Conflict History - Interactive Maps of Wars

Conflict History is an interactive map powered with the use of Google Maps (you know it's gotta be good) that holds a massive collection of information and map locations of the major and minor wars and conflicts through out our earth's history.  The interactive map features a timeline at the bottom, with which you can toggle through a wide range of dates from before 900BC to present day.  When you slide through the timeline, dates will populate in the event box and locations will be displayed on the map.  As you select each event or conflict, all other locations and conflict events associated with it are shown below in the event menu as well as indicated on the map (shown below).

This is a great way to bring some contextual value and understanding to major events and wars that happen through out history.

There's more.  Not only can you view battles and conflicts associated with the major war, but the Information icon provides you with a background about the conflict.  You can also browse conflicts and wars in particular areas by sliding the timeline and clicking on the placemarks shown on the map.  Clicking on a placemark will zoom you in to the location.

Note: Glitch.  There is a bit of a glitch with the resolution of the map at times.  If you find that your map becomes pixelated or blurred, simply zoom out one notch on the zoom slider and zoom back in.  Otherwise, you could refresh your browser.

Also, as with any Google Map, you have satellite, hybrid and terrain viewing options at the top right corner.

I found this map resource from a blog I follow that offers some good material especially for US History in Social Studies - US History Teachers Blog.  Check this out; subscribe to it.

National Geographic Education (Beta)

New to National Geographic, is National Geographic Education.  It is only in its testing grounds, however does provide some rather useful resources from video to map making.

I love the map makers.  You can select from a wide variety of maps.  The map makers have a drawing/marker collections that allows you to draw and annotate on top of the map for better featuring and direction for you students and them print them off.  You can also add your own labels.  Not only can you print the maps, but you receive the specific web link to your personalized annotated map that students can link to from your Moodle course.

There is also a small-scale GIS interactive map, allowing a small amount of layer in which students can add.  Great for students 3rd grade to 6th grade.

As we all know the National Geographic is well known for its quality resources and products.  Check it out.  Click on the NG logo below.

Occupy Wall Steet - CNN Student News

There's a great explanation of Occupy Wall Street and what it is on today's CNN Student News

CNN Student News

Something that I would like to feature that I often hear from Richard Byrne as a great resource for Social Studies or any subject dealing with current events is CNN Student News.  CNN offers a customized student version of their daily news from their journalists and educators.  The main feature of their site is their 10min commercial-free daily news program.  It is a very informative, catchy and fun program designed with Middle and High School students in mind, highlighting some of the daily top stories.  Each of the videos can be embedded into your Moodle site for easy student access.  Today's CNN Student News highlights are:

• Greece's economic issues effecting global change
• India's endeavor to track all of it's people
• The unusual circumstance with this year's Nobel Prize
• And more

CNN Student News offers transcripts of their shows, discussion topics, colorful downloadable maps of the countries in the news, plus CNN's Heroes section.  Check out "What is CNN Student News?" for information on their content.

Who Am I?: A History Mystery

Here's a fun activity featured by Richard Byrne dealing with the Civil War.  Who Am I?:  A History Mystery is a mystery-solving activity (great for the SMART Board) from the Smithsonian.  Basically you are given a section of a photograph of an important historical individual during the Civil War for you to guess who they are.  You are, also, given a clue and five artifacts, two of them which are associated with the mystery history figure.  Each of the artifacts have historical information when you click on them.

There appears to be only six individuals - Willie Johnston (Union Drummer Boy), Lewis Douglass (US Colored Troops of America), Dorothea Dix (Union Nurse), John Simpson Crocker (Union Colonel), Bell Boyd (Confederate Spy), Stand Waite (Cherokee Confederate General).

Classroom Connection:  Could be a fun, alternative, SMART Board activity.  It is, however, limiting with only six historical individuals; especially if none of these figures are discussed in the lessons.