So, looking for finding the perfect Primary Source for your classroom? Look no further than a website that is maintained by your own tax dollars. The Library of Congress has an updated website that not only is user friendly, but also is uber easy to use.
We are always looking at making connections as a way to include information about our world. I decided to look up anything I could find about Newton, Kansas. I was successful in the Print Photographs and Historic Newspapers.
Found a neat 1908 Cowboy Photograph included below.
From the searchable nationwide newspaper database, there were over 460 results of "Newton, KS" in the papers. These high resolution PDFs can be read online or downloaded and used. The red high lighted areas are where the search engine found "Newton, KS".
Don't feel like you have to recreate the wheel when it comes to lesson plans to use this material. I will be reviewing another website on that either later this week or next Monday...depending on the progress of my class project.
Have anything to share, awesome websites or ideas?
Please fill out the document below.
Ironically we just spent a class period learning how to do this in the CMS Library yesterday. How do you cite sources? How do you find an image on google images and properly cite it in a project?
Understand this program/search engine is limited to the Creative Commons and Flickr. The one problem that we might have is that Flickr was blocked on our network at school (I am at home writing this, and it is working fine). So, it might not work for you at school...but it is awesome!
We are working on Kansas History Projects that include people like Walter P. Chrysler. Search for the Chrysler Building in New York City and here you find a great photo.
It is a little hard to tell, but the bottom area of the photo has the information that tells everyone where the photo is from and that it is part of the Creative Commons.
Depending on your filter and the use of Flickr, this could help with making sure that your students are not just picking random photos from google images.
There it is. Hope this is something that you can use in your classroom.
If you have something to share, please take a moment and fill out the survey below.
This week has been a rough one at CMS, and so I have an abbreviated entry for this week. We all have classes that have differing levels of loud. If you want a visual tool to have your kids see how loud they are.....I have the tool for you.
Being a history guy, timelines have been the bread and butter of many a history project for me in school (elementary, middle, high, college....). The hard part was always finding the information (before Google and Wikipedia) and finding pictures/items that would work on the timeline itself. The hardest part was making the timeline. I am artistically straight line challenged. Those of us who suffer from ASLC, have to work very hard in not only making the straight line for the timeline, but also the little lines that tell the amazing information we have gathered.
What if I told you that you could make an interactive timeline that not only had the data, but could also include multimedia......and could be accessed anywhere (and collaborate with your peers or students)? What if I told you all you need is access to a google drive account...well....here it is!
Northwestern University has made this an open source program.
It will show you how to use the template, copy it to your google drive, and start entering the information.
I have included a short intro video that talks about the program and how to use it.
Lesson ideas:
Veteran's Day is Tuesday. Have the students enter data on America's wars and conflicts in our history. Include dates, pictures, and other information that would support their research..
In our Kansas History class we will be finding information on people involved in Kansas History. The students will be making a movie with Moviemaker (Thanks Rachel M.!) and then we will load the video and other data on youtube, and then later on a class timeline.
Don't feel like you need to reinvent the wheel. This will help you collaborate with peers, students, and even others in different countries!
Do not hesitate to email me with questions or if you need some help with this.
Since the wind in howling and it is November 1, it is time to start thinking about the holidays and the food that comes along with them. Map your Recipe is a great tool to look at those family classics in a new way.
Since I can't find our recipe for peppernuts, I found one on Food Network. Sorry Grandma Van der Werf, this is not your famous creation.
Just copy and paste your favorite recipe and then stand back and watch it work. Amazingly enough, the Russian Mennonite recipe uses ingredients mostly from the Middle East! If you are a total geek like me, then you can also look at the history of the recipe. Just think of the many ways that you could use this. It could be in a geography lesson about family recipes. This is such a cool site! Hope you will find a way to use this in your classroom. As always, let me know of anything you would like to contribute to the website. I am always looking for your input or direction on where you would like me to go next.
Please take a moment to fill out the survey below if you would like to have something reviewed, or would like to contribute!
