Topic: social studies

13 Colonies Activities Bundle Complete Unit With Maps, Worksheets, Unit Test, PowerPoint & Task Cards
Inside this 13 Colonies Bundle, are 20 leveled reading passages about Life in the 13 Colonies, plus graphic organizers, map activities, a PowerPoint, task cards, a unit test, and vocabulary.

What’s Inside:
- Activity Printables (PDF) with Leveled Passages
- Unit Test
- PowerPoint Presentation
- Task Cards
- Teacher Directions
- Answer Keys
With this complete unit, students will learn all about Life in the 13 Colonies with everything you need to explore the three different regions:

✔ New England Colonies

✔ Mid-Atlantic Colonies

✔ Southern Colonies

This MEGA Unit includes many interactive activities and learning opportunities for students with leveled reading passages about:

✔ Life in the New England Colonies

✔ The Puritans

✔ Life in Mid-Atlantic Colonies

✔ The Quakers

✔ Life in Southern Colonies

✔ Life on the Southern Plantations

✔ Shipbuilding & Plows

✔ Natural Resources in the 13 Colonies

This non-fiction resource also includes information about trades, craftsmen, and artisans:

✔ Basket-makers

✔ Printers

✔ Blacksmiths

✔ Shoemakers

✔ Silversmiths

✔ Town Criers

✔ Cabinet-makers

✔ Brick-makers

✔ Wig-makers

✔ Coopers

✔ Merchants

✔ Who am I Activity

There are lots of interactive activities:

✔ Maps for each region

✔ Close Passages with Answer Keys

✔ Graphic Organizers

✔ Brochure Activity for INB’s

✔ Task Cards

✔ BIG-MATS

✔ 5-page Flip Book

✔ Mystery Flaps Pages

✔ Who am I? Colonial Jobs Activity

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary
October 24, 2026
Let’s Learn About the Westward Expansion
After the Revolutionary War, the United States grew at an amazing rate. Many pioneers packed up their belongings and moved west. This unit on the Westward includes reading passages, organizers, character studies, vocabulary posters, timeline, map activities, a unit test, and more!

Your students will learn all about the Westward Expansion with information about:
- The Westward Expansion
- The Louisiana Purchase
- The Erie Canal
- The Alamo
- The Pony Express
- The Oregon Trail
- The Gold Rush
- Important Inventions: Telegraph, Steam Locomotive, and Steamboat
- Lewis and Clark Expedition
With Character Studies about:
- Meriwether Lewis
- William Clark
- Sacagawea
- President Thomas Jefferson
Activities Included:

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Pacing Guide with Video Links to YouTube

✔ Map Activities (4)

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

✔ Timeline Activity

✔ Graphic Organizers (5)

✔ Character Mini-booklets (4)

✔ Create a Trading Card Project (4)

✔ Timeline Activity

✔ Flip-Book (5-Pages)

✔ Writing Prompt

✔ Mystery Flaps Activity

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

✔ Hidden Fact Sort (compare/contrast activity)

✔ Vocabulary Flip Flaps

✔ Unit Test with an EDITABLE VERSION

There are three main activities:
Vocabulary:
Introduce the vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or use as a center activity. These colorful posters have been recently updated in 2017!!

Reading passages:
Have students read the informational articles about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Each article has questions and scenes for students to connect and color. Next, read the character studies where students will meet Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, and Thomas Jefferson. The character studies come in color and black and white for students to color. You could have students work with a partner or in small groups. These could also be used as a center or learning station activity.

Student Activities:
There is a custom-created graphic organizer to highlight key information, and use for review. Have students complete the Map Activity, and Lewis and Clark Mini-booklet. Plus, there’s a 5 page Flip Book with a cloze passage, timeline activity, important items, and four facts about Lewis and Clark. I usually have students complete the pages of the flip booklet at a station or as a center activity. Then we build the pages of the book one by one. The booklets fit perfectly inside their interactive notebooks or as a stand-alone booklet. You could fold a 12×18 piece of construction paper in half to make a cover for the book.

Meets SS4H6 – Students will explain the westward expansion of America between 1801 and 1861.
a. Describe territorial expansion with emphasis on the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark expedition.
b. Describe the impact of westward expansion on America
October 22, 2026
Medieval Times Unit

Your students will love learning about the Medieval Times with this complete unit. This unit includes reading passages, interactive activities, vocabulary posters and much more. Each section has comprehension questions and connection activities to make learning fun!

