If you’ve ever wondered how to use History Snip-Its in your classroom, you’ve come to the right place!
History Snip-Its are history-themed articles with accompanying questions.
We all want our students to love history and look forward to class, right?!?
Instead of reading informational text all the time, we need to add some high-interest, relatable material to our study of history.
How to Use History Snip-Its in Your Classroom
Example: Essex Hospital & Smallpox Inoculation
Step 1: Give a brief overview of the article students are about to read and ask questions to introduce the article. Example questions:
Have you ever heard of smallpox? Smallpox was a constant fear for people living in the 18th Century.
What do you think happens to a person who contracts smallpox?
Did you know that there were entire hospitals devoted to the treatment of smallpox in the 18th Century?
Step 2: Allow students to read the Snip-It once on their own.
Step 3: Allow students to read the article with a partner and discuss/answer questions.
WHY You SHOULD Use History Snip-Its in SOCIAL STUDIES Class
Students can read from a textbook all day long, but unless they hear exciting, personal stories, they will never connect to social studies content.
History Snip-Its make social studies topics, people, and events relatable to students.
When talking about 18th Century history, do you ever talk to students about what it was like for kids to grow up in that century? Do you talk about hygiene habits in the 1700s? What about Colonial Jails and Punishments? There are History Snip-Its to cover each of those topics! You’ll never find them in a textbook 🙂
Extra Ways to Use History Snip-Its
In addition to direct instruction, there are a plethora of ways to use History Snip-Its in Your Classroom.
* Substitute plans
* Early finishers
* Cross-curricular activity to connect reading and social studies
* An exciting break from your regular unit of study
* Homework
* Advanced learning classrooms
* Extra credit assignments
Free History Snip-Its
There’s nothing better than free, right?!?
These two titles are free!
Available Titles in the History Snip-Its Series
Check out the bundle to see the individual titles available in the History Snip-Its Series:
