Lesson Ideas for the 2024 Presidential Election

 An election year offers a fantastic opportunity to bring current events and civics lessons into the classroom. As teachers, it’s our job to present an unbiased look at the election process as we aim to facilitate healthy discussion, when appropriate, and guide students in becoming responsible citizens capable of making their own informed decisions. 

Whether you plan to cover the events of the 2024 election in a day or in an entire unit, these activities, videos and websites will help bring the topic to life in your classroom!

Note: Please preview all websites, videos and resources before your students use them to ensure that the content is age-appropriate and relevant to your curriculum. 

Engaging Activities

The Presidential Elections Web Quest from The Teacher's Prep 😃 is perfect for the teacher who wants to give students an overview of the election process - from the primary elections and the national conventions to the general election and the role of the Electoral College. Students will watch two brief YouTube videos and visit student-friendly websites to learn about the process of electing a President of the United States while completing the four-page web quest. It includes a printable version, Google Slides version and Easel by TPT version to fit the needs of your own classroom and students.

P.S. If you've never tried a web quest, you can download the Historical Thinking Skills Web Quest for free here! 

FREEBIE ALERT: The 2024 Electoral College Map is ready to hit your inbox today! While watching the results of the Presidential election or analyzing it afterwards, students will color in the states red (Republican) or blue (Democrat) based on which candidate wins the popular vote in each state. It's a fun and engaging way to teach students about the importance of the Electoral College to the U.S. Presidential election.

I love interactive notebooks. They’re engaging and keep students interested in the content as they organize their notes. The Voting and Elections Interactive Notebook 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 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

Exciting Videos

I love finding engaging, educational and age-appropriate videos to show students! Here are some of my favorites when teaching about Election Day! 

What Happens on Election Day? by Pursuit of History

Does Your Vote Count? by Ted Ed

Looking for more videos? Check out my Political Parties and Elections Playlist on YouTube to find relevant videos for your lessons!

Educational Websites

I’m so thankful that iCivics exists. My students love it! The site includes an Election Headquarters with short lessons on the Electoral Process, Candidate Evaluation and Voting. 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. These games are a fantastic resource for early finishers or as supplemental activities to your lessons on the election process.

Britannica ProCon.Org - 2024 U.S. Presidential Election    

Procon.org's site for the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election offers a selection of valuable resources like the recent results from primary elections, profiles on the current presidential candidates and information about issues that are relevant to the election along with candidate viewpoints. Some of the topics may be more suited for older students.  

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 recent elections! I appreciate that there are so many options available for teaching students the process of evaluating presidential campaigns.  The website also includes a selection of lessons geared towards teaching students about evaluating campaign ads.

Election Central Collection by PBS            

The Election Central Collection by PBS has a collection of helpful video resources that relate to the election process. You can search for resources related to topics like: Elections and Campaigns, the Political Party System, How Voting Works and more! 

 What resources do you use to teach about the presidential election? I'd love to hear about them so share in the comments!

Engaging Activities for the Last Weeks of School

The days of summer vacation are growing ever closer! If you're like me, you are trying to finalize lesson plans for the year and create engaging, fun and educational activities for the last weeks of school in your classroom! Here are five ideas I think your students will love.

Idea #1: Trivia Competition

It's time to review some key facts your students have learned throughout the year. Hosting trivia games is easy and fun! I love using the free Trivia Game for Secondary Students activity in my classroom. All you'll have to do is create questions, print the game board and open the included Excel spreadsheet (for super easy scoring)...and voila! Your kids will love the competition while they review the information they've learned all year long.

Idea #2: Debate Day

My middle school students love to debate pretty much anything! Hosting a debate in your classroom is another fun way to review important topics from the school year or focus on issues that are important to your students. Along the way they'll be collaborating to organize their ideas, using critical thinking skills and practicing their public speaking skills, too!

Idea #3: Create a Class Documentary

Your students will have a blast creating their own documentary at the end of the school year! Plan to set aside 4-5 days for this project and watch your students collaborate in small groups and engage their creative thinking skills to write a script and create a video to show to the class. This activity is one of the most memorable ones I do all year! Everything you need to host this project in your own classroom is ready for you in the Create a Class Documentary resource on TPT.

Idea #4: Leave a Legacy Letter

Your students have grown so much over the course of the school year and are now experts on how to succeed in your classroom. At the end of the year, ask students to write a letter to a future student. Encourage them to give meaningful advice on how to be successful, share their best memory from the school year and write words of encouragement to the students who will follow in their footsteps next year. Keep the letters safe and share them with your classes at the beginning of the next school year for a fun and sweet surprise. 