The complete unit is divided into 8 sections:

• Introduction

• People of the Middle Ages

• The Feudal System

• Medieval Castles

• Knights and Tradesmen

• Famous People: Charlemagne, Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc

• Important Events: Magna Carta, The Crusades, The Black Death, Hundred Years’ War

• Unit Test (Editable)

There are 15 reading passages on the following topics:

⭐ The Medieval Times

⭐ Geography of Greece

⭐ People of the Middle Ages

⭐ Life as a Lord

⭐ Life as a Peasant

⭐ The Feudal System

⭐ Building a Castle

⭐ Inside a Castle

⭐ The Parts of a Castle

⭐ Three Types of Castles

⭐ Becoming a Knight

⭐ Learning a Trade

⭐ The Magna Carta

⭐ The Black Death

⭐ The Crusades

⭐ Coming to an End

There are several character studies where students will meet:

⭐ Charlemagne

⭐ Richard the Lionheart

⭐ Joan of Arc

This unit includes many interactive activities:

✔ Maps & Timeline

✔ Feudal System Diagram

✔ Feudal System Cards and Poster Project

✔ Parts of a Castle Chart

✔ Steps to Become a Knight

✔ Steps to Become a Master Craftsman

✔ People of the Middle Age Match-Up Flaps

✔ Design Your Own Coat of Arms Project

✔ Character Mini-booklets

✔ Hidden Word Fact Sort to Compare Lords, Knights, and Peasants

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Cause and Effect: The Black Death

✔ Cause and Effect: The Crusades

✔ Castle Flip-Up Booklet

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

✔ Trading Cards Charlemagne, King Richard, and Joan of Arc

✔ Medieval Times Tri-fold Booklet

✔ Teacher Pacing Guide

✔ Four Short Videos

End the unit with:

✔ Medieval Times Brag Tags

✔ Answer Keys

✔ Unit Test (Editable)

✔ Unit Reflection

There are five main activities:

Introduce the Unit:

I like to start off the unit with an Anticipatory Set of T/F questions to pique and build background knowledge.

Reading & Activities:

Read the passages and complete the comprehension questions, organizers, and activities for each section.

Character Studies:

Create three learning stations for Charlemagne, Richard the Lionheart, and Joan of Arc. Complete one of the activities such as the biography organizers, character mini-booklets, or trading cards for each of the famous people.

Vocabulary Activities:

Introduce the vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or use it as a separate activity. There is also a Spotlight on Vocabulary included in this pack. These posters are excellent to create an attractive bulletin board in a snap.

Tie it all Together:

Bring the students together for class discussions to check for understanding and further their critical thinking skills after each lesson. At the end of the unit, come back to revisit the Anticipatory Questions to check and correct their answers. There are also several other activities including maps, a timeline, castle flip book, feudalism pyramid, feudalism poster project, coat of arms project, unit test, and much much more.

October 22, 2026
Core Knowledge 3rd Grade Social Studies Timeline Posters & Activity Pack

Add some pizzazz to your classroom this year! This creative resource came about as a special request for a teacher friend. She wanted a way to display a timeline with all her social studies units for the year for her 3rd-grade classroom (CKLA).

As we worked on this unit, other ideas for activities emerged until we ended up with this final resource with 60 photo posters and related activities. I hope you enjoy using it as a learning tool in your classroom too!

The photo posters can be used in many different ways.

Some ideas:

✔ Display them around the classroom in chronological order to refer back to throughout the year

✔ Post them as a bulletin board display for each domain/unit

✔ Display them as you work on each domain then add them to the timeline that circles around the classroom.

✔ Use them to introduce each domain/unit

Timelines can be a confusing concept for younger students. There are several timeline activities included to help students grasp this concept. There are 3 different timeline activity pages included in this pack. I have included two different versions of each timeline. One is a cut, sort, and glue activity that matches the dates on the photo posters—great as an activity for centers. The other one is a blank timeline so students can write in their own dates and information for important historical events.

There are 60 Photo Posters for the following domains included:

✔ World Rivers

✔ Ancient Rome Civilization

✔ The Vikings

✔ Earliest Americans

✔ Canada

✔ Exploration in North America

✔ Life in the 13 Colonies

This is a companion resource and instructional tool for Core Knowledge Third Grade-Engage NY classrooms.

