Geotagging Historic Landmardks

Geotagging can be used for so many different things in U.S. History.  Attached is one plan to use geotagging as an opening ice-breaker for students to identify their favorite places in America.

It can also be used to enrich the curriculum by having students document all of the historical landmarks that they have visited in their own time.  Flickr and google maps are great platforms to design these projects.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t9BuYQ-RcJW-k2Af5Wq-gAughcWjXEK9MbxAkGjpBkU/edit?usp=sharing

Cooking the Curriculum

When trying to make History more tangible and alive for students, could there be a more perfect medium than eating content based food?  If there is a better medium, I haven't found one...especially for 8th grade students.  

Although I know that I need to integrate this more frequently in my class, u can point out a couple of times that it has worked.  One group of students was giving a presentation on a Colonial region of the United States.  In order to highlight the resources in the region, (the South), the students made biscuits using an authentic recipe from the time.  Not only did the class enjoy the treat, but it was a great way to show exactly how the resources available in that region could be used.  I would like to take credit for this, but it was completely the idea of the group.

Another time that I have seen this work well is through enrichment activities.  If a student is looking for a challenge, they can try a relevant time period recipe and bring it in for the class to enjoy.  Of course you need to get this approved by the nurse and principal, and make sure students are clear from allergies to an ingredients.  One resource for recipes is a great book called "Cooking Up U.S. History."  I am also adding a link to a PBS site with recipes.  Bon Apetit!

http://www.pbs.org/food/shows/a-taste-of-history/

A meal preparation activity at Old Sturbridge Village

Writing a letter to a Representative

For U.S. History I teachers, especially those in Massachusetts who are also responsible for teaching civics, we have a major section of the curriculum that is more authentic for students.  The whole civics portion of the class lends itself to relate the structure and basic concepts of our government to current events or things that affect the lives of students on a current and personal basis.

One way to make this unit even more personal is to give students an assessment in which they create their own business letter about an issue that they are passionate about, and to send that letter by mail or email to the proper government official.  The draw for the students is that it can be about any legitimate issue that they are concerned about, from animal rights to making banning smoking.  The connection to the civics curriculum is that students must address the issue to a representative who can actually do something about it.  In this sense, students are getting an authentic lesson on concurrent powers and the three domains of government (Federal, State, and Local).

It also teaches students how to write a proper business letter.  Here is a site that can help serve as an example to students.  I am also attaching a link to a model letter that I share with students (though mine goes on too long of course, curse of being a history teacher).

Purdue OWL help on writing a business letter:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/01/

Mr. Wright's example of a letter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/174I59PvKsXhGnxLQeLpqn3aiSTK2Nn8BLbbMJM6qE-o/edit?usp=sharing