I am absolutely blown away by Google Maps. Google My Maps more specifically. Who knew you could do more besides just plugging in your location and another location and find directions?? Probably everyone but me, but whatever. What an amazing use of this tool to create your own Oregon Trail with different teams able to move at different speeds as a classroom management tool. Then on top of that they can research different Forts along the way and put in all the information where the whole class can see! My dad is a social studies teacher in a 7th grade classroom and I promptly went to his house after this class to share my absolute excitement about the possibilities of this wonderful program and all the possible applications. I was instantly hit with the "Yeah I have them do that on a paper map" and I tried to explain how much better it would be electronically because they can watch it move and they can add information at the actual forts and they can see and interact with each other's projects! But "They'll learn about technology on their own they don't need it from me" 🙄
Anyway, I am excited, but I know it's going to be hard to convince the older generation of teachers. On the other side though that makes our job all the more important.
PS also PLANETS!!! So cool!!!
Yes! I was amazed by the Google Earth stuff! I am so excited to take my kids on field trips to almost literally anywhere! I want to read books that we can travel places and investigate. We can go to the moon and might just because! Why not? The ISS was also a total trip. I am really excited to share that too. We can even do some cool ELA pieces around locations that they chose or something. Tell your dad not not be a fuddyduddy and get with it! These 7th graders will be mapping maps around him soon!
ReplyDelete