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8th Grade American History
MySatori
General Topics
Colonization
The American Revolution
Presidents and Government
The Civil War
TAKS Review Flash Cards
| Click below to review online or download
a set of 100 flash cards you can print out to review for your U.S. History
TAKS test which is coming up on April 21st. The content for these flash
cards was originally created by
Mr.
Ken Brown at Hudson Bend Middle School in Lake Travis ISD.
Review Flash Cards Online
|
State released TAKS tests (online practice)
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/release/index.html#online
State released TAKS tests (pdf format)
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/release/taks/index.html
General Topics
POPCORN ECONOMICS:
Students will be using a familiar substance - popcorn - to understand the
concept of scarcity and how that affects economic and societal choices.
HOW HAS THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM SHAPED THE CONSTITUTION?
In this economics lesson plan for middle and high school social studies
classes, students will be examining market economies, their characteristics,
and the provisions for such practices within the Constitution. Four student
handouts are included.
INTERACTIVE GOLD RUSH:
Explore the hows and whys of the California Gold Rush, getting to
know the people and events in this interactive exhibition from PBS.
The Journeys of the 49ers is particularly fascinating, following the
geographic trails across country and abroad, from the
Oregon-California Trail, to the Panama Shortcut, to the trip Around
Cape Horn.
BEN'S GUIDE TO THE ELECTION PROCESS:
With an overview of the offices of both the President and the Vice
President of the United States, an explanation of Voter
Registration, and a review of Senators and Representatives, this
online guide to elections for students explains the hows, whys, and
wherefores of the American Election processes and offices.
GOVERNMENT 101:
[Link2]
Students can explore this site from Project Vote Smart to learn all
about the election process, from campaigning and campaign financing,
to How a Bill Becomes Law, to Presidential Primaries, the
Constitution, and the Office of the President. Election vocabulary
is included (click on the 2nd link above to directly access the
Elections materials.)
ELECTION HUNT 2008:
Students will use selected websites to answer guided questions in
this online exercise, where they will learn all about the Election
2008 process and issues along the way.
SAMPLE PRIMARIES BALLOTS:
[Link2]
More than likely you will be exploring election issues this
year; get to the heart of the issues by holding your own primaries,
understanding the election process along the way. Here are sample
primary ballots to print out for holding your own election. You may
wish to conduct your primary with other classes, taking polls,
graphing results, and writing up a newspaper article on the results. |
WHAT IS MONEY?
This lesson plan on economics for middle school students introduces them to the
concept of money, along with its uses in history. Students will examine
voluntary exchange, bartering, commodities, and legal tenders. Assessment
strategies are included.
MAPMAKING SKILLS WITH LEWIS AND CLARK:
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/class/l03.html
This lesson plan examines the skills involved with cartography and explores how
Lewis and Clark created maps on their famous expedition. Student activity
worksheets and
background resources are all available on site.
1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE:
http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/overview.html
Hop aboard for an interactive exploration of the world as it was known to
Europeans in 1492. This online exhibit explores numerous aspects of Columbus,
his voyages, the New
World, and the peoples of that world. Use the 2nd link above to access the
outline for the site.
CONSTITUTION DAY RESOURCES:
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/constitutionday/display/MainS/Home
The
National Constitution Center in Philadelphia has launched a revamped
Constitution Day Web site to serve as a national clearinghouse for
schools, federal agencies and civic groups to help them organize events to
commemorate Constitution Day on September 17, 2006. The site
provides links to resources featuring over 200 activities, lessons, books and
DVDs from more than 20 different providers.
DIGITAL HISTORY
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu
Faculty at the University of Houston's history department and College of
Education have designed the "Digital History" web site to support the teaching
of American history to K-12 students. The site includes an online textbook,
annotated historical documents, and more than 70 interactive, inquiry-based
modules. Students can view a timeline to see notable political, socio-economic,
and cultural episodes in United States and world history. eXplorations, part of
the site's inquiry-based activity section, offer students the chance to delve
deeper into such topics as the early Puritans. In that activity, students learn
about symbols on gravestones and explore reasons why the Salem witch scare might
have occurred. The history reference room gives users access to online
encyclopedias, audio and visual resources, and historical newspaper articles.
