Social Studies Toolbox

Discussion Questions http://www.history.com/images/media/pdf/Century11.pdf English Read "Congo's Conflict Minerals" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-gosling/congos-conflict-minerals-_b_854023.html?ir=Impact Reading Comprehension Strategies: Ask Questions http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2011/04/reading-comprehension-strategies-ask.html I'm a Mac ... and I've Got a Dirty Secret from Enough Project on Vimeo .

Spend some time visiting the following links: Pay it Forward Foundation: http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/ The movie: http://payitforward.warnerbros.com/Pay_It_Forward/ Random Acts of Kindness Foundation: http://www.actsofkindness.org/classroom/plans/#here Your task today: Look online for examples of random acts of kindness in the news. Print your article. It is important that you print only one page! You will be docked points if you print multiple pages. Next, read the article. Highlight the article, focusing on important points. Be prepared to share your article with the class on Tuesday. If time permits, visit these "Helper's High" past blog posts: Learn more about the "Helper's High" http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2007/10/helpers-high.html ABC News story: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2685717&page=1 Everyone: Take the "Compassion Quiz" http://www.whygoodthingshappen.com/main.php?section=quiz

Follow your interests on twitter: http://twitter.com/ My twitter account: http://twitter.com/#!/leafhansen I use my twitter account primarily to catch up on the news. Most of the accounts I "follow" are news sources. If I read a headline that is of particular interest, I click on it and read the entire news story. I also use twitter to share teaching ideas. I follow quite a few teachers who share ideas as well. I have used many teaching strategies and assessment techniques I have learned about on twitter. For extra credit: Set up a twitter account. Search for and "follow"the following: - A favorite author - A favorite musician - A favorite charity - A favorite news source - A friend - A relative To earn extra credit, post your twitter address in the comments section for 10 points.

Backyard Paradises (Geography/Art/Gardening) http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/offthemap/ Take a Tour. Select one backyard paradise from each of these continents: North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Write one comment for each backyard paradise you wish to describe. Who is the person? Where do they live? Briefly describe their creation. After you are finished touring, tell me which one was your favorite and explain why.

Lit 2 Go (Collection of free stories and poetry in audiobook format) http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/index.htm Read Print (Free Online Books) http://www.readprint.com/ Visual Thesaurus (Online Dictionary and Thesaurus) http://www.visualthesaurus.com/ Visuwords (Online Graphic Dictionary) http://www.visuwords.com/ Ted Talks (Online talks from the world's leading thinkers and doers) http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector?blend=1&ob=5 How Stuff Works http://www.howstuffworks.com/ Extra Credit: Visit each of the sites listed above. Write a brief comment explaining which resource you think would be most useful after you have graduated high school. Explain why.

"Exploring Ways to Help Ourselves and Others" How to you cope when things seem difficult or impossible? Do you turn to music? Poetry? Art? Exercise? Other people? What inspires you? What motivates you to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on? Step I. Reflect on a time you faced adversity. How did you get through it? Step II. Brainstorm a list of phrases, slogans, images, poems, books, songs, activities, etc. that get you through difficult times. Step III. Choose items from your list to include in a motivational poster for the Social Studies Hall. Step IV. Create your poster. (All words must be typed and NO rubber cement!) This assignment is worth 30 points.   Looking for extra credit ? Share your favorite quotes, slogans, songs, movies, books, etc. in the comments section here.

Parenting Resources In response to the disturbing study released by the CDC and the Federal Administration for Children and Families pertaining to infant neglect and abuse, I've compiled a list of resources that may be of interest to those of you wishing to learn more about this issue: Story on the CDC study: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_he_me/infant_neglect;_ylt=ApUnDXoa4nTvAFV5D16MbtXVJRIF CESA workshop- Shaken Baby Syndrome (MANY valuable resources found here): http://shakenbabyprevention.wikispaces.com/ Powerful documentary on the issue: http://www.dontshake.com/Audience.aspx?categoryID=1&PageName=ElijahsStory.htm Resources on Shaken Baby Syndrome: http://del.icio.us/search/?fr=del_icio_us&p=shaken+baby+syndrome&type=all Extra Credit (Post a comment addressing one or both of the questions below): What do you think needs to be done to eliminate infant and child abuse and neglect? Do you see any measures taken by your school or comm...

The Role of Government/The Role of Citizens Resources: Teaching the Levees Blog: http://www.teachingthelevees.org/ Time Magazine Article: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1675600,00.html CNN News Story: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/08/28/Soledad.childrenofstorm/index.html Rethinking Schools Article and Lesson Plans: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/21_01/hurr211.shtml Rethinking Schools Editorial: Lessons of Katrina: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/20_01/katr201.shtml Lesson: In class we brainstormed a list of governmental expectations we have as citizens in a democracy. Some examples you came up with include: healthcare, clean environment, safety, education We also discussed our role as citizens in a democracy. We discussed our duties as citizens as well as those actions we view as important but didn't rise to the level of civic "duties." Keep these lists in mind as you watch the documentary. Some examples of ci...

Read Write Think (Interactive) http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/acrostic/

Visualize the News: http://doodlebuzz.com/ Blooms Taxonomy using Google tools: http://kathyschrock.net/googleblooms/ Make comics....Lego style: http://city.lego.com/en-us/ComicBuilder/FramePage.aspx

Cuban Missile Crisis Simulation: http://library.thinkquest.org/18355/the_cuban_missile_crisis_simul.html

Good readers create pictures in their minds while they read. While reading, think about the following: I can picture... I can visualize... I can taste/hear/smell.... I can feel...

