Homeschool U.S. History Simulations (by date, oldest first)

There are two class activities available in this 9 page document. Your students will become immersed in the home front issues of World War II with these two activities.

Activity 1 - Create a Propaganda Poster related to Victory Gardens

Students will review posters from World War II and then create their own using similar elements to what was used then in terms of design, message and purpose.

Activity 2 - Participate in 5 Minute Simulations

Students will take on various roles in the effort to organize community Victory Gardens. They will have a chance to be a leader, community member, representative of the local Victory Garden Committee or a garden/hardware store owner.

Primary source documents from pamphlets published by the US Department of Agriculture as well as photographs from World War II to enhance their understanding prior to completing either activity.

Please check out my other Teaching Resources about World War II:

*The Japanese-American Experience in World War II: PowerPoint Presentation
*The Japanese-American Experience in World War II: Reading Assignment and Worksheet
*Women in the US Military during World War II: Reading Assignment and Worksheet
*Victory Gardens of World War II: PowerPoint Mini-Lesson
*Victory Gardens during World War II: Analyzing Primary Sources
*The Home Front in World War II: Crossword Puzzle and Word Search
*The Home Front during World War II: Reading Assignment and Worksheet

More are always being added so check back frequently!

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These resources include DBQ and Primary Source Sets, Guided Reading Assignments and Power Point Lessons on the following topics:
* Home Front
* Japanese-American Internment
* Women in the U.S. Military
* Victory Gardens

DBQ and Primary Source Sets
DBQ and Primary Source sets include primary sources with questions, DBQ prompts and Answer Keys. Students have a chance to develop understanding of context, perspective, purpose, audience and context. DBQ prompts prepare them for integration of sources into essay responses. These are excellent ways for students to develop historical thinking skills. APUSH students can benefit from DBQ practice. A Bonus File on "How to Integrate Sources in a DBQ" is included.

Guided Reading Assignments

Guided Reading Assignments are 1-3 page overviews of these topics which provide more detail than textbooks might provide or can replace textbook reading. A Worksheet at the end of the Reading Assignment will help students to process the information.

Power Point Lesson
The Power Point Lessons allow teachers to discuss key developments and significant aspects of the era with students. Alternatively, students can review independently. Slides include photos, images and Reflection Questions.

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This bundle contains four teaching resources about the Victory Gardens in World War II. Each of these complement one another but can also be used independently.

PowerPoint Mini-Lesson - This mini-lesson contains eleven slides that provide a deeper look at the Victory Gardens planted during World War II in the United States. Use it to teach F2F or provide as an independent supplemental learning resource. The slides contain fascinating and engaging visuals including posters as well as instructions and text from actual pamphlets produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the war. Victory Gardens provided essential fruits and vegetables to American citizens. It was a wholly volunteer effort and involved youth through adults and became a very successful endeavor during a time of great need! This includes the PowerPoint version as the well as the PDF. In the free version, only the PDF is available.

Primary Source Analysis and DBQs - This 16 page primary source analysis activity gives students a chance to delve deeper into life on the home front in the United States. They will determine why the Victory Gardens were so important to the war effort. Included is a one-page sheet that explains what primary sources are and how to analyze them using specific questions through a process called HAPPY. Primary sources include pamphlet excerpts, photographs and posters. Each page of primary sources includes questions. Two DBQ prompts are also included. There is also a page at the end for students to apply the HAPPY process to one source. An Answer Key to all the questions and the HAPPY process is available at the end of the packet. This is excellent practice for all high school students, particularly Honors and AP students.

Class Activities - There are two class activities available in this 9 page teaching resource. Your students will become immersed in the home front issues of World War II with these two activities.

Activity 1 - Create a Propaganda Poster related to Victory Gardens

Students will review posters from World War II and then create their own using similar elements to what was used then in terms of design, message and purpose.

Activity 2 - Participate in 5 Minute Simulations

Students will take on various roles in the effort to organize community Victory Gardens. They will have a chance to be a leader, community member, representative of the local Victory Garden Committee or a garden/hardware store owner.

Have students study the primary source documents from pamphlets published by the US Department of Agriculture as well as photographs from World War II to enhance their understanding prior to completing either activity.

Reading Assignment and Worksheet

As an alternative to presenting the Power Point Lesson, students can do close reading about Victory Gardens in World War II and then complete the worksheet. The Reading Assignment is one page and the Worksheet is one page. The Worksheet is available on Easel as a digital option. An Answer Key is included for the worksheet.

