What are Metaphors & Analogies? Metaphors and analogies are comparisons between unlike things that have some particular things in common. Why should we use them in class? Good teachers use metaphors and analogies to make new and unfamiliar concepts more meaningful to students by connecting what they already know to what they are learning. 1. Good readers know how to use analogies and metaphors to get at the meaning of a passage. 2. When students create their own analogies for new concepts, the analogy can provide a way to assess their understanding of the new concepts. 3. Metaphors and analogies add "sparkle" to student writing. These Andrew Metaphors are a great critical thinking exercise to help assess understanding of this topic. Kids love these!

The American Revolution is every sports movie ever. Students will consider that the the American Revolution( OR ANY WAR)to be lot like a classic sports movie. The plots are essentially identical. All sports movies start out with a group of less-than-stellar athletes. Then SUDDENLY- there is a wonderful music montage where they train to some really upbeat music and a stunning matter of 2-3 minutes become the best team ever! Then by the end of the movie they’ve won the state championship! Wow! Spectacular! Listed in this activity are different “sports movie” scenes and characters. It is your job to relate those scenes and characters to actual events and people of the American Revolution. SUPER FUN! Students LOVE This!

TIMER SAVER for covering these three Reconstruction Acts. This assignment comes with 3 video links that illustrate how to create easy to remember icons for each one of these acts. YOU WILL LOVE THE CUTE MEMORY TECHNIQUES! Students remember best after sketching images of their learning. The definitions of each act are on the worksheet. Students can work independently or you can watch the videos to teach yourself how to illustrate this lesson while your students follow you. Finally, students critically think by putting all three acts on the triple venn diagram to compare and contrast each act.

Assignment Overview preview: You and your partners have decided to go into business together. You must select one of the seven fields in which to invest your time and resources. Student Product Preview: Business Model Conduct research into your chosen field, and create a 3-4 minute infomercial detailing your plans for your business. The concluding activity will be the students presenting at your business convention.

Need a short, fun, and memorable lesson on the Plymouth Colony that could take less then 15 minutes? Use the link at the top of the notes to watch "Story Time" with Mr. Beats. Stop the video and have students take visual notes as you add info of your choice. This could take as long as 30 minutes if you want to add historical information along the way.

Process this entertaining Andrew Jackson video with this easy to use printable. Students will respond to a choice of three writing prompts at the conclusion of the video lesson.

Students will create a Branches of Government Superheros that reflects each branches "Super Powers." Makes showing what you learned fun, interesting and creative.

This assignment starts with a brief background of George Washington. Next, students will read a list of accomplishments. The instructions will explain what to do with visuals that students will draw on a George Washington outline. Finally, students will complete a writing piece that explains their choices.

Save Our History: The Search for George Washington chronicles a contemporary effort to recover a more authentic view of our foremost statesman. On location at Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, this program follows the work of a team of historians, anthropologists, scientists, artists and craftsmen assembled from four continents to accomplish one goal – tore-create an exact image of this legendary founding father. This worksheet has questions that go in the order of the video so students can follow along very easily.

Print, Push Play, and Learn!!! Students love watching TED Talks! This animated Ted talk on the Declaration of Independence and sketchNotes worksheet is a great alternative to traditional lecture based classes. You can use this to flip the classroom or as a part of the activities that you already do. The Link is at the top of the worksheet. I start and stop this video at each point where notes or fill in the blanks are required on the worksheet. I also use this time to expand the topic or have students discuss the content.

Students will consider this enduring question that goes with this worksheet: Was the Missouri Compromise a Band-Aid or a solution? There are 9 questions that go with this short video. Video gets straight to the point and covers this topic quickly. **Formative Assessment after video and questions: Students will write a paragraph or 2 over the enduring question on large band aid templates. **Teacher answer key included

In this activity your students will have a blast creating an action figure of T-Paine. First, show the short video and complete the fill in the blank notes and then students will show what they understand by creating an action figure of Thomas Paine.

Need a fast way to cover Marbury V. Madison, Gibbons v Ogden, and McCulloch v. Maryland? TIME SAVER....excellent cartoons with short and clear explanation that include a description of 1. The Court Case. 2. The Ruling 3. The Significance. Each case follows with 2 critical thinking questions. You can cover this material all in 1 class period or break it up into daily warm ups.

Students will first define each Bill. Then after teacher reviews each bill students will make corrections. Finally, space is provided for students to ILLUSTRATE each amendment in the Bill of Rights.

Not only did George Washington lead our new country to independence, he is also considered to be one of our greatest presidents. No one had ever been president before and almost everything that President Washington did set a precedent, or example, for other presidents to follow. In this assignment, students will do the following: Student ASSIGNMENT: 1. Look over this list and choose two of Washington’s accomplishments that you feel are the most important. 2. Use pictures (use very few words, if any) to symbolically represent these accomplishments. Draw the pictures within the picture of George Washington. 3. Outside of this picture, write down why you chose these two accomplishments as the most important. Write two paragraphs, one for each accomplishment that you have chosen. Each paragraph should be at least two paragraphs long.

Description: "The War That Made America" brings to life a vastly important—but often misunderstood—period of American history, a period that set in motion forces that would culminate in the American Revolution. The dramatic documentary tells the story of the French and Indian War (1754-1763), which began in the wilderness of the Pennsylvania frontier and spread throughout the colonies, into Canada, and ultimately around the world. Narrated and hosted by Graham Greene, the Academy-Award nominated actor for "Dances With Wolves" and an Oneida Indian whose ancestors fought in this war, "The War That Made America" combines a commitment to accuracy with a compelling filmed portrayal of the dangerous world of the 18th-century frontier. A central figure is George Washington, then a brash and ambitious young officer in his twenties hoping to make his reputation in the military, whose blunders actually trigger the war. A primary focus of the series, and a story that has long been distorted or forgotten, is the critical military importance and strategic diplomacy of Native Americans in the conflict between the English and French for the expansion of their colonial empires. It was a war the British won, but the fruit of their victory contained the seeds of the Revolutionary War. This file comes with 5 printable's for 5 segments of the PBS movie.

This ORIGINAL and engaging readers theater will bring this typically boring material to life. Students become excited and enthusiastic about reading when they are presented with the opportunity to participate in Readers Theater. The ideal way to use this play is to put students in groups of 4 so they all have a part to read. Print copies for each students or read off of your website/google drive. A Student Reflections sheet keeps students engaged and accountable for what they are learning.

You students will enjoy grading the weak government "The Articles of Confederation" or "AOC." Background information starts off this packet. Students will then act as the teacher and investigate and grade this 1st Constitution. Topics for grading are: Raising Taxes Passing Laws: Amending Constitutions Handling National Affairs Handling Foreign Affairs Organizing A Government Handling of the Northwest Territory

The purpose of this assignment is to get students to creatively think about the various causes/events leading to the United States Civil War and to evaluate which events they feel were the most significant. Students will write a recipe for the United States Civil War using the causes of the Civil War as ingredients. A Grade Rubric and sample project is included.

This interactive introduces students to the problems Congress faced about the Articles of Confederation. Students will take a Colonial Williamsburg field trip as congressman and make decisions about what they would have done in the time period. FUN and ENGAGING. This worksheet packet holds students accountable by having them write down answers to questions each step of the way. It allows students to process the material as they progress through the simulation.