Teach your Students to Give Thanks for the Past: A Guide to Incorporating Thanksgiving into your Social Studies Classroom

'Tis the season to give thanks, and we educators have a special role in helping our students gain an understanding of what lies at the heart of Thanksgiving. This holiday is bursting with more than just turkey and stuffing - it's also chock-full o' history! So, let's bring history, gratitude and a good dose of a-maize-ing learning into our social studies class this season.

 

First, you have to acknowledge the problematic aspects of Thanksgiving: Let’s be real, the way Thanksgiving has been celebrated in American culture has done a disservice to the Native American communities. We’ve simplified their culture, and disregarded their voices. It’s time to acknowledge the problematic aspects of Thanksgiving and delve deeper into the history of the holiday. Let your students know that Thanksgiving wasn’t a happy story until much later in history. Encourage them to read stories that describe the true Native American experience and share their own perspectives.

 

And since we are exploring people's perspectives, use primary sources, like letters or diaries, to help explain the real history of Thanksgiving. You can also find books, websites, and resources that offer first-hand accounts of what really happened during the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

Another way to incorporate the history of Thanksgiving into your social studies classroom is by celebrating its diversity. Thanksgiving is a unique opportunity to highlight the contributions of different cultures to American society, and to teach your students about the different customs and traditions that have shaped our shared history. Instead of focusing solely on the traditional Thanksgiving meal or the pilgrims and Native Americans, why not explore other cultural dishes and celebrations that are celebrated in the fall? Ask your students to research and present their own traditional foods, holidays, and customs, and encourage them to learn from one another.

 

 

What is Thanksgiving without gratitude? As educators, we often emphasize the importance of being grateful, but how often do we put those words into practice? This Thanksgiving season, let's take the time to encourage our students to express their gratitude and appreciation for all the things they have in their lives. We can do this by having them write gratitude journals, creating gratitude posters, or even organizing a "thank-a-thon" where they can express their thanks to their friends, family, and teachers. By encouraging your students to embrace gratitude, you can help them build stronger relationships, improve their mental health, and foster a positive classroom environment.

 

Finally, Thanksgiving is more than just a history lesson or a cultural celebration - it's an opportunity for your students to understand the past to build a better future. By teaching your students about the different perspectives and experiences of those who came before us, you can empower them to become more conscious and compassionate citizens of the world. You can do this by encouraging them to think critically, analyze historical documents, and reflect on how they can take action to make a difference in their own lives and communities. By teaching your students to appreciate history and diversity, you can help them to create a better tomorrow.

 

Teaching the history of Thanksgiving isn't just another lesson - it's an opportunity to help your students become more grateful, compassionate, and culturally aware individuals. By understanding the origins of Thanksgiving, celebrating diversity, embracing gratitude, and working towards a better future, you can enrich your social studies curriculum and help your students to appreciate the true meaning of this national holiday. So this Thanksgiving, let's take a step back from the turkey and stuffing, and give thanks for the lessons that history can teach us. 

Don't brew up any trouble: What NOT to do when teaching the History of Halloween

Ah, Halloween, the spookiest time of the year. As a history teacher, you probably look forward to this time of year to not only talk about ancient traditions, but also to get your students excited about history. However, there are a few things that you should avoid doing when teaching the history of Halloween. In this blog post, we'll dive into what not to do when teaching this beloved holiday to ensure that you're educating your students in the best way possible.

Here's what NOT to do when teaching the history of Halloween.

It's important to remember that Halloween has its roots in ancient traditions, most famously, Samhain, which was celebrated by the Celts. However, when Europeans colonized North America, they brought their own traditions which eventually merged with local practices. That being said, it's important to not fetishize colonialism, which greatly harmed indigenous peoples. Focus on the traditions and their origins rather than the influence of European practices.

Don't demonize Halloween: The majority of people love Halloween - the decorations, the candy, and the costumes. However, you might come across some who believe that Halloween is a holiday of evil. Don't be the teacher who feeds into that belief. Halloween does have pagan origins, but the holiday has evolved over time and has become a holiday of fun and games for children. Rather than scaring your class, explain the historical background of the holiday in a way that they can understand.

Don't promote inappropriate costumes: Halloween can be a great time for dressing up, but it's also essential to consider the appropriateness of costumes. Don't encourage your class to dress up as stereotypes or to use Halloween as an excuse to show off a risqué costume. Be mindful of your students' cultural and religious beliefs as well. Instead, make some class guidelines for costumes that are inclusive and respectful of all cultures.

