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Walk the Edge between Literature
and History with Tech Tools
Presenter: Sandi Rossman, M.Ed.
Al Muhairi. Cool tools. CC BY.
HSTRY: Create an Interactive Timeline
A Romeo and Juliet Timeline
from HSTRY
https://www.hstry.co/
HSTRY
Interactive Historical Timeline to Accompany a Piece of
Literature
• How did the events of the time influence or bias the author?
• English SOL 9.8 and World History II SOL 1a
Create and Compare Interactive Biographical Timelines
• Create a biographical timeline of a historical figure and a writer from the
same period
• Present the timelines together to look for commonalities
Historical Documents and the Events that Led to Its
Creation
• Read and analyze a historical document
• Chronicle the events leading to the creation of the document
Limits
Pete. Project 365 #189: 080710 the subjects of my evening. CC BY.
Kempton. Steve Jobs biography review/best of – pix 0- design principles. CC BY-NC-ND.
Amsler, D. Declaration of Independence. CC BY.
Piktochart: Create an Infographic
http://piktochart.com/
Rossman, S. (2015). A unit study: Anne Frank.
Piktochart
Introduce a Literary Period
•Research a specific literary period
•Present an infographic before studying the major writers of the period
Research a Significant Historical Event with the Writers of the Time
•Give data, facts, and figures about a significant event in history including 3 major
writers of the time
•English SOL 7.9a and US History I SOL 7c and 9a
Pair a Work of Historical Fiction with a Nonfiction Work on the
Same Topic
•Do the research to see what is factual about the time period
•Compare and contrast the truth with the fictional elements
Limits
Brown, E. Statue of William Shakespeare at the centre of Leicester Square Gardens, London. CC BY.
Mendez, N. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, Washington D.C. CC BY-NC-ND.
_andrew. Facts_not-opinions. CC BY-NC-ND.
Sharalike: Create a Video
Video from Sharalikehttps://sharalike.com/
Sharalike
Read Diverse Selections with Descriptive Settings
• Find pictures of real geographic locations to match the settings
• Include maps showing the locations
• English SOL 10.4 and World Geography SOL 1c
Find Artwork from the Period in History
• After reading a piece of literature, find 8 pictures of artwork from the same time period the
story was written
• Create a video of the pictures with captions to explain how the artwork represents the text
A Decades Project Paired with a Character
• Choose a recent decade and find a character in literature who embodies the time period
• Bring the character to life in a brief video by dressing in period clothing and creating a set
• Be sure to show character traits
Limits
Paireepairit, I. India_altitude_map. CC BY-NC.
Devers, C. Carving from the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum. CC BY-NC-ND.
Freeparking :-I. vintage:great aunt Cynthia, 1930s. CC BY-NC.
Foldplay: Create a Book
http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action Directions from Foldplay
Foldplay
Notable Speeches from History
• Read notable speeches from history
• Summarize the major points in a foldbook
• English SOL 6.6h and US History I SOL 1h
Poetry with Historical Context
• Read a poem that is intertwined with history
• Research the historical moment that inspired the poem
• Create a foldbook to explain the real life events that shaped the poem
Compare Character Traits
• Choose a character from a work read in class
• Do research to find a historical figure with similar character traits
• Compare and contrast the two people in a foldbook
Limits
Cliff. Sir Winston Churchill. CC BY.
Bailey, Jr., C. Digital charcoal drawing of Walt Whitman by Charles W. Bailey, Jr. CC
BY-NC.
mrmayo. character traits. CC BY-NC.
1. Ask Questions
2. List Ideas
3. Share Now
3 Easy Steps
References
Elshoff, M. Romeo and Juliet sequence of events. [Timeline presentation]. Retrieved
from https://www.hstry.co/timelines/romeo-and-juliet-sequence-of-events-
89202160-9160-4e52-bf04-5a36fac65ac1
Foldplay. Retrieved from http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action
Hstry. Retrieved from https://www.hstry.co/about
Madalynngrace2015. K9Ryer and Bane…thank you for your service . [Video
presentation]. Retrieved from https://sharalike.com/slideshows/b3d34f78-ffbb-
4c1e-a38d-079e1ac024ac-1429192271474-b66d1815-fca0-427e-b83b-
393d009d7b6c?referrer=57fccfc9-a26d-46a2-b3c2-5ed318930f1b-1429191158626
Piktochart. (2015). Retrieved from http://piktochart.com/
Rossman, S. (2015). Imagechef note. [JPEG file].
