The Worlds of North and South Pre-Civil War Bundle Review (Under $20 Unit Plan!)

Saving money is nearly more complicated than finding the right lesson plan to settle history squarely in your students' minds. This fantastic unit plan bundle on the pre-civil war society that sparked our country's darkest hour will save you some green and engage your middle graders. This review goes into the details of some of our favorite products within the bundle and offers some other teachers input on it.

Worlds of North and South Activity Bundle Pre-Civil War Lessons 

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(More on Mr. and Mrs. P below)

This bundle is brimming with unique primary resources and activities that are student centered and interactive. Games and primary source readings collide with various common core literacy and writing activities, making this bundle the perfect balance of fun and smart. It's a complete unit plan for 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade history lessons on the complicated events of the Westward Expansion and the key figures that lead the political angles of it. In addition, several of the primary resources offer up challenging, thought-provoking activities that will have your middle grade students pondering things long after they leave the classroom. 

This in-depth writing activity is perfect for every classroom. Primary and secondary sources offer students the opportunity to explore the gap between slavery and industrialism via a response guide, analysis of the sources, and providing commentary. Answer keys make grading easy as well.

Another great lesson plan that will have students deep in thought and writing is this common core literacy activity that compares and contrasts the northern factory worker with the slaves. It will give some visual stimulation to engage students, and offer stark realities about the early US history of this time period.

If you're social studies unit is in need of a student centered, atmosphere boost, this activity is a perfect option. Ten (10) graphs and charts give history teachers flexibility to do stations or a "graph walk" around the classroom. This can help get the wiggles out of middle grade students, and get them thinking critically as they fill out their graphic organizers about the differences of north and south in relation to the following pre-civil war big ideas:

 Populations of North and South

Labor Systems

Transportation Systems

Rural/Urban Land

Patents

Immigration

City Growth and Agricultural Growth

Industry

Exports

This writing activity also takes advantage of graphs to make students analyse and critically think like the Graph Walk Investigation above. However, it also adds in the advantage of emgaging students with pre-civil war advertisements for various relavant topics such as steam power boats, locamotives, cotton gin, sewing machine, textile mills, and more. These primary resources will bring US history alive for your students!

This bundle also includes other engaging activities and games, plus some assessment options for a complete unit plan (individually costing $70!). Other items included are:

• Sectionalism Reading and Worksheet with Common Core Writing Extension
• omen's Rights Reformers Gallery Walk, Graphic Organizer and Common Core Writing Activity
• North and South Interdependence Mini-project Investigation Activity 
• Coming of the Railroad Common Core Reading and Graphic Organzier
• Uncle Tom's Cabin Primary Source Reading and Writing Activity
• Immigration in the Early 1800s Internet Investigation Activity. This is an outstanding webquest on a great, visual Library of Congress site.
• Venn Diagram Comparing the North and South
• Common Core Reading and Worksheet: Virginia's Apology for Slavery
• The Declaration of Sentiments Primary Source Reading and Writing Activity
• Plantation Owner and Factory Owner Engaging Pinterest Pinboard Activity
• Two Part North and South DBQ (Document Based Questions) Assessment with 6 Primary Source Documents and Common Core Writing
• A Fantastic Key Concept Match Activity, with graphic organizers, a matching assignment and writing guides with 3 options.
• Password Game Review

Here is what teachers are saying about the Worlds of North and South Pre-Civil War Bundle: 

Want to see a complete activities list for this 30 page social studies bundle, as well as more about the creators Mr. and Mrs. P? Click the link below for all the details on their 26 years combined teaching experience and how they were literally student nominated as superheroes!

INSTRUCTOMANIA, INC.

Review + Recommend: Look no further than this ultimate common core, close reading and DBQ Westward Expansion bundle!

You want your students to have a better understanding of cowboys and Indians --er-- Native Americans than the movies right? So much US history happened between the years 1803 and 1840, and if you're looking for a resource heavy, yet fun and engaging way to teach your middle grade students all about it, you need to read the rest of this review about this US history lesson plan.

Westward Expansion Notes, Reading, and Resource Bundle

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(More on Mr. and Mrs. P below)

This bundle is brimming with unique primary resources and activities that are student centered and interactive. Games and primary source readings collide with various common core literacy and writing activities, making this bundle the perfect balance of fun and smart. It's a complete unit plan for 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade history lessons on the complicated events of the Westward Expansion and the key figures that lead the political angles of it. In addition, several of the primary resources offer up challenging, thought-provoking activities that will have your middle grade students pondering things long after they leave the classroom. 