The page also leads users to a HyperHistorian, an expert who can help in finding
the answers to questions related to materials found on the site. For teachers,
there are free resource guides, lesson plans, and learning modules. Writing
guides--including tips on how to write a history paper--also are provided.
HISTORY TEACHER:
http://www.historyteacher.net/
If you are looking for history resources for your classroom teaching, try the
numerous materials collected here.
YOUR WINDOW TO EARLY AMERICA
http://www.earlyamerica.com/
It's only common sense to spend some time exploring the foundations of
our nation, so come check out Early America! You can even listen to the
music played at Washington's 1789 inauguration. Browse biographies of
notable 18th century men and women, outlines and documents for milestone
events, maps of colonies and battles, videos, quizzes, scans of original
documents and portraits.
THE HISTORY PLACE
http://www.historyplace.com/
It's definitely happening at the History Place! Check out a historical photo of
the week, listen to a speech of the week, peruse editorials on historical
events, browse reviews of history-related box office hits and flops, read
first-person accounts of day-to-day history or get a serious laugh over some
political bloopers set down for
posterity. There are also timelines, photo galleries, sections on wars and
world history and tons more.
TEACHING CALENDAR:
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/teacher/marcopolo_calendar.aspx
Click on your current date on the calendar to find out what happened in history,
then click to find relevant related teaching materials.
AMERICAN HISTORY REVIEW:
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/soc/cecsst/cecsst003.html
Games for identifying the names of states or countries.
www.nationalgeographic.com/geospy
HyperHistory
Online - www.hyperhistory.com
Quizzes and
puzzles for many history topics - www.quia.com/dir/hist/
AMERICAN HISTORY PRINTABLE STUDENT WORKSHEETS:
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-9131.html
Social Studies for Kids
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/
Articles, Glossaries, Newsletter, FAQ,
The Supreme Court Historical Society
http://www.supremecourthistory.org
About the Society, History of the
The Supreme Court, such an august body.
OUTLINE MAPS:
http://abcteach.com/Maps/mapsTOC.htm
This site offers a large collection of blackline outline maps to print out for
classroom use, including all fifty states, world maps, continents, world
countries, and regions of the United States.
PATRIOTIC CLIP ART:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/july4/clip.html
Add some patriotic pizazz to your newsletters, web pages, or worksheets with
this downloadable clip art selection of American icons.
Virtual Field Trips:
http://www.field-trips.org/vft/index.htm
Content: Online Field Trips, Teacher Resources, Lesson Plans, TourMaker
Software.
Let's face it. Students love field trips. They just can't get enough of them!
Unfortunately, schools don't always have the resources to provide them. But with
this site, you can take your students around the world and back without spending
a cent or oversleeping from jet lag. Virtual Field Trips for every subject and
standard will whisk your class away with a click of a button, via TourMaker
software, which you can download with a free trial and create your own field
trips. You can even print Virtual Permission Slips for parents to sign.
DAILY GEOGRAPHY BEE:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee/
What's the state of your geography knowledge? Test it here online, with these
interactive quizzes from National Geographic. Each day the questions change, so
visit often to maintain your geographic skills.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
Get to know some of America's stories at this site presented by the Library of
Congress. Meet some of the men and women who helped to shape this country in the
Meet Amazing Americans section. Jump back in time to different periods of U.S.
History from Colonial America to the Modern Era. Explore the history of
individual states and answer trivia questions. Learn about the heart of American
culture in the Join America at Play and See, Hear and Sing sections where you
will discover pastimes, hobbies, songs, and humor from America's past.
MAKE YOUR OWN FLAG:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/makeurflag.html
In this activity students are not simply recreating another version of the
American flag; instead they are deciding what kind of flag and symbols would
best represent their own interests and reflect who they are. You could also
consider doing this project as a group--what kind of flag would symbolize your
class?
WOMEN IN WORLD HISTORY CURRICULUM:
http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/lesson.html
Find thirteen classroom and student activities here to help your students
explore the theme of Women in History. Topics include: Female Fury in the Forum
(Ancient Rome), Assessing Women's Pasts Through Art, Tools Uncover Women's Work,
Women's Lives in Mesopotamia, Comparing Women's Rights in Ancient Egypt and
Ancient Mesopotamia, and Women and the Industrial Revolution.
