Archive for September, 2011

Timeline Challenge: The Causes of the American Civil War

Friday, September 16th, 2011

For this activity, organise the class 5 teams. Display the first event by clicking the button. All the students should copy this information into their worksheet. The first team can play for up to 10 points depending on their confidence. They have to not only identify the mistake in the account, but correct it. If they do so successfully, they gain the amount of points they played for. If they fail, they lose the same amount of points. Proceed to the second event, for the second team, and continue this format until all the slips are used. The winning team is the team with the most points.

40 Years ago today (15th September 1971): Greenpeace Founded

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Greenpeace, the international environmental group, was founded in Vancouver, Canada

Vikings to return to Stamford Bridge

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
Vikings to return to Stamford Bridge

War hits home on Downton Abbey – Scotsman.com News

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
War hits home on Downton Abbey

History Mystery: The Causes of the American Civil War

Monday, September 12th, 2011

This unit is in the form of an ActiveHistory Mystery. Through a roleplay, stimulus images and information slips, students formulate questions, speculate answers, then research for themselves to produce a report which is then peer-assessed against a standard markscheme. The full investigation takes 2 hours of classroom time and at least another hour of individual research time.

If teachers wish to deliver this unit in less time, it is easy to do so. For example:
(a) Simply give each student a complete sheet of information slips from the outset to answer the questions;
(b) Don’t require students to produce a full written essay on the topic – instead, simply choose one of the Extension / Additional Activities listed below.

Discussion points to follow:
a. If you had to divide 100% of blame for the outbreak of the civil war between the slave states and the free states, what percentage would you allocate to each side? Explain your answer.
b. At what point did the civil war become inevitable? Explain your answer.

Rare Abraham Lincoln letter seen as turning point in U.S. Civil War to sell for $100,000 | Mail Online

Monday, September 12th, 2011