Idea #5: Historical Board Game Day

Ask your students to work in groups to develop a fun board game to play in class! Students can use popular board games and develop their own questions based on the year's curriculum or design a completely original game with their own rules, game board design and questions. On Historical Board Game Day, students can take turns playing games created by their classmates as they review information they learned throughout the year!

I'd love to know if you used any of these ideas with your students! Leave a comment below and share which one your students liked best. :)

The Teacher's Prep

Thanksgiving Holiday Lesson Ideas for Middle School Students

Welcome to the season of gratitude and giving thanks! Engaging Thanksgiving activities aren't just for elementary students anymore. Middle school students can join in on the fun! As Thanksgiving approaches, teachers have a unique opportunity to teach their students about the history of the holiday and its significance in American culture. Here are some fun and educational ideas just for you!

Idea #1: Consider teaching your students about the origins of Thanksgiving and the history surrounding the creation of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. An easy, no-prep option is The History of Thanksgiving Web Quest.  You can print it out or assign it digitally. All your students need is access to the internet! They'll watch two brief YouTube videos and visit kid-friendly websites to learn about the story of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people and their celebration of the harvest in 1621. They'll also explore the history of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, including its declaration by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and the involvement of presidents like George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt in the establishment of the holiday. Finally, students will learn about the debate surrounding the first Thanksgiving and understand common customs and traditions associated with the holiday. At the end, you can ask your students to compare and contrast the origins of Thanksgiving with their own family traditions, if you wish!

Idea #2: Explore the cultural significance of food! Thanksgiving is a holiday that is centered around food. You can teach your students about the cultural significance of food and how different cultures celebrate with food. Encourage your students to share their own family traditions and recipes. Top it off with a fun Thanksgiving feast or party in your classroom if you have the time!

Idea #3: Create a gratitude journal. Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and reflection. Encourage your students to create a gratitude journal where they can write down things they are thankful for. This can be a great way to help them develop a positive mindset and foster a sense of gratitude.

Idea #4: Consider incorporating a service project or community activity into your Thanksgiving lesson plans. Encourage your students to give back to their communities by volunteering at a local food bank or homeless shelter, or by collecting donations for those in need. Alternatively, you can talk to your principal and choose a volunteer activity to improve your school community! This will help your students understand the importance of gratitude and giving back, and encourage them to make a positive impact in their communities.

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for teachers to engage their students in meaningful discussions about history, culture, and community service. Leave a comment if you tried one of these activities or have a favorite that I didn't mention! 

Easy Ideas for a Classroom Newsletter in Middle School

As teachers we are BUSY. Between teaching, lesson planning, grading, meetings, extra duty assignments...you name it...teachers do it! A vital part of teacher and student success in a classroom is something that can easily get pushed to the wayside...regular parent/guardian communication. With the use of email, communicating with families is easier than ever before.

Here are three tips to make communicating with families a breeze:

Tip #1 - Send Your Newsletter Electronically

Stay out of that copy room, my friend! Regular (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) communication with families doesn't need to be printed out and sent home with students unless a student's family doesn't have access to the internet or email. You can simply write your message in a mass email (don't forget to BCC parent emails!) or use a template, save it as a PDF and attach it to your email. 

Speaking of templates...

Tip #2 - Use a Newsletter Template

Design your own template in Canva, Microsoft Word or Google Docs or use some templates specifically designed for Social Studies teachers teaching Ancient History or American History (check them out here!) to expedite the process of designing professional-looking newsletters. If you'd rather not take the traditional newsletter route, a simple email will be perfect!

Tip #3 - Fill the Newsletter with AWESOME

Each newsletter you send should serve a purpose...sometimes multiple purposes! A positive, uplifting and timely newsletter can promote a positive relationship between the teacher and families. Not sure what to include in your newsletter? Keep this list handy and choose a few each time!

1. Upcoming due dates

2. Recent class activities

3. Student work samples

4. Upcoming test dates

5. Study strategies

6. School-wide events

7. Donation requests

8. Student Spotlight

9. Supplemental activities

10. Helpful blog posts

Challenge yourself to send one newsletter or email update to your students' families within the next week. It is truly amazing to see the positive benefits of regular contact with families!

Happy Teaching!

A Classroom Favorite: Historical Thinking Skills Web Quest

I love creating engaging activities for students which bring history to life in my classroom. Before my middle school social studies classes dive into the study of history in depth, we always start off the year with a unit about historical thinking. Students learn about the differences between primary and secondary sources and how to analyze historical documents. These basic skills will be a significant part of our units of study throughout the year, so it's an important topic to teach at the start of the school year!

One of the activities I love to use with my students is a Historical Thinking Web Quest (click the link!) which you can download for FREE! 

What is a web quest? A web quest is a digital scavenger hunt. Students use multiple types of sources on the internet to discover answers to questions. It's a great way to introduce new concepts or review previously learned material.