MYSTERY HISTORY:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/histmyst/index.asp
Choose from numerous topics in history, including Colonial life, Native American
Culture, Presidents, States and Territories, the Vikings, Civil Rights, Westward
Migration, and more with these online history challenges.
WESTWARD
EXPANSION:
http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Allabout.html
http://www.ku.edu/heritage/research/sft/index.html
Students
will work in teams to research the various trails
west, as well as the reasons people left for unknown parts.
They will begin to furnish a picture of life on the trail,
the hardships involved, the risks taken along specific
trails, or research women in the west. Teams will create
a presentation on their specific topic; consider having
them assemble a multimedia presentation for the class as
their final project. Use the 2nd URL above for a link to
the Oregon Trail, and the 3rd URL for an interactive Santa Fe Trail site.
Colonization
DEMONSTRATIONS OF EARLY AMERICAN TOOLS:
If your students ever wondered how an adze worked, or how a spinning wheel
actually spun yarn, they can view these online videos of Early American
tools to learn much about early trades. Have them work in groups to prepare
a presentation or even a demonstration after doing the research here, taking
on a trade or task and explaining how it worked in Colonial society.
INTERACTIVE PLANTATION:
Students can journey back in time with these online exhibits on the history
of Maryland. They can visit a Woodlands Indian Village, participate in an
archaeological dig, explore the bay, experience a voyage from England, learn
how much things cost for colonists starting fresh in a New World, build a
plantation from scratch, read a diary, tour a colony, create a virtual
museum, and more in this extensive and excellent online tool to investigate
early life in America. Interactive activities lead students deeper into the
experiences, with video introductions to each topic.
EXPLORING AMERICAN IMMIGRATION:
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2476/
A series of lesson plans for upper elementary students explores the immigrant
experience in America. Students will have choices on presenting a dramatization
of the experience after completing guided research, of learning about immigrant
contributions to American society, viewing historical photos to attempt to
contrast, com-pare, and recreate stories, or to understand tenement life at the
turn of the century in America.
AMERICA, A HOME FOR EVERY CULTURE:
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2316/
Use this lesson plan to create your own family and cultural recipe book in time
for Thanksgiving. Diversity in the American immigrant experience is explored and
appreciated through a variety of perspectives and activities in this unit.
Pictures and
activities about colonial America
http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/home.html
VIRTUAL JAMESTOWN:
http://ab.mec.edu/jamestown/jamestown.html
Stop by for a trip back to virtual Jamestown, where you can explore both ship
and village life, examine the first forts, and determine how difficult it may
have been to survive in this first successful English colony in America.
EXPLORE EARLY AMERICA:
http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/index.html
THE 13 COLONIES:
http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/YLP/97-98/97-98_units/97-98mini-unit/JAugustine_13Colonies/13colonies.html
Five mini-lessons have students participating in hands-on challenges to learn
more about the original thirteen colonies, the peoples that colonized them, and
the Native Americans that inhabited the lands. Please note that while the
"You are a Colonist" character sheet is not included, enough general
directions are included to plan your own (Lesson 2). Several extension
activities are included, with several targeting student writing skills.
EXPERIMENT WITH COLONIZATION:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSExperimentWithColonization812.htm
Location, location, location... Just how does actual geographic location
determine the success of a colony? Students will be investigating this topic
with this lesson plan, and reviewing how cultural backgrounds also affect the
development of a new colony.
A NOT-SO-TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2558.html
This article for grades five and up explores Thanksgiving from a different
perspective--that of darker undercurrents of history at Plymouth. Two competing
narratives offer polarized views of America's European beginnings, with two
entirely different cultural interpretations of its early story. Read the
material and discuss the opposing view-points with your class, or set up a
debate--dressed in 1627 garb--to present both sides.
YOU BE THE HISTORIAN:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/kids/springer/
Student research first focuses on daily living 200 years ago, examining records
and artifacts. The lesson plan takes a twist when students will also need to
plot out discoveries for future historians, analyzing what they might wish to
know about life today.
MINI WEB-TREK - A JOURNEY TO COLONIAL TIMES:
What was daily life like in Colonial America? How did colonists first
fare when they arrived in the New World? What problems were they up
against? How did they survive? What was different then, from now?
