This document discusses how teachers can use technology and digital tools like Mapbox, Weebly, Wordpress, and Challonge to create authentic learning opportunities that foster student creativity. Mapbox allows students to easily create maps, while Weebly and Wordpress enable students to build their own websites. The document provides examples of how these tools can be used for subjects like geography, history, and sports tournaments. It concludes by sharing a website rubric for assessment purposes.

1. Beyond the Blog:
Technology in the Social
Studies Classroom

2. Teachers must create authentic learning
opportunities in order to foster creativity in
students. Today’s technology, specifically
websites and Web 2.0 tools, can support these
attempts.

3. “We have to continually be jumping off cliffs
and developing our wings on the way down.” -
Ray Bradbury

4. Digital Toolbox
Here are some tools
that you can use to
engage your learners

5. Tools
Mapbox
• Mapmaking website

6. Tools
Mapbox
• Mapmaking website
• Easy to use

7. Tools
Mapbox
• Mapmaking website
• Easy to use
• Engagement

8. Tools
Mapbox
• Mapmaking website
• Easy to use
• Engagement
• Instant gratification

9. Tools
Weebly
• Create websites

10. Tools
Weebly
• Create websites
• Considerably more
work than Mapbox

11. Tools
Weebly
• Create websites
• Considerably more
work than Mapbox
• Allows students to
learn in an authentic
and creative way

12. Tools
Weebly
• Websites can include:

13. Tools
Weebly
• Websites can include:
• First Nations content

14. Tools
Weebly
• Websites can include:
• First Nations content
• Maps

15. Tools
Weebly
• Websites can include:
• First Nations content
• Maps
• Social responsibility

16. Tools
Weebly
• Websites can include:
• First Nations content
• Maps
• Social responsibility
• Anything else

17. Tools
Wordpress
• Similar to Weebly,
Wix, etc.

18. Tools
Challonge

19. Tools
Challonge
• Competition

20. Tools
Challonge
• Competition
• Bloom’s Taxomony

21. Congratulations!
You have been selected by Coalition of Really Awesome People to test
one of their products!

22. Congratulations!
You have been selected by Coalition of Really Awesome People to test one of
their products!
Your task:
1. Create a map on Mapbox that contains at least ten data points (choose
data that is meaningful to you- places you’ve been or want to visit)

23. Congratulations!
You have been selected by Coalition of Really Awesome People to test one of
their products!
Your task:
1. Create a map on Mapbox that contains at least ten data points (choose
data that is meaningful to you- places you’ve been or want to visit)
OR
2. Set up a website using either Wordpress or Weebly, complete with one
page that describes “you”

24. Applications, Assignments, and Assessment
• Mapbox (geography)
• www.mapbox.com
• Weebly (website creator)
• www.weebly.com
• http://aboriginalheritageofcanada.weebly.com/
• http://doodlesfornepal.weebly.com/
• Challonge (sports bracket)
• challonge.com
• Wordpress (website creator)
• https://wordpress.com
• Website Rubric
• http://bit.ly/websiteassess