Takin Social Studies - Ideas, Lessons and strategies for the 21st Century Classroom,

If you have never heard of Takin Social Studies, now is the time to take notice.  This blog houses podcasts ranging from Music in the classroom, sticky current events, to primary sources.  After listening to it for a couple of days, I am hooked.

The four hosts each have their own witty personalities and provide tons of resources they use with their students. Listen to Episode 17 Got Rhythm.  Also take a look at the notes from the episode as well, they link some student work which is really good and hopefully will generate some ideas for your own classes!

Engaging students in an Early America Blended/Discovery Learning Unit

Goal:  Create a blended/discovery learning environment for students to engage in interactive lessons and activities while learning material and making connections between the past and present.

Look out students of the 21st century!  I decided it was time to think outside the box to get students more engaged. I needed all students answering questions and making connections, not the few who raised their hands. My classroom needed to be upgraded to a more blended and discovery experience. So, I did a little research to find programs that could get students more involved in their own learning.  

Google Cultural Institute

 The aim of the Cultural Institute is to preserve and promote culture online

If you have not had a chance to browse the Google Cultural Institute, I highly recommend it.  Outside of simply navigating the art museums and  wonders of the world, you can examine primary source material on major historical events in history.

Finally, if access through our district Google accounts, you can create your own personal lists of personal collections that you value, curate your own galleries, and even push all of this material to your Google Classroom courses!

This is a powerful tool, and one that can be incorporated in to a wide variety of curricula.  Check out the YouTube Channel dedicated to the Institute.  Go explore today, and make sure to share your experience with your peers!

Sean Mullins | Instructional Technology Coach

Pharaoh Google Presentation Project

In 6th grade, students study Ancient  Egypt and the Pharaoh's who were a major part of the country's development.  As a culminating project to this unit students collaboratively created data research sheets and Google Presentations.

Amber O’Day  and I  worked together on multiple days before the project to create the data sheets and set up the project to present key information about 6 different pharaohs from Ancient  Egypt.  This was to supplement a section from our book explaining the different dynasties and rules of specific pharaohs. We began by creating a data sheet that students would share with their group and with myself.  This allowed me to be able to monitor the work being done and also keep track of adjustments/corrections being done by each student in the group.  I did this using revision history, a feature within all Google Docs.

We explained on the first day how to retrieve the copy of the data sheet  from their Shared with Me within Google Drive and re-share the document with their group members.  Each person in the group was given a topic to research and all would work on the document together.  We also explained they would need to include their sources and we talked about the differences between a search engine and a website.  Sources the students were able to use for this project, ranged from internet sources, Discovery Education, and book sources.  The students worked on this data sheet for 2-3 days.

Once finished with the data sheet, we introduced the students to Google Presentations and allowed the students to begin work on a presentation they would give as a group at the end of the week.   As with the Google document/data sheet that was created for students to work collaboratively, we revisited how to share and work collaboratively with Google Presentations.  Each student took their category and created a slide(s) on Google Presentation which was shared collaboratively among the group.  The same rules applied and I was able to virtually monitor as well as monitor physically.  Students also created a source slide within their presentation.  This process took another 2 days plus one more to practice presenting in front of the class.

This project was very successful in many ways.  It allowed me to really see how the students worked in collaborative groups, using research skills, as well as presentation skills.  I will repeat next year and hopefully add to the project.

Amy Dabler
KJHS
6th Grade Social Studies

Mind Maps with Google Draw

For those of you who use mind maps with your students, here is an article that discusses how Google Drawings can be used to make these collaborative and conducive to feedback.

http://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech/2013/10/12/creating-mind-maps-in-google-draw/

 

KJHS 7th Grade Study of 13 Colonies

During a study of the 13 Colonies and three regions, students In Mrs. Kindred’s class used various resources to research the founding of the 13 Colonies. It began with groups finding facts to complete a semantic feature analysis framework. This visual organizer encourages students to discover the relationship of categories. Each group researched: the colonies belonging in each region, religions, geography, climate, economics, politics, and famous people. Students listened and watched videos from Discovery Education, gathered facts from online sources, the textbook, and from class discussions. As a culminating activity, students created a Photostory based on the information learned about the 3 regions of Colonial America. Students developed a deeper understanding of the birth of America and how economics were determined by geography and climate.

Mrs. Kindred, 7th Grade Social Studies, KJHS