Sharing Lesson Plans & Activities

Alright,

So we have gotten a fair amount of activities and lesson plans loaded to the site. But, they are only for American Government and U.S. History classes. What we need now from all of YOU are the same kinds of stuff except for: all Math classes, all English/Lit. classes, all Science classes, middle school LP's, elementary school LP's, Special Education LP's, EVERYTHING!!!!!

And this is how you get your stuff onto the website to share it with the world:

1. Figure out what you want to share, make sure you have a digital copy, come up with a general title and maybe short description for the activity or lesson plan.

2. E-mail me the copy of whatever you would like to share, you can even e-mail me an article for the blog, that would be awesome! Anyway, e-mail me a copy along with the title and general description. My e-mail address is: lee2686@uga.edu

3. As soon as I get your e-mail, I will upload your document to my Google Docs web account (where all the site's lesson plans are going) and create a link to your document that can be viewed by anyone.

4. I will post the link to your lesson plan to the blog, along with the title you give me, the general description of the lesson plan, and your name so everyone knows who gets credit for your work!!!!

That's it, alright so let's build up the lesson plan library and get everyone sharing!!!!!!!!!

Diversity and Schools...

Walter Parker puts it best:

"Schools are places where diverse children are gathered. Their diversity runs the gamut from language and religion to ability and intelligence, race, and social class, gender and sexual orientation, and disability. This buzzing variety does not exist in a private place. It exists in places where diverse people congregate, places where people who come from numerous private worlds and social positions are brought together on common ground. These are places where multiple perspectives and personal values are brought into face-to-face contact around matters that 'are relevant to the problems of living together’ as Dewey put it. These arise in public places- places such as schools. When aimed at democratic ends and supported by the proper democratic conditions, this interaction in schools can help children develop the habits of thinking caring necessary for public life."

One of my favorites...

Create Your Own Political Party

Project in which students create their own political party, platform, symbol, etc.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjUyY3NjM212Z3E&hl=en

Speech: Joining the NAACP

Task in which students write a persuasive speech

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjUxZzg2engzZzk&hl=en

Government: Island Simulation

Students are stranded on an empty "island" and create their own "society"

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjUwY3M5NmZjZmI&hl=en

1906 Atlanta Race Riot Case Study

Awesome LP, credit goes to former classmates: Jenna Wade and Vaughn Wilson

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQyZ3h4ampyZGM&hl=en

Immigration Policy Debate

Really good debate activity, again credit to Joseph Nichols

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQzZHgycTZmaG0&hl=en

International Crisis Simulation

Another good one from Joseph Nichols

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQ0ZjQzcTlqZDg&hl=en

Has Genocide Occurred in Rwanda? (project)

Awesome project, one of my favorites, credit goes to Joseph Nichols. I have copies of the primary sources and the video if you can't find them.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQ2aGQ3NDh3Z3A&hl=en

Sample Jim Crow Literacy Test

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQ3ZnRzbm50aHA&hl=en

History of Suffrage Webquest

Webquest covering the history of suffrage in the United States

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQ4cmRrd2txY2s&hl=en

1996 Olympics Case Study

Credit for this LP should go to some of my former classmates: Felicia Parton, Jamie Maceri, and Jessica Tucker

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQ1Y2RqNHozZms&hl=en

Letter to Your Congressmen

Activity in which I had students write letters of local concern to our Congressional representatives.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQ5aHNrbWJ0aHI&hl=en

French & Indian War Chart

Compare & contrast, timeline of events, and analysis of results of war
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQxZzg5amtoZDk&hl=en

Student's Plan for Classroom Government

Students create a plan for governing the classroom after the teacher is kicked out!
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjQwZDc2dzl6Zjk&hl=en

American Revolution Analysis Activity

Students analyze quotes from the American Revolution, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, and the Declaration of Indpendence
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjM5Zmh2NGM0OWc&hl=en

American Revolution: Cause/Effect Chart

Cause & effect activity for different events of the American Revolution.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjM4ZzkybnhjZnE&hl=en

Forrest Gump Project (Awesome!)

Forrest Gump Project Handout
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNThoY2pxaGhncg&hl=en

Forrest Gump Project PowerPoint (use to introduce topics in movie)
http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTlmcHA3cHhuMg&hl=en

Controversy in the Classroom

What would you do?

2008. The Presidential Election. My 5th period American Government class. The issue…….abortion. The problem: do I merely facilitate this discussion over abortion with my students or do I jump in and join the discussion while sharing my own opinions with the class as well?

Controversial issues and hot button topics of the day are, by nature, generally more common in social studies classes. These could range from public issues, policy issues, and also current & historical issues. From my experiences, there are generally three main opinions held by teachers who must deal with these controversial issues in their classrooms.

