Our middle school lessons reinforce communication and creative thinking skills. Students build their confidence as community members, and they take on leadership roles to examine complex issues and share solutions.
Pricing: FREE
Crossed Quills (6th grade)
Time: 1.5 hours
Location: Morven Park or in the classroom
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: History & Social Sciences USI.1 (a, d-j), USI.6 (a-b)
To understand varying perspectives before, during, and after the American Revolution, students will analyze primary sources that highlight different forms of media of the time. Students will then work in groups to create and present a persuasive broadside, cartoon, or song, to explain a Loyalist, Patriot, or Pacificist perspective.
The Kitchen Table (7th grade)
Time: 1.5 hours
Location: Morven Park, in the classroom, or virtual
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: History & Social Sciences USII.1 (a, b, d, e, I), USII.4 (b, d, e), USII.6 (a), English 7.1 (a-c)
Build your students’ critical thinking and communication skills through an interactive discussion of two challenging issues from the Progressive Era: conservation of natural resources and labor rights. Students analyze primary sources to understand the issues, deliberate the pros and cons of the topic, and work collaboratively to find a common-ground solution.
Stars & Stripes (7th grade)
Time: 1.5 hours
Location: Morven Park, in the classroom, or virtual
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: History & Social Sciences USII.1 (a, c, d, e, h), USII.5 (c), Fine Arts 7.4, 7.10, 7.11, 7.18, 7.19
It is 1917 and our country needs to decide whether to join the battle raging in Europe. Students collaborate to understand the events unfolding in the news, how it may affect them, and create a propaganda campaign to express their views on the path the country should take. Through this lesson, students learn the importance of being informed about current events, how public opinion is formed, and strategies that they can use to share their own ideas through art.
New Deal Nation (7th Grade)
Time: 1.5 hours
Location: Morven Park, in the classroom, or virtual
This lesson aligns with the following Virginia SOLs: History & Social Sciences: USII.1 (a, b, d, e, f, j), USII.6 (d)
Students will investigate the Great Depression and the New Deal with a specific focus on advocacy and communicating ideas. After analyzing a variety of primary sources, students will work in groups to create public awareness campaigns based on real New Deal programs. This lesson will give students the opportunity to understand how civic programs are shared with the public.
Teen Advisors (8th Grade)
Location: In the classroom or virtual
PBL: 5 lessons
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: Civics and Economics 1 (a, e, f, g, h), 3 (d, e), 4 (b, d, f), 8 (a, b)
Cultivate leadership and communication skills by getting your students involved in our local government. Students analyze a current local issue at the town or county level, meet with public representatives to learn about budgets, stakeholders, and upcoming votes, and then create their own recommendations that are shared with their elected officials. Through this PBL experience, students learn how they can participate in community life and the democratic process.
