First Week of History Class | Fun Activities, Resources, Syllabus, & More!

Start this school year with confidence and a plan for success!

This bundle has everything you need for the start of the new school year to get students excited about history while building a culture of passionate learners!

1. An awesome first day activity- "Why Study History" This gets students moving, having rich discussions, debating, and understanding why history is so important! This will pay off all year long!

2. A Stylish  Syllabus Template For US & World History

3. A Scavenger Hunt activity so students can go through the syllabus while learning your expectations, rules, important classroom policies, and what they will learn this year in a fun way. Much better than just reading over your syllabus!

4. History-Themed Ice-Breakers: A four corners activity will get students moving, laughing, thinking about history, all while getting to know each other in a very unique way. "Which Middle Ages Job Would You Apply For?," "Which Palace Would You Rather Rule From," or "Which Historical Event Would You Rather Have Witnessed" are questions that will lead to great discussions!

5. Student Survey- Some great questions to get to know your students' interests, learning styles, pet peeves, etc. 

6. Activity to Introduce Primary Sources: "Historians From the Year 3,240" - Student groups pretend they are historians from the future and found a series of artifacts to learn 'what life was like for teenagers in the US in the year 2023?' Each student provides one primary source they have on time (bus pass, class schedule, skateboard, makeup, phone, etc) and the group has to analyze each one - record observations and inferences about what each source tells them about life for teens in 2023. This teaches them what primary sources are and why historians use them - all while getting to know each other a little more! Skill-building and fun!

7. Bonus Activity! "A World Without History" - This builds on the day 1 activity (but can be done whenever- even later in the year) but gets students thinker deeper about why history is so important! They have to imagine a dictator has erased history and prevented anyone from learning it. Then then consider how their lives would be different and what problems this would cause for society. In part II, they do some research about a dictator who tried to 'erase history' and make a quick presentation for it. They won't forget this one!

*I promise, these activities will get your students interested, engaged, and looking forward to an awesome year in your class!

Wishing you an amazing start to your school year,

Dan Lewer

History For Humans

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Looking for some awesome US history activities?

Check out my "Presidential Decisions Simulations!" Skill Building & High Level Engagement:

Washington to Lincoln & T. Roosevelt to Nixon

Want to cut out the lecture and spend more time connecting with & supporting students? Check out my US History Video Curriculum w/ full lesson plans! (its like Crash Course but with full lessons & activities, taught at a pace students can understand!)

Colonies to the Civil War & Gilded Age to Civil Rights Movement