Using Padlet and Primary Sources

Padlet is a powerful tool that can be used with primary sources and students so that they can write about the source, reflect on it, connect to it, and collaborate around the source using audio, visual tools, writing, and images.  Some of the suggestions we have below can be used with students in many different ways and are highly engaging for students. Try it - you will be surprised at how easy it is to use!

* Post a source and have students analyze it using Padlet boxes on the Padlet wall.

* Have students create a primary source of their own and use it to reflect on. Here students read Everybody Needs a Rock and then created their own rocks to share in their community. They then discussed the importance of their own primary source and shared the WHY on Padlet.

* Have students reflect on a primary source on the Padlet wall in one word and post.

* Post a primary source on Padlet and have students add additional connecting resources to it as a research tool.

* Upload a video, have students analyze it, and then ad other primary sources to the vidoe which enhance the collection of artifacts.

* Use Padlet as a tool for vocabulary instruction for students to build background knowledge prior to reading primary sources in an activity in the classroom.

Picture Books and Primary Sources: National Council for Social Studies 2017

Thank you for joining us with our poster session at National Council for Social Studies and sharing learning about our Our Picture Books with Primary Sources resources.

You can find our Annotated Resource Sets located HERE

You can find our quick as a flash picture book Mini-Annotated Resource Sets (Mini ARS)  HERE

You are welcome to view workshop resources from the Teaching With Primary Sources Program and the National Museum of Forest Service History (Where we used picture books and primary sources)  HERE

Our Top 10 Ways to Use Picture Books and Primary Sources are HERE

Pinterest and Primary Sources

Are you harnessing the power of Pinterest with your students? If not here are some great ideas to connect them with this tool in an educational fashion. If you can't keep them off of it you might as well use it effectively right? 

* Select a key set of resources for kids to research and pin them on Pinterest so that they have a launching point to start their research. 

* Have students create a Pinterest board with a collection of resources for research, then share them with their student colleagues so that they can learn from each other. 

* Have students pin diverse historic places that have an untold story in their community to a Pinterest board so that others can find out about the places and the stories. Look at the one History Colorado has completed on History Pin as an example. This could be replicated on Pinterest. 

Vocaroo - Need a Quick Audio File? This Will Be Your Favorite Tool!

Vocaroo

Vocaroo is an online tool that allows users to record, send, and download voice messages. Teachers and learners can use Vocaroo in different activities, such as podcasting, digital storytelling, broadcasting, and giving feedback.

The tool is simple and user-friendly. The tool can be accessed directly without logging in to an account. The voice messages can be shared on blogs, websites, and social networking sites. The link to the audio can be shared, just by copying and pasting. Recordings are available for a few months (three months usually). The Vocaroo widget can be embedded on another website, so that, for example, your students can record voice messages via Vocaroo directly from your class website. This tool does not require knowledge of HTML. The recordings can be downloaded in different formats, including mp3, Ogg, flag, and wav.

Have a student create a recording of themselves analyzing a primary source and then using Vocaroo's QR code creator feature, you can develop a gallery walk pairing primary sources with QR codes and have the whole school enjoy the analysis!  Brilliant!!!

Tips on how to use Vocaroo:

• http://tammyworcester.com/tip-18-vocaroo/
• http://texasedtech.blogspot.com/2016/03/10-easy-activities-your-students-can-do.html

Campayn Newsletters and email

Campayn

We are using this tool to create beautiful email messages that include primary sources and pictures of students and teachers working with them! Up your email and newsletter game with this tool!

Ways to use this tool with primary sources:

• Have students create a newsletter with a collection of primary sources and related links and then share it with peers.
• Students can create a primary source newsletter and list for a local museum, park or community group and show the history timeline of those groups.
• Create a Primary Source of the Week Newsletter and send it out to history classes with tips on how to analyze that source.
• Using the snip-it or (on a mac command shift 4), digitally “cut apart a primary source and load a sequence of smaller pieces of one picture in order to focus on one part of a picture or source.  
• Have students collect an annotated resources list of primary sources tied to their favorite book and share with colleagues in the classroom to illuminate places that area and in the text they are reading.
• Students can share a newsletter with parents and the community showcasing their annotated resources sets of primary sources to an authentic audience
• Have students use SMORE to collect a variety of primary sources resources available on a topic for a common month of study like women’s history and include links from the LOC.gov website that encourage further investigation or study.
• Students can collaborate with a local historic site to create a series of newsletters highlighting the primary sources in the collection so that the historic resources can be viewed by the community.
• Have students contact local historic sites to ask about resources on a particular subject and create a newsletter highlighting the buildings and resources in a collaborative nature. Then, each of these sites can share the newsletter and build capacity using authentic work from students. (IE: Students can use photos from the Loc.gov site on Japanese internment, then collect resources from Heart Mountain, Manzanar, and Amache to showcase the historic sites now being preserved)