Social Studies Technology Project

Ohio Social Studies Standards

8th Grade American History Unit

Melissa Moore

Peggy Livingston

ED 639

Dr. Helms

Table of Contents

• Standards List

• History Activities

• Government Activities

• Geography Activities

• Economics Activities

• Citizenship Activities

• People in Societies

• Social Studies Skills and Methods

The Standards

• History

• Government

• Geography

• People in Societies

• Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

• Economics

• Social Studies Skills and Methods

History

History Activities

• Timeline Activity

• Road to Revolution Game

• Boston Tea Party Activity

• Declaration of Independence Activity

• Key Battles Activity

Timeline Activity

• Click on the History Place Banner

• Use the information on this website to create a timeline of events leading up to the American Revolution

• Include Parliamentary Acts and important events

Road to the Revolution

• Click on the Picture• Play the Road to

Revolution game

Boston Tea Party Activity

• Read the eye witness account of the Boston Tea Party by clicking on either picture

• People in the colonies learned about the Boston Massacre from posters illustrated by Paul Revere. Make your own poster of the Boston Tea Party.

Declaration of Independence Activity

• The Declaration of Independence was an important step towards the Revolution

• After reading the Declaration, discuss reasons why the colonists felt justified in separating from Britain

• Click on the picture to read the document

Battles of the Revolution

• Click on the picture

• Research one of the

key battles

• Write a letter to a

friend describing the

battle as an eye-

witness.

Government

Government Activities

• Preamble Activity

• Early Political Parties Activity

• Articles of Confederation Activity

• Separation of Powers Activity

• Northwest Ordinance Activity

Preamble Activity

• Click on the picture of Thomas Jefferson.

• Read the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

• What natural rights did the colonists believe they had?

• How does this relate to ideas of Enlightenment?

Early Political Parties

• Click on the picture

• Research the early political parties by searching the site

• Discuss the differences between the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Parties including:– The national bank– Payment of debt– Constitutional interpretation– Support of England or France

Articles of Confederation Activity

• Click on the picture to read about the Articles of Confederation.

• What were the weaknesses?

• How does this demonstrate a need for a stronger form of government?

Separation of Powers Activity

• Using the website, define the separation of powers and checks and balances.

• Why is this an important feature of the American Government?

Northwest Ordinance Activity

• The Northwest Territory included the area that would become Ohio.

• How would the settlement of this land affect the Native Americans?

• What procedures did the Northwest Ordinance establish for settlement of the new territory?

• Click on the picture to find information on the north west ordinance.

Geography Activites

• 13 Colonies Activity• Battles of the American R

evolution Activity• Transcontinental Rail road

Activity• Lewis and Clark Activity• Regions Activity

Lewis and Clark Expedition Activity

• Click on the pictures • Follow the journey of

Lewis & Clark make a list of their discoveries involving :

-new species

-Indian tribes

-the Rockies

13 Colonies Activity

• Click on the picture• Select a New England,

Middle, and Southern colony.

• Create a chart detailing

-date founded

-who founded

-major industries

-major cities

Battles of the American Revolution Activity

• Click on picture• Students will select one of

the following battles and discuss it’s importance in the Revolutionary War.

• Battle of Lexington/Concord

• Battle of Bunker Hill• Battle of Saratoga• Battle of Yorktown• Battle of Quebec

Transcontinental Railroad Activity

The Transcontinental Railroad linked the East to the West. It played a significant role the expansion of westward migration.

• Click on the picture.• Students will work in teams of two. -One student will follow the journey

of the Central Pacific Railway, the other student will follow the journey of the Union Pacific Railway.

• Students will make a poster describing the obstacles and hardships faced on the journey

Regions Activity

• Click on the picture • Print out the information sheet for

Southern, Middle, or New England colonies.

• Using the information sheet answer the questions below for your area of expertise -Categorize the colonies into New England, Middle, or Southern. -Describe why these colonies were founded.-List three geographical characteristics of each colony -Describe the colonists' attitude towards slavery and how it worked .

Economics Activities

• Currency Activity

• Tax Activity

• Occupation Activity

• Triangular Trade Activity

• States’ Rights Activity

Currency Activity

• Use the links provided to look

at examples of colonial money.

• How does it differ from our currency?– Did the United States have a standard currency?

• How is it the same?

Tax Activity

• Research the different Parliamentary Acts by clicking on the picture.

• Compare the British and colonial views on these Acts

• How did this economic factor influence the Revolutionary War?

Occupation Activity

• Click on the picture• Look up some of the jobs

available in the colonies• Pick a job; write an essay

about your job and how it is effected by the Parliamentary Acts– Stamp Act, Sugar Act,

Navigation Act, etc.

Triangular Trade Activity

• Click on picture• Read about the trade route

that came to be known as the Triangular trade.

• You are a captain of a ship, write a diary of your journey between Europe, Africa and the West Indies.

- Discuss the goods and human cargo you transport.

