Best of, Middle School Lessons

Every spring, I ask folks to share their favorite Montana history or IEFA lesson, the one they would absolutely do again. Here are the responses from middle school teachers with some notes from me in brackets. Read high school teachers' responses.

Jody Richards, who teaches 7th grade Montana history in Wolf Point, has her students compare and contrast Charles M. Russell and Evelyn Cameron images. [I love this idea. Montana History Portal has an Evelyn Cameron online exhibit. Find a PowerPoint of Russell images on our Teaching Charlie Russell page.] 

Another teacher from the Flathead wrote: "This winter we made snow snakes in our classroom. The students used rasps and sandpaper to shape their individual snow snake before painting/decorating it with personal symbols that represent their lives and culture. We then constructed a track out of snow and held a competition in each class to see whose could glide across the snow the farthest."

Sarah Rosenbaum, who teaches in Columbia Falls, wrote: "I taught about Ghost Towns in Montana. I had students choose the project they felt drawn to the most to create this. The students were able to choose between a digital platform, poster presentation, or a model of a building in their ghost town." 

Michelle Moccasin, who teaches Crow language and culture, 7-12 in Lodge Grass, does a lesson on the seven buffalos who become the seven stars or Big Dipper. 

Ron Buck, who teaches 6-12 in Shelby, wrote: "I am a broken record, but I will never skip the Art of Storytelling. I also will use the Montana Stories of the Land textbook in my classroom as the main teaching resource."

Charlie Brown, who teaches 7th grade Montana history in Fairfield, wrote: "I really like doing the atlatl project." 

Denise Rutledge, at Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, highly recommends  The American Buffalo, from PBS. [Explore accompanying educational resources from Montana PBS.]  

Another teacher recommends the footlocker To Learn A New Way, which includes information on Indian boarding schools. [Find out more about ordering hands-on history footlockers.]

It's not too late! If you have resources, lessons, or strategies other teachers should know about, send them to me!