Research Activities – Inquiry Teaching

The Power of Ideas – Database Project

Drew Story — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 21:19:32 +0000

Spreadsheets are perhaps the simplest form of a database and are excellent tools for introducing students to using technology for analysis. This lesson plan provides an introduction to using databases for a research project about “idea creators” from history; famous artists, scientists, politicians, etc.

While doing research about these individuals, students will learn about filtering, sorting, and other spreadsheet commands.

Subject Areas: Any really, but ideal for History and Social Studies.
Materials Required: Virtual classroom or other screen sharing tool, or a large screen display with a computer, plus either printed or digital copies of the provided handouts.
Time Needed: Typically two to three class periods.

We’ve included everything you’ll need in a single zip archive.

Spreadsheet Basics – Learning to Analyze with Databases

Drew Story — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 19:09:56 +0000

Spreadsheets are perhaps the simplest form of a database and are excellent tools for introducing students to using technology for analysis. This lesson plan provides an introduction to using databases with a very simple spreadsheet that provides data about homes sold in a given area. Students will learn about filtering, sorting, and other spreadsheet commands.

Subject Areas: Any
Materials Required: Virtual classroom or other screen sharing tool, or a large screen display with a computer.
Time Needed: Typically an entire class period.

We've included everything you'll need in a single zip archive.

Analyzing Congress – Database Activity

Drew Story — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 17:23:13 +0000

Newly updated!

Spreadsheets are perhaps the simplest form of a database and are excellent tools for introducing students to using technology for analysis. This lesson plan centers around analysis of the current House of Representatives.

How representative of the average American is Congress?
What traits are common for current members?
What does this analysis tell us about what it takes to be a Member of the House of Representatives?

This teaching guide and lesson plan provides you with the resources to do a deep dive on current Members of the House of Representatives.

Subject Areas: Government, Civics, Social Sciences, Humanities
Materials Required: Virtual classroom or other screen sharing tool, or a large screen display with a computer.
Time Needed: Typically two to three class periods.

Special Note: This product comes with our Simulation of Congress. Buy one or the other, but not both perhaps.

(Semester) Final Projects

Drew Story — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:14:20 +0000

This handout is geared towards Social Studies and provides a list of six research based projects that students can choose from to create a culminating final project, working as individuals, pairs, or groups. We always let students decide how they wanted to approach this task letting them choose if they wished to work in a group or individually.

These project ideas allow for various learning styles your students have to be utilized. Additionally, the projects themselves provide good review materials for the entire class.

Subject Areas: History, Social Sciences
Materials Required: Printed handouts, other materials may be provided by the students themselves.
Time Needed: At least two full class periods, plus homework, or more in-class work days as desired.

Postcards From History

Drew Story — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 16:53:37 +0000

Sometimes a simple writing and art project can act as a closure activity for any unit. We had students create a “postcard from history” with attention to details including the drawing of the stamp, who was the card written to and/or by, in addition to what was written and drawn on the card itself. This lesson always worked well and pairs well with a quick read-around follow up. See our free Teacher’s Guide for Read Arounds if you wish to add that feature to your lesson.

This handout is created to work with any history class and includes directions for students.

Subject Areas: History, Social Sciences
Materials Required: Printed copies of the handout, colored pencils/pens/crayons.
Time Needed: Usually a full class period or as homework.

Connecting Past to Present: The Fall of Rome

Drew Story — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:23:09 +0000

Free! This lesson is a comparison of problems in our time with those of the Roman’s coupled with an analysis of the fall of the Roman Empire. The lesson provides prompts and questions intended to be used with either a classroom dialogue, writing activity or in combination of these things. This lesson is intended for World History and Humanities classes and works best as a closure activity to the study of the fall of the Roman Empire.

You may wish to also download our free Teaching Guide for Open Ended Discussions.

Subject Areas: Social Sciences, Sciences, Humanities, Government
Materials Required: Optional – whiteboard or display for posting prompts
Time Needed: Typically an entire class period

The Roman Times

Drew Story — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:03:34 +0000

This activity is a classroom research project where students create a “newspaper” for the Roman era. Given nearly all newspapers have moved to digital formats, there is also an opportunity to teach about this vital form of communication that dominated media for so long, too. This handout provides directions and suggestions for how to use this research activity. A sample assignment handout is provided.

May be used in a World History, Humanities or Language Arts setting.

Subject Area: World History, Humanities, Language Arts
Materials Required: Whiteboard or display, sample newspapers, paper, tape, pens, and optionally colored pencils/pens.
Time Needed: Typically a full week of class time is devoted to this.