What students usually get wrong about the Mexican-American War

After teaching the Mexican-American War for many years, I've noticed that there are a few things that students tend to get wrong about this important event in our nation's history. In this blog post, I'll share some of the most common misconceptions and correct them so that you can help your students understand this crucial period in our country's past.

Misconception #1: The Mexican-American War began as a result of Mexican aggression

In reality, America sought to expand its boundaries into Mexico for the protection of slavery

The Mexican-American War is often misunderstood. While this 1846-1848 conflict between the United States and Mexico may sound straightforward, understanding its historical implications requires further research. Many Americans falsely believe that it began as a result of Mexican aggression, neglecting to realize that America sought to expand its boundaries and a major part of the war focused on the protection of slavery. This misunderstanding highlights the importance of learning history effectively in order to truly understand any event or conflict. Even though it’s now been over 170 years since this historic moment, gaining an appreciation for how it impacted diverse populations is still incredibly important.

Misconception #2: The primary cause of the war was the U.S. annexation of Texas

In reality, President James K. Polk sent American troops into what Mexico believed to be its territory, the area between the Rio Grande River and the Nueces River

The Mexican-American War mainly began over the issue of the U.S. annexation of Texas in 1845, which had formerly been a part of Mexico. This event enraged many Mexicans and led to disagreements about land control between the two nations as well as disputes about unresolved issues from the Texas Revolution that occurred nearly a decade prior. 

These disagreements quickly snowballed into war when President James K. Polk sent American troops into what Mexico believed to be its territory, initiating a conflict filled with territorial goals, heated battles and months of struggle and bloodshed on both sides before finally ending with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in February 1848. Although many people often overestimate or discount the factors contributing to this war, it is important to remember that the primary cause was ultimately rooted in the United States' controversial decision to annex Texas.

Misconception #3: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was a victory for the United States

In reality, America gained much more territory than they had previously. However the indigenous people and Mexicans living there were victim to mistreatment in this process.

While the United States saw the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo as a victory in 1848, it certainly wasn't a straightforward win for America. The treaty ended Mexico-American War and resulted in Mexico giving up a large swath of land, including California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas which consisted of nearly half of its territory. Although America may have gained new land through this treaty to expand upon their concept of manifest destiny, their mistreatment towards the Indigenous people that were already living in the areas was detrimental. 

In addition, 4 million Mexicans now found themselves living within US borders- citizens denied representation and excluded from many rights granted to those born in the United State's own borders. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gave Mexicans the right to remain in U.S. territory or to move to Mexico, with only 3,000 opting to move. The U.S. Senate revised Article IX regarding civil and political rights and eliminated Article X, which would have allowed Mexicans to complete the process of claiming land grants under U.S. administration. 

The Mexican-American War is an important but often misunderstood part of American history. Some common misconceptions about the war include that it was caused by Manifest Destiny or that it was simply a land grab by the United States. However, the war was actually much more complex than that, and there were a number of factors that led to it beyond just American expansionism. 

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Games to use for Test Review

When it comes to test review, there are a lot of options out there. But what are the best games to use? Here are a few of our favorites. Not only are these games fun, but they're also educational and can help your students review for their upcoming tests. So break out the board games and get ready to have some fun!

Memory

Memory games are perfect for review or even just for a bit of fun in the classroom! Using matching and other association-based activities, teachers can give students a mental workout with these interactive games. Refreshing familiar topics, characters, or equations with a fun and unique approach can help keep students engaged while they work on improving their memory. Games like these can also be useful for warming up the classroom before delving into any test reviews since it brings an interesting spin to traditional studying techniques.

Jeopardy

Jeopardy is one of the most popular games to help review material, and for a good reason! With a large selection of categories and questions that can be tailored to any particular subject matter, it is sure to keep everyone's minds buzzing. What's more, it encourages friendly competition which often brings motivation and excitement to an otherwise mundane task. Make use of it in your next test review and maximize your learning potential with this classic game!

Bingo

Bingo is a great game to use for test review because it's fast, effective, and fun! You can easily customize the game with academic content, so that it becomes an interactive, comprehensive study aid. With bingo, students become more engaged with the review material and can often better remember information that they have learned -- making them even more prepared for their exams! Bingo can not only be an exciting learning activity but also a morale booster among your students.