Discussion Questions: http://www.history.com/images/media/pdf/Century10.pdf

10 Questions for Jimmy Wales: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2042349,00.html

Today: Make Connections Make a connection to your life, your experiences, another book, articles, movies, songs, events, or issues. Ask yourself...."This reminds me of...? This made me think of...? This is different from...?"

NPR Story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130017341

United States History: The Century America's Time: Happy Days (1953-1960) Discussion questions and vocabulary: http://www.history.com/images/media/pdf/Century9.pdf Draw numbers to determine which questions students will answer. Write the questions on the white board. Students write the answers to the questions they were assigned. As a large group, discuss answers. English: Time Magazine and Blog Articles. Reading Comprehension Activities Vocabulary flashcards World Studies: Child Labor Assignment: Online Scavenger Hunt and Map http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2011/04/child-labor-lesson-plans-and-resources.html Child Labor Poster Project http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2011/04/child-labor-project.html Games : http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/games/story/0,28521,355884,00.html

Child Labor Poster Project: Create a poster informing the public about the issue of child labor. Your poster must contain at least three images and at least five facts or statistics . You must also include information about what the public can do to address the issue of child labor. Posters are worth 50 points. Images: 10 points Facts/Statistics: 20 points Information about addressing the issue: 10 points Appearance: 10 points Resources: Free the Children: http://www.freethechildren.com/getinvolved/geteducated/childlabour.htm UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_childlabour.html Stop the Exploitation of Children Toolkit: http://www.planusa.org/stuff/contentmgr/files/31db9b212310bd6e6381f1245d70b961/miscdocs/childexploitationtoolkit.pdf

Free the Children Lessons on Poverty http://www.freethechildren.com/getinvolved/educator/docs/Poverty_SS.pdf

Time for Kids article and activities: http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/media/teachers/pdfs/2003S/030124WR.pdf What's Going On: http://www.un.org/works/goingon/labor/lessonplan_labor.html Child Labor Facts and Resources: http://www.childlaborphotoproject.org/childlabor.html Child Labor Resources: http://clc.designannexe.com/ Child Labor Worldwide (Map) http://clc.designannexe.com/?page_id=139 World Studies Assignment: Part I: Read and complete activities from the Time for Kids article: http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/media/teachers/pdfs/2003S/030124WR.pdf Part II: Online internet scavenger hunt. Fill in the blanks on the worksheet provided. All answers can be found here: http://www.childlaborphotoproject.org/childlabor.html Part III: Using the map from the link below, chose 15 locations from around the world where child labor exists. Locate and label those places on your blank world maps. In the space provided on your worksheet, list countries/cities...

How Big? http://www.howbigreally.com/ Freedom Riders: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/ Time Explorer: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/young_explorers/play/time_explorer.aspx Top Secret America: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/ Smart History: http://smarthistory.org/ Online Maps: http://geology.com/world/ American Radio Works: http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/ Good: http://awesome.good.is/ecosystem/index.html#/home Quotes: http://www.bartleby.com/

Time Magazine (10 Questions for David Sedaris): http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040621-650720,00.html David Sedaris Quotes (long list): http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2849.David_Sedaris Scholastic Magazine Lesson and Excerpt: http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/cavalcade/pdf/oct2004/nonfiction_sedaris_p6_to_p10.pdf Adjective Exercise: http://hansengeorge.blogspot.com/2011/04/adjective-exercise.html Interview on CBS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aVDExDwcpA&feature=fvsr

Lesson plans and ideas from teachers around the country (how they use "This American Life" in the classroom: http://amberabreu.com/tal/educate.html

United States History Read from A People's History of the American Empire Word Search/Vocabulary Worksheet Fake Facebook Page Project: Joseph McCarthy Review packets (everyone will need a highlighter) Project: Create a "Fake Facebook Page" for Joseph McCarthy. You must include the following information: 1. What was McCarthy's background? (When and where was he born? Where did he go to college? What state did he represent in the Senate?) 2. How and why did he become involved in politics? 3. "Friends/Allies" 4. What led to his success and failure with the House Un-American Activities Committee? This information may be included in the "Information Page, " "Friends List," "Status Updates/wall posts," or Photos. Resources: Joseph McCarthy (History Channel) http://www.history.com/topics/joseph-mccarthy House Un-American Activities Committee (History Channel) http://www.history.com/topics/house-un-american-activitie...

Read the Conclusion and Afterword from Tuesdays with Morrie . Write one "what" question and answer from each chapter. Write one "who" question and answer from each chapter. Write one "why" question and answer from each chapter. Write either one "where" or "when" question and answer from each chapter. Each question and answer is worth 2 points.

"We Didn't Start the Fire" Facts: http://www.school-for-champions.com/history/start_fire_facts.htm

Knowledge is no guarantee of good behavior, but ignorance is a virtual guarantee of bad behavior. - Martha Nussbaum United States History: Read from A People's History of the American Empire , "Questioning War." Read chapter 16, "World War II and the Cold War" from A Young People's History of the United States . General Discussion Questions (taken from Voices and A People's History ) Do you find it troubling that the United States fought for the freedom of the Europeans during World War II at the same time that it denied many Americans of color their own freedoms? How and why? Was World War II an example of what Howard Zinn has called a war that benefited the wealthy elite? What credence do you give the belief that the United States was eager to drop the atomic bomb in order to prevent the Russians from entering the war with Japan? Why was it important to Harry Truman that Stalin not be allowed to enter the war? Why do you thin...

Time Magazine: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/04/martin-luther-kings-assassination-watch-the-original-news-broadcasts/

PBS Scavenger Hunt Through History: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/tools/scavenger/game2_flash.html China Game: http://asiasociety.org/node/8688 Historical Tweets: http://historicaltweets.com/ History Games: http://playinghistory.org/items/index/page/1