Social Studies Lesson Plans
Global Lesson Plans
The Fall of Rome
One major topic in every global social studies class is the Fall of the Roman Empire and the factors that contributed to the collapse. Sarah E. Hogan and myself created this lesson on the Fall of the Roman Empire and how the Barbarians contributed to its collapse. However, our lesson's main focus is Were the Barbarians as Uncivilized as History Depicts them to be? This allows the students a look into the Barbarian tribes and their culture, while allowing them to form and support an opinion based on primary source documents.
The Sack of Rome
Along with the lesson and its handouts we also created a movie and PowerPoint Presentation. All the files, and the two media items are shown below.
Video created on the Barbarians that contributed to the Fall of the Roman Empire
put to the music "Seven Devils" by Florence + The Machines.
put to the music "Seven Devils" by Florence + The Machines.
PowerPoint Presentation Used During Lesson.
Fall of the Roman Empire Lesson Plan | |
File Size: | 46 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Barbaric Destruction of a Great Empire Packet | |
File Size: | 1007 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Tiered Barbaric Destruction of a Great Empire Packet | |
File Size: | 1009 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Exit Slip for the Fall of the Roman Empire Lesson | |
File Size: | 1538 kb |
File Type: | docx |
History Frame for the Homework Assignment | |
File Size: | 34 kb |
File Type: | docx |
New Political Systems: Nazism v. Communism Lesson Plan
One of the crucial points in world history is the development of Nazism and Communism and World War II. Below is a literacy skills and Common Core Standards based lesson plan that addresses the ideologies of Nazism and Communism. This lesson would be completed after a few days of notes on the new political ideologies. The lesson could be used as a summary of the previous lessons. It gives the students a time to form their on opinions on which regime is the lesser of two evils, or which regime they would rather live under.
Left: Joseph Stalin Right: Adolf Hitler
Tri-fold Display Board for Nazism v. Communism Lesson
Nazism v. Communism Lesson Plan | |
File Size: | 24 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Set up for Lesson on Nazism v. Communism | |
File Size: | 81 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Tri-fold Board Set Up | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Passage on Nazism and Communism | |
File Size: | 37 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Discussion Web Handout for Nazism v. Communism Lesson Plan | |
File Size: | 74 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Quotes from Hitler and Stalin | |
File Size: | 114 kb |
File Type: | docx |
American History Lesson Plans
Why People Moved to the English Colonies in North America Lesson Plan
Students will explore the reasons why people came to the English colonies in North America and the hardships that they faced. This lesson was created for a resource room classroom but can be modified for a general education classroom. This lesson helps students to understand why people left their family and friends in England to come to America. The lessons explores four main motives: for land, religious freedom, to escape dirty cities and to have more say in government. This lesson is a segway into the first colonies.
The Voyage to the Colonies in North America.
Why People Moved to the English Colonies in North America Lesson Plan | |
File Size: | 22 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Handouts for lesson on Why People Moved to the English Colonies in North America | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies Lesson Plan
This is a lesson plan exploring the differences between the first two American colonies, Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies. Below two lesson plans are listed. One is for 7th graders, and has the hand-outs to go with it, and the other is for 11th graders. The attached Venn Diagram for the 7th grade lesson is a general Venn Diagram which I labelled more specifically for use during the lesson. The lesson explores the different societies and the characteristics that formed their differences and similarities. The lessons also address the new New York State Common Core Standards.
Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies for 7th Grade | |
File Size: | 21 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies Handouts | |
File Size: | 1534 kb |
File Type: | docx |
KWL Chart for Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies | |
File Size: | 84 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies for 11th grade | |
File Size: | 16 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Venn Diagram to Compare and Contrast Jamestown and Massachusetts Bay Colonies | |
File Size: | 37 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Colonial Life on Long Island: Which industry most effected the development of slavery on Long Island?
This lesson has the students explore colonial life on Long Island. It looks into the development of slavery on Long Island and the industries that caused the growth of slavery. It is extremely important since it addresses Common Core Standards while also showing students what life was like in colonial life in the area that they are now currently living. The lesson motivates the students because it pertains to the area they know and live in, while also getting them to realize that slavery was common throughout the colonies not just in the South.
Scene from Colonial Life on Long Island
Above is the PowerPoint for the Colonial Life on Long Island Lesson Plan.
Colonial Life on Long Island Lesson Plan | |
File Size: | 24 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Colonial Life on Long Island PowerPoint | |
File Size: | 4280 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Handouts for Colonial Life on Long Island Lesson | |
File Size: | 409 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Revolutionary Tea Lesson Plan
This lesson has students research, present and discuss different points of views and opinions on signing the Declaration of Independence from Revolutionary Figures over "tea." This lesson is designed for 8th graders and is a way to get them involved and to make an active decision in whether or not they would have sign the Declaration of Independence if they were alive at the time. The lesson also addresses New York State, National and Common Core Standards.
Continental Congress
Revolutionary Tea Lesson Plan | |
File Size: | 22 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Formation of a New Government Lesson Plan
This is a lesson focusing on the students' skills to analyze documents and to write an essay based on textual evidence. This lesson also observes the formation of the United States government and the Enlightenment Principles that helped to form this new nation. The lesson addresses the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and Enlightenment Principles. It was designed for grade7 around the NYS common core draft. This is the third lesson in a the Unit Plan: War for Independence and Formation of a New Nation.
Patriotic Picture Surrounding the Constitution.
Unit Plan that incorporates this Lesson | |
File Size: | 305 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Lesson Plan on the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and Enlightenment Principles | |
File Size: | 24 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Handouts | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Documents for the History Mystery | |
File Size: | 186 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Road to Revolution and Formation of a New Nation Unit Test | |
File Size: | 1680 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Lewis and Clark Expedition Lesson Plan
This is a lesson plan for grade 11, or a US History class on the exploration of the Louisiana Purchase by Lewis and Clark. It describes their experiences and the importance of their journey to the United States.
Lewis and Clark | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: | docx |