This is a list of websites and materials I find especially useful throughout my lessons.
Technology in the classroom
www.Kahoot.com
This link is to a website that includes different platforms for teachers to create engaging reviews. The website utilizes student phones by turning them into a review game in which the teacher creates the questions and the game style. I see this website as incredibly valuable by turning a device that is considered distracting into a learning device that have the students fully engaged. The website can be used at any point for a review. Whether it is a review of a chapter, concept, lesson, or just a pretest review. Also, it could be used as an anonymous polling system where no student can feel judged for answering a question how they do. It has both educational and social implications for a teacher hoping to learn more about their students and helping the students review.
https://www.270towin.com/maps/2016-actual-electoral-map
This link is very beneficial in a government or civics course to help explain how the Electoral College works. It has electoral maps for every election in US history and has interesting facts about the election on the page. It also includes the issues most campaigned about. This website is perfect for helping students understand what the electoral college is and how it works. It also has interactive modes where students can “change” how a state voted to alter the election and see how it changes the results. It is important to use interactive, informative sites like this because it informs the student sand also makes them want to interact with it and learn more than they possibly could have just staring at a map on paper.
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/03/3-awesome-facebook-templates-for-your.html
This is probably my favorite link on the page due to its implications. It is a link to a site that has different fake Facebook templates for students to use. This can be used whenever you are doing projects on certain people. It looks like a real Facebook page, except the student control everything, even down to who comments on the page. I believe this is very beneficial in the classroom because it demonstrates understanding because the students need to know enough about the person to create and accurate Facebook page but they are also entertained because it is engaging and is a more modern project that they would enjoy.
Primary Documents
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/may/14/art-apocalypse-otto-dix-first-world-war-der-krieg-in-pictures
This is a link to a website that provides all of Artist Otto Dix’s art on life in the trenches during the First World War. Dix lived through the war, so his primary account is valuable in seeing what war actually looked like. Also, the account is valuable for students to practice analytical and critical thinking skills. These could be used when introducing trench warfare during world war one. After the students have been taught the facts and concepts, these pictures give a humanizing factor to an old war that very few students probably think deeply about.
https://mymodernmet.com/jacob-riis-how-the-other-half-lives/
This link is to the pictures taken by Jacob Riis in his book “how the other half lives.” This could be used when showing how different activists impacted social reform. I believe photographs and paintings are an important way to portray feelings and give the students a more in depth look at history. Riis’ photos are shocking, and can evoke deep feelings about a topic that would not be felt if the students were just reading about it. Using photographs about slum life can humanize history and possible impact the student more deeply. It could also show that they don’t have to be a congressmen or journalist to make a change, all you need is a camera and the will to make change.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
This link is to a website that has the audio for Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, it also has to transcript to it as well. It is important to show student that primary sources are not only old documents that sound funny and need to be read. Primary sources can be paintings, pictures, videos, interviews, or anything really as long as it is from the time and accurate. This link can be used when teaching about Martin Luther King JR, the Civil Rights movement, black history month, or even about the controversial issues of race in America today. This link has so many possibilities to be incorporated into the class, and because it is different from an old document that they have to read, it could change opinions on what a primary source is.
Inquiry Based/Controversial Issues
http://www.inmotionaame.org/education/lesson.cfm;jsessionid=f8301493691512555450242?migration=&id=4_012LP&bhcp=1
This link is to a lesson plan that helps discuss racism and inequality in America today. Often times, the story of racism in a history class ends after Martin Luther King JR and African Americans receiving equal rights. Racism has never died, and should be taught as such. Depending on the classroom you are in, some students could receive racism on a daily basis, this is a good way to hear their lives and connect on a personal level while also teaching them about how they can counteract racism and learn about racism around the country. If the class isn’t a racial diverse class that isn’t on the end on racism daily, it would still be important for them to learn about the society they live in and how some people are not treated equally. They can also find issues they are passionate about and become an active citizen.
Multiculturalism
https://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/multi2.html
This link is to a website that contains six different techniques to incorporate into your class that will help the students understand a multicultural environment, and help you understand all of the student’s cultures and individual personalities. Some of the techniques include questioning methods, role playing, and different ways to include learning about different cultures in general into your classroom. This would fit well into a social studies classroom due to the content, and having to learn about different parts of the world. By incorporating these techniques into a lesson, the students wouldn’t even know they are getting a lesson on multiculturalism. Another way this could be used is at the beginning of the year so all the students can feel welcomed and included.
Discourse/Discussion materials
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/
This link is to a website that provides different discussion strategies that can be implemented in the classroom. All the strategies are more engaging than just having a conversation with the students. The students can move around, discuss with peers, teach the class, and do activities more independently. My favorite discussion technique mentioned is the gallery walk, where students can create a poster or short presentation for the rest of the class on a part of the lesson. They then present that part in their section of the room while the rest of the room looks at all the posters/presentations. This is a valuable strategy because it helps student presentation skills, comprehension, and makes all students figure out the best way to teach the information. I think this is a valuable website to make a typical class more engaging.
