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 United States Week 2 Charts & Graphs Climograph for Shreveport, LA Week 3 Art & Artifacts Painting of French king Louis XV Week 4 Timelines 1789-1790 Beginning Government Week 5 Political Cartoons Low Wages for Workers
Week 6 Maps Eastern United States Week 7 Charts & Graphs Parish Populations Week 8 Art & Artifacts Whaling Woodcut Week 9 Timelines Circulating Coins Week 10 Political Cartoons King George III and Sugar Week 11 Maps Western Hemisphere 1800 Week 12 Charts & Graphs Louisiana Executive Branch Week 13 Art & Artifacts Cider Making (1841) Week 14 Timelines Napoleonic Era Week 15 Political Cartoons Plumb-pudding in Danger Week 16 Maps Washington, D.C. Week 17 Charts & Graphs Louisiana Population Week 18 Art & Artifacts "The County Election" Painting Week 19 Timelines Circulating Coins Timeline Week 20 Political Cartoons King Andrew the First Week 21 Maps Louisiana Purchase Map Week 22 Charts & Graphs 1850 US Census Week 23 Art & Artifacts Telegraph Register Week 24 Timelines Pre-Civil War Week 25 Political Cartoons Little Captain Bobbins Week 26 Maps Louisiana Highway Map Week 27 Charts & Graphs Louisiana Precipitation Week 28 Art & Artifacts Blacksmith's Dental Tools Week 29 Timelines Events of 1862 Week 30 Political Cartoons Chinese Wall Week 31 Maps Union and Confederate States Week 32 Charts & Graphs Standard of Living Indicators Week 33 Art & Artifacts Looking Down Yosemite Valley Week 34 Timelines Personal Timeline Week 35 Political Cartoons 1, 2, 3, Puuuuuuuuuuuullllll!!!