- Discuss the conditions the slaves endured on the journey

States Rights or A Strong Central Government? Activity

• The Articles of Confederation was replaced by the creation of the U.S. Constitution.

• Click on the picture and review the chart comparing the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution.

• Select one of the two scenario below:1)You are a representative from Virginia who is an

advocate for States rights. Write a speech to present to the other delegates arguing why it is important to protect state's rights.

2) You are representative from Massachusetts who is an advocate for a strong central government. Write an speech on why it is important to adopt create a strong central government.

Citizenship

Citizenship Activities

• Ten Amendments Activity• Why Vote Activity• Democrat, Republican, or

Independent Activity• Historical Figures Promote

the Rights of Individuals• Historical Figures Role in

Restricting the Rights of Individuals

Ten Amendments Activity

• Click on the picture• Review the ten amendments to

the Constitution. These are called the Bill of Rights.

• Choose two of the amendments and write a short essay explaining why these amendments are important to you and Americans in general.

• Write your own amendment and explain why it should be ratified

Why Vote? Activity

• Click on the picture• Click on Take the quiz to learn why

it’s important to vote. Answer the questions below.

-What amendments gave 18 year olds the right to vote?

-What amendment gave African Americans the right to vote?-What amendment gave women the

right to vote?-In two elections there was there a small

percentage difference in votes cast that determined the election of the President. What year were these elections ? Who were the candidates?

Democrat, Republican, or Independent ?

• Voting is not a popularity contest. It is important to know the issues

• Click on the picture and take the quiz.

-Do you views match those of the Democratic parties national platform?

-Do your views reflect the Republican parties national platform?

-Do your views indicate you are an independent? Do you side with different parties depending on the issues?

Historical Figures Promote the Rights of Individuals

• Click on the picture of one of the three historical figures below and read about their contribution to the separation of the American colonies from Britain-Samuel Adams-Thomas Jefferson-George Washington

• In a poster format include text and graphics to describe the characters role in promoting the American Revolution and the establishment of a new nation.

Historical Figures’ Roles in Restricting the Rights of Individuals

• Click on the picture of one of the two historical figures below and read about their role in the restriction of the rights of individual -Andrew Jackson and the Indian Removal Act-Thomas Jefferson as a slave owner

• Write an essay describing the contradiction of their actions listed above with their espoused belief in individual rights.

People in Societies

People in Societies Activites

• Spies of the Revolution

• Women in the Revolution

• Religion in the Colonies

• Slavery in the Colonies

• If I were a colonist….

Spies of the Revolution

• Spies played an important role in gaining information during the war.

• Use the link provided• What techniques did spies use

to keep their messages secret?

• What important information did they provide?

• Who were some famous spies, and what role did women play?

Women in the Revolutionary War

• Click on the link provided• Research women involved

in the Revolutionary War• Write about one of these

women and the role they played in America’s fight for freedom.

Religion in the Colonies

• Click on the links provided• What religions were

practiced in theAmerican Colonies?

• How has the concept of religious freedom developed in the United States?

Slavery in the Colonies

• Click on the links provided• Read about the lives of

Africans in the American Colonies

• Write a journal entry

describing your day if you

were an African American

living in the colonies

Daily life in the Colonies

• Click on the picture• What would your life have

been like if you lived in the colonies?

• Write a journal entry describing it.

Social Studies Skills and Methods

Skills and Methods Activities

• Common Sense or Plain Sense

• Colonist Activity

• Fiction or Nonfiction?

• State Your Opinion

• Timeline Activity

• Venn Diagram

Common Sense or Plain Sense

• Click on the pictures• Patriots and Loyalists had very

different views in the American Revolution. Review the positions of Thomas Paine in Common Sense and James Chalmers in Plain Sense

• Analyze the differences of the two and display the differences in a chart.

Colonist Group Activity

• Divide into groups.

• Pretend that you are the colonists: – Discuss why you should or shouldn’t separate from

England. Use the website provided to find supporting information.

– Group members should represent both loyalist and revolutionary perspectives.

– Be prepared to present your arguments to the class and defend your arguments.

Fiction or Nonfiction?

• Click on the picture and read “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”.

• Is this a historical document or fiction?

• What is factual about the poem?

• What is the point of view?

State Your Opinion Activity

• The Proclamation of 1763 prevented colonists from settling beyond an imaginary line west of the Appalachian Mountains.

• Click on the picture to review the Proclamation of 1763

• As a colonist you disagree with the King’s act. Write a letter to King George III to convince him to repeal this act and allow colonists to settle in the lands west of the Appalachians.

Timeline Activity

• Click on the picture• Click on the battles on the left

side of the site and create your own timeline for the Revolutionary War battles.

• List the following on your timeline

• -name of battle• -date of battle• -victor of the battle

Venn Diagram Activity

• Click on the picture• Review the memoirs of

American patriots. Create a Venn diagram on the idea of liberty. Describe characteristics unique to the patriots, shared by the patriots and you, and unique to you.