10 More Ways to Use Padlet and Primary Sources in a Flash!

If you are looking at ways to interact with your students online using primary sources Padlet can be one option! We love using primary sources to enrich the classroom and help students critically think about what they are learning. From basic brainstorming to higher level connections and reflection - you can make it happen on Padlet and have fun at the same time. Here are 25 fast ways to use Padlet with some resource connections built right in.

1) Make a playlist ( Yes, just place your audio links on the wall ) of historical recordings surrounding a topic of study. Try exploring the historic recordings from the National Jukebox at the Library of Congress to start.

2) Connect the then and now of historic advertisements and today's print or online ads by connecting students to past advertisements in the Chronicling America Historic Newspaper Collection or search advertisement in the Library of Congress search bar for great ideas.

3) Celebrate a birthday of a historic figure and have students contribute primary sources in a variety of forms that illuminate the life of that person. You can find a person easily in the Today in History section of the Library of Congress.

4) Place a quote on a Padlet wall and have students analyze it before and after a lesson to assess knowledge.

5) Virtually geocache. Place a map on a Padlet wall and have students research and then contribute primary sources that illuminate places on the map. Checkout some of the fun ones like this one to the right in the map collection at the Library of Congress. (Search hysterical maps)

6) Create an inquiry project around Sanborn Maps and have students compare them to current day printed maps, Google maps, or images that show the changes and similarities between then and now.

7) Post a primary source and have students "complete the story" of the source.

8) Use Padlet as a guide for learning by posting inquiry questions with a QR code and primary source.

9) Post a primary sources and evaluate the bias and perspective of the source. Have students think about the purpose and time period of the primary sources and the message it gives the reader. Political cartoons are a great start and PUCK is a pretty amazing collection at LOC.gov

10) Post a primary source and have students create a twitter chat around the primary source in writing or with the Padlet audio function.