We've been busy, busy in recent weeks utilizing the ipads in new ways! The hstry timeline project went beyond all my expectations.
Check out a student example here: https://www.hstry.co/timelines/the-road-to-secession-486cdb9d-f668-45eb-bf24-fb25f04884a7
Students were so successful utilizing multimedia sources and were much more engaged in finding their own information than they could ever be with a straight lecture. More and more, the ipads allow me to become the facilitator. You know the old adage where students should be working harder than the teacher? Well that finally feels possible when I don't have to be the sole source of information or the only provider of resources.
After the hstry timeline project, we also used the ipads to do some research on the 2016 Presidential candidates. Students researched the five leading candidates and compared them to historic governors of South Carolina. It allowed them to practice skills that hopefully they will utilize as voting citizens of our country. I won't lie....I learned a few new things about some of the Presidential hopefuls! (This lesson feels especially timely...considering our focus on "authentic assessment"). I wish I had some pictures of the students researching and displaying their knowledge (they used the faces of the candidates to demonstrate the parallels to the governors), but like usual I failed to record the moment.
Next up...Cold War QR code scavenger hunt. Students will engage in the differences between the two ideologies in conflict. I'll keep you posted on how that goes!
