10 sites for thinking, learning historically

It’s a double bonus type of day.

First, today is one of the last days of our Century of Progress Teaching American History project. So I get to spend all day with 41 middle school teachers and we talk about nothing except history stuff.

Today’s history stuff?

Chinese immigration during the late 1800s. And we’re tying in history content conversations with Joel Breakstone of the Stanford History Education Group. He’s sharing with us how to create lesson plans designed to train kids to think historically. There’s been some very helpful theoretical sorts of stuff focusing on historical thinking but also very practical suggestions about what a great lesson should look like.

Second, yesterday the Kansas Board of Education voted 9-0 to approve the proposed social studies standards. Some of us have been working on these for the last 20 months and to have them accepted for full implementation is pretty sweet.

Such a cool day! It’s like the perfect storm. New standards that focus on high level historical thinking skills and content/strategies that can help us meet those standards.

So I figured . . . why not share some of the goodies we talked about?

Unsolicited WordPress propoganda

Hi. My name is Glenn and I am a WordPress junkie.

It started about six years ago. A friend hooked me up and I’ve been using ever since. So should you.

If you don’t already know, WordPress is a CMS or content management system. In normal people language? WordPress is a free tool that helps you create quick and easy web sites. And not just quick and easy. Quick and easy with some very cool features.

I use free WordPress software to create the site you’re reading now. I used WordPress to create the Podstock 2013 web site. I use WordPress to host our iPad conference web site. I use it to connect with family and to discuss books. My wife uses it for her classroom and to occasionally maintain a site for posting food and restaurant reviews.

Yeah. So what?

Tip of the Week – 10 Super Sites for Social Studies

Many schools finished this week or will next week. I know that you need some time to catch your breath but summer is a great time to explore new sites and resources. Don’t waste the opportunity to learn more and come back next fall just a little bit smarter than you are now! Use the following ten sites to jump start your search.

DocsTeach
Awesome, free, critical thinking, primary document integrating, student collaborating, teacher sharing, user creating site maintained by the National Archives.

US Holocaust Memorial Museum Online Exhibits
Most of us won’t have the chance to take our students to DC for a visit but the USHMM has some sweet online stuff available.

Demographic Chartbook
Provides a wide-ranging audience of persons interested in American history – including historians, other social scientists, teachers, and students – with graphics portraying the demographic history of the United States, as shown by the decennial census of population.

FedFlix
Featuring the best movies of the United States government, from training films to history, from their national parks to the U.S. Fire Academy , all of these fine flix are available for reuse without any restrictions whatsoever.

Playing History
There are tons of free historical games, interactives and simulations on the web. Playing history aggregates info on these resources in a simple, searchable database making it easy to find, rate, and review historical games. There are currently 126 shared games.

Mapping America: Every City, Every Block
A very cool interactive map from The New York Times displaying U.S. Census data from, well . . . every city, every block. The NYT Learning Network also has a handy lesson plan related to it.

Newspaper Map
A lot like the Newseum with front pages of hundreds of newspapers from around the world overlaid on a Google map. Bring up the front page of a particular paper, click to access that paper’s website, and even translate content. Nice.

Bridging World History
The site has professional development and classroom materials to support the study of world history and is organized into 26 thematic units along a chronological thread. Materials include videos, an audio glossary and a thematically-organized interactive.

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
Thousands of maps from all periods, all places.

EDSITEment: History and Social Studies
Hundreds of free resources and lesson plans from the National Endowment for the Humanities. A perfect example of my tax dollars at work! Awesome stuff here. Need and example for Jewish American Heritage Month? Check out Coming of Age in the Holocaust, Coming of Age Now.

Have fun!

1500 websites, apps, and web 2.0 tools just for teachers

Yes. It is a bit of overkill. Seriously. Who would ever need 1500 websites, apps, and web 2.0 tools? Or have time, for that matter.

But our SOE guy said numbers in blog titles increase site traffic so today . . . you get 1500 websites, apps, and web 2.0 tools. 1500. My site traffic will be through the roof today.

If nothing else, the lists below are testimony to the fact that there is always something out there, that we can always be learning more about how we can do our jobs better. But take this post in chunks. Bite off a little bit at a time. Come back to it next week. Share it with friends. Find a helpful tool once a week for . . . well, 1500 weeks. Enjoy!

1000 Education Apps Organized by Subject and Price
We’ll start with the biggie. You’ll find just a taste here with a link to a huge Google Doc. Huge.

The 100 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen by You
Narrowed down from 900 teacher submissions, these are the best tools used by actual teachers.

The 200 Best Special Ed Apps
Eric Sailers has been working on this list since before the iPad came out. I’m talking the iPad 1. So you know it’s got some stuff.

The 100 Top Tools of 2011
What is a “learning tool”? Any tool you use to create or deliver learning content/solutions for others or that you use for your own personal learning.

Top 100 Sites of 2011
Tech & Learning’s version of the best sites.

Psst . . . it’s not really 1500.

You’re gonna find a lot of overlap between the different lists. But trust me, you’ll still need to set aside some time here. And don’t be afraid to share your own favorites in the comments.

100 top sites for teachers

I’m still recovering from the 2011 turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, pie and football four-day spectacular. Woozy. Just a little woozy.

So . . . while I recover, head over to Technology Tidbits for an awesome list of online tools and sites compiled by David Kapuler. One hundred sweet goodies just for teachers.

I can’t promise anything but check back tomorrow. Should be back to normal.