 Halloween may have originated from Celtic traditions, but it's important to remember that other cultures have their own form of celebration. For example, Mexico celebrates Dia de los Muertos, which is a day to celebrate the dead. It's important to not appropriate or co-opt these traditions for the sake of celebrating Halloween. Instead, encourage your students to learn about other cultures and their traditions, and maybe even incorporate them into your lesson plan.

 Last but not least, it's important to remember that Halloween is all about fun! While it's important to teach students about the history of the holiday, don't forget to have some fun along the way. Encourage your students to dress up and maybe even throw a Halloween party. After all, what better way to get excited about history than to dress up and have fun with it?

 

So, that's what NOT to do when teaching the history of Halloween. As a teacher, it's essential to remember that Halloween has evolved over time and has different meanings for different people. It's crucial to promote respect and inclusiveness in your classroom and to be mindful of your students' diverse backgrounds. By being a responsible teacher and avoiding these Halloween faux pas, you can ensure that your class has a spooktacular time while learning a little bit about history in the process.

How to use Task Cards in Your Classroom

Everyone mentions task cards and you see them ALL. THE. TIME. If you haven't jumped on the task card bandwagon, you should because they are awesome! Why? Because they are a review for the students that can go over a broad or specific topic. I love them because answer sheets and questions are already included so they can be taken for a daily grade. 

 

1. White board review  I absolutely LOVE using this throughout the day or the week. Even better, task cards are great to use with white boards. Students write their answer on the white board, then show it to the teacher at the same time. It gives you instant data on how many students know the answer and what they might still be missing. Check out my blog post on how to use whiteboards in your class!

ex:

(teacher) What are the 3 causes of the Civil War?

(students write the answer on the white board and show it to the teacher on the count of three)

as a teacher, I notice that the students know that two of the causes are slavery and states’ rights, but many of them are forgetting about sectionalism. I know that I need to review that more in depth with them

2. Stations there are two main ways to use task cards for stations. 

• (one topic) put 3-5 task cards at each station and have students rotate throughout the stations in order to break up the monotony of doing all the task cards at once. It also helps students not feel overwhelmed having to complete all of them
•  (2+ topics) separate the task cards by topic and set up the stations according to that topic.

ex: when reviewing science, you could put 3 space questions at a station and add images/paraphernalia from NASA. Another station on earthquakes could have pictures of the San Andreas fault in California or a video of the aftermath in Japan.

3. Quiz Quiz Trade With this activity, students are given one task card and must look up the answer before them begin. Students then go around the room and quiz another student and trade task cards when done. 

This is great for lower students because it makes them the “expert” with that task card. Students get to re-teach another student and helps students take ownership of the question/topic. You can also add an answer sheet for accountability. Great for the on-task class!

4. Scoot!  a more organized form of review. Each student has one task card. Each student also has an answer sheet. Everyone completes their own task card and write the answer down. After an allotted time (usually 1 minute), students pass the task card to the next person in their row. This is a great way to use task cards for the talkative classes or the classes with more behavior issues because everyone get the same amount of time, and there is less getting up/moving around. try to make it in a circle so the last student doesn’t have to run across the class to hand off the task card to the next person.

Check out the video below for an alternate way to play Scoot!

5. Back to Back  This is activity is a fan favorite because it gives students interaction. It's a  mix of scoot and QQT. Have students partner up and give them their answer sheet on a clip board. If you have a subject like math or science, add an extra piece of scratch paper to do any calculations on. Then, the students stand back to back, but where they can both see the screen at the same time. 

When you display the task card on the screen, the students have 30 seconds- 1 minutes to write their answer down on their answer sheet. when time is up, they turn and face their partner. then, they compare answers with their partners. This is great because it gives them a chance to work the problem out on their own before they discuss with their partner. It is also an easy way to collaborate and re-teach if needed. 

Bonus remediation (small group or one-on-one). after school tutorials, pick out 3 cards. the student picks 2 that they answer. continue until they have gone through all the cards. then, at the end, take the cards they didn’t answer and work with them on each task card one by one. this helps students filter out the material they know so you can pinpoint where they need help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 sure fire ways to have a stellar classroom observation

Few things in life are certain, but in the world of teaching there is one guarantee: observations. Formal classroom observations can be daunting for everyone involved. You may find yourself planning and re-planning for all the ‘what-if’ scenarios your mind can drum up with all roads leading to confusion. It doesn’t have to be this way! While you may be wondering why we need our classroom to be observed, there are sure fire ways to have a stellar classroom observation true tips for giving yourself your best chance for success.

