Category Archives: Social Studies Enrichment

#42: Famous Firsts in World History

Social Studies Enrichment

 

Check out this mini spark and explore a list of famous firsts throughout human history. Take the challenge and learn more about an event that happened in history.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #42: Famous Firsts in World History

2. Watch this video and record all of the firsts on your recording page.

 

2. Each famous first is briefly highlighted – not much information is given. The idea is to spark an interest in you to know and learn more. Which of the 7 events do you want to learn more about? Record this on your recording page.

3. Choose one. Do research to find 10 details about the famous first you picked.

4. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the famous firsts badge on the EY website. This mini spark help you with the badge.

 

#41 – Forever Ago Podcasts

Social Studies Enrichment, Uncategorized

Forever Ago® is a history show for the whole family! Every episode explores the origin of just one thing — like sandwiches, video games, clocks and more — while teaching listeners to think critically about history.

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #41 – Forever Ago Podcasts

2. Watch this brief video about the Forever Ago podcasts. Explain Forever podcasts using exactly 8 words.

 

3.  In step 4 you will listen to one of the episodes. After listening you will tell others what you learned. Print this  review planner or make your own digital copy to organize your thoughts.

4. Choose 1 episode from the list below. Each episode is about 30 minutes so write down your stopping point if you can’t listen to the entire episode all at once. Write the name of the episode you choose on your recording sheet.

5. Fill out the review planner digitally or on paper.

6. OPTIONAL: Take a video of yourself reading your digital planner and share it with your teacher.

7. Share your social studies mini spark recording page and your planner with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

#40: The Shang Dynasty

Social Studies Enrichment

The Shang Dynasty is the earliest ruling dynasty of China to be established in recorded history, though other dynasties predated it. The Shang ruled from 1600 to 1046 B.C.. They were known for their advances in math, astronomy, artwork and military technology.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #40: The Shang Dynasty

2. Watch this video and record 5-8 details on your recording page.

3. Study this article about Shang Dynasty. Add  5+ details to your recording page.

4. Create a colorful fact page with 8-10 facts that you learned.  You can make your fact page digitally or on paper.

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page and fact page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

 

#39: The Presidential Election Process

Social Studies Enrichment

How does anyone become President of the United States? An election for president of the United States happens every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #39: The Presidential Election Process

2. Watch this video to see the process explained from beginning to end.  Write a 6 question quiz about the content from the video. Use multiple choice questions, short answer, and true and false questions. Include an answer key.

3. What is the Electoral College? Watch this video.  Record the vocab words from the video with a short definition in your own words on your recording page.

  • elector–a person who casts a vote in the Electoral College. Each state legislature decides how its electors are chosen.
  • Electoral College–a group of people called electors who vote for president and vice president of the United States once every four years. Electors cast their votes on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December.
  • electoral vote–the vote taken by the electors. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A majority, or 270, of electoral votes is required to elect a president.
  • electoral majority–at least one more than half of the total. A person must win a majority of the Electoral College votes (270 of 538) to become president.
  • popular vote–the votes of all the citizens together. The popular vote for president is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. However, states provide voters with other ways to vote if they cannot or choose not to vote in person on that date.

4.  Set your timer for 3 minutes. Study this infographic.  How does this infographic help you understand the electoral college? Be very specific and include 3-4 details.

5. What questions do you still have or what parts of this infographic are not clear. Share your suggestions and/or what parts are not easy to understand in 2+ sentences.

6. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

#38: History of Plastics

Social Studies Enrichment, Uncategorized

Plastic is not just used for milk jugs and bottles of soda…it’s EVERYWHERE! Watch the video below about the history of plastic and then do some further research on something specific mentioned in the video.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #38: History of Plastics

2.  Watch this video.  Record the names of plastics along with dates that they are invented, if mentioned.

3. Choose 2 questions to answer after watching the video. Remind your teacher that the answer key can be found in the social studies mini spark folder.

  • Who invented celluloid, and in what year did this invention occur? Describe the characteristics of celluloid that made it unsuitable for billiard balls.
  • What two substances were combined to create Bakelite, and why was it considered an improvement over celluloid?
  • List at least three types of plastics that were developed after Bakelite and briefly describe their uses.
  •  Explain the process of the manufacturing technique was invented that allowed for rapid production of plastic items?  
  • How did the production of plastics change during World War Two? 
  •  Discuss some of the environmental issues associated with plastic production and usage as mentioned in the video.

4. Check out Jeff Kirschner’s TED Talk. Learn more about the environmental impact of plastics and other litter and how solutions as being spread around the world.

The task for this step is to record the cities or countries Jeff Kirschner says in the video on your recording sheet. There will be 6 in total. ***Note: The last two places mentioned at the very end of the video. They are cities, and they both start with H.