Please check out my other Teaching Resources about World War II:

*The Japanese-American Experience in World War II: PowerPoint Presentation
*The Japanese-American Experience in World War II: Reading Assignment and Worksheet
*Women in the US Military during World War II: Reading Assignment and Worksheet
*Victory Gardens of World War II: PowerPoint Mini-Lesson
*Victory Gardens during World War II: Analyzing Primary Sources
*Victory Gardens during World War II: Classroom Activities
*The Home Front in World War II: Crossword Puzzle and Word Search
*The Home Front during World War II: Reading Assignment and Worksheet

More are always being added so check back frequently!

This resource is designed to have students critically explore the period of Reconstruction. Two highly engaging, interactive Slide Presentations will vicariously draw students into the lives of the Freedmen during this historical period of time.

LESSON ONE: Reconstruction Era [Intro]

Includes:

• 45 Slide Presentation & Guided Notes Handout
• POV Freedmen Scenario Activity

LESSON ONE will have students examine;

• the different ways in which newly freed slaves expressed their emancipation
• the POV of a Freedmen (POV Activity). Students will respond and debate four questions central to this time period from a Freedman's perspective;

1. Now that the Civil War is over, who should own and control the plantations?
2. What do you propose should happen to the ex-Confederate leaders?
3. Who should be allowed to vote in the new South? Everyone? Only formerly enslaved people? Only those who were loyal to the United States during the war? Women?
4. How will African Americans be protected from the revenge of the defeated soldiers and from the plantation owners?
5. What conditions should be put on the Southern states before they are allowed to return to the Union?

LESSON TWO: The Pursuit to Vote

Includes:

• 48 Slide Presentation & Guided Notes Handout
• Black Codes Scenarios Matching Game
• Louisiana State Literacy Test

LESSON TWO will have students examine;

• Black Codes (Matching Game included)
• Three Reconstruction Plans
• the POV of a Freedmen in regards to the different obstacles they faced in their pursuit to vote (Inequality of land, the Grandfather Clause, Literacy Test, Poll Tax, Intimidation & Violence)

*Class discussion, simulations, and critical thinking is promoted throughout the entire resource.

*All THREE lessons (Era of Reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan, & Jim Crow) is available in the BUNDLE for a discounted %.

This unit bundle is composed of four highly engaging, primary based, interactive Slide Presentations, and activities-- designed to have students critically explore the period of Reconstruction/Jim Crow.

LESSON ONE: Reconstruction Era [Intro]

Includes:

• 45 Slide Presentation & Guided Notes Handout
• POV Freedmen Scenario Activity

LESSON ONE will have students examine;

• the different ways in which newly freed slaves expressed their emancipation
• the POV of a Freedmen (POV Activity). Students will respond and debate four questions central to this time period from a Freedman's perspective;

1. Now that the Civil War is over, who should own and control the plantations?
2. What do you propose should happen to the ex-Confederate leaders?
3. Who should be allowed to vote in the new South? Everyone? Only formerly enslaved people? Only those who were loyal to the United States during the war? Women?
4. How will African Americans be protected from the revenge of the defeated soldiers and from the plantation owners?
5. What conditions should be put on the Southern states before they are allowed to return to the Union?

LESSON TWO: The Pursuit to Vote

Includes:

• 48 Slide Presentation & Guided Notes Handout
• Black Codes Scenarios Matching Game
• Louisiana State Literacy Test

LESSON TWO will have students examine;

• the Black Codes (Matching Game included)
• Three Reconstruction Plans
• the POV of a Freedmen in regards to the different obstacles they faced in their pursuit to vote (Inequality of land, the Grandfather Clause, Literacy Test, Poll Tax, Intimidation & Violence)

LESSON THREE: The Ku Klux Klan (Comparing the Past to Today)

Includes:

• 34 Slide Presentation & Guided Notes Handout
• Venn Diagram- 'Comparing White Supremacy of the Past with Today'
• Primary Source Reading- 'C.P. Ellis Why I Quit the Klan'

LESSON THREE will have students examine;

• the underlying roots from which the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) came to exist in America
• the organization's primary tactics of using intimidation & fear in fighting against social equality, and why many poor whites were recruited to join the KKK organization.
• & compare/contrast the circumstances & social conditions of two former white supremacist leaders (one who lived during the era of Jim Crow, and the other of present day).

LESSON FOUR: Jim Crow Laws

Includes:

• 38 Slide Slide Presentation & Guided Notes Handout
• A Tale of Two Schools' Supplementary Reading Comprehension Activity
• 'Freedom Song' Movie Handout

LESSON FOUR will have students examine;

• the period of the Jim Crow era, with a focus on the segregation of schools.
• the implications of monumental Supreme Court decisions of 'Plessy v. Ferguson', and 'Brown V. Board of Education'.

Choice of three supplementary activities; 

• The 1st Optional Activity will have students analyze four political cartoons. Students will identify whether the author was FOR or AGAINST the Jim Crow Laws, & describe supportive details from the cartoon on their POLITICAL CARTOON HANDOUT.