This bundle offers Westward Expansion "Instructional content designed with the framework of the key concepts of U.S. history, including geographic expansion and political, social and economic development," and gives you not only instruction content, but also offers great visual organizers, printables, and one of the best Westward Expansion lessons on the Teachers Pay Teachers website, not to mention editable common core tests and quizzes.

The three primary source pieces of the Westward Expansion Bundle offer a variety of options for worksheets and in class learning opportunities. The full length primary resources, from 1 to 3 pages in each, will have student's comprehension up. Then in each of the activity options, students will support claims with evidence, determine the main idea, analyze perspective and relate the source medium to modern technology and history. In the homestead act part, they will have an actual application for property where they must state improvements they'll make to their claimed land.

In most text books, the Nullification Crisis is a blur of dates and names that lull students to sleep. The Nullification Crisis Powerpoint and flow chart notes include specific details on Andrew Jackson, and makes the entire timeline more accessible for students. The instructions include notes for a simple but effective graphic organizer or you can update the included iPad App Templete Graphic Organizer included in this bundle (see below) for it.

Another included printable, interactive activity is the above Story of Manifest Destiny speech bubbles PowerPoint stations packet. This 8 station reading activity offers a chance to use graphic organizers or fun, graphic rich worksheets to answer questions about the Westward Expansion and its key concepts.

If you need some geography and time lines mixed in with your Westward Expansion worksheets, then you'll be happy to know this popular, and currently featured, product is also included in the Westward Expansion bundle. Eight (8) stations, DBQ style questions and answer worksheets, common core writing exercises, and maps make this interactive and just plain fun for students. The stations include: Mexican Cession, Gadsden Purchase, Oregon Country, Louisiana Purchase, Texas Annexations, Spanish Session and the Land Above the Louisiana Purchase.

Be sure to consider using it for your sixth grade lesson plans, seventh grade lesson plans, and 8th grade lesson plans. It's that versatile!

Okay, this one got a lot of special attention on the bundle reviews because student's have so much fun with it. Each social studies student creates four trading cards based on the powerpoint presentation and share them with their classroom group. At the end, points are awarded for each topic and the students find out who won!.Instructions are included and if you're looking for easy, this is the best part of the Westward Expansion bundle!

While the above are offered individually on Instructomania's e-store, the following parts are exclusive to this bundle:

Jacksonian Democracy printable notes with graphic organizer 

Jacksonian Democracy PowerPoint

Common Core FaceTime Interview template for Jackson, Sacajawea, James K. Polk, John Ross and a blank template for teachers choice.

Treaty of Echota Indian Removal, Primary Source Analysis

Working with Primary Sources election of 1848 Political Cartoon

Common Core Writing Activity for War and Negotiations of Westward Expansion

America Moves West Map Activity.

Jackson Tweets His Followers Template

Nullification Crisis Political Cartoon Assignment

William Travis' Letter to Texans Primary Source Analysis Activity

The Railroad Moves West! Primary Source Analysis Activity

Two Part Westward Expansion DBQ (Document Based Questions) Assessment with 6 Primary Source Documents and Common Core Writing. This assessment is versatile with tons of teacher options for a differentiated classroom.

A Fantastic Key Concept Match Activity, with graphic organizers, a matching assignment and writing guides with 3 options

Here is what teachers are saying about the Westward Expansion Bundle: 

Want to see a complete activities list for this 50 page social studies bundle, as well as more about the creators Mr. and Mrs. P? Click the link below for all the details on their 26 years combined teaching experience and how they were literally student nominated as superheroes!

INSTRUCTOMANIA, INC.

A Teacher's Opinion on Instructomania's Scientific Revoluton Notes and Activities Bundle

Earlier this week we reviewed the Enlightenment bundle by Instructomania, which many teachers were wrapping up their unit on. Many are moving further into history, revolutionizing the classroom with the scientific method, inventions, and forward thinkers of their time during the Scientific Revolution. As the sun comes out and students get antsy being cooped up, you might consider today's product review as a way to engage students in some inventive activites and note taking with the 11 options in the...

Scientific Revolution Notes & Activities Common Core Bundle

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(More on Mr. and Mrs. P below)

This bundle has so much FUN in it! If you take a look at the reviews on the page, they can't stop talking about how much their students loved activities like the lollipop/ dum dums lab that gives a hands on way to understand the Scientific Method, or one of our favorites, the Create a playlist activity shown below. 

This one offers students the opportunity to take the accomplishments and ideas of big thinkers and doers of the Scientific Revolution such as Ptolomy, Decartes, Issac Newton, Copernicus, Keplertand and create fun track titles and playlists. Some students not musically inclined? No problem! A sample list is included, and this is a great one to split students up into teams for. Take it a step further and have them come up with some lyrics.

