About the store
Laura Horn has been an educator since 2007 and currently serves as an Instructional Technology Specialist in East Texas, where she’s proudly helped lead her district’s 1:1 Chromebook initiative and trained hundreds of teachers on EdTech tools like Canvas and Google Classroom. With over 10 years in instructional tech and a background in middle and high school Social Studies, Laura brings firsthand classroom experience to every resource she designs.
She's the creator and presenter of “EdTech on the Go,” a mobile professional development series helping educators feel confident using digital tools in real classrooms. Whether she’s supporting new teachers or helping veteran educators overcome tech hesitancy, her mission is the same: to make teaching more manageable and meaningful through purposeful technology.
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Global Chokepoints Geography Activity | Trade, Geopolitics, & Supply Chain | TEK
🌊 What happens when the world’s "faucets" get turned off? > 90% of global trade travels by sea, but much of it passes through narrow, high-risk "chokepoints." This no-prep Global Chokepoints Activity transforms students into Logistics Officers who must navigate real-world crises in the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, and beyond. What’s Inside:The Global Chokepoints Reference: A clean, 1-page guide to strategic waterways (Hormuz, Suez, Panama, Malacca, etc.) and the "3 Pillars of Impact."
9th
Geography
The CTRL History Bundle: Tech-Themed Historical Thinking Skills (Growing!)
"Speak their language. Teach the skills."Get the complete CTRL History collection in one discounted bundle! These resources use the keyboard shortcuts students use every day as metaphors for complex Historical Thinking Skills. ⚠️ THIS IS A GROWING BUNDLE! ⚠️ Current Status: 7 Resources Included Future Updates: FREE for existing buyers How it works: As we add new activities to this series (like "CTRL+P" or "Shift+Delete"), the price of this bundle will increase. However, if you buy it today,
4th - 12th
Other (Social Studies)
European Explorers: Who Sailed Where and Why? – 16 Reading Passages (Grades 6–8)
Launch your students into the Age of Exploration with this ready-to-use reading-based resource!In this content-rich unit, students explore the voyages, motivations, and historical impact of 16 major European explorers—like Cabot, Cortés, Magellan, Champlain, and Eriksson—through concise, half-page reading passages. Each profile includes an “Explorer Facts” box highlighting the country they sailed for and their significance to American history. Whether used as daily warm-ups, mini-lessons, or sta
6th - 8th
European History, U.S. History, World History
Classical Civilizations Comparison Matrix | TEKS Aligned | World History
Looking for a concise way to cover the "Big Six" civilizations of the Classical Era? This no-prep graphic organizer is specifically designed to meet World History Standards. Students will analyze the political, religious, and cultural contributions of Persia, India, China, Israel, Greece, and Rome. What’s Included:Student Comparison Matrix: A structured workspace for identifying key traits of the "Big Six."Critical Thinking Analysis: A deep-dive prompt comparing the collapse of the Roman Empire
9th - 12th
World History
Tracking Santa: Latitude & Longitude Map Skills Mystery (Christmas Geography)
Ho, Ho, Hold on! Santa has lost his flight plan in a blizzard! 🎅🗺️ Turn your geography lesson into a holiday rescue mission with this engaging "Santa Tracker" map skills activity. Perfect for the days leading up to winter break, this activity reinforces critical latitude and longitude skills while keeping students focused and having fun. The Mission: Students act as "North Pole Flight Controllers." Using a list of coordinates (Latitude N/S and Longitude E/W), they must plot Santa's course on a
4th - 8th
Geography, Other (Social Studies)
Early America Task Cards | U.S. History Review | Printable & Digital
Make Early America review interactive and engaging! This set of 24 U.S. History Task Cards covers key events, people, and ideas from the founding era — from the colonies to the Constitution. Perfect for test review, learning stations, partner practice, or even classroom games like Scoot, these cards are ready to print or assign digitally in Google Slides or Canva. ✨ What’s Included ✅ 24 task cards (color + black-and-white) ✅ Teacher answer key ✅ Student recording sheet ✅ Digital version
7th - 11th
U.S. History
Historical Figure New Year's Resolution | Social Media Profile Activity (CANVA)
Engage your history students with a modern twist on the classic "New Year's Resolution" assignment!This "Historical Social Media Profile" activity challenges students to step into the shoes of a historical figure on January 1st. Instead of a boring essay, students create a viral-worthy social media post complete with a "selfie," a username handle, and a caption that reveals their deepest goals, fears, or political ambitions for the coming year. Perfect for: US History, World History, Biography U
