Guess the Word- Great Depression

This INGENIOUS activity is similar to 4 Pics and a Word or What's the Word. It is a rigorous vocabulary activity that uses pictures to help students learn vocabulary words. Currently this one is for the Great Depression but more units are coming very soon!

I usually play this activity in pairs and start all students at level 1. They have to keep guessing until they get the word correct then they can move on to level 2. They can be laminated so that students don't write on them and they last from year to year.

Click here to get Guess the Word- Great Depression

Correlates to State Standards

Florida

SS.912.A.5.11- Examine causes, course, and consequences of the Great Depression and the New Deal.

·      Standard:       Analyze the effects of the changing social, political, and economic conditions of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression

California

11.6 Students analyze the different explanations for the Great Depression and how the New Deal fundamentally changed the role of the federal government.

1. Describe the monetary issues of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that gave rise to the establishment of the Federal Reserve and the weaknesses in key sectors of the economy in the late 1920s.

2. Understand the explanations of the principal causes of the Great Depression and the steps taken by the Federal Reserve, Congress, and Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt to combat the economic crisis.

3. Discuss the human toll of the Depression, natural disasters, and unwise agricultural practices and their effects on the depopulation of rural regions and on political movements of the left and right, with particular attention to the Dust Bowl refugees and their social and economic impacts in California.

4. Analyze the effects of and the controversies arising from New Deal economic policies and the expanded role of the federal government in society and the economy since the 1930s (e.g., Works Progress Administration, Social Security, National Labor Relations Board, farm programs, regional development policies, and energy development projects such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, California Central Valley Project, and Bonneville Dam).

Tennessee

8.4 Identify the changes in social and cultural life caused by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl (i.e., Hoovervilles, Bonus Army, migrations, worldwide economic depression, Democrat victory in 1932, widespread poverty, unemployment, religious revivalism).

Virginia

VUS.10   The student will demonstrate knowledge of key domestic events of the 1920s and 1930s by

b)    assessing the causes and consequences of the stock market crash of 1929;

c)     explaining the causes of the Great Depression and its impact on the American people;

d)    describing how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal relief, recovery, and reform measures addressed the Great Depression and expanded the government’s role in the economy.

Common Core Standards (History)

Grade 6-8

Reading Standard 4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6–8 texts and topics.

Grade 9-10

Reading Standard 4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9–10 texts and topics.

Grade 11-12

Reading Standard 4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11–12 texts and topics.

Wake Your Class Up with Simulations!

Have students ever expressed that your class is boring? Have you ever wanted to show students an experiment but didn't have the equipment? Need a way to spice up your classroom? Well why don't you WAKE YOUR class up with simulations? I have complied a list of EXCELLENT simulations that I have actually evaluated (except one) for user-friendliness, design, cost, attractiveness, and effectiveness. This list will be updated regularly so continue to check back!

 

Social Studies

• iCivics- This EXTRAORDINARY site has great lessons for studying constitutional rights, debating, roles and responsibilities of the president, and the 3 branches of government. They can not only be used in a Civics or Government class but very useful in a U.S. History class (when studying the constitution) or in Geography (when studying government or in a unit about the US) Very easy to use, appropriate for all ages, and it's FREE. http://www.icivics.org/
• Playing History- This is a good collection of historical simulations that include various areas of social studies. They are easy to use and fun! http://playinghistory.org/
  
• You Are There- These historical simulations APPEAR to be very good. However, because of software restrictions on my computer, I have only seen it once but have not had time to fully evaluate. However, I feel it may be worth your time.
• U.S. History Simulations- http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/ext/hist_sims/
• World History Simulations- http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/ext/westciv_sims/
  
• Flight to Freedom- http://ssad.bowdoin.edu:9780/projects/flighttofreedom/intro.shtml
•  Nobel Prize- The Nobel Prize organization has a whole section on education simulations that have been nominated and/or won Nobel prizes! They have some  SUPERB simulations for science, including chemistry, physics, and biology. http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/all_productions.html

