3 Bell Ringer Ideas That Save My Sanity

What bell ringer ideas are lifesavers for you? Let me know in the comments!

Classroom Podcast Project: A High-Impact, Low-Prep Activity for Middle School

As educators, we all want to empower students to take control of their learning. If you're like me, you love seeing your students actively engaged in research while building creative and critical thinking skills through hands-on learning. Watching students work on collaborative projects brings you immense joy and hearing them exclaim, "Today was fun!" is music to your ears. 

To bring this vision to life, I created the Create Your Own Podcast Project - a ready to use resource that makes launching a student-led podcast simple, engaging and deeply rewarding.

What's Included?

⭐12 Resources for Teachers and Students - use all the activities or just choose the ones you wish to use as students create their own podcasts!

• An Overview of the Project - it will guide you through the activities included in the resource.

• The Teacher Checklist - use the checklist to prepare for the project in your classroom and set students up for success.

• The Rubric - graded categories included content, design, neatness, speaking style and group work. The point values are left blank so you can customize it for your classroom.

• Teacher Notes - print out a page for each group and take notes for yourself as you monitor student progress on the project. It will make grading easier in the end!

• Create Your Own Podcast Directions - basic directions for students that explains the purpose of podcasts and an outline of the steps they'll take to create their own podcast.

• The Podcast Checklist - a step-by-step checklist for students to use as they plan, create edit and revise their podcast.

• The Audience Activity - students will pair up with another student in the classroom to complete this interview-style activity. Along the way they'll learn important information about their audience which they'll use as they create their own podcasts!

• The Script - students can use these pages to write an outline for the script, take notes or even write the script itself.

• Role Cards - use these role cards to give specific jobs to students. There are 6 role cards included, and students can take on more than one role.

• Podcast Advertisement Activity and Point Sheet - task students with creating an advertisement for their podcast and hang it up in your classroom to create buzz and excitement before students present their podcasts to the class!

• Student Reflection Activity - after presenting their podcast, students can use the reflection activity to share their experiences and thoughts about the project.

⭐Create Your Own Podcast Slideshow - a 10-page slideshow (PowerPoint and Google Slides versions included) to teach students about the purpose and types of podcasts and a step-by-step guide to creating their own podcast! (Slideshows are not editable)

The Create Your Own Podcast Project is a game-changer for student engagement, collaboration and critical thinking. Whether you're fostering discussion, storytelling or research skills, this project empowers students to take ownership of their learning in an exciting, real-world format - without extra prep for teachers!

Ready to give it a try? Download the Create Your Own Podcast Project today and watch the excitement unfold in your classroom!

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! 

3 Activities for Middle School Students After Spring Break

 

Ah, glorious Spring Break. It's a much needed break from the rigors of school, both for teachers and students, and gives us a taste of the freedom of summer vacation on the horizon. There's just one catch - reengaging students  in the learning process when they return from the break can be a daunting task! You could always jump right back into regular content, but you may find that students have a hard time focusing after a week away. Here are 3 easy ideas to use in the your classroom when you return from Spring Break that helps students refocus on the school year ahead:

Idea #1: Play a Review Game. This is a personal favorite because it's easy and helps students refocus themselves on the content they recently learned in class. You can easily make review games using websites like Blooket and Kahoot or host a trivia game in your classroom filled with information they learned before Spring Break. My students love trivia games and there's a free trivia game template in my TPT store which you can customize for your own students!

Idea #2: Set SMART Goals. The last quarter of the year always seems to fly by! Set aside time to help students evaluate and reflect on their progress so far this year and establish new goals for the last few weeks of the school year. Students can keep their SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals in their binder or folder for easy access so they can see them frequently throughout the last quarter of the school year!

Idea #3: Host a Debate. If you teach middle school students, you'll know that they LOVE to debate anyone...anytime. Harness that passion for debate and discussion into a meaningful activity that will awaken students' minds and excite them for the last quarter of the school year. Your debate topic can be centered around recent content you've taught in class or be more general. Here are some debate topics to consider:

1. Is homework beneficial to students?

2. Should students be required to wear uniforms?

3. Should students be allowed to use cell phones in school?

4. Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

5. Is year-round school beneficial for students?

Which idea do you like the best? Whatever you choose to do, I know you've got this, my friend! 

Free Introduction to Social Studies Mini Unit

One full week of lesson plans and activities just for you. Save valuable time, engage your students and bring history to life in your classroom!

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The Benefits of Using a Word Wall in the Middle School Classroom

The Benefits of Using a Word Wall in the Middle School Classroom

Do you use a word wall in your classroom? A word wall is a wall (or bulletin board) where frequently used words are posted for students to see. In my middle school Social Studies classroom, my word wall is filled with vocabulary words from our current unit. The more students see and interact with the vocabulary words, the more comfortable they will be when using them in group discussions, in writing activities, when making new connections between concepts and more!

What Does a Word Wall Look Like in the Classroom?

A word wall is placed in a location where students can easily see it during class. I have a specific location in my classroom where my word wall stays all year. The words on the wall change with each unit, but the location remains the same. When teaching or reinforcing vocabulary words during a unit, you can point to the words and easily refer to them frequently throughout the year. Students also know exactly where to look to review words and definitions! Your word wall can include vocabulary words or vocabulary words and their definitions. I also love to include pictures alongside the words so that students can see the word, definition and a symbol or picture that represents the word at the same time. 

How Can I Make a Word Wall?

Making a word wall is easy! You can type the words (or words and their definitions) on the computer and print them out. You can also use index cards and write one word on each index card. If you're looking for ways to save time, I've created word walls for each Ancient History and American History unit in my TPT store! (Click here to check them out) Just print and post them on your wall and you're ready to go. You can even laminate them and save them for future years!

