Here are two useful sites. The first site provides a fun way to review geography. The second is designed to help K-12 teachers improve American history education. Enjoy!
I haven’t played Tetris (here and here) in a long time, so I couldn’t resist trying Statetris.
You determine how well you know the geography of a particular region by playing this Tetris-like game. You begin by choosing an area such as Africa, Brazil, Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Carolina, the USA, or others. Then you choose the difficulty level (easy, medium, or difficult). - easy level: labeled shape … non-rotating puzzle piece
- medium level: name only … rotating puzzle piece
- difficult level: no names … rotating puzzle piece
Shapes fall from the top and you have to navigate them into their correct locations before the shapes reach the bottom. It's fun and a good review at the same time.
This geography review tool would work well with an interactive whiteboard. Go to http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9282 to read the TeachersFirst review of and suggestions for using Statetris.
The National History Education Clearinghouse is a central location for K-12 U.S. history education. This is a rich site, definitely worth using by both teachers and students.
Resource categories include: history content, best practices, teaching materials, issues and research, TAH (Teaching American History) grants, and professional development.
- History Content includes access to pre-approved history web sites and primary source archives, information about historic sites for field trips, research tools, online history lectures, web site reviews, a list of organizations with resources for teaching and learning American history, and an “ask a historian” option.
- Best Practices includes sections on using primary sources, examples of historical thinking, and examples of teaching.
- Teaching Materials includes sections on lesson plan reviews, gateway to history lesson plans, state standards, and ask a master teacher.
- Issues & Research includes sections on issue roundtable, research briefs, and special topic analysis.
- TAH Grants includes sections on the TAH project database, project spotlight, lessons learned, and the TAH listserv.
- Professional Development includes sections on membership organizations, online courses, grants & fellowships, workshops & lectures, conferences, and calendar of events.
Image: http://flickr.com/photos/mache/166940673/
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
HyperHistory Online summarizes 3,000 years of world history using lifelines, timelines, and maps. The online version complements a world history chart that is available in hard copy.
Topics available are science (including mathematics), culture (artists, music, and writers), religion, and politics. A section on climate change is the current feature.
General information is linked to specific information in a sidebar and to additional links at the bottom of the page. Another sidebar provides easy access to people, history, events, and maps.
Lifelines are available for over 1000 individuals. Timelines cover the major civilizations. Events provide more detail on a year-to-year basis. And links to many regional maps are also available.
This site is interesting for browsing and is useful for teachers and students in many disciplines. Check out the information in the areas of your interest to see how you or your students could use the information. Be sure to follow the links provided… this site contains more than 2,000 files of data.
In January, I listed some podcast directories in this blog. Each one of the directories listed interesting podcasts in a variety of areas. This month I am sharing podcasts or information about them with respect to three categories: resources, tutorials, and podcasts that were either created in the classroom or for the classroom. Both students and teachers are producing some awesome podcasts which can be accessed on YouTube, TeacherTube, iTunes, and other directories. Some innovative, interesting, and exciting ideas are showing up in podcasting. Read on!
Podcasting Resources
Odiogo
http://www.odiogo.com/This product automatically converts text to audio files which can be played on MP3 players, including iPods.
Skypecasting
http://www.cscout.com/blog/2006/10/02/trend-skypecasting.htmlMillions of registered users make free phone calls over the Internet using Skype software. Users can now have conversations with up to 100 people using Skypecasting. The conversation can then be recorded and shared like a podcast. Some interesting uses for Skypecasting include mystery writer Michael Connelly talking about his newest book, networking calls for business, and a live concert by the Dutch band Johan. Moodle even has Skypecast as a new feature.
How to YouTube Podcast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNQLDgkUXvk&mode=related&search=This video shows how to watch YouTube video subscriptions on an iPod.
Podcasting Tutorials…
Learning Podcasting
http://www.wise-women.org/tutorials/podcast/This tutorial provides an overview of podcasting with sufficient detail that you develop an understanding of what is involved with creating and publishing your own podcasts. The information is not geared toward educators. However, it is certainly well worth reading and following the provided links.