5. Look over your list. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see if you have them all recorded. Put a star next to those that you can find on a map easily. Put a check by those places that you need to look up. Use a map to find those places. Change your checkmark to a star..

6. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oakland (mentioned a few times)

China

San Francisco

Amsterdam

Honolulu

Hanoi

 

#37: Constitution Day!

Social Studies Enrichment

Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day, is observed every year on September 17th to commemorate the signing of the US Constitution. The constitution was created more than 200 years ago in 1787,  and contains the highest rules and laws for the United States.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #37: Constitution Day!

2. Read this teaching page about the US Constitution. Make a list of 10+ bullet points as you read.

3. Watch this Schoolhouse Rock video about the Constitution to celebrate Constitution Day! Write the Preamble of the Constitution  on your recording sheet.

4. Set your timer for 3 minutes. Study this infographic. Record 5+ pieces of information on your recording sheet.

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#36: Alexander Hamilton

Social Studies Enrichment

If you watched “Hamilton” on Disney+, or are lucky enough to have seen it in-person, you know that Alexander Hamilton was an important founding father who probably doesn’t get enough credit for his role in our history.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #36: Alexander Hamilton

2.  Watch this video to learn more about Hamilton in history. Record 4 of the roles he played outlined in the video.

3. Read this article. There are information sections listed about Alexander Hamilton. Choose 3 of them and them on your recording sheet.

4. Go back to the article and study the two graphics.  Make a tiny timeline on your recording page showing 5 dates from his life or make an argument as to why there should be a dedicated monument honoring Alexander Hamilton.

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#35: The History of Pandemics

Social Studies Enrichment

The word “Pandemic” is a pretty scary word. It almost seems like it is something that no one else ever has before. But, that isn’t true. Pandemics have existed throughout history.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #35: The History of Pandemics

2. This a group of mask-wearing citizens, Locust Avenue, California, during the flu pandemic of 1918

Photograph: Raymond Coyne/Courtesy of Lucretia Little History Room, Mill Valley Public Library. © The Annual Dipsea Race.

Read about this pandemic at Kiddle. Look up and record the definitions of these words.

Influenza

Pandemic

Cytokine storm

Epidemiological

Antiviral

3. Scroll to the very bottom of this post and look over the definitions. Check with those that you wrote to make sure you were on track.

4. To learn about the history of pandemics, read the Time For Kids article.  Make a mini timeline with the pandemic dates from the article.

5. Read this information page about the bubonic plague that took hold of London in 1665. What caused the plague? When was the cause of the plague discovered? What were the two ways that the plague finally came to an end?

6. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Influenza: a highly contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system, causing symptoms such as fever, cough, and body aches.

Pandemic: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population.

Cytokine storm: an excessive immune response in which the body releases too many cytokines, leading to inflammation and damage to tissues and organs.

Epidemiological: relating to the study of how diseases spread and can be controlled within populations.

Antiviral: a type of medication that specifically targets viruses to treat viral infections, preventing them from multiplying and spreading in the body.

#34: The San Diego Zoo

Social Studies Enrichment

The San Diego Zoo is a beautiful 100-acre wildlife park that is home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals representing over 680 species and subspecies.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #34: The San Diego Zoo

OPTIONAL: Print this recording page to use for this mini spark

2. Do you know where San Diego, California is? It’s waaaaaaay at the bottom of California – check it out on the map. On your recording page, write 5 facts that you found while looking at the map.

3. Divide your recording page into 3 sections. Choose 3 letters of the the alphabet and label each section with one of the letters you picked.

4. San Diego has an incredible zoo. You can meet and learn about just about any animal from A-Z at their website! Visit the San Diego Zoo!  For each letter that you picked, research an animal that starts with that letter. For each animal record five to ten facts.

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out Save the Animals or Roaring Keynote at the EY website.

 

 

 

#33: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Social Studies Enrichment

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Celebrated on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Day is a national holiday that honors the United States’ most famous civil-rights activist.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #33: Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Watch the following video.

  1. Start the video.
  2. When you hear a date or a number mentioned, pause the video.
  3. Write down the date or number.
  4. Include a brief explanation of what it means.
  5. Resume the video when you are ready.

 

3. The Lorraine Motel, in Memphis, Tennessee, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, is now the National Civil Rights Museum. Click on the video below to take a virtual tour of this museum.  While watching the narrator talks about events and there is also information written on the screen. Pause the video as needed. Write a 1-2 sentence summary of  each of outlined events: the Montgomery bus boycott, the student sit ins, and  the Memphis sanitation strike.

4.  Watch this short video.

What small act of kindness or act of service can you do to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.?

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.