Tip 1: Have a clean beginning and ending

Something you want to be sure you demonstrate to administration is clear concise sequences in lessons. The clean beginning and ending is a major part of that. It doesn’t hurt that these activities serve a dual purpose too! For a beginning, a set activity like a warmup or bell ringer gives students the opportunity to jump start their focus. At the same time, it gives you, the educator, time for administrative duties like collecting homework and submitting attendance.

A great way to wrap up a lesson is with exit tickets! It not only shows administration that you have a clear ending for class, but afterwards you’ll be able to assess student learning needs to make the necessary adjustments. If songs or mnemonic devices are more your speed, this is also a great option which helps students retain information.

Tip 2: Have two to three student collaborations during class

Student collaboration is a great solution for those awkward pauses during instruction. Using the think-pair-share format, students are able to share ideas and work together to understand the material better. When the time comes for sharing out, students are often more apt to speak up. Without the pressure of having to share ideas they came up with alone, they feel empowered to participate!

The sweet spot for classroom collaboration is two to three times. This way, students still get the opportunity to collaborate, but not enough to encourage too excessive chatter, you get off topic or loss of your pacing.

Tip 3: Perform a classroom temperature check at least twice during the lesson

Temperature checks just means make sure all of your students understand the material. Some teachers prefer to ask a question to the whole class then call on a specific student that knows the answer to show the class is learning. This works up to a point.

Usually, though, administration wants to know that everyone in the class is learning. What I like to do is have students use whiteboards. By posing a question to the entire class, they can somewhat anonymously answer the question by showing the answer only to you, the teacher. This really clears up any confusion about who understands the material and who needs further reinforcement. This method also assures that all students participate and be honest about where they’re at with the material.

I highly recommend this method, but a word of caution, don’t wait to use white boards for the first time on the day of your observation. Make sure this method is a part of classroom culture beforehand! You don’t want to wait until the day (or the week) of your formal classroom observation to implement this.

Tip 4: Always give students an opportunity to work independently

Quiet, independent work is helpful in seeing who is struggling and who may need remediation. A simple way to lead into independent work is by surprisingly through classroom collaboration. Allow students to work with a shoulder partner and depending on the group, they may also be able to pick their team partner. Once partners are selected, have them work with someone for a timed, five-minute period. After the five minutes is up, students should return to their seats and work individually. This is good for a few reasons.

Tip #5: Check in with Students Individually

During this time, you can circulate, talk to them, look at their work, ask clarifying questions and make sure they understand. Many students absorb information better during collaboration, but application comes during independent work, particularly with exit tickets. These quick assessments allow students to process the information and allow you to see what adjustments to make to your teaching.

Do you feel ready for the next time your administrator comes by your room? Your students are going to benefit greatly from these improvements. For more tips, follow me on social media. If you want to save some time, check out my formal observation form freebie!

If you are wondering what to expect from your principal, click here for a behind the scenes look.  Or, for more project-based learning in your class, check out these tips from Edutopia.

Whiteboards - It's Easy to Do if You Do It Smart

Whiteboards in the classroom are so underrated. They are a fantastic way to make sure students understand the material being covered. This subtle classroom management tool helps curb off-topic conversations among students all while giving you insight on where to strengthen instruction. Whiteboards also come with a host of other benefits.

They often help:

● shy students be vocal and get participation points without having to raise their hand and speak.

● students who might be struggling to feel empowered. They can participate without the fear of feeling less smart than their classmates who know the answers.

● students who always know the answers can participate without becoming the loudest voices in the class.

I 💓 chisel tip markers!

With the benefits in mind, you can make a sound decision on if it is for you and your students and how you would like to implement the practice. This includes what type of board you want for your classes. Be sure to select your board on criteria of cost and durability.

Your whiteboard options:

• Dollar stores - If you are worried about the affordability of a class set, check local dollar stores and value shopping centers for low-cost options. While materials may not be bundled, it is possible to get a class set for $30 or less!
• Teacher Supply Store - If dollar stores is not an option for you, another cost-effective option is card stock covered in 5mm laminate. For around$10, a class set can be made at local office or teacher supply stores. After the actual dry erase board, this is the sturdiest alternative. 
• Page protectors - If you find yourself pressed for time and restricted by budget, you can always use printer paper inside of page protectors. This option isn’t as durable or mess free, but it gets the job done.