6th - 12th
Other (Social Studies), U.S. History, World History
RACE Strategy Graphic Organizer | Constructed Response Think Sheet
Mastering the art of the constructed response doesn't have to be a drag! Help your students "race" to the finish line of great writing with this organized, easy-to-use R.A.C.E. Think Sheet. Whether you are preparing for state testing or just want to strengthen your students' ability to cite evidence, this graphic organizer provides the visual scaffolding they need to succeed. What’s Included?A Multi-Design Think Sheet: Features clear sections for each step of the RACE acronym.Themed Layout: Fun
Not Specific
ELA Test Prep, Other (ELA), Other (Social Studies)
Kindergarten Social Studies | My Family and Home | Back to School
Help kindergarten students learn about families and homes with these simple and inclusive My Family & Home coloring pages. This set introduces different family structures, people who care for us, homes, and ways families help one another in a developmentally appropriate and globally inclusive way. Includes: My family Families are different People who care for me My home I help at home Family time Family traditions Families help each other Grade Level: Kindergarten Use For: Social studies
Kindergarten
Other (Social Studies)
Understanding Self Coloring Pages | Kindergarten Social Studies | Back to School
Help kindergarten students explore who they are with these simple and engaging All About Me coloring pages. These worksheets introduce personal identity, feelings, family, and interests in a developmentally appropriate way—perfect for back to school or social studies centers. Includes: Self portrait pageMy nameMy ageMy familyMy feelingsThings I likeMy favoritesWhat makes me specialGrade Level: Kindergarten Use For: Social studiesMorning workCentersSub plansBack to school activitiesNotes: Black-a
Kindergarten
Other (Social Studies)
Union vs. Confederacy: Civil War Comparison Reading & Chart | TEKS-Aligned
Product Description:Who really stood for what during the Civil War? In this focused reading and analysis assignment, students explore the defining differences between the Union and the Confederacy. After reading a concise background passage, they’ll use a graphic T-chart to compare each side's geography, economy, military strategies, and values. Students then answer comprehension questions that reinforce understanding and spark class discussion. Finally, a creative extension invites students to
6th - 8th
Other (Social Studies), U.S. History
Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer Template | Editable Landscape Layout
Help students clearly show how one thing leads to another! This Cause and Effect Template is designed in a clean, landscape layout that works across subjects—ELA, science, social studies, or even math reasoning. Students can type or write directly into labeled boxes for Cause, Effect, and Connection, making it a perfect fit for digital or printable use. ✅ What’s Included: 1 editable landscape template Pre-labeled sections for Cause, Effect, and Connection Space for name/date and student
Not Specific
For All Subjects, Not Subject Specific
CTRL + / - History: "Context Zoom" Micro vs Macro Activity
"If you stand too close, you miss the background. If you stand too far, you miss the people."Mastering Contextualization is one of the hardest skills for history students. They struggle to connect a specific event (like a battle) to the larger era (like the Industrial Revolution). This tech-themed graphic organizer uses the familiar concept of Zooming (CTRL + / CTRL -) to make this abstract concept concrete. The Concept:CTRL + (Zoom In): Students examine the Micro-History. Who are the individu
6th - 12th
Creative Writing, Other (Social Studies)
CTRL + ALT + DEL History: "System Reboot" Revolution Analysis
"The system is frozen. It's time to force a reboot."Teach the anatomy of a Revolution using the one keyboard command every student knows: CTRL + ALT + DEL. This graphic organizer uses the metaphor of a computer crash to help students break down complex political upheavals into three clear stages: The Freeze (Grievances), The Force Quit (The Revolution), and The Reboot (The New Government). The Concept: Revolutions are confusing. Students often mix up the causes with the outcomes. This workshee
6th - 12th
Creative Writing, Other (Social Studies)
CTRL + C / V History: "History Repeats" Comparison Activity
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes."Teach Comparative History and Continuity & Change with this clever, tech-themed graphic organizer. Students use the metaphor of Copy & Paste to analyze two events—one from the past (The Original) and one from a later era (The Duplicate)—to decide if we are truly repeating our mistakes. The Concept: Students often say "this is just like..." This worksheet gives them the structure to prove it. They identify what "code" was copied (universal h
6th - 12th
