I previously mentioned in one of my posts that I love the idea of using geography coordinates to have my students look up those coordinates and make connections for those. Since geography is part of the EALRs for Washington State, it seemed perfect for my history class to engage students with Google maps. However this particular activity is only at the Substitution level. So to push it forward to Modification or Redefinition, I will have my students not only look up the particular coordinates, but then also have them zoom in on a particular historical area within that coordinate depending on the lesson plan. For example, using WWII locations and within those areas like Pearl Harbor, or Omaha Beach. By having students zoom in and out, I can have them start to consider and analyze how the specific invasions were planned and why they were a success or failure simply based on their geographical location.
I believe this activity would reach the Modification or Redefinition stage because students simply could not interact with a regular paper map on the multiple levels that the activity would need them to. This transports my students across the country and across the world which would not be possibly without a computer or tablet. One of the most powerful ways to make history relevant to a student is to take them there and make those events more tangible, and technology helps me to do that.
Have you ever heard of Geocaching? That is a world-wide system where people set up "caches" for others to find in places with some significance. I can see a history teacher using this technology to both place and find geocaches in locations around the world at famous or historically significant places. Your student or class could engage a student or teacher in that place to help you in return for your student or class doing the same for them in the USA. Students could document their project and present it to the class or it could be done via Skype in the classroom... Check out Geocaching and see if it would add a real-world element to you Google Maps projects :)
ReplyDeleteAlexandria,
ReplyDeleteI really like your idea here! Have you ever thought about utilizing My Google Maps for your students as well? This could give you and opportunity to map out the Oregon Trail and gauge the amount of miles people had to travel back then. You too could almost make it a real life game for students as they have to pick out certain character traits and pin their time of either illness or starvation. Kinda dark but I think you get the point! By using My Google Maps, I feel that it would be a fun, engaging assignment that would implement the thought of SAMR!!
Cheers.
Ryan
Alexandria,
ReplyDeleteI'm a little jealous of your idea. Analyzing the strategies of invasions based on the physical dimensions of the region would be so fun! Maybe you could extend this activity to have kids plan their own invasion (okay well maybe not a war invasion...) on a new town in a new location. For example, you could have kids create their own plan to strategically travel from the Spokane Airport to Whitworth. That way you could build on Bloom's Taxonomy. Just a little thought, love your idea!