How Can I Use a Word Wall?

It's important to use your word wall frequently throughout the year. Point to the words when you use them in the unit and encourage students to reference the word wall during class activities and discussions. The vocabulary activities in my TPT store directly correspond to the word walls so that students are consistently engaging with the words in dedicated vocabulary activities and within the instructional activities for the unit as well. It's fun to involve students in creating the word wall, too! When a new word is introduced, allow a student to place it on the word wall. The more they interact with it, the more confident they will be in using the vocabulary during class.

A Bonus for You!

If you're on the fence about using word walls in class, I invite you to try one for free! Fill out the form below and I'll send the Introduction to Social Studies Word Wall directly to your inbox. It is a great resource to use at the beginning of the year when you are introducing foundational topics or to keep up all year long for students to see! After all, they're probably frequently using words like point of view, bias, primary source, secondary source, timeline, chronology and more all throughout the year. Fill out the form and print and post your word wall in the classroom today!

Get started with word walls today!

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Introduction to Social Studies Lesson Ideas for Middle School

 I love teaching Social Studies. I really love it. It's exciting to present historical concepts to students and find ways to make it interesting and engaging for them. I love hearing comments like, "Social Studies is my favorite class" and "Social Studies is really fun" because they often come from students who were wary of the subject at the start of the school year. Through our activities and the creation of a positive classroom environment, they find an appreciation for my favorite school subject and sometimes it even becomes their favorite subject of the year. How cool is that?!

I also love sharing my passion for teaching Social Studies and connecting with teachers like you who share that same love of learning and bringing history to life in their classrooms! But where to begin? Hint: it involves lots of freebies which are included in a FREE Introduction to Social Studies Mini Unit - 5 complete days of lessons - all activities are included - just for you! 

Here are some lesson ideas for introducing the subject of social studies in your classroom:

Hook Ideas

A good hook activity is a great way to start a new lesson. It grabs students' attention and sets the scene for the unit or daily lesson. Here are some easy ideas:

1. True or False? 

Write a brief series of questions about the study of history and some key terms you plan to cover. Ask students to raise their thumbs in the air (up for yes, down for no) in response to the questions. It's an easy and fun way to assess prior knowledge. You can also use mini white boards and have students collaborate in groups of 2-3 to answer true or false. After each question, you can review the right answer.

2. YouTube Videos

I love finding a great (and brief!) YouTube video to use during a lesson. Here are some of my favorites to introduce the subject of social studies:

An Animated Introduction to Social Science (Soomo Publishing)

Why Study History? (The Pursuit of History)

Why Study History? (PragerU) recommended for older students

3. Draw It

This hook is perfect for mini whiteboards. Ask students to draw or write images, words, doodles, etc. when they think of the words "social studies" or "history". These images can spark discussions about concepts that relate to social studies!

A Word Wall

Hold up! Do you have a word wall in your classroom? If not, it's time to start. A word wall is a place to collect the important vocabulary terms you are teaching in your unit. You can even collect and keep them up all year! Word walls give students a chance to review and interact with vocabulary daily. 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. 

You can make your own word wall for an Introduction to Social Studies unit or download this free resource from my TpT store! :)

Introduction to Social Studies Activities

Now that your students are hooked, it's time to dive into the unit. I've created some free resources in my TpT store - The Teacher's Prep - to help you in this endeavor!

1. Vocabulary Activities

We've already discussed the importance of vocabulary posted in a word wall - now let's talk about some activities students can complete to interact with the vocabulary in a variety of ways! 

The Introduction to Social Studies Vocabulary Activities resource (it's free, too!) has three activities to use with your students. I like spreading out these activities over the course of the unit to give kids extra practice. 

The first activity I typically start with is the Introduction to Social Studies Vocabulary activity in which students write the definitions for each vocabulary term. As we use the terms in class during the unit, I give them time to write a sentence using each word in the chart.

On subsequent days, there are two more activities to use - a matching activity and a crossword puzzle. Again, the more students interact with the words, the more opportunities they will have to understand the important concepts you are teaching in class!

If that sounds like activities you'd find useful in your classroom, download it here!

2. Informational Text

Ok, now it's time to dive into the heart of the unit - reading informational text! If you don't already have access to informational text or would like to supplement the resources you currently have, I've created an Introduction to Social Studies Interactive PowerPoint that is filled with informational text students can read. It also directly corresponds to a set of interactive notebook graphic organizers for student note taking. 

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!

Check it out here! And yes, it's also free. (It's a theme!) :)

3. 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. 

I love interactive notebooks so much, I made complete sets for Ancient History, American History and Civics / American Government ... in both paper and digital formats. You can check them out by clicking on the links in the last sentence!

And of course, this section wouldn't be complete without a paper and digital copy of the Introduction to Social Studies interactive notebooks to take with you! Click here for the digital interactive notebook and here for the paper interactive notebook. 

4. Task Cards

Last (for now!) but certainly not least are 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.

If task cards seem like something you'd like to add to your Introduction to Social Studies unit, click here to download a free resource of them from my TpT store!

And Finally...

Thank you for all you do for your students to bring history to life in your classroom and engage students in topics that will foster a love of learning. I hope these resources make your life a bit easier and save you valuable time in the school year.

I absolutely love hearing from teachers like you. If you find the resources useful in your classroom, I invite you to leave me a note in the feedback sections and let me know how you used the activities in your classroom. I read every word and your notes mean so much to me!

Happy Teaching! 

Oh, and here's a link (click here!) directly to a page in my TpT store that lists all of these free resources in case you don't want to scroll back through the post. :)