Sharalike. (2015). Retrieved from https://sharalike.com/
Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Standards of learning (SOL) and testing.
Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/index.shtml

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Final presentation

  • 1. Walk the Edge between Literature and History with Tech Tools Presenter: Sandi Rossman, M.Ed. Al Muhairi. Cool tools. CC BY.
  • 2. HSTRY: Create an Interactive Timeline A Romeo and Juliet Timeline from HSTRY https://www.hstry.co/
  • 3. HSTRY Interactive Historical Timeline to Accompany a Piece of Literature • How did the events of the time influence or bias the author? • English SOL 9.8 and World History II SOL 1a Create and Compare Interactive Biographical Timelines • Create a biographical timeline of a historical figure and a writer from the same period • Present the timelines together to look for commonalities Historical Documents and the Events that Led to Its Creation • Read and analyze a historical document • Chronicle the events leading to the creation of the document Limits Pete. Project 365 #189: 080710 the subjects of my evening. CC BY. Kempton. Steve Jobs biography review/best of – pix 0- design principles. CC BY-NC-ND. Amsler, D. Declaration of Independence. CC BY.
  • 4. Piktochart: Create an Infographic http://piktochart.com/ Rossman, S. (2015). A unit study: Anne Frank.
  • 5. Piktochart Introduce a Literary Period •Research a specific literary period •Present an infographic before studying the major writers of the period Research a Significant Historical Event with the Writers of the Time •Give data, facts, and figures about a significant event in history including 3 major writers of the time •English SOL 7.9a and US History I SOL 7c and 9a Pair a Work of Historical Fiction with a Nonfiction Work on the Same Topic •Do the research to see what is factual about the time period •Compare and contrast the truth with the fictional elements Limits Brown, E. Statue of William Shakespeare at the centre of Leicester Square Gardens, London. CC BY. Mendez, N. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, Washington D.C. CC BY-NC-ND. _andrew. Facts_not-opinions. CC BY-NC-ND.
  • 6. Sharalike: Create a Video Video from Sharalikehttps://sharalike.com/
  • 7. Sharalike Read Diverse Selections with Descriptive Settings • Find pictures of real geographic locations to match the settings • Include maps showing the locations • English SOL 10.4 and World Geography SOL 1c Find Artwork from the Period in History • After reading a piece of literature, find 8 pictures of artwork from the same time period the story was written • Create a video of the pictures with captions to explain how the artwork represents the text A Decades Project Paired with a Character • Choose a recent decade and find a character in literature who embodies the time period • Bring the character to life in a brief video by dressing in period clothing and creating a set • Be sure to show character traits Limits Paireepairit, I. India_altitude_map. CC BY-NC. Devers, C. Carving from the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum. CC BY-NC-ND. Freeparking :-I. vintage:great aunt Cynthia, 1930s. CC BY-NC.
  • 8. Foldplay: Create a Book http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action Directions from Foldplay
  • 9. Foldplay Notable Speeches from History • Read notable speeches from history • Summarize the major points in a foldbook • English SOL 6.6h and US History I SOL 1h Poetry with Historical Context • Read a poem that is intertwined with history • Research the historical moment that inspired the poem • Create a foldbook to explain the real life events that shaped the poem Compare Character Traits • Choose a character from a work read in class • Do research to find a historical figure with similar character traits • Compare and contrast the two people in a foldbook Limits Cliff. Sir Winston Churchill. CC BY. Bailey, Jr., C. Digital charcoal drawing of Walt Whitman by Charles W. Bailey, Jr. CC BY-NC. mrmayo. character traits. CC BY-NC.
