More Information

We have learned so much about how to make social studies fun in the classroom, and I have not included many of the activities in this blog. However, if you would like to check out some of the other things we did, or more pictures of activities from our class at IUSB here is a list of some fellow classmates and their blogs.
Ashley R.
http://miss-richardson.blogspot.com/
Jess B.
http://mrsbowensboard.blogspot.com/
Marijke K.
http://misskunnen.blogspot.com/
Cassie P.
http://mrsprestonsblog.blogspot.com/
Abigail B.
http://missabbys.blogspot.com/

Decade Project

Just because something happened a long time ago does not mean that it is irreverent in today’s world. We found this out first hand in our decade’s project we did this semester. Groups of students chose a decade to study and discovered as much as we could about the people, inventions, games, fashion, major events, music, books, and whatever else we could find. (My group did the sixties) With this information my group put together a PowerPoint that described what was going on each year during that decade. Finally we pulled all of our resources we had collected and set up a presentation based upon our findings. All of the groups set up a table in the lobby with artifacts they had found that were relevant to their decade and everyone was dressed up based upon what was popular during their decade to really set the mood. People walked through all of the displays and voted on which group had the best display and there was a winner! Through this project I was able to see significant events and their impact in today’s society. It was interesting to see all the food and drinks and what decade they came out of. The development of not only different types of music, but also the form in which the music was being played was also fun to look at. One of my personal favorite parts was to look at all the games; many of them are still played today which is a little crazy to think about. It was a blast people going through the presentations and well as the presenters all had a great time. This project truly showed how where we are today did not happen overnight. This world has gone through a huge and long process and there will be many more changes in time to come based upon what is happening now. So interesting!

Rules, Rules, Rules!

Rules, we all know how to follow them but what do they really mean? Our class spent one day tearing apart the reason why we create “Rules” in our classroom. Through exploring the concept of rules we discovered that their meaning ( in most cases) applies to more than just in a classroom, should be followed by people other than the students, and need to be defined because sometimes the things we think are simple really are a lot more complex when you take time to understand them. After discussing some of the rules that are being used in the classroom we were currently observing in my group found a couple of interesting facts. Some of the rules were very negative (no, no, no), some rules were similar amongst all group members, and some rules we really liked. With this information we came up with own rules and here is our list
1. Be Respectful
2. Be Reliable
3. Follow Directions
4. Give your best effort
5. Stop, think, react
After these rules were determined we had to break apart what they meant. Respect was the first one and the hardest one to define. As a whole class we decided that respect meant that you treat others they way you want to be treated, have actions and behaviors that you are proud of, learn from mistakes, let people be human, and value others ideas and opinions. If you are reliable then we feel that you are dependable in your work, contribution, and in your actions. Follow Directions was a rule that we felt we essential for creating a safe environment for everyone as well as creating a successful learning experience. My group felt that it was also important for students to give your best effort because a set standard is not applicable to every individual. We all have our weaknesses and our strengths. Finally we came up with the rule to stop, think, and then react since often your first initial reaction is not the best way to react. We then discussed that all of the rules that the entire classroom can be put into three categories; compassion for others, caring, and common good. Finally at the end of the discussion we felt that it was important for everyone, students and teachers, to feel some type of ownership and responsibility for follow the rules and came up with some ideas create this feeling. Some of our ideas were to come up with the rules as a whole class and to have students sign, finger print, or have some type of something that resembles each student on the rules sheet.

Field Trip

History surrounds you no matter where you are at you simply just have to look for it. My classmates and I experienced this first hand when we went and visited the “Center for History” located at 808 West Washington St, South Bend IN, 46601. This mansion was home to James Oliver, who had a huge influence on mastering the plow. During our visit there I went on a guided tour through the Oliver Mansion (Copshaholm) as well as the Worker’s Home. The Oliver Mansion is home to 38 rooms that have had very little changes done to them since the home was given to the Center for History. The land that is surrounding the mansion (the gardens) are taken care of the same way they were almost a hundred years ago. When you walk through this mansion you receive a tremendous amount of information about the past this home holds. You can view images of many famous people in James Oliver’s office, view decorations from other countries and cultures, and see past fashions as well as way of life. I think that the most important thing I learned from this field trip is that there are parts of history that are still alive and the Oliver Mansion is just one of example of this. It is extremely important to remember that there is history beyond books and to explore those chapters as well.

Explore on your own more information about the Center for History at centerforhistory.org

Salt Dough Maps- Going beyond finding the basic facts!

Every year thousands of students participate in the same old geography lesson which includes researching a state or country and filling out a worksheet that describes things such as size, state flower, flag, and so on. This year I was able to find a new way of doing something similar but much more hands on and exciting. It involves using “Salt Dough” and creating a map out of the dough and then having the creator determines what he or she thinks is important to show others. This allows for so much more creativity and allows students to be encouraged to think outside of the box, which is something that can be forgotten about in any busy classroom. My group decided to highlight the provinces in Costa Rica. Some of my classmates decided to indicate things such as rivers, major bodies of water, population levels, forests, and many other factual things about their country. Some great things about creating salt dough maps are that it is hands on, allows for creativity, and you have a sense of pride when doing it because it is so much more than filling out a paper. Everyone really enjoyed this project in our class and it seemed that everyone got a lot of information out of it as well. This is something that is super easy and can be done at school or even at home if going on a vacation, talking about your community or state, a map of somewhere you are going such as a park, a relative from a different state, or just about anything!
Here are the directions on how to create your very own salt map from cooks.com
Mix 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt and 3/4 cup water. (Add a little water at a time). This should make a very thick dough. Add more flour if needed. Spread dough over map you've outlined on heavy cardboard or plywood. Shape mountains, valleys, plains, etc. You may dip fingers lightly in water to smooth out rough places in dough. Allow to dry and paint with tempra. This project is not for a rainy day because salt draws the humidity and your map runs. Don't forget a color key for your landforms.