Science

• PhET (University of Colorado at Boulder)- This has WONDERFUL  simulations for Science and Math. They are easy to use and only require that you download Java. It has versions into almost 20 different languages. You can even embed the simulations for students to play straight from your website or blog. These are SUPERB!  http://phet.colorado.edu/
• Molecular Workbench- This GREAT site allows students to work thought simulations, asks multiple choice questions, and makes  to explain what happened in a short essay. You can even create your own simulations or change current ones to fit your individual class needs or state objectives. http://mw.concord.org/modeler/
• Explorer Learning-  Now this exceptional site has simulations for science and math for grades 3-12. The best features about this site is that you go get activities specific to state standards or Common Core, and it comes complete with a student worksheet and a student vocabulary sheet. It does have a free samples and a 30 day free trial (which does give you full access to everything) but to get continued full access, you have to get the paid version. http://www.explorelearning.com/
• Nobel Prize- The Nobel Prize organization has a whole section on education simulations that have been nominated and/or won Nobel prizes! They have some  SUPERB simulations for science, including chemistry, physics, and biology. http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/all_productions.html

Math

•  University of Colorado at Boulder- has GREAT simulations for Science and Math. They are easy to use and only require that you download Java. It has versions into almost 20 different languages. You can even embed the simulations for students to play straight from your website or blog. These are SUPERB!  http://phet.colorado.edu/
•  Explorer Learning-  Now this exceptional site has simulations for science and math for grades 3-12. The best features about this site is that you go get activities specific to state standards or Common Core, and it comes complete with a student worksheet and a student vocabulary sheet. It does have a free samples and a 30 day free trial (which does give you full access to everything) but to get continued full access, you have to get the paid version. http://www.explorelearning.com/
• Illuminations- This site has over 100 simulations. They you can pick by grade level or standard. They also have lesson plans and a few assessment questions. http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx
• Shodor- This site has an interesting variety of simulations that are easy to use and don't require downloads. http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/

Reading/ Language Arts

• Read-Write-Think- This site has interesting simulations that go with many reading and writing skills. They even have accompanying lessons and they are FREE.  http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/
• Nobel Prize- The Nobel Prize organization has a whole section on education simulations that have been nominated and/or won Nobel prizes! They have some simulations for social studies and economics. http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/all_productions.html
• Mr. Anker- Has some good simulation on basic language arts skills (parts of sentences, analogies, homophones, vocabulary, reading comprehension). http://www.henryanker.com/

General

• Google Advanced Search 
• If you want to search and find simulations and games by topic (for example by a topic such as colonization, photosynthesis, solving quadratic equations, etc.), you can use Google Advanced Search. 
1. Read my article on Using Google Search to Find Resources
2. When you select the format, use  Shockwave Wave Flash (.swf)

This list is CONSTANTLY growing so make sure to check back often. Any suggestions kimberlyscott@gmail.com or @ingeniousteach

Musical Chairs- Simple and Fun!

Everyone knows the elementary game of Musical Chairs. The teacher plays music while a number of students walk around a circle of chairs. There is one less chair than there are students. When the music stops, the students rush to get a seat. The student who didn't get a seat is out of the game. Another chair is taken out and the next round begins with the students who are left.

 

There is an INGENIOUS way to make this game content-based and appropriate for older students. Give students a number of questions (study questions, study guide, review questions etc.) after they have went over the content. Allow students to play musical chairs such as described above. After the music has stopped and students have gotten a seat, THIS is where the content-based method comes in. In order to stay in the game, students need to correctly answer ONE of the questions from the study guide. Any student who gets a question wrong, is out of the game and can be replaced by the student who didn't get a seat OR a student in the class. After the correct answer is given (by one of the students in the game), the answer should be posted on the board or shown via a PowerPoint. 

I use songs that my kids like to listen to (except I use the edited version:)

SPED Accommodation- Allow these students more time to answer AND allow them to use their notes or the textbook to answer.

Scavenger Hunt!

This activity is STUDENT APPROVED! It is so easy and my students love it!  Even the never-want-to-participate kind.

 

Before you can begin you, you must have a few things.
1. Study Guide with approximately 10 questions
2. Scavenger Hunt questions- pre- printed and cut out. It may be easiest to print each set of questions on different color paper. It might be easier to print them on a business card template. (See this template)
3. Paper clips or rubber bands- To keep the cards together
4. Resources for the students to find answers (textbook, notes, articles, computers)
5. Students are put into groups of not larger than 3

There are two ways to do a scavenger hunt.

