Social Studies
Below is a page of resources, ideas, and templates for the use of technology into the Social Studies classroom
1. News Sources
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One of the many ways that Social Studies is approached by teachers is through the use of news articles. This allows teachers to keep students up to date with current events and explain concepts that are often difficult to conceptualize.
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While many news outlets produce stories, there is often difficulty finding sources that are unbias and at a reading level that all students in one classroom can comprehend. I have compiled a list of several news sources that allow you to change the level of difficulty within one article. With this feature, it becomes possible that students within the same grade can read the same article at a level that is appropriate for them. As well, students can access these sites and choose articles of interest. The articles on these sites are censored and appropriate to use within the classroom. These features allow for teachers to differentiate the classroom and have piece of mind about what the students will be learning about.
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As an added bonus, sites such as the ones listed below are really good sources for research papers and discussions. These sites can aid students in gaining accurate information rather than worrying about information that could be fabricated.
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Examples of News Sites
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https://www.studentnewsdaily.com/
https://theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/News
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2. Global Explorer
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One of the greatest barriers students face in the social studies classroom is not being able to see the concept and its importance. Through the use of an idea sometimes referred to as "Global Explorer", technology can help connect students to other students studying the same topic, experts on a specific topic, or go to an era that presents the concepts. Using technology to connect with others allows students to be exposed to unique insight, hear other's opinions, and present their views to a group wider than their classroom. Education technology can be used to collaborate and connect on group projects that “enhance learning and make a difference in the world"
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Additionally, this helps students who might be in a smaller class, taking a class online, or from a rural area. By using technology in the classroom, these students are able to get the same experience as students in the city or the benefit of having many perspectives in the same classroom. Below I have attached several websites as well as a personal initiative of mine for globally connected classrooms. The button has a link to various lesson plans for different grade levels
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3. Blogging the Textbook
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To make social studies more fun use the CoveritLive blogging tool. Instead of just having students read or listen about topics from the textbook, how about film it. Meanwhile, students can watch the feed and live blog with one another, bring up questions, and make more sense of the material. Teachers can ensure that the comments are appropriate because another teacher or person approves their comments. As well, if given permission by the teacher, other people from around the world can chime in.
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CoveritLive is a publishing tool that allows users to instantly publish their blog posts, which allows it to serve somewhat like a chat room. Some teachers have used it to enliven discussion and motivate their students to master social studies material. Students also used CoveritLive during important public events such as President Obama's inauguration or the election of the prime minster.
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4. Online Remembering
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One of the easiest ways to use determine if students understanding something fully is to have the students explain the concept of others. This is not always a fun task, but by incorporating technology students can become more engaged with this ideas as well as connect the information and share what they are doing in the classroom with people like the teacher.
Ways to use this in the classroom
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Have students film the important ideas covered in the class for students who were missing, as a review for a test, or so that they can show people outside the classroom what they are doing
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Give students various components of an event in history. Have the students research it and record the information. They can do this in the form of a news forum, acting it out, a song, or anything creative. Then have each of the groups watch the video and record information about it. Have them come together as a class when they have all the information together!
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Have students take a video of an interview, idea, or activity at home. Bring the videos to class and have students connect these ideas to whatever you are learning about. This is a great way to bring students lives into the classroom as well as show them how social studies concepts have relevance
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Students can create podcasts to information that they researched in class or answers to a study sheet for a test later one. Students often retain information better if they can listen to it in their own voice.
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5. Creating Their Own History
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Using some different apps and programs, students can learn what they have learned about history to create their own My Country HD
has the students create their own countries and they can use the lessons or examples they have learned in history to help make or avoid decisions as they run their own country. There are also games such as Minecraft, Exploration, and Blackworld that students can use to discover different historical times and interact with one another to help learn concepts of government and citizenship. Students can then present these worlds to the class in the form of presentation or paper explaining why certain choices were made and comparing their worlds to what they have learned in history
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This type activity can be used in a variety of social studies and history courses depending on the material you are covering. As well, this type of activity leads to higher level thinking because they must apply the knowledge that they have learned to design and create a world.
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