Most of our students are visual learners, right?
Which is why I've always prized any useful graphic organizer I can grab up. The stuff over at Laura Candler's website has always proved useful, especially my favorite: the prized and often-utilized vocabulary foldable. (Hey, just because I'm a techie doesn't mean I completely eschew paper and pencil tools!)
But, being who I am, I'll most always choose an online tool over a paper one, especially for older students. Recently, a social studies teacher in my building approached me about "just doing something different" with a timeline poster project she had used in the past. She knew she wanted something engaging, visually appealing, and user-friendly. So, I got busy researching and playing, and instead of sharing my finds with only my colleague, of course I'm sharing them with my global community.
In no particular order, here are my three favorites:
1. Timeline
This is an interactive from one of my favorite sites, ReadWriteThink. Timeline is a tool by which students can create a visual representation of an event or of a process along a straight line. Images can be uploaded to provide for even more visual clarity, and students have the choice to organize information by event, date, or time. As an added bonus, there's an impressive collection of lessons (grades 3-12) that use the interactive timeline, so feel free to borrow!
2. MyHistro
MyHistro was named a 2013 Best Website for Teaching & Learning by the Digital storytelling group of the America Library Association (ALA). If you're a history buff, this is the timeline tool for you. With MyHistro, you can combine maps and timelines together to create a visual story. It is utterly amazing!
3. Tiki-Toki
Tiki-Toki has the option of a 3-D display. You can also create sub-timelines for your timelines. (It's too difficult to explain. You have to see it for yourself.) Students can add text, images, videos, and audio to make the interactive appear more like a gallery than a timeline.
Applications for Education: Any of these timeline tools can easily replace your current paper and pencil ones. And while any of them are most certainly useful for students, I think teachers could use them as well to supplement lessons and lectures. In fact, take a look at the education page of the MyHistro site to view a slideshow about the best guidelines for teachers to use this timeline tool in the classroom and to see some sample timelines.
Isn't it "time" you gave these a try in your classroom? Please share your adventures with the rest of us.
Image by ReadWriteThink
Which is why I've always prized any useful graphic organizer I can grab up. The stuff over at Laura Candler's website has always proved useful, especially my favorite: the prized and often-utilized vocabulary foldable. (Hey, just because I'm a techie doesn't mean I completely eschew paper and pencil tools!)
But, being who I am, I'll most always choose an online tool over a paper one, especially for older students. Recently, a social studies teacher in my building approached me about "just doing something different" with a timeline poster project she had used in the past. She knew she wanted something engaging, visually appealing, and user-friendly. So, I got busy researching and playing, and instead of sharing my finds with only my colleague, of course I'm sharing them with my global community.
In no particular order, here are my three favorites:
1. Timeline
This is an interactive from one of my favorite sites, ReadWriteThink. Timeline is a tool by which students can create a visual representation of an event or of a process along a straight line. Images can be uploaded to provide for even more visual clarity, and students have the choice to organize information by event, date, or time. As an added bonus, there's an impressive collection of lessons (grades 3-12) that use the interactive timeline, so feel free to borrow!
2. MyHistro
MyHistro was named a 2013 Best Website for Teaching & Learning by the Digital storytelling group of the America Library Association (ALA). If you're a history buff, this is the timeline tool for you. With MyHistro, you can combine maps and timelines together to create a visual story. It is utterly amazing!
3. Tiki-Toki
Tiki-Toki has the option of a 3-D display. You can also create sub-timelines for your timelines. (It's too difficult to explain. You have to see it for yourself.) Students can add text, images, videos, and audio to make the interactive appear more like a gallery than a timeline.
Applications for Education: Any of these timeline tools can easily replace your current paper and pencil ones. And while any of them are most certainly useful for students, I think teachers could use them as well to supplement lessons and lectures. In fact, take a look at the education page of the MyHistro site to view a slideshow about the best guidelines for teachers to use this timeline tool in the classroom and to see some sample timelines.
Isn't it "time" you gave these a try in your classroom? Please share your adventures with the rest of us.
Image by ReadWriteThink