Best of, Middle School

 Every spring, I ask folks to share their favorite Montana history or IEFA lesson, the one they would absolutely do again. Here are what your fellow elementary teachers said (some anonymously) with comments by me in parentheses. Find elementary responses here. Stay tuned for high school responses.                                               

• Using pictures associated with the Indian Boarding Schools and having students do a DICE writing activity with it. The pictures and quotes were from a book sent to the libraries from OPI. The students were in groups of 3 or 4 and there were 8 stations. Students had about 5 minutes at each station to observe, read, and discuss what was at the station. Each station also had a single dice and a laminated paper with the DICE questions. Students rolled the dice and everyone needed to write their response in the appropriate square on the grid (numbers on grid match numbers on the stations).--Kathi Hoyt, Library, Castle Rock Middle School, Billings                          
• Investigating First Peoples, Clovis Child Burial - I come back to this every year during our archaeology unit with 6th graders. I also use Montana: Stories of the Land every year when learning about treaties. (Treaties are covered in Chapter 7.) The book's discussion of treaties, plus supplemental materials like Chief Victor's letter to Edgerton, are very accessible to students and make an often neglected topic easy to understand.--Dylan Huisken, Bonner Social Studies, grades 6-8                                                                      
• Playing for the World--Wendy Maratita, 7-8 Social Studies, Harlem Jr/Sr High School Studies (This it a unit built around a DVD about the 1904 Fort Shaw Indian Boarding School girls basketball team that became world champions at the St. Louis World's Fair.)

• In Memoriam. A study of our local cemetery.--Laura Dukart, Wibaux Public Schools, grades 7 & 8 history (I attended a session during which Laura presented on this project and it sounds AMAZING. She's graciously shared her presentation describing the project and says folks should feel free to contact her if they have questions. I hope you consider adapting this for your own community.)    

• I used the Montana: Stories of the Land text this year with several footlockers. (Learn more about our hands-on history footlockers and how to order them here.) The footlockers offered so much to the learning for my students! The fur trapper footlocker was probably my students' favorite.--Sheryl Kohl, Poplar Middle School TRAILS, grades 5-8 alternative education                       

• A lesson on the Butte mining accident before we go on our field trip to the mine. (I'm not sure how this teacher organized her lesson, but you can use these telegrams relating to the Speculator Mine disaster and this article about the disaster.)                                       

• Native American trade (a work in progress). When we cover the Silk Road, I developed a trade game using gold coins and trade items. I'm working on a trade game in Pre-Columbian North America. This one uses 12 different groups from around North America. I have a Google Slideshow if you are interested.--Jim Martin, C.S. Porter Middle School, 6th Grade, Missoula      

• The atlatl project. (I'm not sure if it's what this teacher uses, but here's a lesson plan for making atlatls. Students LOVE it.)                           
• Montana Counties map project. I have students cut apart maps of Montana and then put another student's puzzle together. I find it helps reinforce the locations of counties for students.--Rhonda Lynn Petersen, Chester, Joplin, Inverness, 8th Grade Montana history 

• The Montana and the Great War scavenger hunt.--Carrie Sorensen, 7-8  Fortine (I'm so glad someone is using this! It's one of my favorite things we've created.)

• The Montana and the Great War scavenger hunt.--Carrie Sorensen, 7-8  Fortine (I'm so glad someone is using this! It's one of my favorite things we've created.)                       

It's never too late! If you have a dynamite lesson you think other teachers would like to know about, let me know.

P.S. If you are new to teaching Montana history or just want to learn more about MTHS resources, don't forget to register for "Introduction to MTHS Resources". The hourlong workshop will be held September 12 from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. on Zoom. Participants will earn 1 OPI Renewal Unit.

P.P.S. Montana Historical Society Teacher Leaders in Montana History have begun leading twice monthly Twitter chats, every other Thursday from 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Next chat is tonight, September 8. Join the conversation using the #MTHistTLs hash tag.