We have a GREAT freebie for you! Do you have a highschooler? Get this FREE high-school-level curriculum in American History and Government for your homeschool. The curriculum uses primary sources to guide students through the history of our great nation.
Can you teach homeschool high school US Government and Economics courses at home? Can you teach them #TextbookFree? Here's a free civics curriculum for you!
Teaching American government to elementary students doesn't have to be boring. Instead, engage and inspire students, while teaching essential
In my first few years of teaching, I taught with a U.S. History teacher who believed every law was passed simply because Congress saw it as what should be. He gave no credit to the social movements that encouraged the legislation, and saw no value in teaching about “social issues” in his classes. I was […]
I consider it an honor and privilege to teach the Constitution in my 5th grade classroom. My social studies class is usually the very first exposure that my students have to our most valuable government
It's important for our children to know the Bill of Rights. Whether or not you're studying American History in your homeschool this year, this 14-page printable pack will be a wonderful addition to a well-rounded student! It includes folder games, fill-in-the-blank sheets, and more!
As our students learn more about government, it is vital that they understand the different types of government. This isn’t always easy or straight forward, though. To make it a little easier, here’s some of the main types of governments - and some ways to approach them in the classroom.
Are you a teacher looking for government activities and projects for you high school class? If so, check out this blog for interactive ideas!
Teaching American government to elementary students doesn't have to be boring. Instead, engage and inspire students, while teaching essential
If you are ready for your government unit don't miss this post filled with videos, worksheets and more!
Teaching about the presidential elections process? Even if you're just teaching U.S. forms of government, this free unit study will help.
Use this comprehensive unit plan for teaching the US Constitution
Do kids find learning about the government boring or overwhelming? Break it into fun, manageable pieces with this Branches of U.S. Government Coloring Book.
Grade 5 social studies is more than just reading comprehension! Here are 19 powerful activities to engage students in meaningful learning.
Teaching American government to elementary students doesn't have to be boring. Instead, engage and inspire students, while teaching essential
Freedom Homeschooling lists free high-quality homeschool social studies, history, and geography curriculum for all grades.
During an election year is the perfect time to teach your students about the U.S. Government. Here are some resources and freebies to help.
The best civics websites you need to build an amazing inquiry-driven Civics course.
The Legislative Branch worksheet is used by many individuals and organizations who work for government. It is a vital tool that enables them to determine who has influence over the political system in the country, and how the members of the government should act. However, when the members of the House and Senate are considering which bills to vote on, it is very difficult to determine if they are actually following the rules or not.
Since the US is celebrating her indepedence this week, it's the perfect time to share my newest free patriotic printables, including Bill of Rights.
This election cycle has thus far been quite interesting, hasn’t it? Thoughts as to how to approach the topic have been on my mind for months. As teachers, it’s our job to present an unbiased look at the candidates while focusing on the ins and outs of the election process. We aim to facilitate healthy discussion, when appropriate, and guide students in becoming responsible citizens capable of making their own informed decisions. I hope you find the resources in this post helpful in your own curriculum design as you navigate the exciting world of elections. Scholastic Election 2016 This website is packed with resources for elementary and middle school students. A cool interactive feature is the Road to the White House. As students scroll along the page, they follow the steps that presidential candidates take as they attempt to win the election. There are small bios and fun facts in Meet the Candidates and even a selection of video clips that are each about 2 ½ minutes long. iCivics I’m so thankful that iCivics exists. My students love it! The site includes short lessons on the Electoral Process, Candidate Evaluation and Voting. There are even NEW additions specifically to address the 2016 Election, like candidate bios, debate guides, and an election night tracker. One of my students’ favorite parts of the site is the games section! Two games specifically reinforce concepts related to the election process: Cast Your Vote and Win the White House. My students would happily play Win the White House every day if I let them. Ha! 2016 Presidential Election Candidate Quiz There are several candidate match-up quizzes available online, but one of my favorites is the 2016 Presidential Election Candidate Quiz available through ProCon.org. As students select their choices, there is a pop-up box that shows them how the candidates align to their views. Students can learn more about certain issues by clicking on the “More” buttons located beside many of the questions. I recommend this quiz be shared with older students. I also always recommend that teachers preview the questions on the site to make sure that the topics are suitable for your school community. Interactive Notebooks I love interactive notebooks. They’re engaging and keep students interested in the content due to the