These three fun review games are great to use whether you’re teaching in the classroom or virtually. Do you have a favorite game that you like to use for test review? Click here to share this post with a teacher friend and help them out!

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Differentiating with Task Cards in the Classroom

 

Differentiating instruction is a key factor for success in any classroom 🙌 and task cards are a great way to help you do just that. Task cards can be used to differentiate instruction by providing students with different levels of difficulty 🎚️, allowing them to work at their own pace and giving them the opportunity to explore 🔍 topics more deeply. Let’s take a look at how task cards can help teachers differentiate instruction in the classroom.

Task Card Benefits

Task cards are versatile tools which provide many benefits for both teachers and students alike. They can be used to present new material or review old material ✍️; as individual assignments or group activities; as practice or assessment; and for any subject area 📒 or grade level. Furthermore, task cards allow for differentiated learning without taking away from valuable instruction time ; they also provide a hands-on approach to learning that is engaging and motivating for students of all ages. 

Differentiation Strategies

Differentiation with task cards can be done in several different ways. For example, you can assign different tasks to different students based on ability level, interest level, or prior knowledge 🧠. You can also assign tasks that focus on different aspects of the same unit such as comprehension (reading) tasks, application (writing) tasks, analysis (thinking) tasks, and creation (producing) tasks. Finally, you can create tasks with varying degrees of difficulty so that each student has an appropriate challenge level regardless of skill set or learning style.

 

Use different colors for task cards

Select the top 10 most vital task cards in the set and print them on different colored paper, blue for example. Then, for your students who need remediation or require accommodations, have them complete the blue task cards first, then they can complete any other task cards after that. This gives you the chance to have the students answer the most important questions first and allows the students to not be so overwhelmed by the activity. It also allows the students to feel successful 🏅 in your class knowing they got through the 10 blue task cards and not being reprimanded for an incomplete assignment.

Add clipart or photos

If you want to get really creative, you can add clipart or photos 🖼️ to your task cards. This can help students better understand the concept you are teaching. Visuals are a great way to engage all learners, and incorporating pictures or diagrams 📊 on your task cards can be of great help for students who require more visual cues. Adding visuals to the task cards allows those students to gain a better understanding of the material, as they will be able to see the task more clearly and can be able to visualize the concepts. This works perfect for English Language Learners or struggling students. 

 

Stations

Tap into the power of task cards to give your students more freedom! Differentiate instruction by setting up stations with two per station 📋: one card offering multiple choice questions, and another that features open-ended or short response questions. You can customize this learning experience even further - challenge them to answer at least two short responses ✏️ so they feel comfortable tackling material in their preferred style.

 

Differentiating instruction doesn't have to be complicated—task cards offer an easy way for teachers to provide meaningful opportunities for all learners while still allowing them autonomy over their own learning process. 

By following these tips on creating effective task cards and keeping in mind the importance of clarity, creativity, and relevance when designing activities for your students, you'll be able to create an engaging classroom environment tailored specifically towards their needs! With task cards in hand—and some careful thought put into how best utilize them—you're sure to see differentiated instruction done right! 

Looking to save time? Check out my line of US History Task Cards from Exploration and Colonization through Reconstruction!

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How I teach the Declaration of Independence

 

Students are exposed to challenging content all throughout their lives. However, the middle school adds in a few extra challenges. Between friendship issues , puberty, and self-esteem, students are really struggling 😭! Therefore, it is key to bring in engaging ways to teach the challenging content. Additionally, it greatly helps to build connections 🤝in order for students to relate to the content. For example, they may love to celebrate Independence Day on July 4th 🎆 but not know the true meaning behind it. Thus, the 3 steps below will be incredibly helpful when teaching the Declaration of Independence!

1. Use the Comparison of a Couple Breaking Up

When teaching the Declaration of Independence, it will be important to bring in a comparison that middle school students will understand. Hence, explain this as a couple breaking up 💔. Now, some middle school students may not have personally been in a relationship yet. However, they have seen many breakups on TV 📺, in their own family 👪, or with a friend 👦. Therefore, it is a connection they can truly understand.

