HumorousHistory

If you're like me, you're struggling to find ways to make the more boring topics in U.S. History more palatable for your students. Disclaimer: this will not make students more intrinsically motivated, nor will it make this topic more exciting to them. It will, however, allow you the ability to have students complete a gallery walk, table-talk discussion, initiate PBL or inquiry-based project, or generate some discussion questions (compare and contrast the unions / strikes; what would you have

Any easy review for any level - determine whether the newspaper headline is true or false. Just print and go! There are 4 different versions so you can have flexible groups work together or, in my case, different versions for each kid in a group to prevent copying of their neighbor (IYKYK). Pairs well with my Road to the Civil War gallery walk lesson. This activity also comes with a fill-in-the-blank paragraph as a formative assessment. The kids find it challenging yet attainable. Fun? Maybe no

You want your students to have voice and choice. You want your students to be engaged. You desperately want them to think you're cool. Or not. Also, you're tired. This is the resource for you! Students are provided with a graphic organizer with links to the videos they can pick from. If you really want to be cool, you can let them find their own protest song and link it to share with the class. This works well with the 1960s/Vietnam era in U.S. History or APUSH. If you want to really jaz

Student-centered activity where students read posters outlining the definition and effect of the British colonial laws + policies leading up to the Declaration of Independence. (contains Proclamation Act, Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Tea Act, and Coercive Acts) As a gallery walk, just print and post around the room and have students compile notes. For stations, have students work in groups to discuss the impact of each law on the feelings toward King George (I also have my students tr

U.S. History & AP U.S. History teachers: Are you looking for a way to engage every student in an "authentic task" that creates discourse? This activity provides a background to the coup in Hawaii in 1893 and puts students in the role as advisers to President Cleveland. Students deliberate which of the 4 options the president must choose on the situation in Hawaii. Practices argumentation, supporting a stance with evidence, and creating dialogue in groups. Just post Google slide and student

One of the topics that always engages students is discussing gender roles! In the mid-1800s, the separate spheres concept led to the Seneca Falls Convention. Women wanted to change their standing in society. This artwork analysis can be done by students individually, in table groups, collaboratively, or as a gallery walk! Just print and go! I printed the slides, posted them around the room, and gave each group sticky notes to write their responses on. This file consists of a context sli

The Warren Court cases are covered in Government, U.S. History, as well as in the AP courses. Teacher will decide HOW to cover the cases - student investigation, read a case summary, watch a YouTube video, direct instruction, etc. - have students detail the main ideas on the graphic organizer. Students could create a poster and post them around the room for a gallery walk to fill in the graphic organizer. The 2nd page is a quiz with an extended response question to ensure comprehension and to

Aligns with AMSCO AP U.S. History book. Students read and fill out each section from the AMSCO to complete the jigsaw activity. Includes key terms aligned with the CED! Perfect activity for the first day back from winter break ;)

This worksheet covers all of the major skills required for the AP Exam: continuity and change over time, periodization, evaluating turning points, causation, contextualizing, and comparison. No prep necessary! Students can do this solo, in groups, as homework, or for a quiz. Get the most bang for your hard-earned buck!

There are a lot of events that led to the Civil War - teach them more easily with this PDF that you can print and go! Students can do this in groups, individually, as a gallery walk, or create a timeline with them. This could even work for group presentations, as it provides a basic definition, causes, and effects for each event. Fits with most U.S. History standards. Events/Laws covered are: manifest destiny, Oregon Territory Dispute, gold rush, Compromise of 1850, Dred Scott v Sandford,

Tired of getting NO FEEDBACK after having a substitute teacher cover for you? Or, tired of trying to decode the cryptic messages left on sticky notes? How about this one: students say, "The sub didn't tell us to do that assignment!" (I can't even.) While there is no guarantee that subs will fill this out, I firmly believe that most subs want to be helpful and will provide feedback if asked. This form should be modified to reflect your schedule and classes you teach. Enjoy!

In describing the economy of the 1920s, it can be pretty boring....even I can admit that tariffs are not the most interesting thing to discuss. However, I have taken a "boring" piece of text that explores the policies of Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover and made it more engaging and interactive with Pear Deck! No prep is required, as the teacher will set the PearDeck to "student-paced activity" and students are able to choose which of the examples they want to read about for each policy: laissez

Google Slides-based analysis of the poem, "I, Too" by Langston Hughes. Can be done individually or in groups. Post in Google Classroom and boom! No prep required.

For this list of terms, students must write one clear, concise sentence summary. Great tool for practicing historical significance and writing.

Provides a list of terms/events/people; students must identify the decade in which these events occurred.

This is a basic PowerPoint outline of key terms studied for U.S. History and AP U.S. History. Students can write their own definitions on a sheet of paper, shout out answers, work in groups as a team competition for review -- the possibilities are endless. Add or delete slides to adapt it to your state's standards! My personal favorite way to review is to give students several terms and have them explain how the terms are related. Gets the cobwebs out of their brains and forces them to consid

This outline assists students while they read or during a class lecture, and aligns to the CED. No prep necessary! Students could also do this in groups, centers, stations, as homework for a flipped classroom model, or for exam prep.

Looking for a quick way to cover material for the Gilded Age? This graphic organizer allows students to not only define key terms, but explain its significance -- a skill required to prepare students for the AP exam! Perfect for a flipped classroom or for having students complete during a lecture. This could also be done in groups for a jigsaw activity.

Active learning + student-led activity, using key terms from Period 6 (the Gilded Age). Have them create groups with their own categories, teacher-created groupings, use as flash cards, sort chronologically -- the possibilities are endless!

Christmas Survey Follow-Up. Have students conduct short research inquiries, writing assignments, or graphic activities.