by choosing a problem that they want to address in the community or the state. Students will then break down the problem step by step, analyzing and explaining in detail how they will resolve the issue in their community whether it is through community activism, voting/proposition etc… At the end of the project there is a jigsaw activity, where students can advocate present their problem/solution and students can critique them.
Provided: (These are embedded in the document)
1.Objectives
2.Planning sheets for students-Google Doc and Google slides for students if you choose.
Rubric
Exemplars
Citation help
6.Jigsaw activity
Students for this project will be researching the new technological advancements that were used during the first World War. Students will pretend to be a war profiteer/salesman trying to pitch your weapon to the nations fighting in Europe. Their goal is persuade (classmates who are the leaders of Europe and the USA) that your weapon will be instrumental to winning the war. There is a list of 18 weapons and technological advancements for students to choose from as website links and videos to help them with their research. This is an exciting, interactive assignment that allows students the freedom to choose what they learn!
For this interactive group project, students will examine why government and laws are important to creating a functioning society. Students will use critical thinking skills to answers questions why government is important and well as watch videos on examples of anarchy. Students will also participate in a two day project in which they will establish their own laws for a fictional country.
Every generation of Americans needs to continually fight to maintain freedom and limit the size of government. To protect democracy and the freedoms we have, we need to limit the amount of power one person can have.
The Lesson begins by showing students the Netflix series, “How to become a Tyrant.” This fascinating series shows the steps dictators take to gain ultimate power. Students are captivated during the five-episode series. - Each episode is 20-30 minutes.
Next, I have students research a historical dictator, like Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Putin and use what they learned to describe the characteristics of the dictator and their secret to achieving ultimate power.
Finally, students will watch videos about modern day dictators and tactics they use to gain ultimate power. Students will analyze the pros and cons of having a strong leader. Students will use critical thinking skills to analyze by citizens in countries such as El Salvador support Nayib Bukele.
Embedded:
Video guide
Video Links
Project
Powerpoint-Discussing characteristics and definition of dictatorship
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
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.
These bell ringers/ bell work/ class starters are an excellent way to motivate your students for the upcoming lesson, manage your classroom, and assess student comprehension. These bell ringer prompts allow you to smoothly transition into your lesson. A majority of the bell ringer questions also have projects and activities or video links that accompany the question (some are free, some are paid). In this bundle there are over 210 prompt ideas addressing many different topics that you can give to your class! I used these questions everyday to Segway into my history lesson that day. These Bell ringer questions are geared towards students from 7th to 10th grade.
Topics:
Getting pumped for the upcoming school year
Introducing Social Studies
American Revolution
US Constitution/Bill of Rights/making laws
US Civil War
Imperialism
Industrial Revolution
Progressive movement-immigration women and workers rights
World War 1
1920's
Great Depression
World War 2
Cold War
The Modern World-1990 to today
Politics
Finance
Psychology
technology
In this bundle there are 8 World War 2 activities. I tried to gear these towards my 8th grade students
Products
WW1 Propaganda Poster project-
Students will create their own World War1 propaganda poster
Tora Tora Tora-
This video guide follows the Pearl Harbor film Tora, Tora, Tora. It has the time of the questions so students can follow along.
Two separate video guides: From the History Channel and PBS. The videos answer the essential question: How did Hitler rise to power and what were his goals? The Kristallnacht worksheet has a video as well as an activity exploring the Nuremberg laws.
total pages-5
The Manhattan Project video guide
The short video guide from the history channel discusses the story of the Atomic bomb from it's conception to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
15-20 minute assignment
Total Pages-1
The wave movie video guide and questions
This movie follows the 1960's classroom experiment of teacher Ron Jones and how he implemented Nazi Fascism in classroom. The movie explores if a radical like Hitler could rise to power today? Link to movie and questions are provided. Very engaging
Total pages-1
WW2 vocabulary
This activity asks students to define over 30 key terms involving World War 2.
Total Pages-3
WW2 test with notes for students
This bundle has 7 activities for your students to do. The total allotted time I gave my 7th graders to complete all these activities was 12 days in class.
WW1 technology project:
Students for this project will be researching the new technological advancements that were used during the first World War. Students will pretend to be a war profiteer/salesman trying to pitch your weapon to the nations fighting in Europe. Their goal is persuade (classmates who are the leaders of Europe and the USA) that your weapon will be instrumental to winning the war. There is a list of 18 weapons and technological advancements for students to research, along with online links to aid in their research.
WW1 timeline interactive activity
Students will create their own timeline on this website, or they can create it on a sheet of paper.
For the assignment they need to:
There are 23 Events that student need to be covered in your timeline. For the timeline they need to label the date (month/year) it took place, the event and in 1-3 sentences explain what happened or why it was significant. You need to insert and least 7 pictures on your timeline.
There are excellent website resources that will provide the students the information to complete this project.
Total Pages-2
World War 1 Map Project- Map, web quest
This project is great to introduce your students to World War 1, help them gain background knowledge and to generate excitement about your upcoming unit. To do this project, students will need access to an electronic device with the internet
The Bundle contains:
1. Blank Map of Europe for students to fill out
2. Places on the Map that are geography and WW1 related. eg: Bodies of Water, Eastern Front, Western Front, Naval Blockades, Schlieffen Plan, Battle of Somme, Battle of Gallipoli etc..
3. Online Resource links to assist them in finding answers.
4. A Web quest with six questions regarding WW1
Total Pages-5
Teaching Duration-2 hours
Influenza epidemic
Video guide: educates students about the origins of the Influenza virus is, what a pandemic is and the threat of a future World-wide outbreak.
Web quest: Students will research how the public reacted and how the pandemic was treated. There are also links for how your state reacted.
Project: After students have done the following activities, they will asked to write a newspaper article through the lens as if they were living in 1918. Or they can choose to be a historian and write an essay about what we know today about the pandemic in 1918.
Links are provided throughout the assignment, just click on them.
Project is on the 4th page
Propaganda Project: Students create propaganda posters to encourage patriotism and to help fight the enemy
Video guide-This video guide discussed the end of WW1