Timelines and 3D Models
The TimeRef website is a useful source of detailed information about Medieval and Tudor England. It has plenty of timelines and allows you to customise your own. It also has a section of 3D models and “tours” of castles and cathedrals, and a useful guide to heraldry.
Video History Today
http://www.videohistorytoday.com/
Maurice Savage had an idea, as school trips became increasingly difficult he thought he would allow students to see footage of visits he had made. He quickly set up http://www.videohistorytoday.com/ the first web site dedicated to providing schools with modern, adaptable video clips recorded at places of historical interest. The site contains video images recorded on the actual sites of major historical events, his aim was to provide students with the basic ingredients to produce video essays and mini-documentaries. I became involved when he looked to publicise his materials, unfortunately this was just as the Youtube hysteria set in, so we had to find another way to allow access. This is when Maurice had the idea of putting the clips into collections, there are now seven Video Collections, designed to be used by teachers and students to help in the study of four major events in World History, and as each collection is provided on a 4GB USB memory stick these can be accessed by students and teachers. There is also a new Download facility on the site.
There are numerous ways in why the clips can be used; from the simple presentation of material to more detailed analysis, thus they can be used for KS3, KS4, A Level and University students. For example a study of the White House pits at Auschwitz-Birkenau ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sgoNS0jTL4 ), can be enhanced by the use of Video History Today footage of the site, linked to a Google Earth Placemark, setting the information in context, as well as providing an interesting alternative presentation of the information. This site contains a virtual treasure trove of material, and fully deserves recognition
Streets of Pompei in Google Street View
As you may be aware I am a fan of Google Street View, Google maps and Google Earth. I was therefore pleased to find Pompeii added to the list of locations. Now we can send our students on a short virtual educational visit, without the expense of hotels and flights. The ‘User Photos’ option will be useful, allowing students to take images from the site for annotation. I admit the tour does not get into the buildings, and as such is not really a virtual tour, but I do feel this is a wonderful addition, that can be used to compare and contrast. As a starter activity a search around Pompeii would motivate most teenagers. The theatre and amphitheatre are the most spectacular places to visit, but a simple stroll down some of the streets will add so much to a study of Pompeii. I even feel that the tourists and the building/restoration work, adds to the feel, giving students a greater context in which to study the site. I think this is a wonderful addition, and will enable Google maps to be used effectively in the classroom.
Crime and Punishment Online
http://www.crimeandpunishmentthroughtime.co.uk/index.htm
Like its sister site on Medicine through time from Dan Moorhouse, this site is being developed to provide links to the best teaching and revision materials available for the SHP development study of Crime and Punishment through time. Initially this will consist of linking to materials elsewhere, with regular updates and additions. In time it is planned to develop pupil guides to the key elements of the course and interactive materials to support teaching and learning.Still in its early development this site will quickly become the first stop for teachers and students following this SHP development study.
The link to other sites has become a key aspect of very good sites, for teaching has become much more collaborative, this site highlights the best of this collaboration.
Google Earth’s WWII aerial images
I have used the Google Earth overlay a few times now, but usually with images of the past I have found, thus to find that Google has ‘stolen’ my idea, came as a suprise. In all seriousness, this World War Two overlay is a development of their overlay policy, and it certainly works, the image above of Dresden is particularly significant to me, as I used Google maps to do this some four years ago, and the resulting image had a positive impact on the students. The Warsaw Ghetto, the bombed centre of Berlin and Dresden will be the most popular images I feel, but it certainly shows what can be done. I feel sure many educators will find these overlays useful, I look forward to Google exploring other Historical events in this way.
Prezi’s new Educational License
http://blog.prezi.com/2010/01/24/new-release-features-educational-license-reuse-learn-center/
Just after Christmas I received a message (via Twitter) asking me to write to the CEO of Prezi, to ask, nicely, if they would consider reducing the cost for educational use. I had heard about the power of Twitter, but this was the first time I took an active part - within hours there was a reply, and within days Prezi announced an Educational Licence.
As mentioned in a previous review, I have moved from Powerpoint’s linear presentation to using Prezi for my presentations, and have a few times used it in the classroom, but only as ones and twos, as I signed in for them, giving them an opportunity to play. The Educational licence, at just $59 for the EduPro, will allow schools use Prezi to its highest potential.
