On-Line Activities

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The On-Line Activities section of our site is representative of an initiative on behalf of the HCPS Office of Social Studies to make the Internet an interactive and educational experience. All activities listed below were developed as companions for the existing curriculum and/or in correlation with MSDE learning objectives. Please carefully read the annotation for each activity prior to selection. Teachers are advised to fully review activities prior to assigning them. This will inform you if there are browser specifications and which activities are appropriate for subject areas and grade levels. We welcome any feedback you will be willing to provide! Please use the menu above to contact us.

A Stance Approach to a Demanding Reading: Hirohito's Address to the Japanese People	The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 & Casey Martin	Comparing the Elections of 1860 & 2000: A Map and Chart Activity

Government HSA Practice Test and Sample Items	Using Analytical Statements to Interpret Political Cartoons	Vietnam War: Impact on a Generation

Ancients WebQuest

A Stance Approach to Demanding Reading

The underlying philosophy that produced the supported program is actually a marriage of two similar approaches to enhancing the reading experience: Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren’s espoused position in the timeless educational work How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intellectual Reading and Judith A. Langer’s review of stance interactions in Envisioning Literature: Literary Understanding & Literature Instruction.

Students confront text in order to establish reading levels beyond mere inspection and propels them into analytical readers. The basis of this method is to discard with traditional "note taking" and build upon a series of questions to reach complex stances of understanding. The activity is accompanied with instructional materials to explain the process and an additional teacher's tutorial is provided to aid in instruction.

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Teacher's Tutorial

Radio Broadcast of Hirohito to Japanese Public 8/14/45

The ADA of 1990 & Casey Martin

This activity is formatted specifically for the Social Issues Unit of the 9th Grade Government Curriculum. Students are taken through an interpretive activity regarding specific ADA legislation. They are then provided a brief history of the Casey Martin case and the Supreme Court decision of May 29, 2001. After reading a range of opinions from professional golfers and Supreme Court justices, students are asked to take a stand regarding Martin's eligibility for "reasonable accommodations." Once their stand is taken, they are asked to logically defend their stance in outline form. This outline can be used as the impetus for a full scale essay or assignment of the teacher's invention.

The ADA & Casey Martin

Comparing the Elections of 1860 & 2000:

A Map & Chart Activity

This activity is intended for grades 6-12. While it focuses on two specific periods in American History (Grades 8 and 11), enough background information is provided for students participating in a Government Course (Grades 9 and 12) or a Civics unit to complete. Students will be aided in the establishment of conclusions and the logical defense of a thesis using pie charts and electoral college maps. An outline is produced and can be used as the impetus for a full scale essay or assignment of the teacher's invention. It is broken into a three part process to allow instructors and students to assess progress before moving to the next step.

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Part 1 (20-30 Minutes)

Part 2 (20-30 Minutes)

Part 3 (30-45 Minutes)

Government HSA Practice Test and Sample Items
This activity has been developed by the Maryland State Department of Education. Students can review and receive feedback on questions from the last 4 released HSAs.

2000

2001

2002

2003

Using Analytical Statements to

Interpret Political Cartoons

This activity is formatted by grade level. Students will receive instruction regarding different types of statements used to analyze political cartoons: descriptive, narrative, and analytical. They will then be aided in the construction of an independent analytical statement and be directed through the steps in creating an analytical paragraph. The paragraph can be cut and pasted into a word processing document and turned in for assessment. Cartoons used will change periodically to allow this activity to remain fresh and reusable.

Grades 6-8 (45-60 Minutes)

Grades 9-12 (30-45 Minutes)

Vietnam War: Impact on a Generation

This activity is formatted specifically for the Grade 11 United States History curriculum. Students are asked to read primary source information regarding a specific aspect of the population during the Vietnam War (students should be assigned their topic prior to beginning). After reading a specific source, students are instructed to record specific information regarding the impact (effect) that the war had on the specific subject. After recording their notes, the site organizes them and asks the students to conclude whether their aspect of the population would praise or condemn United States actions. Students are then asked to logically defend their conclusions in outline form. This outline can be used as the impetus for a full scale essay or assignment of the teacher's invention. It is suggested that the class be broken into groups with each member focusing on a specific aspect of the population and should then report back to their peers. This should be a conclusion to the Vietnam unit!!! There is an expectation of knowledge that will be required to complete the activity.

Impact on a Generation