Once you’ve selected your preferred whiteboard, it is time to establish guidelines of using whiteboards in class.

Some sample guidelines include:

● Whiteboards are only to be used for writing answers to the questions being asked. Only write on them when asked to or with permission.

● Dry erase markers are only for use on dry erase surfaces, not hands, books or paper.

● Everyone should try to answer the question with a response related to the subject. It’s okay to be unsure or incorrect, but an educated attempt is required.

● Once an answer is written, leave the whiteboard face down on the desk until instructed otherwise.

I highly recommend posting the guidelines in plain sight. This is great for you, those students that may have a hard time remembering and those that are visual learners. Using whiteboards with guidelines can be a little cumbersome in the beginning, but eventually, it becomes a part of the classroom culture.

Now that you’ve set up your guidelines, it is time to actually use the whiteboards.

5 Easy Steps to Using Whiteboard in Class

1. Have students set whiteboards face up with the markers on the desks while you ask the selected question. Once the question is asked, have them think about it for twenty seconds, enough time to think about the question and process it, then pick up the markers to respond. After students have written their answer, they are to put the whiteboards face down.

2. Have students show you their whiteboards when they’re done. This performs the temperature check and you can see who may not be connecting with the material.

3. After seeing all responses, have students return their board to face down and discuss their answers with a partner. If there is any confusion, this is a low-pressure opportunity to receive peer feedback without being called out in class. This is also when students are allowed to change answers. 

4. When partner collaboration is complete, ask one student to share their now correct answer and explain it. Those students that changed their answer will now have an opportunity to explain the correct answer which helps them retain the information.

5. Repeat! Walk through this process for two or three questions then move on with the main activity.

Using whiteboards is amazingly simple, but highly effective. Once incorporated into the fabric of the classroom, you’ll have the freedom to use this tool as a part of regular instruction and special occasions, like classroom observation.

How excited are you to try out these ideas? Your students are going to love using this in class, and I would love to see how you use this idea. Leave a comment below if you've tried this out or how you plan on using them 👍

If you are looking for some great tips on using whiteboards in elementary grades, check out this great list!

Want more info on whiteboards being used in class? Check out this fantastic list of resources.

How do I use word walls?

Word walls. 

The name doesn't invoke excitement, and usually brings to mind thoughts of gray cinder block walls. Walls that you would cover with random words in order to appease your administrators. You've probably seen other teacher's classrooms Pinterest-worthy word walls decorated with beautiful, color-coded words. 

Ever feel like you were missing out and not sure where to start? 

I was there. I didn't know how to use word walls. I didn't know how to choose words.

Thankfully, after going to a few professional developments, I found out how to use word walls. And it was pretty interesting! Some of my big takeaways:

1) You have to interact with the word wall. Every. Day. And I don't mean pointing to the wall and moving on. You have to make the word wall part of the lesson. When introducing new words to the students, put the words at the front of the room, on the board, or wherever you stand. Students need to use the word 10-15 times before it is internalized. I suggest introducing no more than 3 words in a class period. I know that can be tough when it seems like we have to teach everything and then some. But the important thing to remember is that it is better for the students to learn a few words REALLY well, than a lot of words they barely recognize.

2) Make the words accessible to the kids to look at (and even touch!) I know as a teacher, we value the items we put in our classroom. Majority of the time, we use our own hard-earned money for supplies. We definitely do NOT want students touching our stuff. Who knows the last time they washed their hands? 😷 But, a lot of students are tactile/kinesthetic learners. Have the words posted on a wall where students can see it from their seats, but isn't blocked by desks. You'll be surprised at how many go up to the wall during activities or to check out the pictures.

3) Speaking of pictures, use pictures in your words wall. You have no idea how much this helps struggling students and English Language Learners. You might have students who are under 504 or are struggling with history because they don't like the subject. Or, you might have English Language Learners who are trying to grasp not only conversational English, but academic vocabulary as well. We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to help them out. 

So now you are probably thinking, Great idea, Tori! But I am soooooo busy! Not a problem! Check out my word walls and let me do the heavy lifting for you! My U.S. History word walls are TEKS-aligned and include pictures and definitions so you can focus on teaching!