The educational licence has three main aspects: upgrade - EduEnjoy (500MB) had the added feature of allowing students and teachers to Choose if a prezi is private, published, or shared with selected individuals, making it useful within a school network; EduPro (2,000MB) has the extra feature of offline production.
Prezi Reuse is the second new feature, this allows a prezi to be edited by multiple users, allowing for collaboration, but also allows for updated prezis, effectively we can load a prezi, alter it and save it as a new Prezi, allowing teachers to see student progress.
Lastly the Learn Centre allows for the sharing of ideas, and information, which should allow even greater use of this tool. Overall I have been impressed by the Prezi, not just the wonderful tool, but also their response to educationalist, giving us a resource we can make use of in the classroom. My thanks go to Peter Arvail, CEO of Prezi for showing us what can be achieved with 2.0 technology.
Lesson Planning - this is Learning Score
Learning Score is an amazing multimedia lesson-planning and delivery tool. My Twitter network highlighted this to me, and although it is not a History resources, I thought it was worthwhile highlighting it. I, like many begrudge writing out lesson plans for observed lessons, interview lessons and (rarely) general lessons, I see the lesson plan as a plan of what I will do in the lesson, not as seems to be the view of SMT as a rigid blow by blow prediction of what is going to happen. I therefore think this tool will be of great benefit, after just 10 minutes on the trial version I was confident I could use it to plan and deliver lessons using it, in fact I think it would improve my lesson planning, getting me to think about the aspect of the lesson, rather than get bogged down in the aims, objectives and outcomes. I think this would be ideal for teacher training, and at just £35 it is not outside most departmental budgets. This has the feel of a tool produced by someone who knows what teaching is about, and for that reason alone I think John Davitt (the inventor) should be applauded, well done John, I am sure you will find many appreciative teachers out there.
Medicine through time Online
http://www.medicinethroughtime.co.uk/
Again I must confess my interests in this site, Dan Moorehouse is a friend and Colleague, thus I have been following the production of this site for some time. He states:
This site has been established to offer support to pupils following a GCSE course that incorporates the SHP development study in medicine through time.
and as someone who teaches this SHP development study I have been watching the resources available carefully. Dan has utilised the new Web 2.0 technology, making the integration of the resources into schemes and lessons easier, I for one follow him/this site on twitter, and would encourage students to do so also, this is but one part of the site. The recently introduced Timelines are very good for independent student research, for that end of period Homework assignment. The revision activities draws on some of the best, newest and most innovative activities available, providing useful links to valuable sites. Although still a ‘work in progress’ this site will surely become the first stop for those of us guiding out students through the SHP Development study, Medicine through Time
David Rumsey’s Map Collection - what a collection
The David Rumsey Map Collection was started over 25 years ago and contains more than 150,000 maps. The collection focuses on rare 18th and 19th century maps of North and South America, although it also has maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection includes atlases, wall maps, globes, school geographies, pocket maps, books of exploration, maritime charts, and a variety of cartographic materials including pocket, wall, children’s, and manuscript maps. Items range in date from about 1700 to 1950s.
What we have here is genius, this is something I have done on a local level, and found it to be very useful in getting students to see and explain changes and continuity. The opacity function on the maps works excellently, enabling use of the site for presentations and student research. To be honest this feels like an early Christmas present, a new toy I can spend hours playing with, the drawback is that I feel over use would diminish its impact and it certainly has an impact.
CIA codebreaking
If you or your classes like code-breaking you might enjoy this site from the CIA. There are chances to look at and solve various famous codes from history. Perphaps people who crack them quickly enough get offered a job!
The main site is full of interesting information and primary sources, especially documents on the cold war, including recently declassified Soviet material.
History Books for Christmas
If you are thinking of doing some wider reading over Christmas, or have been asked what you want in your stocking, you may find inspiration at these websites. The Guardian and Telegraph History books sections have excellent reviews, often by historians, and give you a good idea of what is currently being published. Amazon.com of course has a vast range of books and you can see a few of them here.
Here is a specific selection of Tudor History books and here is a guide from tudorhistory.org to useful authors.
Warfare (1) - Auction House Starter Activity
Many thanks to Andy Lawrence for producing this Auction House starter activity quiz on warfare…
read more...»Interactive Illustrated Holocaust Glossary
A Friend and Colleague, Sharon Artley has spent the past two years producing this, for the IWM Fellowship in Holocaust education. She has made this illustrated Glossary available for educational use.