October 22, 2026
The Life Story of Sally Ride Activity Pack

Students will love learning about one of the most inspirational women in American History. On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride boarded the Space Shuttle Challenger and became the first American woman in space. Today, she is remembered as a pioneering astronaut, brilliant physicist, and dedicated educator.

There are a variety of activities for you to teach about her life story. This could be a week-long unit or as short as a day or two, depending on time allotted and the needs of your students. There are several ways to use this unit to differentiate for students.

Activities included:

✔ Meet Sally Ride

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Flip Book (5-pages)

✔ Trading Card Project

✔ Character Mini-Booklet w/Timeline–fits perfectly inside their notebooks!

✔ Biography Organizers

✔ A Famous Quote

✔ Character Traits Activity

✔ Quiz

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

Reading:

Students will love meeting Sally Ride and learning all about her life. There’s also custom-created organizers to use for further research.

Use hands-on activities for different centers:

✔ Timeline Activity

✔ Flip Book

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Biography Organizers

✔ A Famous Quote

✔ Character Mini-booklet

✔ A Closer Look at Character Traits

✔ Trading Card Project

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

October 22, 2026
The Life Story of Eleanor Roosevelt Activity Pack

One of the most famous first ladies in history was Eleanor Roosevelt. She worked for most of her life to promote equal rights for all Americans. She believed that all Americans included everyone: African Americans, Native Americans, poor people, and women. Students will love learning about one of the most inspirational women in American History.

There are a variety of activities for you to teach about her life story. This could be a week-long unit or as short as a day or two, depending on time allotted and the needs of your students. There are several ways to use this unit to differentiate for students.

Activities included:

✔ Meet Eleanor Roosevelt

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Flip Book (5-pages)

✔ Trading Card Project

✔ Character Mini-Booklet w/Timeline–fits perfectly inside their notebooks!

✔ Biography Organizers

✔ A Famous Quote

✔ Character Traits Activity

✔ Quiz

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

Reading:

Students will love meeting Eleanor Roosevelt and learning all about her life. There’s also custom-created organizers to use for further research.

Use the hands-on activities for different centers:

✔ Timeline Activity

✔ Flip Book

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Biography Organizers

✔ A Famous Quote

✔ Character Mini-booklet

✔ A Closer Look at Character Traits

✔ Trading Card Project

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary

October 22, 2026
Groundhog Day Craft Project

Celebrate Groundhog Day with this fun and quick activity! Students will love this adorable Groundhog Day craft project. Start by reading the passage all about groundhogs and answering the comprehension questions. Students will love making these adorable groundhogs and assembling the 8-page flip-up booklet. The flip booklet pages are attached to the inside the groundhog’s mouth. These groovy groundhogs make an extra sweet bulletin board display too!

Groundhog Day is a yearly tradition held on February 2nd where a groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, predicts how long winter will last. Celebrate this special holiday with this creative groundhog craft project!

This pack includes:

✔ Reading passage All About Groundhogs

✔ Comprehension Questions

✔ Groundhog craft templates and directions

✔ Flip up pages with questions for groundhog craft

✔ Answer Keys

✔ Step-by-step visual directions

See it in action on our blog

In this pack:

Reading:

Have students read the passage all about groundhogs and answer the comprehension questions. An answer key is included. Students could work with a partner or you can use it as a centers/station activity.

Activities:

Using the reading passage, students can answer the questions on the flip book pages. Lastly, they cut, color, and assemble the groundhog craft and attach the flip up booklet to the inside of the groundhog’s mouth.

FAVORITE BOOKS TO ACCOMPANY THIS ACTIVITY:

Groundhog’s Day Off By Robb Pearlman

This is one of my favorite books for Groundhog Day! Every year, people ask Groundhog the same, boring old question. Is spring around the corner? Or are we doomed to more winter? Sure, they care about his shadow, but what about him and his interests? He’s had enough! Groundhog packs his bags and sets out for a much-needed vacation. Now the town is holding auditions to find someone to fill his spot. None of the animals seem right for the job, though. Not Elephant, not Ostrich, and most certainly not Puppy. No one has Groundhog’s flair for the dramatic, but is it too late to woo him back into the spotlight?

