Down Time for Books!

If you have ever had a crazy day in your classroom, you are not alone. Just this past week in my field experience, my students were getting ready for PARCC testing--however, something went wrong with the computers, so we had a few minutes of down time. This was a perfect opportunity for a read-aloud. My third graders loved it!

But, what better way to use down time, than to do a read-aloud using a social studies book! Sometimes I feel like I have to be sneaky to incorporate social studies in the classroom. I want my students to get the most out of my class! So I have provided a link here to a great PDF about social studies books to use in your classroom. They are on an assortment of topics and grade levels (from lower elementary to high school). The list of topics is broad--from biography, to environment, to folktales, culture, social relationships and more! Check it out and maybe you would like to add some of these books to your class library!

Interactive Whiteboards

Starting my field experience for my block class has been a whirlwind! I have so much to do in so little time. Like other teachers, I need fun and engaging ways to incorporate social studies into my teaching.

This is where interactive whiteboards come into play. SmartBoard, Promethean, Mimio and more can all be utilized for social studies. I found this really great part of the Scholastic website that utilizes interactive whiteboards here. This site has cool games and resources for students and teachers. Some of them are about: Ellis Island, World War II, The First Thanksgiving, and the Underground Railroad.

I also found this other website that has a multitude of interactive whiteboard resources here. There really is something out there for every subject. We as teachers just need to be creative in our incorporation of social studies into the classroom. This particular activity is where students use the whiteboard to put the states back together in the U.S. This could be a center activity or a reward to play with the interactive whiteboard. I like this activity because I love puzzles and geography--best of both worlds!

Socratic Cirlces

How can we incorporate more speaking and listening into the curriculum AND integrate social studies? Socratic Circles!

If you have never heard of this before, at the bottom is a list of professional resources that you can use to learn about Socratic Circles. The basic principle is this: students get a chance to express their opinions about a certain topic/article (preferably about social studies) and a chance to critique their peers conversation in a Socratic Circle. Those in the inside circle discuss the material. Those on the outside circle critique the inside circle and give feedback. Pretty simple.

This would be a great addition to any classroom. How many times do you give students homework to "read" and they come back having not read? This would force them to do the reading because they will have to use the information to contribute in conversation.  I hope this sparks and interest and some courage for you to try this in your classroom!

Professional Resources: 
This link gives a presentation on Socratic Circles and how to use them in a classroom. It is mainly for teachers, but I think it would be beneficial for students to understand the guidelines. (Target Grade: 5-8) https://prezi.com/8rhncy5szgie/socratic-seminars-in-the-ss-classroom/

This site has a concise description of how to run a Socratic Seminar. If you follow other links on the site, there are resources and tons of things to give ideas for topics. (Target Grade: 3-6) https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies/socratic-seminar

This is a PDF of a PowerPoint presentation. It has really great explanations and examples to use with middle and high school students. Every content area is addressed. (Target Grade: 7)  http://intc.education.illinois.edu/events/btc2013/shad_skarzynski

This link provides an actual lesson plan for Socratic Circles. The topic is the Enlightenment in World History. (Target Grade: 7-9) http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/ghgonline/units/5/documents/LearningExpU5.pdf

This is a PDF of a PowerPoint presentation. It explains why Socratic circles are such a crucial part of 21st Century Skills. (Target Grade: application to any) http://www.mtagate.org/uploads/1/1/7/4/11741428/walker_socratic_seminar.pdf

This is a lesson plan for high school on Human Rights. I think the format is important here. (Target Grade: 9-12) https://www.uww.edu/Documents/colleges/coeps/cni/social%20studies/lesson%20plans/2008-2009/UN_Hum_Rights_SS.pdf

This site is a great way to form Socratic Questions to ask your students. (Target Grade: application to any)  http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/socratic_questions.htm 

This is a PDF that further explains Socratic Circles and how they work. There are some good example handouts. (Target Grade: 4-8)  https://www.nwabr.org/sites/default/files/SocSem.pdf

On this site, under "Find lesson plans in your subject area:" there is a History section, and if you click on the topics it will bring up lesson plans. (Target Grade: varies) http://www.paideia.org/teachers/seminar-lesson-plans/

This is a PDF of a free lesson plan. It is mostly a template that can be used to Socratic Circle Lessons. (Target Grade: application to any) http://www.liketoread.com/Resources/Socratic%20Lesson%20Plan%20Template.pdf

This is a resource on Teachers Pay Teachers for Socratic Circle math cards. (Target Grade: 7-10)  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Socratic-Circles-Number-Cards-227692

Geography Games

What better way to teach Geography than a game? Geography is of utmost importance in classrooms today. Children need to know where they are in relation to the world! I would like to share a few games that I would use to teach Geography.