It can be found at: http://smartleydoesit.co.uk/illustrated-holocaust-glossary/
Starter Activity - Cold War Wipeout Challenge
Here’s a great starter activity from Andy Lawrence using tutor2u’s Wipeout Challenge quiz format…
read more...»Historical Ignorance
This article from the Daily Mail has provoked quite a reaction amongst my history students this week. It reports on a survey which states that “Adolf Hitler was Germany’s football team manager, according to youngsters aged nine to 15,” and 12% of the children surveyed thought Remembrance Sunday is represented by the McDonalds logo. Clearly the methods used in the survey have been designed to score an easy headline, and it may help to stimulate a debate about historical significance, and the nature of using evidence in newspaper reports…
Its more than a Modern World History GCSE revision site
John D Clare is a prolific textbook writer, his latest textbook is for the AQA Modern World, this Heinemann published book is part of the new generation of textbooks, but this is not all, the website, which is also well established provides a much needed extra dimension for GCSE.
John will admit to teaching for a number of years, this site provides support and practical advice for students and teachers, John shares his experience. The huge advantage of this site is that one does not need to be taking the AQA course to take advantage of this experience, the advice to teachers is used by experienced teachers as well as newbies, the advice to pupils is clear and concise.
I have used some of the activities and quizzes on the site,despite not taking AQA or Modern World, the self-test activities can be used with KS3 & A Level Students, as they are can be used as they are or as foundations for later activities, I have certainly steered my GCSE & A Level students towads this site, to use it as a tool for good revision. I will also continue to use the site to stucture my courses and revsion activities for my students.
The Fall of Communism - Key Events on Video
The 20th anniversary of the fall of Communism is well covered in these interactive BBC resources, including video clips from the news archives:
Scotlands History - Curriculum for Excellence - Launched
A major new teaching resource to support learners covering Scotland’s history has just been launched. As part of Curriculum for Excellence, Scotland’s History covers a broad range of curriculum topics, from Scotland’s early history right up to the 21st Century. Well worth a look
Remembrance day and beyond
http://www.passingofthegeneration.org.uk/index.html
As the last three Great War veterans died this year, to mark the passing of this ‘World War One generation’, a national event will take place at Westminster Abbey on Remembrance Day, Wednesday 11th November 2009. To encourage schools to support this significant milestone and to engage young people in the history of the WW1 generation and experiences of the passing generation, the Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with key organisations such as the IWM, are providing a range of engaging primary and secondary education resources on this site.
The resources are very detailed and will provide the basis for projects and research into this aspect of the Great War. I have used some defence dynamics www.defencedynamics.mod.uk resources in the past, and found them useful for G&T students, when I have wished to set an individual research project. With the Imperial War Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission involved in this venture, the resources and Links will be invaluable. This site is well worth noting for the the links to other sites related to this issue alone.
Using Buildings and places
http://www.engagingplaces.org.uk/home
Engaging Places is brought to us by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) in partnership with English Heritage.
This site provides ideas and resources for extending teaching beyond the classroom, both physically and metaphorically.
As someone who has worked with English Heritage and the National Trust, I am aware of the work these organisations are making to engage in a dialogue with schools and educational institutions. This site showcases some examples of this dialogue, as well as providing practical examples of how to use buildings and places to enhance learning. As this site grows I feel the resources will become even richer, certainly a site worth keeping ones eyes on.
Into the Storm - Churchill and the War Years
If you missed the superb Into the Storm last night, then it is well worth catching on BBC iPlayer.
Loads of reenactments of key WW2 events in there for students, including Dunkirk, the War Cabinet, Yalta and the bombing of Dresden. The 1945 General Election is also featured prominently.
The Day the Wall Fell (BBC Radio 2- Tuesday 3 Nov)
A quick heads up about a programme on Radio 2 next week.
According to the programme guide:
Jeremy Vine marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by looking at its history, from construction in 1961, to the day it was finally breached on 9 November 1989.
Jeremy visits the city to examine what remains of the Wall and speaks to those who lived on both sides - East and West. He visits some of the key locations in the Wall’s history including Checkpoint Charlie; the Brandenburg Gate; Bernauer Strasse, which was cut in two in 1961; and Mauerstrasse, where the largest remaining section of the Wall exists today. Jeremy explores why the Wall went up in the first place, why it came down and asks whether the psychological scars of a divided Germany still remain.