Students will address these questions as they complete this guided
online Mini Web Trek: A Journey to Colonial Times, by visiting a virtual
and interactive plantation in Maryland, journeying to Virginia and
Jamestown, and spending some time with the Daggett Family in colonial
Connecticut.
INTERACTIVE COLONIAL HISTORY:
How well would your students fare as colonists? Well, that depends on a
lot of factors, such as, do they believe in washing or showering every
day, or even every week? As well as this online feature, students can
also select a tour of the governor's or the preacher's house. Take a
look at the ovens, the houses, the storehouses, and the land there to
see how Colonials lived. Further interactive features here explore
Colonial clothing, events during the 17th century, Video Diaries, and an
interactive voyage. (5-12)
THE PILGRIM STORY:
Whether or not you make the actual trip to Pilgrim Hall Museum in
Plymouth, Massachusetts, your class can still visit the Pilgrims through
this virtual museum online, learning much about who these people were,
how they lived, what they owned, etc. Students can click on numerous
entries for further exploration in this excellent online exhibit. (5-12)
1628 ACROSS THE CONTINENT:
What was happening in the year 1628 across the vast lands of North
America? Click on this interactive map to find out, by selecting a
region to see how far European influence and exploration extended.
COLONIAL READING:
[Link2]
Much of this Colonial Reader material is fascinating, first-hand fare,
and can provide any number of research starters for your students. Read
and learn about "The Capture of Pocahontas", for instance, written by
Raphe Hamor in 1613, or which animals could be captured from the wild
and made into Colonial Pets, as suggested by writer Peter Kalm in 1748.
William Strachey wrote "Indian Home Life" in 1610, starting off with how
they simply drink clear water, not having tried to turn grapes into
wine, or how to make fishing boats that go faster than the Colonials'
barges, or how and what they hunt. Fully 83 articles are available;
great reading to begin to gather an understanding for the times from the
Colonists' perspective. Use the 2nd link above to access Colonial and
Revolutionary Literature.
UNDERSTANDING COLONIAL ECONOMY:
The main incentive? Land, or rather, private ownership of land. And
colonists would experiment, after several failures, to find crops that
would bring in cash and success. Trade, therefore, became an important
factor for a healthy economy in Colonial America, and the means for
successful economic growth. Students will explore the incentives, the
trade practices, specialization, production, and related population
growth figures in this unit on Colonial Economy for high school
students. Student handouts, discussion questions, and appendices are
included.
INTERACTIVE FRONTIER:
Visit the gold rush town of Deadwood, and enter frontier society in
American history with this interactive learning exhibit. Take a look at
items and documents from the Wild Wild West, investigate politics, view
postcards and images from the era, and journey back in time with this
wonderful Dakota Experience.
The American Revolution
AMERICAN REVOLUTION MINI WEB TREK I
From Colonial Growth to the Boston Massacre:
An
answer key is provided to our newest Mini Web Trek entry, tracing the
account of events leading up to the American Revolution, chronicling
colonial growth in the 1760s up to the events surrounding the Boston
Massacre. Students use selected websites to answer the guided research
questions.
A BIOGRAPHY OF AMERICA:
An extensive website supplies resources for the Annenberg video
series here, but the resources are useful on their own for student
research, with interactive student activities, maps, transcripts,
key events, and interactive timelines. Topics cover ground from New
World Encounters through to Contemporary History.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION NEWSPAPERS:
In this lesson plan, students will be creating their own
Revolutionary Times newspapers, taking on different perspectives to
write their articles. Possible topics are included, along with a
handout on the road to Revolution, a quiz, and an American
Revolution Journal checklist. |
TIMELINE OF THE REVOLUTION:
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_timeline.html
Follow along the main events leading to the American Revolution with this
interact exhibit from PBS, chronicling the ascendancy of King George III,
through the Stamp Act, to the shots fired at Lexington and Concord, up to
the Bill of Rights and the 1st Congress.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR WEBQUEST
http://www.coollessons.org/revolutionarywarwebquest.htm
UNDERSTANDING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/revolutionary_war/american_revolution.htm
Fifteen lesson plans support classroom learning on the Revolutionary War. A
timeline is also included, along with links to further resources. Each lesson
plan comes with student activity suggestions, as well as a comprehension quiz.
