Social Studies Projects

Susan Milovich
Certified Elementary Education Teacher
Certified Teacher of the Handicapped

Every problem has a solution!

Travel Aboard the Mayflower
Step aboard the Mayflower as you click on the picture of the ship to read about the names and functions of all the parts.  Have the class use Kidspiration to create a Graphic Organizer about the ship. 
http://teacher.scholastic.com/thanksgiving/mayflower/tour/index.htm

How Early Explorers Traveled
Students can research early explorers and have fun making a compass, cooking hard tack, and reading  about ailments and their cures.  Have students fill out a teacher prepared Excel Spreadsheet with items they would pack for a trip at sea. Label columns: Food, Drinks, Clothing, Personal Supplies, Ship Supplies.
http://www.mariner.org//educationalad/ageofex/activities.php

Where Are Our National Parks?
The National Park Service has a wonder site that lists each park and many facts about it. To help the children practice finding states on the map, create a worksheet with 8 to 10 parks on one side and the corresponding state on the other.  Children can draw lines to the correct state and then plot the parks on a US map. 
http://www.nps.gov/parks.html

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Plains Indians Stories and Buffalo Hides
Plains Indians did not have books so they painted stories on buffalo hides.  Read  the Mandan story of creation.  Use the buffalo hide painting as a story starter about an Indian day.  Type stories on computer.  Have the children paint their own story on a buffalo hide made from ultra suede.   Create a bulletin board with the final projects.  Finally, let the children play a matching game on the site where they match the buffalo parts to the items the Plains Indians made from them. 
http://www.americanhistory.si.edu  Click on Educators, then Resources, then Tracking the Buffalo

Name That State!
Children research one state each, then write the facts on cards with appropriate downloaded pictures of a map, the capitol, state birds, flowers, geographical features, etc.  Create a Database with forms so each child can fill in their state's info.  After spending several periods studying the cards, have teams play a guessing game about the states! 
www.50states.com and www.libraryspot.com/state

Tour the United States Government
Let Benjamin Franklin lead the class on a tour of the US government.  Do research on a particular topic, learn about the branches of government, play interactive games, hear patriotic songs, or tour some US monuments.  Create a template for class Power Point that includes a place for a downloaded photo plus a short explanation of the symbol, building, branch or other aspect of the government.  Each child can fill in their own information.  Play the Power Point at Parent/Teacher Conferences.
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/