Groundhog’s Dilemma by Kristen Remenar

Student’s love this adorable book! After Groundhog announces six more weeks of winter, half his animal friends are disappointed, while the other half are excited. Each animal asks Groundhog to make his prediction in their favor the following year. Rather than being truthful about the fact that he just “calls it like he sees it,” he leads them to believe he can control the weather, accepting their gifts of food and favor. On the next Groundhog Day, he finally admits he made promises he couldn’t keep because he was trying to please everyone and makes amends.

Groundhog Day! by Gail Gibbons

This is a great book to explain how Groundhog Day started so many years ago. Every February 2, people all across America wonder about the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. Will he see his shadow on that day or won’t he? Will spring come early or late? Here is information about Groundhog Day and its origins, as well as facts about the animal at the center of this delightful annual event.

Happy Groundhog Day!

October 22, 2026
Westward Expansion: Let’s Learn About the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Students will learn about Lewis and Clark and their famous expedition with this activity pack!

What’s Inside:
✔ Western Expansion
✔ Lewis & Clark Expedition
✔ The Team Hires Sacagawea
✔ The Expedition is a Great Success

With information about:
✔ Meet Meriwether Lewis
✔ Meet William Clark
✔ Meet Sacagawea
✔ Meet Thomas Jefferson

Activities Included:
✔ Comprehension Questions
✔ Map Activities
✔ Spotlight on Vocabulary
✔ Graphic Organizers
✔ 5-Page Flip Booklet
✔ Mini-booklet with Timeline Activity
✔ Vocabulary Posters
✔ Vocabulary Flip Flaps

There are three main activities:
Vocabulary:
Introduce the vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or use them as a center activity.

Reading passages:
Have students read the informational articles about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Each article has questions and scenes for students to connect and color. Next, read the character studies where students will meet Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, and Thomas Jefferson. The character studies come in color and black and white for students to color.

Activities:
Students can complete the map activities, mini-booklet, and a 5-page Flip Booklet. I usually have students complete the pages of the flip booklet at a station or as a center activity. Then we build the pages of the book one by one. The booklets fit perfectly inside their interactive notebooks or as a stand-alone booklet. You could fold a 12×18 piece of construction paper in half to make a cover for the book.

October 22, 2026
War of 1812 Activity Pack with James Madison, Dolley Madison, & Andrew Jackson

The War of 1812 Unit comes with 11 passages, organizers, comprehension & connection activities, vocabulary posters, case files on important people & flip book! Your students will love this creative non-fiction resource all about the War of 1812!

The War of 1812 did not win freedom, gain new land, or end slavery. However, this war changed life for many people. The Native Americans were the ones who suffered the most from the war. They were badly defeated on the battlefield, and now the British would not help them anymore. Even though Americans did not gain riches or land from the war, they gained something even more important: a renewed sense of pride.

Students will learn all about the War of 1812 with informational articles, organizers, and interactive activities for the causes, events, important people, and results of the war including:

✔ Impressment of American sailors

✔ War Hawks

✔ Battle of Tippecanoe

✔ The British Attack Washington DC

✔ America Fights Back

✔ Old Ironsides

✔ Battle of New Orleans

✔ A Sense of Pride

Students will meet three important people with case files on:

✔ President James Madison

✔ Dolley Madison

✔ Andrew Jackson

This unit includes many interactive activities:

✔ American Flag Activity

✔ Star-Spangled Banner Fill-in the Blank Lyrics

✔ Character Mini-booklets with Timelines (cut-n-sort booklets)

✔ Graphic Organizers

✔ War of 1812 Flip Book

✔ Vocabulary Posters

✔ Vocabulary Flip Flaps

✔ Vocabulary Cut-n-Sort Activity

✔ Unit Test (Editable)

✔ Answer Key for Test

There are five main activities:

Introduce the unit by reading about the causes of the war, answer comprehension questions and complete the organizers. The organizers work well for group work.

Next, create a learning station for each of the character studies. In a folder at each station include: the character studies and mini-booklets for students to complete. Students complete the character mini-Booklets by writing 3 facts about that person, putting the timeline dates in the correct order, coloring, cutting, and pasting them inside their notebooks. There are two articles on each person: one in b/w and one in color to laminate and post on a bulletin board, if desired.

Then, read about the main events and battles highlighted and complete the questions and organizers. Students may need additional resources to answer all the questions on the organizer pages.

Introduce or review the 6 vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or use as a center activity. These posters are excellent for a bulletin board display too.

