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Next 5 Social Studies Teaching Tips

China Lesson Plan Ideas

Here are some great ways to incorporate China in your class.
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1. Make origami animals that represent students´ personalities.
2. Write names using calligraphy.
3. Have a debate on censorship.
4. Construct a “Great Wall”.
5. Make cultural statues.
6. Create a dancing dragon.
7. Make Chinese lanterns.
8. Make homework scrolls.
9. Compare and contrast life in China.
10. Send letters to Chinese pen pals.


10 Fun Election Activity Ideas

Here are some additional ideas for election activities. We tend to talk about the more unique ideas.
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  1. Write a Help Wanted Ad for President.
  2. Examine Campaign Slogans.
  3. Create a Candidates Views on Issues Checklist.
  4. Mock Voter Registration/Election.
  5. Run a complete mock campaign.
  6. Write the perfect President's Resume.
  7. Create Political Cartoons on Issues.
  8. Examine current polls and how polls change.
  9. Determine the biggest 3 issues to your class.
  10. Campaign Ad Critiques.

The Class Crier
George, Junior High School Teacher: Bronx, NY

"Role play what it was like during colonial times when technology did not exist as a means of communicating the news. Assign a student who serves as the Class Crier" who will announce special items, the news, and class or group assignments. A bell can be used to make the announcements to illustrate the mechanisms used in days of old to inform the public of news. Each announcement can be written on a large piece of paper to be posted on a bulletin board for all to read. Students can discuss the implications of such mechanisms and compare to how we receive present day news."


"Race Around the World"
Margaret Henies, Caldwick Middle School: Ohio

"Pull down a large World Map and have students come up to locate countries, cities, bodies of water, etc. You can make this into a team competition by having students race to locate places that you call out."


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Time Lines are Great Fun !
Lyle, 8th Grade Teacher: Austin, TX

"Get students to develop a timeline that shows several events that affected the history of their home state. Have them add the arrivals of different cultural groups including women and minorities who contributed to build the state. Display the time line in the classroom and use it to teach each important event according to when it happened. You can use it to assign topics that students can write about, etc. Students can also illustrate each event to make it colorful and stimulating."


Autobiography as a Primary Source
Jan, 5th Grade Teacher: Malone, NY

"Pick an autobiography for students to read. Ask students what they learned about the author, experiences, life events, locations, etc. Instruct them to verify what they read by consulting with resources: textbooks, library materials, Internet search, etc. Ask them to defend the authenticity of the autobiographical information that was presented in the book. Ask them how much was fact and how much was not? An assignment can be that the students write their own factual autobiography."


Next 5 Social Studies Teaching Tips

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