1. Textbook and Notes Only- Groups all start out by getting question #1 from their stack. Each group looks through their textbook and notes and write their answer on a small dry erase board or a sheet of paper. If it is incorrect, they go back until they get the right answer. If it is correct, they get question #2. The group who gets to last question correct first, is the winner.
2.  Textbook + Computer+ Other Resources- With this variation, direct students to find some answers in the textbook, some on bookmarked websites on a class computer, some in class workbooks or teacher resource books, and even some on class posters or quality work of other students (that you may have posted on a brag board).

At the end of either scavenger hunt, pass out the study questions worksheet (which are the same study questions from the game except they are on one sheet). Quickly go through the questions and answer, since students have answered most (if not all) of them and can readily give the answers. I usually have a PowerPoint or smart board activity with the answers ready to help those students who need to see it visually.

When to Use This Activity
1. At the beginning of a lesson or unit to force the to find the answers on their own. This activity is a lot more fun then just reading and answering the questions.
2. After they should have read the assignment (either for homework the night before OR during class) to see if they paid attention.
3. As review for a test- I use those multiple test questions that come with the textbook or others similar to the ones on the test. (Make sure to remove the answer choices so there are only questions. If students have answer choices they will keep guessing.)

Application to Math- Give students a set of practice problems. This is more fun then giving them a worksheet and since you probably have worksheets with the problems, it is easy for you to make.

Application to Science- Give students a set of questions involving an experiment they completed. Ask them about the steps of the experiment and why the results turned out the way they did.

Application to Reading- Ask students about a story they should have read for homework. If they read they should be able to quickly answer the questions.


Application to Language Arts- Ask students to identify and change the mistakes in sentences. Or they can make changes to a paragraph. 

Application to Social Studies- Ask students to a series of events in a unit. Answer study questions in preparation for a test.

SPED Accommodation- For SPED students, give them a set of cards with pages numbers (and even hints to which paragraphs to read) to find the answers. Make sure to pair them with another student that would help guide them. Also make sure with SPED students, they have had the change to read the material before hand. Do not use as a beginning activity with this group of students. See the SPED version in this sample.

Timeline Game

This game is PERFECT for anything that has to be listed in chronological/sequential order. Important events are listed on small cards (event cards). Several sets of these cards are made on various color cards (i.e. one set of events on green cards, one set on red cards, etc.). Shuffle each set of cards individually. Collaborative learning groups (CLG) will each get one colored set of cards. CLGs have a fixed time period (i.e. 4-5 minutes) to line the event cards in chronological order on their desks. The group that gets the events in chronological order CORRECTLY FIRST is the winner. At the end of the game, show all students how to put the events in order correctly (either through a power point, smart board activity, or student led explanation) and have them copy the timeline and its events into their notes.

FUN Variation!!!
Buy a string of clothesline and cut in into 4 lines that can go across the length of your room. Divide student into 4 groups and have them hang the events on the clothesline in chronological order.

And Another GREAT  Variation!!!
Create a timeline board. Hot glue two colored project boards together. Cut a strip of colored butcher paper and paste it across the boards for the timeline. Cut 10 small lines of butcher paper to extend from the timeline to place events on. At the end of each line, put Velcro strips. Use letters to create a title and decorate with cut outs or stickers. After you have created 10 event cards, place the other end of the velcro strips on the back of the cards.

More Detailed Variation!!! 
Create description (cards with a short description of the event) and/or date cards (cards with the date for each event) to go with the event cards. The student have to put the date cars in order, with the appropriate event and description under it. To make it more rigorous, have the students line the event cards in chronological order and make the STUDENTS create the date and description card to go with each.

 
Correlation to Social Studies
Create a timeline game on important events of the French Revolution.


Correlation to English/Language Arts
Create a chronological display of events in a story.
 
Correlation to Science
Have students demonstrate the stages of the rock cycle


Correlation to Math 
Place the steps of the order of operations in order. Give students an actual math problem and put the steps on event cards. Have them order that problem in the correct order of operations.


Correlation to Common Core

• Writing Standard 3.c. (Grades 9-10)-  Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.
• Reading Standard 8 (Grade 3)-  Describe the logical connection between
  particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).
• Reading Standard 3 (Grades 11-12)-  Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text

SPED Accommodation
Allow SPED students to have additional time, review the textbooks before the game, or let them use their notes in the game.

COMING SOON!!!!!

I will be creating PRE-MADE event cards for you to purchase and use. Stay tuned for the release dates!!!