Differentiation
https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/50-strategies-for-differentiated-instruction/
This website contains fifty different strategies that can be differentiated easily so that all students can learn the material at the level in which they function. There are many strategies on here, so it should not be difficult to find at least one kind of differentiation strategy to fit into the topic or lesson style that is planned for that day. There are small strategies like a jigsaw, which can easily be differentiated for a short class activity. There are also larger differentiation strategies, like for debate, that can last more than one lesson and keep all students included at all times. There are multiple strategies on here which can easily be modified to fit into and social studies curriculum.
www.Kahoot.com
This link is to a website that includes different platforms for teachers to create engaging reviews. The website utilizes student phones by turning them into a review game in which the teacher creates the questions and the game style. I see this website as incredibly valuable by turning a device that is considered distracting into a learning device that have the students fully engaged. The website can be used at any point for a review. Whether it is a review of a chapter, concept, lesson, or just a pretest review. Also, it could be used as an anonymous polling system where no student can feel judged for answering a question how they do. It has both educational and social implications for a teacher hoping to learn more about their students and helping the students review.
https://www.270towin.com/maps/2016-actual-electoral-map
This link is very beneficial in a government or civics course to help explain how the Electoral College works. It has electoral maps for every election in US history and has interesting facts about the election on the page. It also includes the issues most campaigned about. This website is perfect for helping students understand what the electoral college is and how it works. It also has interactive modes where students can “change” how a state voted to alter the election and see how it changes the results. It is important to use interactive, informative sites like this because it informs the student sand also makes them want to interact with it and learn more than they possibly could have just staring at a map on paper.
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/03/3-awesome-facebook-templates-for-your.html
This is probably my favorite link on the page due to its implications. It is a link to a site that has different fake Facebook templates for students to use. This can be used whenever you are doing projects on certain people. It looks like a real Facebook page, except the student control everything, even down to who comments on the page. I believe this is very beneficial in the classroom because it demonstrates understanding because the students need to know enough about the person to create and accurate Facebook page but they are also entertained because it is engaging and is a more modern project that they would enjoy.
Primary Documents
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/may/14/art-apocalypse-otto-dix-first-world-war-der-krieg-in-pictures
This is a link to a website that provides all of Artist Otto Dix’s art on life in the trenches during the First World War. Dix lived through the war, so his primary account is valuable in seeing what war actually looked like. Also, the account is valuable for students to practice analytical and critical thinking skills. These could be used when introducing trench warfare during world war one. After the students have been taught the facts and concepts, these pictures give a humanizing factor to an old war that very few students probably think deeply about.
https://mymodernmet.com/jacob-riis-how-the-other-half-lives/
This link is to the pictures taken by Jacob Riis in his book “how the other half lives.” This could be used when showing how different activists impacted social reform. I believe photographs and paintings are an important way to portray feelings and give the students a more in depth look at history. Riis’ photos are shocking, and can evoke deep feelings about a topic that would not be felt if the students were just reading about it. Using photographs about slum life can humanize history and possible impact the student more deeply. It could also show that they don’t have to be a congressmen or journalist to make a change, all you need is a camera and the will to make change.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
This link is to a website that has the audio for Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, it also has to transcript to it as well. It is important to show student that primary sources are not only old documents that sound funny and need to be read. Primary sources can be paintings, pictures, videos, interviews, or anything really as long as it is from the time and accurate. This link can be used when teaching about Martin Luther King JR, the Civil Rights movement, black history month, or even about the controversial issues of race in America today. This link has so many possibilities to be incorporated into the class, and because it is different from an old document that they have to read, it could change opinions on what a primary source is.
Inquiry Based/Controversial Issues
http://www.inmotionaame.org/education/lesson.cfm;jsessionid=f8301493691512555450242?migration=&id=4_012LP&bhcp=1
This link is to a lesson plan that helps discuss racism and inequality in America today. Often times, the story of racism in a history class ends after Martin Luther King JR and African Americans receiving equal rights. Racism has never died, and should be taught as such. Depending on the classroom you are in, some students could receive racism on a daily basis, this is a good way to hear their lives and connect on a personal level while also teaching them about how they can counteract racism and learn about racism around the country. If the class isn’t a racial diverse class that isn’t on the end on racism daily, it would still be important for them to learn about the society they live in and how some people are not treated equally. They can also find issues they are passionate about and become an active citizen.
Multiculturalism
https://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/multi2.html
This link is to a website that contains six different techniques to incorporate into your class that will help the students understand a multicultural environment, and help you understand all of the student’s cultures and individual personalities. Some of the techniques include questioning methods, role playing, and different ways to include learning about different cultures in general into your classroom. This would fit well into a social studies classroom due to the content, and having to learn about different parts of the world. By incorporating these techniques into a lesson, the students wouldn’t even know they are getting a lesson on multiculturalism. Another way this could be used is at the beginning of the year so all the students can feel welcomed and included.
Discourse/Discussion materials
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/
This link is to a website that provides different discussion strategies that can be implemented in the classroom. All the strategies are more engaging than just having a conversation with the students. The students can move around, discuss with peers, teach the class, and do activities more independently. My favorite discussion technique mentioned is the gallery walk, where students can create a poster or short presentation for the rest of the class on a part of the lesson. They then present that part in their section of the room while the rest of the room looks at all the posters/presentations. This is a valuable strategy because it helps student presentation skills, comprehension, and makes all students figure out the best way to teach the information. I think this is a valuable website to make a typical class more engaging.
Differentiation
https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/50-strategies-for-differentiated-instruction/
This website contains fifty different strategies that can be differentiated easily so that all students can learn the material at the level in which they function. There are many strategies on here, so it should not be difficult to find at least one kind of differentiation strategy to fit into the topic or lesson style that is planned for that day. There are small strategies like a jigsaw, which can easily be differentiated for a short class activity. There are also larger differentiation strategies, like for debate, that can last more than one lesson and keep all students included at all times. There are multiple strategies on here which can easily be modified to fit into and social studies curriculum.