Newseum: Headlines Around the World

I know, I know...the newspaper is dead.

But Newseum is a useful tool to provide a visual look at what the media thinks is "front page worthy" across the United States and Internationally.  Just hover over the city or change the country to see a visual of the front page.

Classroom applications:

• Discuss the similarities/differences of headlines nationally or internationally - what causes these similarities and differences?
• Discuss what makes an event "headline" worthy? Who decides that? Create a list of criteria and analyze the choice of various front pages.
• Track key events regionally and internationally (ex. elections) and analyze the perspectives/language shown in the headlines

PBL Journey continues...

During the Buck Institute training for Project Based Learning (PBL), we discussed the four "21st Century Skills" that the BIE  model stresses:
1. Critical Thinking
2. Communication
3. Collaboration
4. Innovation

One very useful site I found to stress the "innovation" aspect is Challenge.gov,  This site provides information and links to government challenges to have the public problem solve around current issues.  Some of my favorites from the site:

• Raising Teen Substance Abuse through Music
• How do I become President? Challenge
• We Can! Video Contest

Citizenship Information

Via Larry Ferlazzo's blog today.....

A "Citizenship Resource Center" sponsored by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services provides student friendly resources on the naturalization process, a listing of classes, study resources and specifics on the various components of the citizenship test.

While designed for those students seeking US Citizenship, I always found it an interesting test of "natural born" citizen knowledge of our country and frequently included these questions on tests for my students.  Like this one:

What is the “rule of law”?

PBL Journey

Today was Day 1 of a Project Based Learning training for me and some colleagues using the Buck Institute Model.  In order to understand the process and help guide teachers through it - we have been working on developing our own PBL unit.

Note I said "unit." One of the big a-ha moments for me today was that PBL is not really anything new - we have all done projects.  Instead, it is reframing our thinking.  Instead of the project being the "dessert" at the end of a unit - the project is the unit.  And, in the process, the design mirrors much of what many of us already do: formative assessments, use of essential questions, teaching concepts - not just content, and authentic learning experiences.

We worked today on developing some "driving questions."  These were actually  much easier for me than I thought they might be  - perhaps in part because developing "big ideas" and using the UbD model has become second nature for me.  Anyway - nothing is perfect so here are the questions I developed and feedback is welcome!

•   What does art tell us about the values/beliefs of culture?
•   In what ways has science and technology helped humankind meet it's basic needs?
•   To what extent is the Industrial Revolution still occurring?

Historical Thinking Matters

One of the reasons I named this blog "Not Your Father's Social Studies Class" is because that is exactly what I set out to do in teaching history. It was not going to be learning names and dates and regurgitating them back to me in an essay or on a test and then flushing them to learn the next set. I wanted my students to think, to question, to recreate history given many sources. I wanted them to practice listening and empathy. I wanted them to be historians.

All of this involves historical thinking.

How do you do this?

Start here with this amazing video of a historian thinks through resources around the Battle of Lexington in 1775.

You can continue on using resources from this site - or any site or materials that give you multiple perspectives on an event. (HINT: In NYS this is pretty easy as it is exactly what the Document Based Question was intended to do!) 

And be sure to register to get this free classroom resource to hang in your classroom.


I'll keep trying to provide resources and questions and opportunities on this site.

The beginning of modern warfare

On this day in 1914, the first trenches were dug on the Western Front. While the trenches were extremely brutal ways to live, they actually saved many lives with the advent of modern warfare. This 6 minute video is a good way to introduce students to the realities of trench warfare during World War I.

How does this compare to the ways in which war is waged today?

The last photograph of the late President McKinley. 

Taken as he was ascending the steps of the Temple of Music, September 6, 1901

On this day in 1901, President William McKinley died after being shot while attending the Pan-Am exposition in Buffalo, NY.  The first president of the 20th century a glimpse into documents from that time period helps students to understand the dramatic shifts the United States was undergoing.  

A fantastic resource for documents surrounding the assassination and the time period can be located at McKinley Assassination Ink.