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Select a section of text from a print resource that is related to your content. Type the text into a word processing document and allow it to be sequentially out of order. Have students use cut, paste, and editing skills to recreate this document. |
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Use a desktop publishing program to create a newspaper or publication of the times. For example: when studying colonial America have students create a newspaper including articles and advertisement that relates to that period. |
Spreadsheet:
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Have students use their grades in your class and create simple spreadsheets to calculate their averages. This is a good place to discuss range, mode, median, and mean. They may also choose to create charts either simple or complex with this information. |
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Choose the areas that you happen to be studying in class to find the weather. You may go to www.excite.com and enter the zip code for the area you are researching. The five- day forecast should come back. Have students use this information to create a spreadsheet and a chart or graph. |
Database:
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Create a database of countries, states, cities, etc. Include population, capital, literacy rate, area in square miles, natural resources, life expectancy, languages etc. Have your students create 10 key questions with a key that requires another group to manipulate the database to find the answers. |
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Use timelines that deal with the concept you are teaching to create a database. Create a field for dates, and a field for events. Have students create questions that can be answered by manipulating the database. |
Multimedia:
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Create a multimedia presentation using a slide for each city, state, nation, or part of the community you study. Use clipart and sound to show information that is relevant to the slide subject. |
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Create a slide presentation with one slide for each member of your class. Have students create a multimedia postcard for an assigned place they have visited or researched. |
Internet:
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Use the CIA Fact book site to find a wealth of information for various geographical areas. The URL is: www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html |
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Kathy Schrock has a great website that includes MANY ideas for social studies content. Find her site at the following URL: www.discoveryschool.com/schrockguide |