Middle & High School Social Studies Resources
Looking for engaging resources for your students? You've come to the right place. Most of my classroom lessons are geared toward Middle School and High School Social Studies, but you’ll find versatile resources for any subject or grade level—perfect for public school, private school, and homeschool educators. Welcome to the Mister Harms Classroom!
U.S. History & PresidentIal Resources
Resource Overview: Transition your history class from lectures to experiences. Mister Harms’ U.S. History curriculum utilizes primary source analysis and immersive projects, such as my popular Oregon Trail Simulation. My resources focus on the major American history events , from the Age of Exploration through modern Presidential history.
Authority Reference: These resources align with the historical frameworks established by the National Archives.
Best Use Case: Primary source deep-dives and historical empathy simulations.
View the full collection of U.S. History simulations and presidential projects here
Civics & Government Interactive Lessons
Resource Overview: Teach the mechanics of democracy with interactive government activities. From Legislative Branch Simulations to my Constitution Scavenger Hunt, these resources help students master the three branches of government and the Bill of Rights.
Authority Reference: Developed to support the civic mission of schools, similar to the standards found at iCivics.
Best Use Case: High-engagement role-play and legislative simulations.
Access all interactive Civics activities and government lesson plans here.
Economics & Financial Literacy ACtivities
Resource Overview: Make economic theory practical. My classroom economy system and Stock Market Simulation teaches students about scarcity, opportunity cost, and financial literacy through real-world application.
Authority Reference: Aligned with the voluntary national standards from the Council for Economic Education.
Best Use Case: Financial literacy units and semester-long classroom incentive systems.
Browse the complete library of Economics simulations and financial literacy tools.
Teaching Tools & Daily Bell Ringers
Resource Overview: High-impact tools for classroom management and daily transitions. My brain teasers and CNN 10 graphic organizers ensure that learning starts the moment the bell rings.
Best Use Case: Daily warm-ups, exit tickets, and critical thinking "fillers."
Explore all bellringers and classroom management tools to streamline your day.
High School Psychology Lessons
Resource Overview: Engaging introductory psychology lessons for high school students. Explore personality, defense mechanisms, and influential psychologists through student-led inquiry.
Authority Reference: Based on foundational concepts outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Best Use Case: High school elective courses and personality studies.
Explore all high school psychology activities and personality studies.
Holiday & Seasonal Educational Content
Resource Overview: Educational activities that celebrate the calendar. These resources allow teachers to acknowledge holidays like Presidents’ Day or Valentine’s Day without losing academic rigor.
Best Use Case: Holiday-specific lesson plans and seasonal sub-plans.
View the full seasonal calendar of holiday-themed classroom resources.
Social Studies Curriculum Bundles
Resource Overview: Comprehensive, multi-unit packages designed to save teachers time. These bundles provide a cohesive roadmap for an entire semester or school year at a discounted rate.
Best Use Case: New teacher curriculum add-ons or grade-wide resource adoption.
See all comprehensive social studies bundles and save on your curriculum.
Frequently Asked Questions for Educators
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Yes. Most Mister Harms resources are designed with the C3 Framework and Common Core standards in mind, focusing on inquiry-based learning and critical thinking. Because they are editable, you can easily tweak them to meet your specific state’s requirements.
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Absolutely. While most resources are optimized for grades 7–12, many include differentiated versions. For example, our Economics simulations and Civics scavenger hunts include simplified versions for middle school and more complex analysis for high school honors or AP classes.
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Upon purchase, you will receive an email with instructions and a direct link to download the resources or place into your Google Drive. From there, you can assign them to your students via Google Classroom, Canvas, or any other LMS.
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Yes! These activities are perfect for homeschool co-ops or individual students. They are designed to be self-contained and engaging, requiring very little "prep" time for the parent or educator.
Meet the Teacher Behind Mister Harms
I’m Mister Harms, and I believe that social studies should be the most exciting part of a student's day. With over 25 years of classroom experience in the middle and high school classroom, I’ve seen firsthand how a great simulation can turn a 'boring' history lesson into a lifelong memory.
I started creating these resources because I couldn't find materials that truly engaged my students while maintaining academic rigor. Today, my educational content has reached over 7 million views on YouTube, and I am honored that over 100,000 teachers have trusted my resources in their own classrooms. My goal is to save you time on planning so you can focus on what matters most: influencing our future leaders in a positive way.
Thanks for stopping by. It’s great to meet you! - Mister Harms