Key Decisions in History Template | Exciting and Engaging History Activity

Put kids in the driver seat of history! These activities are really game changers in the classroom and sure to get kids excited about learning history! Rather than just see history as 'what happened' this activity allows students to think about key events and pivotal decisions that presidents, individual citizens, or activists make that change the course of history. 

The template guides students through the decision making process, step by step to support critical thinking and careful consideration of the issue at hand. Rather than simply stating 'what would you do' and getting superficial or simple answers that students are not really invested in, this will make history come alive by really getting students to invested in the outcome!

INCLUDED are two different templates- one is specifically for presidents and includes questions like 'what are your constitutional limitations' and 'how can you ensure voters and American support this decision' to get students to understand the many things that constrain and influence presidents. It can be used for every unit you teach- any major decision a president made and there are many examples given in the 'how to' page. The other template is for world leaders who are not limited by constitutions or public opinion (as much), ordinary citizens, or activist leaders like Gandhi for world history or civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks or John Lewis for US history, or John Smith figuring out how to ensure Jamestown survives! 

This could be a great weekly activity that kids would look forward to and will make history exciting for students! "Key Decisions Fridays" sounds great to me :)

Check out the previews on how it works!

*If you like these activities, check out my super engaging 'Presidential Decisions Activities' that include this template with a full lesson for a real presidential decision.