For the Geography of the United States, I would use Scribble States because it is my personal favorite. Players have to “connect the dots” with a virtual pencil, and then have to answer a multiple-choice question about which state (in the United States) they just drew. And the whole thing is timed! (Target Grade: 2-4) I probably had too much fun playing this by myself. 

I have a particular interest in English Language Learners. I would use these two games to support any diverse learners in my classroom.
Landscapes This site is and elementary introduction of different types of landscapes. It would be great for English Language Learners because it shows the word and speaks the name. (Target Grade: K-2)

The Sea This site would be perfect for English Language Learners. It shows pictures of different things pertaining to the sea--showing the word and orally pronouncing it. (Target Grade: K-2)

These are just a few of my favorites. Below are more, that I hope to inspire you to search for your own Geography games. Happy Hunting! 

Geography Glossary This site has an interactive glossary of geography words that would be a great review for students. (Target Grade: 4-6)

World Continents and Oceans This is a beginner’s website to learn the continents and oceans. In the sidebar, information about the continent/ocean is given. (Target Grade: 1-3)

What’s It Like Where You Live? In this site, students can explore different types of climates and environments that are found in the world. It also answers common questions about certain climates. (Target Grade: 2-4)

The Traveler IQ Challenge is probably going to be just about the most difficult map game you’ll ever play. Players have to click where they think a certain city or landmark is in a particular continent/region. It is hard because it is timed and points are deducted for how far off you are from the actual answer. (Target Grade: 5-6)

The View From Above This is a guessing game that uses satellite images. Players have to guess the country that is pictured. Note: be sure to scroll down--the adds take up a lot of space. (Target Grade: 4-6)

Brainpop Geography This site has tons of cool games that students can play whenever you reach a certain topic. Note: username and password needed to play (Target Grade: 2-4)

Latitude and Longitude This site has an interactive game where students use latitude and longitude to find the character Hannah. (Target Grade: 2-4)

Flat Stanley

Have you ever heard of Flat Stanley? Flat Stanley is a book about a flat boy who travels the world by being mailed. It is super cute and relevant to social studies. For my BLOCK class, I created my own Flat Stanley to be mailed to different places. I tried emailing it to a few friends in Scotland, Swaziland in South Africa, and Washington state in the US. However, she only came back from Africa.

A friend of mine's mother works in Swaziland with an orphanage. In this picture are her two children (holding my Flat Stanley and the puppy) and some natives eating fresh mangoes. 

Flat Stanley is a great tool for teaching social studies. Children in your classroom can color their own and mail it to different places you are learning about. Children can write journal prompts about the adventures their flat person has taken in their travels. Math and science can be incorporated in distances and regional differences. And most importantly, Flat Stanley can give an account of the people, life, culture and other traditions from the places he has been. 

I hope you enjoy this great idea for incorporating social studies!

Time for a Timeline

Have you ever had one of those classes where you get all these dates just thrown in your face, and the teacher says "Memorize these for the test! You'll have to put them in order." My response was always something like this….

Why are timelines so hard for me to grab on to? I am a very sequential thinker, but if I am putting a bunch of random dates in order that have no meaning to me, it is a lost cause. I honestly think that memorizing dates is a waste of time. A better way to have children put things in order is by making a timeline a project. It doesn't have to be this big, fancy ordeal, but can actually be kinda fun!

I searched high and low on the wide spaces of the internet and found this website with the top 10 free online sites that you can use in your classroom to build timelines! Top 10 free timeline creation tools for teachers

This is a super cool resource for teachers to think about. This type of timeline project would be super easy to integrate English Language Arts as well (timeline of story events in order etc), and it is very adaptable for any age.

Have fun creating your timelines!

Warm Ups for Cold Weather

I love winter!! Not many people can say that, especially those living in Boston with their 5.5ft of snow (and counting). Here in Mississippi it is pretty chilly and rainy so you feet can stay cold all day.

To beat this cold weather, let's talk about a couple warm ups to keep those young minds in your classroom nice and toasty.

So in our BLOCK class last week, we were all very stressed with our upcoming unit. Our wonderful teacher reminded us that it is important to voice your concerns and listen to your students! I couldn't be more thankful for an understanding teacher. 

Anyways, our warm-up for the day was called QuickWrite. You give the students options of what to pick to write about. The format is like this: "How is a ____ like a __(1)____, __(2)_____, or __(3)_____?" and the students get to choose whichever one they want to write about.  For example, ours was "How is a teacher like a doctor, artist, or builder?"After this warm-up you could hold a discussion about what the students picked and why.

Even with this activity, students can have different interpretations of the same option. For example, in our class 3 of us chose that a teacher is like a doctor, but we all had completely different reasons. 