hands-on nature of INBs. I designed one for students in 5th – 8th grade that covers voting rights, the voting process, types of elections, the Electoral College, the Presidential campaign process and campaign finance. Each time it’s used, student notes are organized and can be referred back to often during our lessons on the election cycle. The kids love to get out the scissors and glue sticks and customize their notes. If you’re interested in learning more, it’s available on Teachers Pay Teachers right now. There’s even a digital version for teachers using Google Drive in their classroom. J The Living Room Candidate Can’t get enough of those campaign commercials? While we might be tired of seeing candidates in our living rooms by the end of the season, the commercials offer a great learning experience for our students. The Living Room Candidate is a website that has archived commercials that date back to 1952 and recently began including ones from the current campaign cycle! I appreciate that there are so many options available for teaching students the process of evaluating presidential campaigns. If you don’t feel comfortable showing the ads from this year’s election, choose ones with similar messages or themes from past years to teach students the same concepts. The website also includes a selection of lessons geared towards teaching students about evaluating campaign ads. Does Your Vote Count? By TedEd I enjoy finding short, relevant video clips to incorporate into lessons. The Electoral College is a concept that many students find difficult to grasp at first. I was excited to find a 5 minute video hosted by TedEd that is not only informational but visually appropriate and engaging for students. There’s even a little quiz that you can use to check student understanding during your lesson on the Electoral College. Classroom Debate Toolkit by PBS Classroom debates are memorable and rewarding experiences. They encourage students to research and synthesize information while the teacher facilitates a safe atmosphere to debate topics with fact-based evidence and supporting arguments. Middle School and High School is the perfect time to introduce debates to your students. If you’ve never conducted a debate in your classroom, check out the Classroom Debate Toolkit by PBS. Once on the site you can select a PDF document. It's a step-by-step guide to creating and hosting a debate in your classroom. It’s a student-driven experience facilitated by the teacher and challenges students to create logical arguments to support their point of view. The PDF even has a list of ideas for your classroom. While many of the ideas are geared towards older students, there were several debate topics that would be appropriate in a secondary classroom. What resources do you use to teach about the Presidential election? I'd love to hear about them so share in the comments! ~ The Teacher's Prep
With these printable activities, your children can learn a lot about the US Constitution and even have a little fun with it!
Free parts of the US Constitution lesson with graphic organizer that teaches how the US Constitution is organized. Perfect for 5th grade and middle school.
Does your fifth grader know a primary from a platform? Help him sort out the buzz-worthy election words with this matching activity. Download to complete online or as a printable!
Looking for ways to teach your students civics and government in a fun and engaging way? I have designed a resource that covers everything you need.
I like to keep my students guessing about they'll be doing in class each day. And, one of my favorite twists is to let my students use food as a manipulative. In particular, I like to have my students use gummy bears to create scenes that represent various topics. It may seem a little odd, but my students (even my too cool for just about anything Seniors) love this change of pace. Here are some different ways I've used gummy bears in my classes. 1. Civics - As a introduction to different types of political systems, my Seniors used the gummy bears to illustrate a type of government. 2. World History - My freshman used the gummy bears to review the different types of government systems in Ancient Rome (Republic, Dictator, Triumvirate, Emperor) 3. U.S. History - My 10th graders in American 1 filmed their gummy bears acting out either Shay's Rebellion or the Whiskey Rebellion. To do these activities you'll need to buy or have parents donate gummy bears, plastic bags, and paper plates. These activities do take some prep work: - Figure out how many gummy bears each student or group will need and buy the necessary number of bags. - Put the appropriate number of gummy bears in each bag. - Give each student or group a plastic bag and a paper plate. Lastly, you'll need to decide if you will let the students each their gummy bears once the activity is completed. I give my students the option to eat them when they are done and most of them do! Want to let your students play with gummy bears? Click for a free download of my Types of Government Gummy Bear Activity that I used with my Seniors. If you enjoyed this post, you should sign up for my monthly newsletter for more great ideas, tips, and exclusive freebies! You might also like these blog posts: Read More Read More Read More
Teaching history doesn't have to just involve textbooks. Here is how you can teach history without textbooks or tests!
US Constitution lesson plans for 5th grade and middle schoo including 15 complete lessons, simulations, games, worksheets, activities, and m0ore!
Can you teach homeschool high school US Government and Economics courses at home? Can you teach them #TextbookFree? Here's a free civics curriculum for you!
A Spontaneous List of Favorite Civics and Economics Literature. Here is a good list of books to enhance your homeschool high schoolers Civics and Economics classes.
