This week our Instructional Technology Coach is in my classroom testing out a new iPad app on my students called Aurasma. This app allows you to augment reality, similar to the way a first down line is added when you are watching a football game. Students create a video and link it with an image, which can then be scanned like a QR code by anyone to play the video. Continue reading Augmented Reality
Category Archives: technology
Using Edmodo and Chromebooks
Zach Wimmer is a high school teacher in Sublette, Kansas where he teaches Geography, Government, Debate, and Economics. In this guest post, Zach highlights his use of Edmodo in a Chromebook learning environment.
As schools implement a one-to-one technology initiative, it is easy for educators, novice and veteran alike, to feel overwhelmed by how they should employ them in the classroom. When my high school in western Kansas adopted Chromebooks, there were questions among the faculty about how these new devices would actually enhance student engagement.
One site in particular eased these concerns. Edmodo, in myriad ways, has improved the learning process in my Social Studies classroom immensely. As the website explains, Edmodo is “a free and safe way for students and teachers to connect and collaborate.” Continue reading Using Edmodo and Chromebooks
Interactive maps compare current cities to 19th century versions
I love the Smithsonian magazine. Both the print and online versions. The articles are incredibly cool and range all over the place, from why we incorrectly believe that carrots help us see better to what people snacked on during the 1963 March on Washington.
During a recent run through their online history articles, I ran across a very cool interactive activity that lets you look at past and present maps of six major US cities. The magazine recently dipped into David Rumsey‘s collection of over 150,000 maps to find some of the best representations of American cities over the past couple hundred years. With some simple programming, they were able to overlay images of vintage maps of some major cities onto satellite images from today. Continue reading Interactive maps compare current cities to 19th century versions
iPad apps and the C4 Framework for Social Studies
I spent most of the day today talking iPads with K-12 teachers in all contents. But I have to admit – my favorite part of the day was the two hours spent with social studies teachers.
We chatted about a variety of things but the focus was on iPad apps and activities that aligned to my recently released C4 Framework for the Social Studies. For those unfamiliar with the C4 Framework, we’ve broken down the NCSS national social studies standards, the Common Core literacy standards for the social studies, and the new Kansas social studies standards into four easy to follow themes that can help you plan high-quality lessons and units.
The idea behind the C4 Framework is to incorporate each of the following items into your lesson and units: Continue reading iPad apps and the C4 Framework for Social Studies
A whole bunch of History Twitter feeds
Okay, I may have done the math wrong. But whatever the number is, it’s a bunch of very cool and useful Twitter feeds. Grab a couple or three of them and expand your Personal Learning Network.
A quick and easy way to grow your list is to check out who these users are following. In no time, you’ll have tons of links to tons of stuff.
And be sure to scroll down for some basic info on using hashtags! Continue reading A whole bunch of History Twitter feeds