PEOPLE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:
http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/ipeople.asp
Who's who of the American Revolution? Find pictures and biographies here, or ask
your students to select one of interest for further research.
AMERICAN BEGINNINGS:
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/amerBeginnings/
What can political cartoons tell us about the history of America? Students will
examine political cartoons published during the American Revolution, examining
the central image for meaning and a picture of what was going on during this
era; what were the issues? What were the cartoonists trying to portray to
colonists? Were they effective? Students will choose a political cartoon and
write a commentary, sharing their paragraphs with the class. A glossary is
included.
THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION:
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/
Take a timeline journey through the events leading up to the American Revolution
with this online resource from PBS. Interactive quizzes will test content
knowledge.
THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND LITERATURE:
http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/ushistory/revolution.html
CHOOSING REVOLUTION -- AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT:
http://www.history.org/History/teaching/revolution/a1.html
You are in a position to garner secrets from both sides of the Revolutionary
War. Visiting eight secret locations, you will uncover those secrets, and then
choose which side you will give your secrets to in this interactive learning
game on the American Revolution.
A CHRONICLE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle.html
We can learn a great deal on the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the
American Revolution by reading the headlines of the times. Choose your city
here: Boston, Philadelphia, Trenton, or Saratoga, or Yorktown, and find out what
was happening while freedom was ringing throughout the land.
A DICTIONARY OF INDEPENDENCE:
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/act/indep.html
Here is a creative idea for a final project in your American Revolution unit
this year. Students will create their own dictionary of independence, defining
important terms for a democracy and a constitution.
GEORGE WASHINGTON & THE CONTINENTAL ARMY:
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/tguide_3.html
This lesson plan will examine several primary documents online to analyze the
character traits of General George Washington, as he led the army Continental
Army through disastrous conditions to win the Revolutionary War. Students will
consider styles of leadership, difficulties in maintaining troop morale under
hardship conditions, and the unique features of the Revolutionary War.
LINCOLN -- A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY:
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/linc/linctg.html
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/tours/tourhome.htm
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/sites/sites.htm
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/education/educate.htm
http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/Lincoln77.html
Take an online tour through President Lincoln's life and times with these
resources. Middle school students will be writing an essay to compare Lincoln to
President Jefferson Davis, designing an 1860's campaign poster, writing a
newspaper article based on a Civil War photograph, and designing a book jacket
or character map for this President.
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html
Do you know the path that Americans took on their road to revolution and
liberty? Test your knowledge here, as each correct answer furthers your quest
for liberty. Documents and research complement this online, interactive exhibit,
with selections from primary documents and the periodicals of the time included.
EARLY AMERICAN LEADERS:
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/leadersofearlyamerica/index.html
What characteristics constitute a great leader? Brainstorm with your students,
and try to list some examples through American history. Students will review
essential qualities of leadership and create a chart on Paul Revere, George
Washington, and Thomas Jefferson.
Presidents and Government
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2008 - PROCESS & PROBLEMS:
Students will learn about the Presidential Elections campaign process, including
fundraising, polling, primaries, conventions, and the electoral system.
Discussion questions are included, with topics for student research.
TYPES OF GOVERNMENT BOOKMARKS:
In election year you might very well be studying governments and politics, as
well as elections. Here is a handy bookmark to remind students of the
definitions of various kinds of government.
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY, AN INTERNET EXERCISE:
http://ap.grolier.com/
http://americanhistory.si.edu/presidency/2b.html
Visit the sites above and answer the following questions:
- What is the oath of office that the President takes?
- What are the three separate branches of government?
- Was the President's Cabinet included in the Constitution?
- What is the function of the Cabinet?
- Who was the nation's third President?
- What was President Lincoln's leadership priority?
- Does the President have the highest position of authority in America? Explain
your answer.
- Name and explain four powers and/or duties of the American President.
PRESIDENTIAL SECRETS:
http://pbskids.org/wayback/prez/secrets/index.html
Anyone up for a little Presidential trivia? Find out some little known facts
about the Presidents of the United States, and consider creating your own
classroom trivia board game with Presidential data.
