Pine Tree Pedagogy

Help your students understand the three branches of government with this engaging and scaffolded fill-in-the-blank visual notes! This resource is perfect for middle school civics, government, or U.S. history classes. Students will review key responsibilities and powers of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches, as well as important vocabulary like checks and balances, cabinet, impeachment, and judicial review. Tthis printable and digital-friendly activity works well as: Guided notes A

Start your school year with this engaging 2–3 day identity mapping and geography mini-unit that helps students connect personal experience to place, build classroom community, and develop essential writing and thinking skills. In this back-to-school activity, students choose 4–5 meaningful places from their lives—where they learned something about themselves or the world—and map them using Google Maps, paper maps, or digital tools. Then, they select one location and write a Claim-Evidence-Reason

Article Analysis Assignment #5: Migrant Children, Legal Rights & Immigration Justice | Critical Thinking & Current EventsThis thought-provoking Article Analysis Assignment (AAA #5) explores a real and urgent issue in U.S. immigration policy: the suspension of legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children. Students will analyze a recent Associated Press news article detailing the Trump administration's decision to halt a key legal aid contract, leaving vulnerable children—some as young as two—to f

This is a slideshow that guides a mini unit on social media usage by citizens and politicians. It starts with a short writing activity and "thrash out" style debate on whether or not students think they should receive in school consequences for out of school social media postings. From there, this unit goes into Political uses for social media and specifically President Trump's use. It ends with a short Claim, Evidence, Reasoning writing activity about whether or not Presidential tweets should b

Give your students a chance to think critically, speak up, and take action with this engaging civics activity focused on getting involved in government! Perfect for middle school social studies or advisory, this resource helps students explore real issues currently being debated in Congress, understand representation at the local, state, and national levels, and make a personalized action plan for civic engagement—even if they’re not old enough to vote. Students will reflect on controversial to

Article Analysis Assignment #2: Wildlife, Ethics & Social Media Backlash | Current Events & Critical ThinkingEngage your students in a high-interest, discussion-worthy current events assignment that builds annotation, analysis, and reflection skills. This Article Analysis Assignment (AAA #2) focuses on the viral incident involving an American influencer in Australia, sparking outrage for pulling a baby wombat from its mother — a moment that raised questions about wildlife protection, social medi

Play bingo with your students from anywhere! Every student gets their own bingo board on a Google slide with red "chips" they can move. Use these with any type of math problem, from simple operation practice to solving for variables.

Simple, yet informative, survey to give kids middle or high school on the first day of school.

Group or individual activity that can serve as an introduction to World War II and/or the Holocaust.

For students working on percent problems this is a great way to get them out of their seat and moving! There are 14 problems included - some are straightforward and others are word problems - and students solve one and move to the next by finding the answer they just found on the bottom of another problem. They continue to solve until they have made the circuit back to their original problem. Please see the first page of the sample for a clear explanation of how to use! Enjoy!

Article Analysis Assignment #1: Dress Codes, Discrimination & the CROWN Act | Current Events & Critical ThinkingLooking for a meaningful, ready-to-use current events assignment that builds reading comprehension, critical thinking, and student voice? This Article Analysis Assignment (AAA #1) is the perfect way to introduce students to real-world issues, including dress codes, racial discrimination, and civil rights. This assignment is based on the recent case of Darryl George, a Black Texas stude

You're so sharp, you'll blow this test out of the water! These gift tags are perfect to give with a pencil (and/or a Blowpop!) right before a big test! Just punch a hole in the top and bottom, and slide a pencil through it!

A fun get to know you game for the first week of school! Comes with four different copies of the BINGO board with the prompts scrambled.