Creative Writing, Other (Social Studies)
ALT + TAB History: "Perspective Switcher" Point of View Activity
"History looks different depending on which window is open."Help your students master Historical Perspective and Point of View (POV) with this clever, tech-themed graphic organizer. Just like using ALT + TAB to switch between open windows on a computer, this worksheet asks students to "toggle" between two historical figures or groups to see how they experienced the same event differently. The Concept: History is rarely black and white. To understand the whole picture, students must look throu
6th - 12th
Creative Writing, Other (Social Studies)
CTRL + Z History: "What If" Creative Writing & Critical Thinking Activity
"If you could hit CTRL+Z on one moment in history, what would you delete?"Get your students thinking critically about cause and effect with this engaging, tech-themed graphic organizer. This activity blends historical analysis with creative writing, asking students to identify a specific event to "undo," analyze why it should be removed, and predict the positive and negative "Butterfly Effects" of that change. Perfect for:New Year's Reflections: A fresh take on "looking back" at the previous yea
6th - 12th
Creative Writing, Other (Social Studies)
CTRL + F History: "Evidence Scanner" Primary Source Analysis Activity
"Don't just read the text—search for the truth."Get your students thinking critically about evidence and bias with this engaging, tech-themed graphic organizer. This activity blends primary source analysis with information literacy, asking students to "scan" a document for proof, analyze word choices, and identify the "404 Errors" (missing perspectives) in the historical record. Perfect for:DBQ Prep: Train students to extract specific quotes to support an argument.Primary Source Analysis: Use w
6th - 12th
Creative Writing, Other (Social Studies)
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About the store
Experience
Laura Horn has been an educator since 2007 and currently serves as an Instructional Technology Specialist in East Texas, where she’s proudly helped lead her district’s 1:1 Chromebook initiative and trained hundreds of teachers on EdTech tools like Canvas and Google Classroom. With over 10 years in instructional tech and a background in middle and high school Social Studies, Laura brings firsthand classroom experience to every resource she designs.
She's the creator and presenter of “EdTech on the Go,” a mobile professional development series helping educators feel confident using digital tools in real classrooms. Whether she’s supporting new teachers or helping veteran educators overcome tech hesitancy, her mission is the same: to make teaching more manageable and meaningful through purposeful technology.
Teaching style
Laura’s approach blends creativity, technology, and real-world application. Her resources are:
Hands-on and inquiry-driven
Student-centered with room for voice and choice
Differentiated to support all learners
4C-aligned: encouraging critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication
At the heart of her work is this core belief:
"When we equip students with the tools to question, connect, and create, we don’t just prepare them for tests—we prepare them to flourish in life."
Awards & shining teacher moments
2020 Campus Teacher of the Year
Google Certified Educator
Microsoft Certified Educator
Canva Certified Educator
Canvas Team Lead for district rollout
Presenter at ESC Region VII FITT Conference
Presenter at TCEA
Proudest Moment: Watching her early students grow up—and then turning around to teach the teachers! Sharing her love of EdTech and seeing others thrive with it is a full-circle joy.
My own education history
A.A. – Kilgore College
B.A. – Stephen F. Austin State University
M.I.S. – Stephen F. Austin State University
Certified in ESL, History, Social Studies, and Technology Integration.
Additional biographical information
CTRL+HISTORY is where Social Studies meets the digital age! This store specializes in engaging, tech-integrated resources for Social Studies, EdTech, and ESL classrooms. From ready-to-use DBQs and interactive notebooks to differentiated instruction, TEKS-aligned resources, Google tools, every resource is designed to save you time, boost student engagement, and empower 21st-century learning. Whether you're a seasoned teacher or just getting started, CTRL+HISTORY has something to help you reboot your classroom: critical, creative, clickable.
Laura lives in East Texas with her husband and 2 children. She’s a former collegiate baton twirler who now coaches and choreographs routines for the next generation. A proud “Disney Adult” and lifelong traveler, she also enjoys puzzles, diamond art, and cheering on her kids as a dedicated sports mom. When she’s not geeking out over EdTech, she and her husband are working on opening a brewery—because history, hops, and HTML all have a place in her world!
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