Before I started my first year of teaching, the principal I worked for asked me how I felt about teaching one middle school history class. I love history and had minored in it in college (until switching to psychology my junior year) so I was up for it! Unfortunately, my curriculum for this class was a little thin and it sent me searching for more project-based ideas and online activities. I found so many that I loved and they were a hit with my class too!
Here are my three favorite web-based social studies games. Just a note, they all require flash player.
Building Detroit by the Detroit Historical Society
If you teach in Michigan, you've got to check this simulation out! My students loved this game and I loved the informational passages between each level. It reinforced what I was already teaching and my students loved talking about the industrial revolution after playing this! This site also connects you to several lessons relating to the Motor City.
Do you remember the old Choose-Your-Own-Adventure stories? They're back with these history-based games! There are five to choose from with different time periods covered: Revolutionary War, slavery in the 1800s, plain Indians in the 1800s, immigration in the early 1900s, and the depression era. Each game gives the students a chance to play as though they were a child in that era. It sparked great discussions as students internalized some of the struggles each child faced. Each adventure comes with an educator guide to make it even more effective. It brought history alive!
You read that right- Justice O'Connor was a huge force behind this social studies tool! This one was my students' favorite by far and led to great discussions. There are many lessons and lots of games covering different topics. One of my students sheepishly told me she went home and played some of them more after school!
There are a lot of games, so here are two of my favorites:
- Do I Have a Right? Your students play as a law firm trying to argue cases. As different situations are presented to them, they have to decide if each case can be supported by the constitution or not. After two rounds of this game, students were repeating amendments back to me! The game is so well-written and my students couldn't get enough.
- Win the White House This game has options for elementary, middle, or high school! They create a character, establish their platform, and work through campaign options. This springboarded so many discussions about campaign strategies, the roles of different states, and how candidates differ from each other.
Are you looking for a simple social studies lesson for your students? Or do you need a simple sub plan that makes your absence easier? My Famous Speeches of History lesson was a hit with my own students and with my sub. It's one of my best sellers and a deal at only $3.25! Check out questions about these famous speeches of Reagan, Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr, and others! Pst- you can get a great deal if you check out the bundle! I also have a version of the same lessons designed for Google Classroom!
There are so many social studies resources out there- do you have a favorite I didn't mention? Comment below!
awesome resources thanks for taking the time to compile this list!
ReplyDeleteThese are great! I'm so excited to try them with my boys!
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