Comments on: If I Taught: Social Studies

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:18:57 +0000

Neil, the Cigar Box Project is brilliant! I bet the kids learn so much and are so proud of their finished project. N.

By: Neil Stephenson

Neil Stephenson — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:43:29 +0000

Nancy – tons of pics and info about the Cigar Boxes here: http://tinyurl.com/cwswgy and here: http://tinyurl.com/dgqxzg

By: Nancy Bosch

Nancy Bosch — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:08:35 +0000

*Library of Congress–I have a sticky ‘B’ on my laptop

By: Nancy Bosch

Nancy Bosch — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:07:33 +0000

Simon, I’ve always loved using primary sources and spent 7 years as an NECC presenter touting the uses of primary sources in the classroom. Years ago I found this activity at The Lirary of Congress. (at the time it was cutting edge, now it looks rinky dink) Students look at a portion of the picture and bring their thoughts to the group. http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/civilwar/civilwar.html

Now it would be so easy to ‘cut apart’ scenes for analysis.

By: Simon Oldaker

Simon Oldaker — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:29:27 +0000

Nice! I’ve been using ‘de-contextualised’ photos of historical events for years. Never thought of using PhotoShop to do this, but your technique could be used for anything, not just objects like money or licence plates. Take a photo that provides plenty of information about an event and simply remove stuff to get the pupils to focus on one or two elements. You could have a series of slides that add stuff back, one element at a time, allowing more analysis than if they saw the whole thing at once.

So now I have to learn more PhotoShop…

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:54:54 +0000

@ Dan, Fair enough. (Smiles) Just mentioned that fun stuff because we have been talking about it in class. Again, love the blog and keep up the great work. Inspiring.

By: Nancy Bosch

Nancy Bosch — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:25:16 +0000

Dan, you’re right about Rhett–he’s a physics professor WITH KIDS. Other option–first grade teacher. Not.

Neil, love the cigar boxes, any photos?

By: Neil Stephenson

Neil Stephenson — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:26:42 +0000

You might be interested in a project I’ve done over the last couple years with my Social Studies students. The students “reverse engineer” historical Cigar Boxes incorporating primary source images. To start the project off we bring in a local graphic design instructor to teach 4 basic design prinicple, which are used throughout the year. Similar concept to what you’re suggesting here.

By: Vincent Baxter

Vincent Baxter — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:48:38 +0000

Teach it anyway.

By: Dale Basler

Dale Basler — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:23:49 +0000

You got it! Not ‘where’ it’s from but ‘when’ it’s from.

If you can find pictures of old money, this lesson could be used for history classes too.

Or, have the kids create their own money (or plates) for the future- maybe for a sociology class?

I don’t know, this is out of my area. Space-time discussions in physics are a little different than they are in social studies.