American History End of Year Review Game & Class Party Ideas
This is the 27th lesson in a series of 27 hands-on lessons covering U.S. American History through 1865. This was the last class of the year and includes a quiz game to review the year, a Civil War themed class party, & a parent presentation. I used this plan while teaching a 45 minute history class for children in Kindergarten, 1st, & 2nd grades. Use these fun lessons with your classroom, homeschool, after-school program, or co-op!
Prizes from the Review Game
Review Game
- We reviewed the entire year. The teams were girls vs. boys, though teams could also be each table if you have a larger class. Each child had a chance to pull out a question slip. If they got the question correct by themselves, they got 2 points. If they got the answer correct from the help of their classmates, they got 1 point. If they got the answer wrong, the other team got a chance to answer the question for 1 point. The questions are at the end of this lesson.
You will need:
- Review questions (found at the end of this lesson) on individual strips of paper & a fun container to hold them in
- Prizes: Each member of the team with the most points got to select a prize bag to pass out to the class. Each prize bag contained an identical item for each member of the class. I gave each child a red party bag to use to hold their prizes.
You will need:
- bags for children to hold their toys & treats
- mystery prize bags (I used brown paper sacks for holding them) with an item for each child in the class – One prize bag contained a granola bag for each child. Another contained gummy fruit packs. Other prize items were American flags from the Dollar Tree, Lego minifigures (from amazon .com), bubbles, balloons, patriotic pens, & party bag toys.
Singing the 13 Colonies song & the U.S. Presidents song
Singing the 13 Colonies song & the U.S. Presidents song
- Review the 13 Colonies Song (Tune: Yankee Doodle).
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, little Delaware…
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia, thirteen colonies!
- Review the U.S. Presidents Song.
- Sing both songs. *This would be a great time to invite parents to hear these songs & to participate in the rest of the class for the party.*
Civil War Themed Class Party
Civil War Themed Class Party
- Bring out the snacks & the Confederate Ball music. Treats included gingerbread cake, ginger ale, lemonade, & sarsaparilla (root beer).
- Gingerbread cake was a common treat families would send to soldiers as it lasted for quite a while.
- Ginger ale was the most popular soda during the Civil War. A pharmacist in Detroit was creating a special drink when he got called to active duty as a soldier in the Civil War. When he returned a few years later after the war, he found his drink had become quite tasty. He sold it as Venor Ginger Ale, which eventually became Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
- Lemonade, made from lemons, sugar, & water, was a common drink at fairs and parties during the Civil War.
- Sarsaparilla was another common drink. It was made from the root of the sassafras tree. Today we call it root beer.
You will need:
- Confederate ball music
- treats such as gingerbread cake & serving utensils
- drinks such as lemonade, ginger ale, &/or sarsaparilla (root beer) – I just bought the store brand of these drinks, removed the labels, printed labels from online, & taped them to the containers
- cups, plates, & napkins (Dollar Tree had patriotic ones that were perfect.)
- Don’t forget to take lots of class photos and give out plenty of hugs (if allowed).
Review Game Questions
Each of the review game questions should be on a separate slip of paper.
- In 1607, England’s first colony was established in America. What was the name of that colony? (Jamestown)
- When you think of Jamestown, name 1 person you should think of. (Pocahontas, John Smith)
- In 1621 the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts & settled at Plymouth Colony. What’s the name of the Native American who helped them? (Squanto)
- In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed? (1776)
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? (Thomas Jefferson)
- Who was the King of England during the American War for Independence (King George III)
- Name a Key Battle in the American War for Independence. (Battle of Satatoga, Battle of Yorktown, & others)
- What document did our Founding Fathers create that describes the 3 branches of our government? (Constitution)
- In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson purchased land from France that doubled the size of America. Name 1 person who explored it. (Lewis, Clark, Sacajawea)
- From 1861-1865, what was was fought in America? (Civil War)
- Which colonies had large plantations, grew tobacco & cotton, & had many slaves: Northern, Middle, or Southern? (Southern)
- Who invented the cotton gin (which made cotton king in the South) & Interchangeable Parts (which led to mass production)? (Eli Whitney)
- Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, & many Quakers were abolitionists. What were abolitionists? (People who tried to abolish, or end, slavery.)
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were leaders in the women’s suffrage movement. What does women’s suffrage mean? (Giving women the right to vote.
- During the Civil War, who was the main U.S./Northern General? (Ulysses S. Grant)
- During the Civil War, who was the main Southern General. He’s the one who surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. (Robert E. Lee)
Not a true story…
Abraham Lincoln was known for his wit. One day he decided to enter the local paper’s pun contest. He sent in ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the puns would win. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.
Looking for all of my American History Lessons?
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR EARLY ELEMENTARY:
Native Americans & Columbus Lesson
Jamestown Lesson
Pilgrims Lesson
Thirteen Colonies Lesson
French and Indian War Lesson
Colonial Period & Revolution Rumblings Lesson
Boston Massacre & Boston Tea Party Lesson
First Shots & Declaration of Independence Lesson
American War for Independence Battles Lesson
Valley Forge & Battle of Yorktown Lesson
American Literature Lesson & American War for Independence Review
Colonial Christmas Party
Constitution Lesson
Three Branches of Government Lesson
President George Washington Lesson
Louisiana Purchase Lesson
War of 1812 Lesson
Monroe Doctrine Lesson
Trail of Tears Lesson
Oregon Trail & Battle of Alamo Lesson
California Gold Rush & Pony Express Lesson
American Industrial Revolution Lesson
Underground Railroad Lesson
Abolitionists & Women Suffragists Lesson
Civil War: The Confederate States & Abraham Lincoln Lesson
Civil War Battles Lesson
Civil War Party & End of Year Review Game
BONUS LESSONS (if you have room for a few extra classes):
Reconstruction Lesson
Wild West Lesson
Immigrants Lesson
Tycoons & Theodore Roosevelt Lesson
World War I Lesson
Roaring Twenties Lesson
Great Depression and the 1930s Lesson
World War II Lesson
ALL MY LESSONS:
Fun, Free Hands-on Unit Studies (My Lessons in All Subjects)
© 2018 Shannon
Comments
Shannon (author) from Florida on August 15, 2018:
Thank you! I am so glad that you have enjoyed this series and really appreciate that you have posted comments! Yes, it’s fun learning the history of some products. I think the flavor in modern root beer is now just artificial flavoring.
Liz Westwood from UK on August 15, 2018:
I have enjoyed your series of lessons. The link between sarsaparilla and root beer was new to me.
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