I found a couple links to some good warm-ups if you ever need a change in your classroom. 

This site has 10 warm-ups for introducing lessons. 

If you have some down time, this site has free downloads and directions for 360 warm-ups.

I hope you enjoy these! Comments are always welcome! And remember to keep those minds working!

Reliving History

Have you ever heard of a simulation unit?

Well that is what we talked about in class last week. And let me just say, I wish history was taught this way to me--maybe then I would like it. A simulation unit is a series of lessons based on a time period in history (say, the Revolutionary War) and the students role play as people during that time. The students really get to feel how historical figures felt long ago.

For a brief example, our teacher used the Revolutionary War example as a simulation unit with our BLOCK class. One student would be a king/queen of England and have a certain amount of Parliament advisors, the rest of the class would be colonists in America. There would also be a tax collector. Using M&Ms as currency, everyone in the class should get an even amount. The king needs money from taxes to do what he wants to do in England. Where, you ask, does he get money? The colonies. So in your class, you start assigning M&M values of tax to certain items that every student has. 1 M&M per pencil/pen, 5 per notebook, 10 per textbook, 3 per pair of shoes, etc. Once all the tax values have been sorted, the tax collector goes around collecting taxes (note: the colonists probably won't be left with much) and brings it back to the king. At this point, students will probably complain that the king has most of the M&Ms and its not fair! And this is where you--the teacher--can teach history!! But hopefully, you won't have the Boston Tea Party explode in your classroom….

Isn't it beautiful? Not the Boston Tea Party---simulation units! I really wish that history was taught to me this way. History seems so much more interesting when presented like this.

When I am a teacher, I think it would be super cool to do a unit like this and integrate different subjects. However, it might take a few tries before I get the execution down pat. A down side to simulation units is that they cost $$. But, I might be able to overlook the cost because it is a great resource.

Do your own digging and find some good simulation units for you!

Until next time.
"Give me simulation units or give me death!"

The Magic of Blogging

Let me tell you how great blogging is…

Blogs do not take super long to set up and it can be one of the greatest tools you can have in your classroom. For real, just search "blogs" or "teaching blogs" on Pinterest and there are tons of resources to aid you in starting a blog.

For my social studies BLOCK class, we are required to post to a blog. To be honest, this is new and uncomfortable for me, but I am slowly getting more comfortable with blogging. Usually, I like to hand-write my feelings in a journal where only my eyes can read. But with blogging, you can express your feelings and other things in just a few minutes. Blogging can be a great resource for teachers as well as for parents. The work that children do in your class can be posted at lightning speed (depending on your internet connection). And of course, what is a blog without pictures?

Blogging can be a great way to keep the parents up to date on the fun activities going on in your class. I have never observed a class where blogs are used. However, I think it would be great to keep a blog for your classroom. And these people think so too….

Here is a link to the top 25 Elementary School Teacher blogs of 2012: http://www.topmastersineducation.com/top-elementary-school-teacher-blogs-of-2012/ 


Because I am still a college student, the most useful way I can blog, is about super cool teaching strategies so that I won't forget them when it comes to real-life teaching. Once I get a job, I can start blogging about cool things I have done in my classroom. But, I might want to save that for the second year of teaching--we have all heard those horror stories of first year teachers.

But anyways, feel free to post comments of your favorite teaching blog or strategy.

Until next time.
Keep Blogging!!!

Welcome!

My name is Jenna Petrel and I am a senior Elementary Education major at Mississippi University for Women! I will graduate in December 2015…praise God!
This is going to be my exciting new blog for my Social Studies BLOCK class.

But first….

Here is a little about me:
I am born and raised in Eldersville, Pennsylvania--a small town about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh (depending on traffic). I moved to Mississippi when I was in 9th grade and have been here ever since. I have always loved learning and I could be classified as a nerd. I love telling people random facts. I love Narnia, movies, laughing, board games, running, and food.

This is a picture of my timeline and museum display that I did last week for class. As you can see, I do like Angry Birds, hula hoops, books, pictures, coffee and more. 

I learned from this project that no matter how simple your assignments for children may be, you will always have an over-achiever (like me). It took me hours to pick out at least five items that describe me.  [Some students may not have five small items, so this activity could be changed to fewer, or only things that fit in a brown paper bag.] I also learned that it is a lot of work to make a straight line for a timeline. My boyfriend helped me draw and measure each space exactly an inch apart. A project like this would definitely get families involved--especially with pulling out old photos and sharing special times with the class. 

Take Away: 

1. Do this activity at the beginning of the year or during open house to learn more about your students.

2. Get the families involved! 

3. Give adequate time for students to complete the project. 

4. To mix it up, have the students guess what each of the items mean for one of their classmates. 

That's all for now!