PRESIDENTIAL SCAVENGER HUNT:
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/hunt.cgi/aa
http://www.activitiesforkids.com/internet/presfirst.htm
Students are provided with a list of items to find, along with a set of clues to
help find amazing stories about the American Presidents. Use the 2nd link above
to download a student internet worksheet, where middle and high school students
must search for Presidential Firsts.
THE PRESIDENTS OF MT. RUSHMORE:
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/game/rushmore_game.html
Meet the Presidents of Mount Rushmore by answering questions correctly in this
interactive learning game for middle school students. Click on each President
after the game to learn more about him.
EXPLORING THE PRESIDENTS:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/index.html
This online site from PBS offers full page, printable overviews of the American
Presidents, their lives, their eras, and their major accomplishments. Use them
for mini-reports or reviews for Presidents' Day.
ONLINE PRESIDENT PUZZLES:
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/us_presidents/hangman.htm
Students will use a hangman format with blank spaces for the number of letters,
guessing the first and last names of the United States Presidents in this online
game.
TEACHING THE 3 BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/teacher_lessons/3branches/front.htm
This site is a complete teaching unit on the 3 branches of government. It
includes lesson plans, interactive games, worksheets, etc. for teaching the 3
branches and how they work together.
PORTRAITS OF POWER, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTS:
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/portraitsOfPower/
What are the tasks assigned to the highest office of American government? How
does the populace relate to and affect the Presidency? How can a President's
decisions cause strong reactions? Students will use numerous websites to
consider the role of President and his/her powers, then write an essay
explaining how the office works, how the public relates to that office, and how
historic decisions may have caused historic ripples. (Please note, while the
lesson plan has been based upon a television program, it is not necessary to
view that program for the lesson plan.)
Constitution Day Resources:
http://www.esc13.net/socialstudies/Constitution%20Day.html
Click on United States Constitution to find helpful links,
activities, biographies and a full text presentation of the Constitution of the
United States ratified in 1787.
WE THE PEOPLE:
http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst182.txt
Exploring such issues as natural law, the necessity for government, and the
American Constitution, middle school students will be guided through a sequence
of excellent, hands-on lessons to come to their own terms of law and government,
particularly in their everyday lives.
EXPLORING MANIFEST DESTINY:
http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst196.txt
Through a creative theme of t-shirt design, slogans, and popular posters, middle
and high school students will examine and explore the ideas inherent in the
concept of "manifest destiny", particularly as it applied to those pioneers
embarking upon the Oregon Trail.
http://library.thinkquest.org/11492/index2.html
READING COMPREHENSION AND THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS:
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/
"Four score and seven years ago... " So begins one of the most honored and
respected speeches of history. It lasted but a couple of minutes, at a time when
lengthy orations were the standard. Have your students read this essay
describing the context of President Lincoln's fa-mous Gettysburg Address, and
then take the online comprehension quiz. Use the 2nd URL above to access
documents from the Library of Congress, with drafts of the speech, Lincoln's
invitation, a photo of Lincoln at Gettysburg, and more.
SOUND CLIPS FROM THE U.S. PRESIDENTS:
http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/gallery/sound.html
What better way to learn about the American Presidents than to listen to their
words--in their own voices? Find extensive audio files here to listen to these
moments of history.
STARTING A GOVERNMENT FROM SCRATCH:
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=455
Americans were in a unique position after the Revolutionary War to understand
exactly what they did and did not want in their government, and just how far
executive powers should extend. In considering the vast task facing a new
country in defining its government, students will begin to understand the roles
and duties of leadership, using primary sources to analyze the data that helped
shape our country.
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES:
http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/
Look up background information on each of the Presidents of the United States,
with biographies, notable events, historical documents, and audio and video
files.
http://www.americanpresidents.org/
This site presents brief facts about each United States President. You can also
search by state or President for landmarks--birthplaces, gravesites, museums,
etc.--associated with each President.
PRESIDENTS:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/
http://bioguide.congress.gov/
This directory covers senators, representatives, and other elected officials
from 1774 to the present. Search by name, position, and/or state. Each entry
consists of a short biography, including information about when the individual
served. Research collections with the person's papers as well as a bibliography
are also provided.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/odmdhtml/preshome.html
"The Library of Congress has extensive resources for the study of the United
States presidents and first ladies. Frequent requests for presidential portraits
inspired Prints and Photographs Division staff to compile this ready reference
aid of formal and informal pictures in the division's custody. The selected
images include at least one likeness of each of the forty-one presidents and
most of the first ladies." The collection is searchable by keyword or browseable
by name or subject. Each painting or photograph comes with a description,
including subject headings and medium.