The Scientific Revolution notes and activities bundle recently got upgraded with this five page DBQ Historical Snapshot activity, which is great for reviewing this middle grade social studies timeline through a close reading lesson. The vocabulary and rich text meaning analysis is great for any 6th graders, 7th graders, and even 8th graders! It's the perfect interactive middle school lesson plan!

One of the major debates of the Enlightenment's transition to the Scientific Revolution was the battle between religion and science. Many were caught in the cross fires of this. The primary resource analysis of the "Was Galileo a Heretic?" project will have students' critical thinking in full swing.

Other activities included in this bundle that make it worth its word count in gold....

 Power Point Notes (Can be printed 6 slides to a sheet for easy pairing with graphic organizer)

Graphic Organizer- Fill in the blanks for Powerpoint Notes 

Build A Cut Out Scientist Activity 

A Facebook Scientist Biography Profile Page

Galileo on Trial! Common Core Reading and Common Core writing Guide Activity

Spirit of Innovation, Invention Extension Activity 

Newsela Science Article Analysis Common Core Extension Activity with printable article example

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Galileo on Trial!: A Common Core Reading and Writing Activity 

Please note, this bundle DOES NOT come with an assessment option, but we'd recommend pairing it with our Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution test and quiz, which includes vocabulary, common core literacy, common core writing, and matching key concepts to enlightenment thinkers and scientists of the revolution.

Here is what teachers are saying about the Scientific Revolution Notes and Activity Common Core Bundle: 

"Worth every penny - this will be in my teacher toolbox for many years! Students were engaged and loved the activities!" ~Susanne P.

"Thorough and easy to implement! Thanks!" ~Erika F.

"Lots to choose from and will be a great way to wrap up my year! Thanks :)" ~Jennifer P.

Want to see a complete activities list for this 30 page social studies bundle, as well as more about the creators Mr. and Mrs. P? Click the link below for all the details on their 26 years combined teaching experience and how they were literally student nominated as superheroes!

INSTRUCTOMANIA, INC.

Review of Common Core Based Enlightenment Bundle for Middle Graders

The enlightenment was a time of reason and discovery of self in Europe, and a general moving away from traditional ideas and methods. That's just want your 6th, 7th, or 8th grade students will do with this fun and engaging...

Enlightenment Thinkers Age of Reason Activity Bundle Common Core

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(More on Mr. and Mrs. P below)

If you're looking for common core related activities that stimulate your students, get them up and moving, their brains geared up, and connecting their synapses, then this is the bundle for your Enlightenment unit!

Enlightenment Thinkers Power Point & Notes

It has 13 activities, assessments, and class exams to let you be the super star teacher without all the work! 

This great middle grade lesson plan offers ideas adapted by U.S. from important figures of the Enlightenment including Baron de Montesquieu, Beccaria, John Locke, Voltaire and Hobbes.

Would your students rather be reading page after page of information that they'll have a hard time retaining come test time? NO! This bundle offers games and activities that will have them competing to show off their knowledge of important Enlightenment quotes, and engaged with important U.S. documents inspired by that time period such as the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

The best part? You'll be using graphic organizers and awesome activities that still align with common core requirements for your classroom! Your students will be learning, and you'll have fun teaching them about the Enlightenment!

Here is what teachers are saying: 

"A+++++" ~Anthony R.

"These Instructomania bundles might be the best social studies resources on TpT. They are always a hit. My kids are now masters of Enlightenment philosophy." ~Michael W.

"Great resource, really had the students thinking and analyzing the information." ~Rob C.

Want to see a complete activities list for this 30 page social studies bundle, as well as more about the creators Mr. and Mrs. P? Click the link below for all the details!

INSTRUCTOMANIA, INC.

Stop Motion App Engages Students and Incorporates Common Core

I had to share a wonderful new app I found that not only engaged my students, but actually sticks to common core standards. My students loved this project! Even though we used it for Ancient Japan history unit, it can be used for any disciplines and/or grades. Thankfully, YouTube offers instructional videos you can play in classroom before grouping or pairing off your students to get started. The videos are super intuitive, and students can use their own smartphones or iPADs. (If your school has some tucked away for student use, so much the better!). The best part is that it requires every group member to participate, which is sometimes a hard thing to accomplish for these types of projects. I also had them present the video in class. Everyone was enjoying themselves. Check out our finished projects below!

The best part? We’ve bundled together everything you need for this lesson and project. You can get:

1. Teacher instructions with YouTube video links for instruction, easy format choices and tons of examples.

2. Student graphic organizers with main idea and supporting evidence/topic spaces to ensure content is analyzed and supported.

3. Student storyboard graphic organizers.

4. Rubric.

For more information or to purchase, click here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Stop-Motion-Animation-Project-for-History-Science-Math-or-Language-Arts-1810113