• The 2nd Optional Activity will have students critically read a primary source article titled ‘A TALE OF TWO SCHOOLS’, and respond to text dependent questions in their ‘TALE OF TWO SCHOOLS QUESTIONS HANDOUT. The teacher can do a read-aloud, OR students can read independently. Class discussion is encouraged.

• The 3rd Optional Activity will have students analyze a film titled ‘FREEDOM SONG’. Students will apply their knowledge from their guided notes, and respond to open-ended questions in their FREEDOM SONG HANDOUT.

Transform Your Classroom with The Urban Game – A Hands-On Simulation of the Industrial Revolution and Urbanization!

This dynamic Industrial Revolution activity immerses students in the rapid urbanization and social changes of the 19th century. Through an engaging simulation, students actively experience the transformations in society, industry, and daily life during the Industrial Revolution, gaining insights into the era's complexities and innovations.

What’s Included:

• Detailed Teacher Instructions: Step-by-step guide for leading the activity, making setup and facilitation easy.
• Historical Scenarios: Each stage reflects actual shifts in 19th-century urbanization, including the rise of factories, transportation advances, and housing challenges.
• Reflection & Discussion Prompts: After each stage, students reflect on changes and discuss the broader impacts of industrialization on individuals and society.

Perfect For:

• Middle and High School World History or U.S. History Classes: An ideal activity for teaching the Industrial Revolution in an interactive, relatable way.
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• Flexible Use: Perfect for group work, class projects, or as an introduction to industrialization and urban studies.

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Engage Students with an In-Depth Exploration of the Industrial Revolution!

This comprehensive Industrial Revolution Activity Bundle offers a variety of engaging activities and resources to help students dive deep into the key events, inventions, and societal changes of the Industrial Revolution. Designed for both US History and World History classrooms, this bundle provides everything you need to bring the period of industrialization to life.

Perfect for middle and high school history classes, this resource will guide your students through the major innovations, key figures, and social impacts that defined the Industrial Revolution in both the United States and Europe.

What’s Included:

• Reading Passages, Notes, & Worksheets: Detailed reading passages paired with comprehension questions to ensure students understand key concepts.
• Graphic Organizers: Visual tools that help students organize and connect important information about inventions, social changes, and economic shifts.
• Best-Selling Interactive Activities: Engage students with hands-on learning through puzzles and interactive classroom games!

World History Ultimate Bundle! Yearlong Activities, Worksheets, Lessons, Games & Projects for Your Classroom

Bring world history to life and save time with this ultimate yearlong bundle! This comprehensive collection includes over 125 engaging activities covering major historical periods, from Prehistory, Ancient Civilizations, and the Middle Ages to World War II and the 21st Century. Designed for middle school, high school, and homeschool students, this bundle provides an extensive range of resources to enhance your world history curriculum, making history interactive, fun, and memorable.

What’s Included:

• Reading Comprehension Worksheets: This is a new product line, currently covering key historical periods from Prehistory to Ancient Greece, with more added throughout the year!
• Interactive Reading Lessons: Explore historical events and figures with guided questions and in-depth analysis.
• Worksheets & Notes: Perfect for classwork, homework, and review.
• Projects & Research Assignments: Encourage deep dives into specific historical topics, fostering critical thinking.
• Crossword Puzzles & Word Searches: Fun ways to reinforce vocabulary and key historical concepts.
• Classroom Games: Make history fun with interactive activities that engage all learners.
• Teacher Guides & Answer Keys: Detailed guides, rubrics, and answer keys for easy lesson planning and grading.

This Bundle is Ideal For:

• New teachers building a robust collection of classroom activities.
• Experienced teachers seeking fresh, creative resources.
• Homeschool families wanting structured, engaging lessons.

Stay tuned for even more resources added throughout the year as the reading comprehension series continues to expand. Check out the previews to see how these activities can enrich your classroom today!

Save time and money with this amazing bundle of 30 interactive and engaging activities, designed to enhance your world history classroom! This package helps supplement your existing curriculum, lessons and units, covering key periods from The Industrial Revolution to the 21st Century, and provides a rich variety of learning tools to captivate your students and deepen their understanding of history.

Topics covered in this bundle:

1. Industrial Revolution
2. Age of Imperialism
3. World War I & World War II
4. The Cold War
5. Independence Movements
6. The 21st Century
7. Vocabulary Review
8. Projects and Activities for any unit!

Product Overview: This bundle includes a wide variety of activities to suit different learning styles and classroom needs:

• Interactive Reading Lessons: Explore historical texts and topics with guided questions and activities.
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• Crossword Puzzles & Word Searches: Reinforce vocabulary and key concepts in a fun, engaging way.
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• ..and so much more!

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Be sure to check out the previews for all activities to see how they are perfect for your classroom!