The Podcast Recipe: Producing a Successful Show
http://seminars.apple.com/seminarsonline/podcast/apple/index.htmlApple, Inc. has produced a three-part video tutorial for creating, producing, and promoting podcasts. You can learn about different types of microphones and how to use them, how to decide what content goes where in your podcast program, and how to use GarageBand, iWeb, and iTunes to help with the whole process. This series focuses on using Macintosh products; however, information and recommendations appropriate to podcasts created on any computer are included. Although not directed to educators specifically, all three sessions have good ideas that the classroom teacher can use.
How to Podcast
http://www.voxmedia.org/wiki/How_to_PodcastThis section of the VoxMedia wiki is not finished yet, but the links are enough to recommend it for individuals who are looking for introductory instructions.
Audio Podcasting
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c02f9902576ec55ebbe7This video provides very detailed instructions for creating an audio podcast using mypodcast.com and mypodcast recorder.
Podcast Tutorial: How to Post a Podcast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBH9l_6iPEMThis video tells how to use PodOmatic to post a podcast to the iTunes Store. You can record your podcast directly to the web using this free service. It works with both Windows and Mac computers.
Creating Video Podcasts on Mac OS X
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/tutorials/videopodcasts.htmlThis tutorial provides instructions for creating a video podcast on a Macintosh and posting it to iTunes.
Podcasting for iTunes & iTS podcast directory
http://www.mvldesign.com/itunespodcast.htmlThis podcasting tutorial guides you through creating a podcast of your own (on either Macs or Windows computers) and posting it on the iTunes Store podcast directory.
iLife Tutorials for Macs
iLife GarageBand: Recording a Podcast (Part 1)
http://www.zoom-in.com/tutorials/Apple/garageband/recording_a_podcast/index.php?part=1
iLife GarageBand: Recording a Podcast (Part 2)
http://www.zoom-in.com/tutorials/Apple/garageband/recording_a_podcast/index.php?part=2
Creating a Podcast Page
http://www.zoom-in.com/tutorials/Apple/iweb/podcast/index.php
Podcasting in the Classroom
Frog Dissection and Technology
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3b337800875b5d382a07Watch grade 8 students document their frog dissections.
Guerrilla Season Book Blog Project
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c4d7336496819a46a1b6A junior high school history teacher decided to teach the Civil War through a historical novel and a blog. In the book, the Civil War is seen through the eyes of two teenage boys. This video is an overview of the project.
Human Survival on Mars
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=923770b2c360eefa2674The host interviews astrophysicist Dr. Devon Hamilton about how human beings will be able to live on Mars.
Poetry and Multimedia
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f7736089c757404650e4Junior high school students present poetry using multimedia tools.
Public Service Announcements in Health Class
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2cea2f369918c5e1e12bGrade 8 students produce public service announcements in health class.
Real Life Applications of Parabolas
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=1daabe3de1d76a6739cc
Students explore parabolas in real life.
Student Animations
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e7c3f6f3f1f37029303cStudents create Flash© animations.
Venus: A Hollister View T7
http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9ab842e05382dc235f69Students share information about Venus in an effort to interest other students.
