The History Classroom


"There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it."
    - Fyodor Dostoevsky 
History, as well the other disciplines in the Social Sciences, is a vibrant subject of study.  This page is dedicated to profiling resources, routines, tools and websites that can help enrich and liven the History classroom.  

What we understand about our past is constantly changing, being refined and frequently overturned.  It is responsive to innovations in technology as new innovations allow us to answer vexing questions and uncover new ones.  For the classroom teacher, History is also an effective way to help our kids become more literate - linguistically, as a writer, digitally and as a citizen.  

Create Interactive Timelines on Hstry (no, that's not a type-o)

posted May 30, 2016, 12:35 PM by Jonathan Gillig   [ updated May 30, 2016, 1:04 PM ]


HSTRY  is a great website for creating interactive content for both the teacher AND the student!  With this website, activities are created in timeline fashion and allow you a variety of interactive features on each plot of the timeline.  The picture below illustrates those features:


These great features can really help students learn about multiple facets of a historical event or particular span of time.  Below is a snapshot of a History Timeline:

https://edu.hstry.co/timeline/1914-1945-significant-years-in-the-shaping-of-our-nation
Click on the image to see the whole timeline activity!

Not only can teachers create timelines, students can create their own and submit them to the teacher!  This is a great way to work on their formatting skills inside of the content you want them to learn!  When you CREATE A CLASS, students will be able to engage in the activities you create and also turn in timeline activities that they create.  

These interactive timelines can also be used for several subjects and classroom purposes.  Click on any image below to check out the following timelines: 

https://edu.hstry.co/timeline/reading-log

https://edu.hstry.co/timeline/reaction-action-the-six-types-of-chemical-reactions

https://edu.hstry.co/timeline/applications-of-linear-equations

How are you using Interactive Timelines?  Please share! 

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

posted May 28, 2016, 6:41 AM by Jonathan Gillig   [ updated May 30, 2016, 1:05 PM ]

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/

This site is a cornucopia of resources for both the educator and student of American History.  I have used this site for years to help me develop lessons.  I have my students create an account for themselves and often have them create content based on their exploration of the site. This post is designed to highlight but a few of their features.  Click here or on the image above to go to their website.  


The 'Explore History By Era' feature is great for teachers because it organizes the whole of American History into timeframes that resemble the units we teach.  Each era is a link that has lessons created by master teachers, related audio and video podcasts, essays, multimedia resources and much more.  


This feature is fantastic!  This series of lessons is designed to focus on Common Core standards through history.  Here, you can search for lessons by historical topic or by standard.  All lessons have been vetted for quality and are created by Master Teachers.  


This resource is a gold mine for the flipped classroom!  Gilder Lehrman has a vast array of video and audio podcasts (both short and extensive) from leading Historians in the field.  I have used these podcasts for both purposes of professional preparation and for lesson design. Some of the podcasts are short enough to be used throughout an hour lesson (for example, as a bellringer) while others can be used for students to view at home for discussion in class.  

How are you using the Gilder Lehrman website?  Please share! 

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