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Teacher Tips

General

For Each Interactive

General Tips

Looking for just the right activity to help bring history alive for your students? Use this chart for an at-a-glance look at how each Exploring Maryland's Roots activity can support your curriculum goals.

Activity Grade Level Time Required Curriculum Connections Activity Notes
Explore the Great Shellfish Bay 4, 8
best understood by 8th graders
1 class period or less Map activity allows you to go at a pace that works best for your students.
Visit a Woodland Indian Village 4, 8 1 class period or less Map activity allows you to go at a pace that works best for your students.

Sound recommended.
Go on an Archaeological Dig 4, 8 1 or more class periods There are three starting points for this activity so you can easily use it over several class periods if necessary.
Journey to a New Life 4, 8
best understood by 8th graders
2-4 class periods There are three starting points for this activity so you can easily use it over several class periods.

This is best experienced individually, but also works for groups or the whole class.

Sound recommended.
Adding It Up 4, 8 1 class period Before class, print pp. 42-48 of the primary source document used in this activity. Look it over with your class and then take a closer look online.

Works well as a group activity.
Build Your Plantation 4, 8 1 class period Students may want to replay this game several times within a class period or over several days or weeks.

Sound recommended.
Read a Colonist's Diary 4, 8 1 class period This activity can easily be extended offline by analyzing other primary source documents with your class.
Tour the Growing Colony 4, 8 1-3 class periods Students can explore by themselves or with classmates. Watching videos adds to the experience, but will also take more time.

Sound recommended.
Investigate a Slavery Timeline 4, 8
best understood by 8th graders
1 class period Students may need help reading and interpreting the primary source material.

Some of these documents describe the inhumane treatment of slaves. You are the best judge of whether your students are mature enough to handle this kind of information.

Sound recommended.
Solve the Mystery of the Three Lead Coffins 4, 8 1-3 class periods Students can read the mystery by themselves or as a class. Pacing will depend on your students' reading level and whether or not you do the mini-activities.
Create Your Own Museum 4, 8 1 class period Students will most profit from this activity by working on in individually or in small groups. Remind students to print or e-mail completed activity before they shut off the computer, as data is not saved.
Ask an Expert 4, 8 1-3 class periods Students can enter this activity at any point, making it useful for shorter periods of class time. The activity is useful for individual, small group, or whole class presentations.

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