Historical sites are taking advantage of podcasts to educate visitors. Read an interesting article about three of these sites and follow the links to learn more.• Colonial Williamsburg has podcasts which provide visitors with information about its history.• Jefferson's home has podcasts on its web site, including one that deals with restoration efforts and another, with the Declaration of Independence.• Richmond National Battlefield Park has a podcast of a Civil War battle that took place at Malvern Hill in 1862. http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showstory.cfm?ArticleID=6428
image and license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/azuquin/3203961171/
I've been looking at some web sites recently that can help us to teach and help our students to learn in our classrooms. Here's a list of sites appropriate for a variety of grade levels and of topics.Enjoy! :)CURRENT EVENTS, JOURNALISM, FOREIGN LANGUAGE __________________________
http://www.newseum.org/Read the headlines from the front pages of 561 newspapers from 52 countries. Play a news trivia game that includes questions about today’s news and some of the historical information in the background of today’s news. View editorial cartoons. Read in-depth stories. Run your mouse over a small image of a newspaper’s front page and a larger image will be displayed.ARTS ______________________________________________________________________View the works of American artists—Heade, Lane, Peto, Decker, Homer, Eakins, Church, Bingham, and Kensett—at http://www.nga.gov/feature/wilmerding/jwsplash.htmView the works of artists Dali, Moses, O'Keefe, Cassatt, Escher, Warhol, Rodin, Picasso, and Wood. A webquest and other resources are also available at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000989.shtmlRead the biography of Leonardo da Vinci. View his sketchbooks. Take a virtual tour of his studio. You can do all this and more at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001896.shtmlHISTORY ___________________________________________________________________Read stories from war veterans about their roles in obtaining military intelligence at http://www.loc.gov/vets//stories/Learn about the art, inventions, science, and people of the Renaissance in Europe. Additional resources are also available at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001530.shtmlRead about Woodrow Wilson and his presidency. Check out related resources at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001880.shtml
Read about Theodore Roosevelt and his presidency. Check out related resources at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001740.shtmlBiographies of the US presidents and their wives plus related resources can be accessed at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000030.shtml
Go to http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001899.shtml to study the 1900-1909 decade in America’s history.Dates That Matter (http://www.teachersfirst.com/dtm/) is a teacher resource ready to display on a screen for the class to read. The students are given a clue about the date. Hints are provided to help them. When the actual historical event shows, more information is added. Teachers can see an annotated view of the event.SCIENCE __________________________________________________________________Read about research being conducted in the Arctic and the Antarctic at http://nsf.gov/news/overviews/arcticantarctic/index.jspRead about hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoes and what the research is discovering about minimizing their effects at http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/disasters/index.jspLearn what scientists have discovered about climate at http://eo.ucar.edu/educators/ClimateDiscovery/Watch animations and listen to experts to learn more about cancer. Learn about causes, diagnoses, and treatment at http://www.insidecancer.org/Read a fifth-grade teacher’s journal of her 56-day cruise into the Antarctic and what the crew members learned about ocean circulation and its role in determining the world’s climate at http://www.esr.org/maudness_cruise/cruise_main.htmlLearn about monarch butterflies at http://www.monarchlab.umn.edu/default.aspxThis web site (http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html) for kids explores the brain and nervous system. ScienCentralNews shares recent developments in life sciences, physical sciences, and technology at http://www.sciencentral.com/View weather-related simulations at http://www.vets.ucar.edu/vg/categories/all.shtmlResources for food chains and food webs are available at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000328.shtmlAn overview of our planet’s ecosystems can be found at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000050.shtmlLearn about forests at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000683.shtmlLearn about wetlands (swamps, marshes, and bogs) at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000687.shtmlResources about producers, consumers, and decomposers with respect to food chains and food webs can be found at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001674.shtmlRead about tropical and temperate rainforests in the US, Tasmania, and South America at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000684.shtmlLearn about stars and watch a video at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001325.shtmlRead about eclipses at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000402.shtmlConsidering the recent discussions about whether or not Pluto is a planet, the web site about Kuiper belt objects (http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001887.shtml) should give some timely insights.LITERATURE _______________________________________________________________Lesson plans and activities for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Barbara Robinson are available at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000534.shtmlEdgar Allen Poe’s The Raven has become interactive at http://www.teachersfirst.com/share/raven/GEOGRAPHY and FOREIGN LANGUAGES _______________________________________Learn about Costa Rica at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001901.shtmlMUSIC _____________________________________________________________________Read—and watch and listen—about some of the modern types of music (e.g., jazz, country, rock and roll) at http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001576.shtmlESL _______________________________________________________________________Learn how to adapt lesson plan activity types to meet your ESL student’s needs at http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/esl/adaptstrat.cfm
The history of the Internet is interesting. Defense, research, communications all played a role in the Internet’s beginning. Rather than just read about this history, you can now view a fascinating presentation. This documentary was created by Melih Bilgil as part of his work toward earning an advanced degree in graphic design. Click here to go to Stewart Mader’s blog where he shares the story.