The programme contains firsthand testimony from Germans who escaped from the East and those who helped them. It also considers what it was like to live in a state controlled by the secret police or Stasi and hears from a political reformer who was held in the notorious Hohenschönhausen prison. He considers to what extent the phenomenon of “ostalgie” or nostalgia for life in the former East Germany still exists, particularly as some former Stasi and government officials have prospered since the Wall came down 20 years ago.
There are interviews with escapee Joachim Neuman, who spent two years working on tunnels under the Wall to bring his girlfriend to the West; and escapee Irmgard Muller, who escaped from East Berlin under a false passport to be with her husband. We also hear from West Berliner Horst Seeliger, who was in East Berlin on November 9 1989, and one of the first people to cross back through the border into the West; and Vera Lengsfeld, an East German reformist politician who was imprisoned by the Stasi.
Additional contributors include historian Frederick Taylor; Sunday Times journalist Peter Millar and veteran BBC reporter Brian Hanrahan, who both covered the fall of the wall; and Ben Bradshaw, Secretary Of State for Culture, Media & Sport, who was a young BBC reporter in Berlin in 1989.
Great War battlefields trips recommendation: The Road To Passchendaele
Like many colleagues we’ve been taking large groups of Year 9 pupils to the First World War battlefields for many years. Only this year did we discover the fantastic ‘Road To Passchendaele’ experience. This allows groups to dress up as Great War soldiers, eat what they ate and be guided along the route taken by Australians on October 4th 1917 as they attacked German positions. Because we had a large group we couldn’t don the uniforms but the tour was magnificent and worked its way from Zonnebeke to Tyne Cot. I’d recommend it to any colleagues planning a trip. Further details here
An exiting video, overview & timeline resource
Andrew Chater is one of those skilled artisans who’s work is more famous than him. I feel sure most History educators are familar with the Historyfile series, which have become the standard documentary in History Classrooms, especially the five Nazi Germany documentaries of which the ‘Geordie Nazi’ is the most famous, these are the work of Andrew Chater.
Less well know are the Timelines series: Ruler and Ruled 1066-1660, Power to the People 1688-1928, Empire 1290-1948 and Changing Lives 1066-1984, they provide a thematic approach to British History, fitting into the new approach to History teaching very well. they are of a very high standard, (Andrew received a BAFTA in 2006 for the third in this series).
The website here adds to these programmes, providing additional information and materials, billed as an online-resource it can be given to students for research, or used as a classroom resources, as the transcripts from the programmes can be downloaded.
With pressure on teaching time growing, this resource can provided the overview which is becoming squeezed or sometimes overlooked, and with such a range, most aspects of British History is covered.
Putting the Thinking into History
http://www.thinkinghistory.co.uk/
Anyone lucky enough to see Ian Dawson at History CPD conferences, and especially the Saturday evening session at the SHP conference, will be familiar with his active learning techniques. This site began as a place to highlight this work, but it has grown into much more than this now, providing teaching resources of all types and styles.
I have used a number of the resources myself for GCSE and A Level, and have a couple of my activities on the site. One aspect of A Level especially, and GCSE to some extent, is the pressure to concentrate on ‘chalk & talk’, these active learning activities can be taken straight off the site and used, or one can use the ideas and adapt them to one’s own circumstances.
I would reccommend this site highly, I generally dip into it every month or two, and usually find something to inspire me towards a lesson activity.
The Wall Street Crash - Interactive Guide
On the 80th anniversary of the Wall Street Crash, the Guardian has produced this excellent interactive guide to the events in 1929.
Revision Video - Czechoslovakia and the Prague Spring 1968
This ten-minute You Tube video gudies students through the events immediately following the appointment of Alexander Dubcek as leader of the Czech Communist Party.
read more...»Berlin Wall - BBC Archive now available online
A terrific resource from the BBC archive has recently been updated and upgraded. The Berlin Wall archive contains a rich collections of video and audio clips explaining the entire history of the Berlin Wall. An essential AV resource.
Visit the BBC Archive on the Berlin Wall
Revision Video - Solidarity in Poland
The Polish challenge to the Soviets from Lech Walesa’s Solidarity trade union is described in this 10 minute You Tube video.
read more...»Apartheid Resources
If you need resources for the study of Apartheid in South Africa I recommend taking a look at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. Having visited it recently, I can say it really is fantastic. You can access educational resources from their site at apartheidmuseum.org