In the Historical Thinking Skills Web Quest, students will visit two websites and watch a YouTube video to learn about the differences between primary and secondary sources, understand how to analyze historical documents and even practice their skills by analyzing a famous painting from American history! There's also a Check Your Knowledge section at the end that prompts students to review their new knowledge of historical thinking skills.

Oh...AND the free download includes a printable PDF and a link to a Google Slides version as well for all my techy teachers. :)

I absolutely love working alongside amazing Social Studies teachers like you and I can't wait for you to try this web quest in your own classroom! 

Happy Teaching!

YouTube Videos for Teaching Geography and Map Skills

I love finding ways to utilize helpful videos during lessons in my middle school classroom. One of my earliest units in the year is Geography and Map Skills. Here are some of my favorite videos on YouTube that keep my students engaged and enrich the concepts they are learning and practicing in school!  

Pursuit of History: Types of Maps

Crash Course: What is a Map?

Pursuit of History: Map Skills

The Singing History Teachers: The Map Features Song

BrainStuff - How Stuff Works: How Do GPS Coordinates Work?

Pursuit of History: Themes of Geography

James White: Five Themes of Geography Song

Which one(s) do you plan to use in your classroom this year?

Happy Teaching!

How to Introduce Social Studies to Middle School Students

How do you introduce students to the best subject in school?? (I love teaching Social Studies so I'm totally biased! Ha!) It's an important question to consider, especially when you want to create a unit that engages students and makes them excited for the year ahead. Student comments like, "Social Studies is my favorite class!" and "I love Social Studies!" are music to my ears.  

I love sharing my passion for teaching Social Studies and connecting with teachers like you who have that same love of bringing history to life in their classrooms! I decided to create an Introduction to Social Studies Mini Unit filled with everything you need to start your year - from daily lesson plans to every single activity you'll need at zero cost to you. Think: All the activities you need PLUS detailed lesson plans to cover 5 days of school. I've got you covered, friend!

Let's get the year off to an exciting start! Click the link below to snag the Introduction to Social Studies Mini Unit right now or keep reading to see what activities are included and available for free in my TPT store right now. :)

Introduction to Social Studies Word Wall

I love word walls! A word wall is a place to collect the important vocabulary terms you are teaching in your unit. The more students interact with vocabulary terms, the more connections they can make between ideas and build upon those concepts to better understand and make deeper connections to curriculum content. I love to hang up all the words at the start of the unit so students can see them every day when they enter the classroom. You can even keep them up all year long!

Bell Ringers

Bell ringers were a game changer when I began using them years ago. Now students know exactly what to do when they enter the classroom. They help students review material we've recently learned, preview new material and can promote critical and creative thinking skills depending on the question type. I just love them! 

Introduction to Social Studies Vocabulary

What's better than one vocabulary activity? THREE activities!

The Introduction to Social Studies Vocabulary resource includes three different activities - a vocabulary matching activity, a crossword puzzle and a graphic organizer. Each of the activities gives students an opportunity to practice using the 12 vocabulary terms in the unit, like chronology, point of view, bias, primary source, secondary source and more!

Interactive PowerPoint Informational Text

While you may have access to informational text, like a textbook, these PowerPoint slides are a fantastic way to introduce the content to students!  The Introduction to Social Studies Interactive PowerPoint is filled with informational text students can use to complete the interactive notebook activities. 

Oh! And not only is it available in PowerPoint in an interactive format, there's also TpT Easel and Google Drive versions included, too. I've got you covered!

Interactive Notebooks

How do students organize their notes for this unit? In an interactive notebook! I love these graphic organizers because they consolidate student notes in one place. The graphic organizers directly correlate to all the activities I've mentioned above so far and give students the opportunity to summarize the main ideas and details they learn as they are introduced to the study of history. The mini unit includes a paper and digital version of the interactive notebooks so you have flexibility in your classroom!

Task Cards

Task cards can be used as bell ringers, entrance tickets, exit tickets, station work and more! I alternate their use based on my class needs of the day, but they include brief writing prompts to encourage students to think critically about the content they are learning in class.

Assessment

While there are many ways to assess student knowledge, sometimes you want to use a traditional test! The Introduction to Social Studies Assessment includes vocabulary matching, multiple choice, fill in the blank and written response questions. 

Let's do this!

I can't wait for you to check out the FREE Introduction to Social Studies Mini Unit! I'm confident it will save you valuable time in your teaching and personal life while creating an enriching experience for your students this year. You may even find a few surprises inside...like a Historical Thinking Skills Web Quest and a Types of Maps activity! I love throwing in extra resources to the curriculum bundles. :)

Happy Teaching!