HOW HAS THE CONSTITUTION SHAPED THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM?
http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/lessons/fecg1.htm
Most people tend to think of the American Constitution as a political treatise
on ideologies, but, as this lesson demonstrates, it is a vital economic document
as well. Using four activity worksheets, students will examine the Constitution
in light of its economic principles, and find provisions therein which would
support a market economy.
HOW AMERICANS ELECT THEIR PRESIDENT:
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/elections/cover.html
How many of your students are confident they know the process of electing the
office of the Presidency? This social studies unit for grades 4 through 8 looks
at the creation of the institution of the Presidency, the powers of the
President, how to interpret an electoral map, the function of the Electoral
College, presidential campaigning, and the roles of political parties. Student
materials and worksheets are included.
ENACTMENT OF A LAW:
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/enactment/enactlawtoc.html
How does a measure pass to legislation on the Senate floor? Students can use
this site for a detailed review of all the steps involved, including Forms of
Legislative Business, the Origins of Legislation, Presenting Measures, Motions,
Quorums, committees, reports, Senate and House Action, Presidential Approval or
Veto, and more.
The Civil War
INTERACTIVE CIVIL WAR MAP:
{Link
2}
Use this interactive map on major Civil War locations and battles to
help students with research, reports, or projects - even with choosing a topic
for further reading and research. Once students have learned all the material
here, they can create their own poster style of map, listing major battles of
the war and annotating illustrations of key leaders involved in the war. Causes,
effects, important people, and integration are all covered. Use the 2nd link
above for a printable Civil War map.
CIVIL WAR PERSONAL JOURNAL:
http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/hcarter/webquest.htm
Students have five roles to select from in order to research lives and events
during the Civil War. Research will be conducted in teams, but each student is
responsible for creating a personal journal recording their role, family lives,
and circumstances before, during, and after the Civil War.
CIVIL WAR LESSONS, ACTIVITIES, AND QUIZZES:
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/civil_war.htm
Lessons on the Civil War are followed up with student activities on the reading
selections. Each topic (slavery, rebellion, abolitionists, Lincoln, etc.) has
its own resources, and most are accompanied by a quiz.
INVESTIGATING THE CIVIL WAR:
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/civilwar/cwar.htm
Explore a timeline of key Civil War events, compare data on the North and South
through bar graphs, visit with Civil War leaders, complete a fill-in-the-blank
student worksheet, do a word search, or write entries in Civil War diary
activity sheets.
CIVIL WAR WEBQUEST:
http://www.stonewall.fayette.k12.ky.us/wq/cwwebquest/civilwar.htm
Taxes, politics, and slavery... Student partners must take opposing sides in
America's Civil War, pick a battle to research, and then write a letter to their
partners outlining each other's perspective in that battle. They will also
complete a set of guided research questions to assure comprehension.
ROLEPLAYING THE CIVIL WAR:
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/soc/cecsst/cecsst020.html
Here is an excellent unit for upper elementary through middle school to study
the history, causes, and issues of the Civil War. Students are divided as the
country was divided; they will create flags, recruitment posters, and choose
leaders. They will also be writing newspaper articles for a Southern newspaper,
as the other team will create reports for the Northern periodicals. Also
consider having your students write a play to perform at the end of the school
year, based upon their research and experiences with these Civil War activities.
INTERACTIVE JOURNEY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.html
From National Geographic, take this interactive journey through the Underground
Railroad, following the slave route, exploring hiding compartments, meeting
slaves, and reviewing a timeline. Classroom ideas offer activities by grade
levels to fully utilize the resources offered here.
OUTLINE OF THE CIVIL WAR:
http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/index.html
This site offers not only a detailed outline of Civil War events, but a
collection of links as well to all topics outlined; great for student research
projects.
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW:
http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/
Primary documents form the basis of this online archive, showing the Civil War
from two different but very real perspectives: north and south. Have students
use the documents to create a fictional narrative or to write newspaper articles
to document an event or time period.
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