Next, read about and complete the results of the war. Bring the students together for class discussions to check for understanding and further their critical thinking skills after each lesson. Have students complete the 5-page War of 1812 Flipbook. They can build it page by page, use it for homework, or as a center activity.

At the end of the unit, take the unit test to evaluate their learning. The Unit Test is EDITABLE so that you can modify it to meet your needs. It’s designed in a way that you can use any part of it at any point of time during the unit to check for understanding or use it as a tool to review.

October 22, 2026
War of 1812 Activities: A Mini-Unit & Flip Book

This mini-unit is the perfect addition to accompany your unit on the War of 1812!

It includes the following activities:
⭐ A fact sheet that comes in full color and BW
⭐ A flip book (5-pages)
⭐ A Vocabulary Poster

The 5-page flip book has activities with causes, results, timeline, important people, and fill in the blanks all related to the War of 1812. Visual directions for making the flip books are included.

Flipbooks are fun and valuable learning tools that can be used in:
✔ Centers
✔ Station Work
✔ Interactive Notebooks
✔ Group Work
✔ Fun Projects
✔ Homework Assignment
✔ Review Work

Students flip for flipbooks!

October 22, 2026
U.S. Landforms with 8 Major Landforms Highlighted

This U.S. Landforms Activity Pack is a perfect complement to a unit on geography! It includes everything you need to teach all about the 8 major U.S. Landforms in a creative and interactive way.

The U.S. Landforms included in this packet are:
✔ The Great Basin
✔ The Gulf of Mexico
✔ The Great Lakes
✔ The St. Lawrence River
✔ Death Valley
✔ The Atlantic Coastal Plain
✔ The Continental Divide
✔ The Great Plains

There are 8 one page informational articles about each of the U.S. Landforms for students to read and learn about these important landforms. Using the articles, students then complete an organizer to answer the following questions:
1. What is it?
2. Where is it located?
3. Why is it important?
4. What animals live there?
5. Three more interesting facts

The organizers can be folded as a brochure and glued into their interactive notebooks. Just cut out, fold into thirds, dot the back of the middle section of the brochure with glue, and hold in place in their notebooks until dry. Students could add more information or pictures to the outside covers.
✔ For Elementary Grades – Second grade, Third grade, Fourth grade, Fifth grade

There are lots of ways to use this packet in the classroom depending on your students and the time allotted for this lesson.
These are great for center or station work where students work with a partner or in a group to read through the information and then complete their organizers.

If time is limited, you could have each group study and learn about one of the U.S. Landforms and then share their findings with the class. This packet is meant to give them a general foundation of information but if desired students could do additional research to learn even more about each of the U.S. Landforms.

October 22, 2026
Three Branches of Government Activity Pack

Learning about the Three Branches of Government has never been so fun! This activity pack has it all with informational articles, vocabulary posters, and flip up book!

This Three Branches of Government Activity Pack includes many interactive activities and learning opportunities for students including informational articles about:
✔ Three Branches of Government
✔ The Constitution
✔ The Executive Branch
✔ The Legislative Branch
✔ The Judicial Branch

This Three Branches of Government Activity Pack includes:
✔ Branches of Government Vocabulary Posters
✔ Vocabulary Flip Flaps
✔ PLUS a 5-Page Three Branches of Government Flip-Up Booklet
✔ For Elementary Grades – Second grade, Third grade, Fourth grade, Fifth grade
✔ Great for Core Knowledge
✔ Common Core Aligned

In this activity pack there are 3 main activities:

Branches of Government Vocabulary:
Introduce the vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or use as a center activity. These posters are excellent for a bulletin board display too. In addition, the vocabulary flip flaps are great for interactive notebooks.

Informational Articles:
Next, have students read the informational articles all about the Three Branches of Government including the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. The articles are written in the form of mini-booklet with comprehension questions and scenes for students to connect and color.

Student Activities:
Have students complete 5-page Flip-Up Booklet all about Three Branches of Government. For the Flip-Up Book, you could have students do one page at each center or station. They can use the articles as a reference source to help them complete the pages of the booklet. Lastly, they cut, color, and assemble the booklet. Flip-Up books can be glued or stapled inside their interactive notebooks, file folder, or on a 12 x 18 piece of construction paper folded like a book cover. Students could then decorate the cover of the booklet.

October 22, 2026