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Social Studies Teachers Chatboard

Grade 8 Social Studies class (Canada) Ideas to spice it up?

by Christina

Dec 20, 2010

Hello, I am a first year grade 8 teacher (I teach English, math, science, social studies, art) for the same group of kids.I really want my kids to have more fun with their learning but its hard to balance my time to plan great activities and to cover material. They are lower level --problems reading for example. Another issue is a lack of materials. Also is a lack of technology.

Due to an illness we have been off for 4 weeks plus 2 weeks for Christmas vacation. Which kills me in terms of curriculum.

We had just started looking at migration and land bridge theory.

Any ideas how to jazz it up?

Next is First Nations groups (I have a lot of dry pages and not a lot of activities or questions yet), then we will do the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egypt in which I just bought two good books at a teacher supply book which should be helpful. Then I think we have to do the Middle Ages- got some materials.

I was thinking of possibly doing a computer-bas...See More

Lynde Hi, me again. As I said earlier post, I too teach on a reservation here in the states. So, I'm teaching the same history you are. Just a few possibilities to suggest.

1. Our students are completely uninterested in learning about any tribal-nation excdept for their own. So, over the years, I've learned the hard way to begin with THEM. Focus...See MoreHi, me again. As I said earlier post, I too teach on a reservation here in the states. So, I'm teaching the same history you are. Just a few possibilities to suggest.

1. Our students are completely uninterested in learning about any tribal-nation excdept for their own. So, over the years, I've learned the hard way to begin with THEM. Focus on the cultural traditions, as well as on the cultural values and as much history as is known. Then use their own sociological/cultural profile to compare to other tribal- nations. I use a Graphic Orgahnizer chart of the various basic components of a culture (Food; Shelter; Transportation; Religion/Spirituality; Core Values; Traditions of Noteworthiness; Art/Music/Dance; Writing/LIterature, etc. I think I'm forgetting a couple of things, but you know what I mean anyway. Then start comparing. I've had the most success with putting up large-size poster paper on the walls, assigning a partner-pair or trio to research the followintg 5 tribes in terms of their shelter (anothr group does the art/music/dance)k, etc. Then record their information on the large wall chart. Keepsw expenses down, and gives the kids a chance to get up and move around a bit. Also chunks the material down for the kids. Also, this cuts down on the time allocated to this unit as well. Since you need to catch up before the year is out, perhaps.

2. I've done hundreds of web-quests of just about every kind there is. A pain if there ever was one. Make it simple. Sinced technology is limited, try projecting onto classroom screen, and have studednts work together as a whole clss to create a Museum Display of the topic (Egypt is a really good one since most kids already know alot about Egypt). Click on Google Images, call up a bunch of pictures of whatever cultural icon you're thinking of (canope jars, for example),l and let the kids vote for which picture they think is the best. Get them to tell you why Pictgure #4 is better than Picture #6. Helps to get them to evaluate why one is better color, or more informative, or a better view, or more complete, or more "real," or more whatever. Then put their selections into a pwoer-point, and then work with the kids one slide at a time to caption. Have THEM do it under your guidance (wait a minute, something is wrong with what you juswt had be type. Who knows what it is? An animal cracker for whoever figures out what's wrong. Yep, you got it--you didn't tell me to capitalze the first word.

3. If you want to use photocopied materials of information, jig-saw small chunks of it. Group #1 (best if partner-pairs) must read Paragraph 4 to find the Main Idea or the answer to the Essential Question or the answer to the "List the 3 reasons why...." Group #2 has their own question or two or three for Paragraph X. Keep it simple, and SHORT. Then Share & Compare.

4. Another idea which I've used alot, is to project images of the topic (a particular Tribal Nation for example) and then ask the kids to examine the image and identify how this partiuclar image illustrates how the tribe provided for food, or shelter, or whatever.

Or, ask them what they can "infer" from the image. Do these people look like they're hunters? Warrior Society? Farmers? Fishermen? What do you think they had available to them in their terrirorty for natural resources/ What might they have had to trade with? Who wouold they have traded with/ Map it out.

Activate Prior Knowledge: What do we think of when we think of the X tribe? Why do you think they would have used clay for their x? Etc.

Hope this helps. You can always do web-quests of searching for information (for low performers, I wouold never tell them to "go find out about" cultural aspect X. I wouold give them a lsit of 5-6 specific questionsd they shouold search for. Then have them prepare a power-point illustrating their answers, or write a summarizing paragraph. But what's better for low-performing kids is to have themn prepare a power- point which illustrates a Main Idea. Many tribal nations used ceremony to keep in touch with their inner spirit. Find at least 5 primary/secondary sources (writings; images) which illustrate this. All tribal nations used whatever was available in their immediate environment to build their homes. Illustrate the different ways that some nations used natural resources in this way.

5. I know these kids have reading problems, so it's always a challenge. But they still need to try to read and try to write. So one thing I've done is to show them several images on power-point, and then have them write/reflect about what they saw, or what do we now know about this tribal nation based upon this set of images. Make them write at least five sentences. Then have them go back and re-write emphasizing good paragraph structure, the bsics of caps, punct., etc. You might try peer-editing if they'll go for it.

Hope this helps to give you some ideas.

On 12/20/10, Christina wrote: > Hello, > I am a first year grade 8 teacher (I teach English, math, > science, social studies, art) for the same group of kids.I > really want my kids to have more fun with their learning but > its hard to balance my time to plan great activities and to > cover material. They are lower level --problems reading for > example. Another issue is a lack of materials. Also is a > lack of technology. > > Due to an illness we have been off for 4 weeks plus 2 weeks > for Christmas vacation. Which kills me in terms of curriculum. > > We had just started looking at migration and land bridge theory. > > Any ideas how to jazz it up? > > Next is First Nations groups (I have a lot of dry pages and > not a lot of activities or questions yet), then we will do > the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egypt in which I just bought > two good books at a teacher supply book which should be > helpful. Then I think we have to do the Middle Ages- got > some materials. > > I was thinking of possibly doing a computer-based project or > a webquest (which is a challenge due to a lack of > technology) but I want to try it out. > > I am also thinking of starting with a smaller project--like > I might gather materials on some First Nations groups > (photocopy and pass it to them) and getting them to do some > sort of project on it (brings in English too) looking at how > to do jot notes and a bibliography for example. > > What about the idea of a pamphlet that talks about a First > Nations group ??(if they drew pictures or maps- there is art > too) or a graph (map)LOL! This wouldn't take a lot of > materials (white paper, colored pencils, even construction > paper) either.

Dec 21, 2010

Kev I've got a ton of generic history assignments that can apply to just about any topic on my website.

They are high interest and built around the idea of multiple intelligences. I've used them with gifted kids as well as non-English speakers and they have worked well with all of them. Feel free to take as desired.

Dec 29, 2010

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