Smart Skills are daily practice tasks consisting of Maps, Charts and Graphs, Art and Artifact Analysis, Timelines, and Political Cartoons. See "Smart Skills Teacher Overview" PowerPoint for details.
The focus of the skills will most likely NOT align to your current social studies topic. However, the skills activities will serve as a review of content already taught, or a preview of upcoming content.
Instructional Tips
- Each file is a PowerPoint presention for one week.
- Project one slide per day for students to view as they enter the classroom or the period begins.
- Answers to questions and teacher notes are written in the Notes section of each slide.
- Show a different slide each day on the schedule provided in the Overview. As the week progresses, the cognitive challenge of the daily questions increases.
- The questions should promote class discussion and inquiry. There are often no single correct answers, and this provides students an opportunity to explain and defend their thinking.
- Limit daily Smart Skills to 4 - 6 minutes.
Week # Skill Topic Week 1 Maps Louisiana Natural Regions Week 2 Charts & Graphs Louisiana Exports Week 3 Art & Artifacts Native American Effigy Week 4 Timelines Native American Pre-History Periods Week 5 Political Cartoons Corporate Sponsorships - Wizard of Id
Week 6 Maps Louisiana Precipitation Week 7 Charts & Graphs Louisiana Visitors Week 8 Art & Artifacts Colonial Bed Warmer Week 9 Timelines Columbus to Revolution Week 10 Political Cartoons Climate Change Week 11 Maps Louisiana Congressional Districts Week 12 Charts & Graphs Climograph - Baton Rouge, LA Week 13 Art & Artifacts Woodcut of Charleston, SC Week 14 Timelines Age of Exploration Week 15 Political Cartoons Britannia Without Limbs Week 16 Maps French and Indian War Week 17 Charts & Graphs Colonial Occupations Week 18 Art & Artifacts Painting of King Louis XV of France Week 19 Timelines Louisiana's Colonial Period Week 20 Political Cartoons Join or Die Week 21 Maps New France, 1750 Week 22 Charts & Graphs Hours of Daylight - Boston & New Orleans Week 23 Art & Artifacts Colonial Era Wick Cutter Week 24 Timelines Colonial Period Week 25 Political Cartoons King George III in a Carriage Week 26 Maps Louisiana's Lakes and Rivers Week 27 Charts & Graphs Venn Diagram: Levels of Government Week 28 Art & Artifacts Painting of George Washington Week 29 Timelines Revolutionary Period Week 30 Political Cartoons Prince of Wales Week 31 Maps Louisiana's Major Highways Week 32 Charts & Graphs Tree Map - Compare 1788 and 1792 Elections Week 33 Art & Artifacts Painting of Washington's Second Inauguration Week 34 Timelines John Quincy Adams's Early Life Week 35 Political Cartoons Daylight Saving Time