 

When first starting this comparison, ask students: What would be some reasons you would break up with someone? For example, there may be distance issues between the two people ✈. Or, there may be problems with communication 🤐, happiness, and respecting each other's decisions. Unfortunately, problems may become so bad that an apology just isn’t enough 🚫. There needs to be a formal separation and end of the relationship. By making this comparison, students will have a strong understanding of why the Declaration of Independence was needed. In order to truly excite your students, be sure to play Too Late To Apologize: A Declaration  ! Students will love the new lyrics to this well-known song 🎵.

2. Sections of the Declaration of Independence 

After students gain an understanding on why the Declaration of Independence was needed, it is time to dive deeper into the content. If the relationship comparison really connected with students, this step can even be explained as a divorce 💔. Specifically, compromises have to be worked out in order for all involved parties to come to an agreement 👍. Just as adults have to communicate and compromise, the 13 colonies had to do the same.

 

In order to break down the Declaration, this Close Reading and Text Analysis resource does an incredible job at explaining the different components. Here, students are provided three methods for decoding a really complicated text . Additionally, they use cooperative learning for analyzing the text 📕. By doing this, the reading 👀 is not so overwhelming. Then, they will listen to music to see Britain’s reaction. Since many students love music 🎵, this is a great way to help them understand the content. After this, students will be guided to depict grievances against King George. This resource does an incredible job at taking a document made of a ton of words and really simplifying them down to the most important aspects.

3. In-Depth Review of Grievances

After explaining what the Declaration is and how it is set up, it is time to move onto complications that arose. This in-depth review will focus on grievances and what they meant. Therefore, by doing this after the Close Reading and Text Analysis resource 👀, students will already have a general idea on this topic. Now, students can dive into the deeper content. To do this, they can explore different grievances, such as colonist participation in government and law enforcement, and separate them into categories. For example, categorize based on political, social, or economic aspects. These three are key issues in any major decision-making.

 

In order to help students really understand how grievances develop, it can be helpful to look 👀 at different parts of the American Revolution. For instance, the  Articles of Confederation Drag and Drop Activity is such a hands-on way 💻 for students to explore complex topics. Additionally, the activities will help students see the 👆 ups and downs 👇 that occurred during the establishment of the United States. Here, there are activities on the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and even the Northwest Ordinance.

 

The Declaration of Independence is such a complex topic to learn about. There are many people involved 👴👨👴 and several reasons for why it happened. Furthermore, there are endless complications that occurred during the Declaration development. Therefore, these 3 engaging strategies will greatly help break down the topic into one that all students can understand!

 

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Teach The 13 Colonies Like A Champ With The Help Of These Tips

 

The founding of the 13 colonies did not happen overnight. Additionally, it was not a smooth process 💣💥 There is just so much to teach middle school students about how America was actually developed. Additionally, this essential content occurs at a time in students' lives where their minds 🧠 and bodies are rapidly changing. Due to this, it is so important to incorporate their own interests, such as technology, when talking about content that occurred long ago. By following these 3 tips below, teaching about the 13 colonies will be interesting, rigorous, and thorough! 🙌

Explain the Founding of the 13 Colonies

The majority of middle school students 👦👧will not really know how America was formed. Additionally, many students may think all 50 states formed at once. Therefore, one of the joys of junior high 🏫 is teaching students how the world did not instantly develop. There were trials, tribulations, and a lot of compromises 🤝.

 

When teaching about the 13 colonies, it is important to start back at how they were founded 📓. One way to do this is to provide a quick overview. Middle school students do not have a long attention span. Therefore, this short video 🎥 on The Founding of the 13 Colonies is the perfect one to show. While it is short, it is powerful! It includes an incredible overview on how the colonies came about with strong visual aids.

Lay a Foundation at the Start of the Year

One of the goals of history 🌎 is to learn about the past and avoid making the same mistakes. Additionally, many concepts build upon each other 👷. Therefore, in order to learn about the individual colonies, a solid foundation should be taught from the beginning of the year. Students are going to consistently come back to the 13 colonies, so it is important they have a strong understanding 💯.

 

The 13 Colonies Drag and Drop resource is perfect 👍 to incorporate in lessons in order to ensure students truly know detailed information 🔍. This resource is best done after students have a general overview of the founding and the names of the colonies. This is due to how much information is packed into this digital resource 💁. Students will love 💖 the interactive component of drag and drop 💻 while learning 15 different aspects of the colonies! For example, students will learn about the reasons for founding, cash crops 💰🍞, and influential people. Students will love getting to have an in-depth exploration of the 13 colonies with an interactive resource!

Interactive Activities

Whenever students are engaged, they learn the information better 🧠. Ultimately, they are more focused 👀 on what is being taught versus daydreaming or doodling. Therefore, make activities interactive! For instance, in the resource above, students could have listened 👂 to a lecture about that information. However, the truth is that many middle school students would have been bored and ignored 😒😩 what was said. Hence, the drag and drop element is a great way to keep students focused and interested in the lesson!

 

Additionally, the Jamestown Online Adventure is a great way to challenge students. Here, they create their own colony 🏘 with the help of the London Company’s instructions. They can even ask other colonists and Native Americans for advice. By the end, students will see how hard it was to establish the colonies 😵 and common mistakes that were made.

 

Lastly, if activities are interactive, there is no worry about having to quickly change plans. If classes have to go virtual 💻, everything will be ready. Additionally, if students need to socially distance themselves 👦🠈🠊👧, they can each complete their own activities while still having fun in the classroom!

There is so much information to include when teaching about the 13 colonies. Between why the colonies were needed to the ups 👆 and downs 👇 that were constantly occurring, students can become confused 😕. However, by following the 3 tips above ✅, students will be excited to learn and they will be focused, engaged, and eager for the next lesson.

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Back to School for the Social Studies Classroom

 Know the 3 ironclad techniques to improve back to school

After soaking up some much-needed sun and relaxation, now it’s time to plan for such an exciting time: Back to School!📓📚 I’m hoping your district will have more normalcy back this year than the craziness that transpired the past 2 years. However, even if it doesn't, there are a few aspects to focus on as the first day approaches. The 3 strategies below will help ensure the next school year starts with positivity, engagement, and organization!💓😀👍

Why You Should Get to Know Students starting on the First Day of School

To help make sure you have a good year, it’s so important to get to know your students! When positive relationships are developed, everyone is happier to be in the classroom. Also, students are often more driven to complete work when they know the teacher truly cares. To accomplish this during the first week of school, spend some time incorporating get-to-know-you activities into the lesson. Now, I know it’s hard to think about doing this when your year is jam-packed with content that you HAVE to get through. However, building relationships creates a positive classroom atmosphere and makes classroom management easier on you.

 As one additional tip, let your students get to know you! Share some important things in your life, such as your favorite place to visit 🗽, hobbies 🎳, and anything about your family 👶. Students want to get to know us just as much as we want to get to know them! 

How you should get to know your students 

There are so many icebreakers available you could use to get to know students! For example, this If I Were a Country resource is a perfect way to truly get to know your junior high students. Even better, all of the information is related to social studies content! Students will be able to tell the teacher and class all about their Independence Day (birthday) 🎂, favorite climate, and agriculture (food) 🌮. Students can also create their own flag 🚩 and timeline 📅of their life. This resource is chock full of creative ways to use social studies terms while getting to know your new class.

Preparing Sub Plans

No matter how prepared teachers can be, life happens! You never know when a sick day will pop up, and sub plans are rarely easy to come up with. To help keep life calm during a chaotic time, it’s vital to have sub plans in order. It’s best to do this at the start of the year to guarantee a lesson is ready whenever something comes up last minute.

 One incredible FREE resource for the social studies classroom is 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know. Here, there are high-interest cases and articles from the New York Times. Additionally, there are lesson procedures, multiple graphic organizers, and answer keys ready to go. This way, teachers can print these packets at the start of the year and have everything ready to ensure students are still learning when there is a substitute.

Content Review

Summer learning loss is real! After a tumultuous year, content review for any subject is essential  at the beginning of the year. With any luck, students will quickly get back into the swing of things and be able to recall previously learned content.

 To make review exciting, a content “boot camp” is a creative route to take. For example, this Social Studies Skills Bootcamp provides a foundational review for 17 topics, including state identification 🗺 and geographic land features 🗻. Furthermore, there is also a review on latitude and longitude, landmarks 🗽, and presidential trivia. Students will have a blast reviewing in this exciting boot camp format!

 

Back-to-school is such an exciting, emotional, stressful time. There is always a sadness leaving summer but excitement to be back in the classroom. However, it can be emotional and stressful to get everything prepared for students before the first day comes. Therefore, these 4 strategies will help ensure all students and teachers have the best start to the school year!

 

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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.