#1- Teacher can include the controversial issues in their class. Students may discuss, teacher can present both sides of the issue, but the teacher remains a facilitator not divulging any other their own opinions on the matter.
#2- Teacher doesn’t discuss or include any controversial issues in their class.
#3- Teacher includes controversial issues in their classes. Teacher can present both sides of the argument, students can discuss, and teacher joins the discussion as well presenting his/her own opinions.

So…..which of the three main choices is the best?

Covering controversial issues in a classroom (especially a social studies classroom) is not only inevitable, but essential for authentic learning to take place. There are safe and strategic ways for teachers to include these topics and even their own opinions in their classes, and their students are the better for it. One thing that I want for my students is to learn and develop processes for arriving at their own reasoned conclusions. Teaching and discussing controversial topics with your students is a perfect way for them to reach and master this skill. When students are presented with an issue or problem, and they hear all viewpoints and all interpretations of the problem, including the teacher’s, only then are they able to draw their own conclusions.

This is how I try to handle this in my classroom:

While covering a controversial issue/topic, the teacher must make sure to facilitate, NOT dictate the discussion. The teacher should guide the discussion, making sure that all viewpoints are heard, respected, and explained. During the discussion, the teacher should feel more than free to include their own opinions on the issue, as long as you follow your opinion up with an explanation of your reasoning. This doesn’t mean that you should force your opinions down the students’ throats, get on your “soapbox”, or criticize someone’s opinion that is different from your own. This means you can explain your opinion to your class, then explain to them why you believe that. During any discussion, the teacher and students should respectfully critique their own opinions, others’ opinions, praise competing viewpoints, and ask clarifying questions. The teacher should help make students well-informed on the issue while making sure that there is a mutual respect established for all opinions heard on the issue.

For example, last year my students repeatedly asked me who I was voting for in the Presidential election. By the way that I had set up our classroom environment, I felt that it was perfectly fine to answer the question, and my classes ended up having some brilliant discussions about the election. As with anything, it all depends on how you set up your classroom, and how you handle things on a day-to-day basis. Could this have turned out all wrong? Of course, again, depends upon how you handle it in your own classroom.

When teachers choose not to include controversial topics in their classes and provide their students the opportunity to reach their own conclusions by hearing ALL interpretations, the students are the ones given the short stick.

Disagree?

Secession Lesson Plan

To Secede or Not to Secede? That is the question. This is a Structured Academic Controversy.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjBjeHZoaDZocw&hl=en

Constitutional Convention Simulation

Awesome activity for the Constitutional Convention; can use in either US History or Government

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMjFoZGdwNWc5ZA&hl=en

Constitutional Compromises Chart

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTFtc3pzZGNx&hl=en

13 Colonies Brochure Task

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTU0cHNqcWNocg&hl=en

13 Colonies Performance Task

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTdnOGZ0bXpmZw&hl=en

Montesquieu Lesson Plan

Same format LP as the Hobbes one, again from the University of Virginia Center for Politics

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNmZkZGptc2hn&hl=en

Thomas Hobbes Lesson Plan

Great LP from the University of Virginia Center for Politics

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMTJkNWJxa3p4eg&hl=en

Reconstruction Simulation

This activity/game is really awesome, and I have to give credit to Jessica Tucker. This is her plan, all I do is use it. Its awesome though...check it out.


http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMTlkazZuZzNmag&hl=en

Presidency Job Ad

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTJmdGh2c2Q2bg&hl=en

The American Revolution: Creating a Kids Book

Same project, except used it for the American Revolution in my US History classes, donated the kids' books as well

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTRmcHFxeGhmaw&hl=en

The Constitution: Creating a Kids Book

Awesome project, when my classes completed, we donated the books to local elementary schools

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNTNjMzl4ejdmaA&hl=en

Civil War Newspaper Activity

Includes rubric for assigned task

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfM2dtenBzczJm&hl=en

Invention Activity (Big Business)

Invention activity for students

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMWhjZGNiNzU5&hl=en

Women's Suffrage Performance Task

Performance Task for US History or Government

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfNGMyYnNwejk3&hl=en

US History: Big Business Activity & Strike Plan

This is the easiest way that I've found to share lesson plans so far. I joined a program where I can upload documents on the web, not my actual site yet, but at least right now you can click on the link and it will take you to the copy of this lesson plan and you can "copy and paste" it to your computer or print it out.

Right now, if anyone else would like to publish and share lesson plans you can e-mail me a copy at lee2686@uga.edu and I will upload it to my program, make a link, and everyone can view it. All of the lesson plan links will be stored on my blog under the section "Lesson Plans"...duh...lol...and I'm doing to divide them up into categories based on the accompanying lesson plans.


http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AeCaw5euuELFZGRqenNzZnBfMmMzejg5c3Jm&hl=en

Update!

Just a quick update:

I am still trying to figure out a way for us to easily upload lesson plans and other stuff like that onto the blog site. Also still working on getting the word out about the site. Thanks!!!