  • 10. 1. Ask Questions 2. List Ideas 3. Share Now 3 Easy Steps
  • 11. References Elshoff, M. Romeo and Juliet sequence of events. [Timeline presentation]. Retrieved from https://www.hstry.co/timelines/romeo-and-juliet-sequence-of-events- 89202160-9160-4e52-bf04-5a36fac65ac1 Foldplay. Retrieved from http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action Hstry. Retrieved from https://www.hstry.co/about Madalynngrace2015. K9Ryer and Bane…thank you for your service . [Video presentation]. Retrieved from https://sharalike.com/slideshows/b3d34f78-ffbb- 4c1e-a38d-079e1ac024ac-1429192271474-b66d1815-fca0-427e-b83b- 393d009d7b6c?referrer=57fccfc9-a26d-46a2-b3c2-5ed318930f1b-1429191158626 Piktochart. (2015). Retrieved from http://piktochart.com/ Rossman, S. (2015). Imagechef note. [JPEG file]. Sharalike. (2015). Retrieved from https://sharalike.com/ Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Standards of learning (SOL) and testing. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/index.shtml

Editor's Notes

  1. Time for Introductory Slide 1: 3 minutes Today’s presentation is titled “Walk the Edge between Literature and History with Tech Tools.” As a middle school English teacher who has always team-taught, I know the power of integrating the curriculum to ensure student success. I have had the pleasure of working with a great history teacher who plans with me, which allows me to match the literature I read in English class with the history being studied in her class. The end result is that students come away with a better understanding of both content areas. The literature comes to life because students understand the historical context and timeframe in which the works were written, or maybe the history comes to life because of the literature. Either way, the technology tools presented here help enhance those integrated lessons as students become more involved in the process of researching and presenting their findings. These tools help students become active learners as they read, critique, analyze, research, design, create, publish, and share their findings. With these tools within your reach, you can be a librarian on the cutting edge of technology who stands ready to help students hone their media literacy skills.
  2. Time for Slide 2: 5 minutes, which includes time to view the sample timeline on HSTRY website HSTRY is one of the AASL’s 2015 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning, and it’s easy to see why. This tool allows users to create interactive timelines that get students actively involved in the learning process. Timelines are excellent resources to help students understand chronological order or the sequence of events, but these timelines take it to a whole new level. You can add text, images, video, and audio to the timelines for a multisensory experience that is sure to capture and keep students’ attention. With the HSTRY Basic account, which is free, teachers can create timelines that include quiz questions in multiple choice format, create “Did You Know?” sections, divide sections with headings, and add introductions and conclusions. Teachers can link to cross curricular content to further enhance the learning experience. With the basic account, students can create their own timelines or work on content that is shared by the teacher. Students can also interact and comment on one another’s timelines. This website has many great features. For example, work is automatically and instantly saved, so there is no risk of work being lost. There is no limit to the number of students who can use the site. In fact, once the teacher creates the free account, students simply sign up for the site using a special code that is unique to each class. Students don’t even need an e-mail address to sign up for this site. Let’s take a look at an interactive timeline created to help students review “Romeo and Juliet.” (Click on the picture on the right, which is a hyperlink to the example timeline.) Notice that each scene has a summary on the timeline in the sequence of events. A video segment is embedded in the timeline to help students visualize the play. The “Did You Know?” section links to an interactive timeline explaining the language of the play. There are even quiz questions throughout to check for understanding. Each act is separated by headings, and the artwork provides another medium to keep students engaged in the timeline. What a great way to review a literary work instead of a study guide. Now imagine turning your students loose to create their own interactive timelines! Here are some ideas to get you started.
  3. Time for Slide 3: 4 minutes One way to link history and literature with an interactive timeline is to have students create a historical timeline to accompany a piece of literature. Students can research the time period during which a work was written to see what was happening in the world to find out if the events of the time influenced the writer or even created author bias. A project of this scope actually hits both English and World History standards. English SOL 9.8 states, “Use technology as a tool for research to organize, evaluate, and communicate information,” which can all be accomplished using the timeline tool. WHII 1a states, “The student will improve skills in historical research and geographical analysis by identifying, analyzing, and interpreting primary and secondary sources to make generalizations about events and life in world history since 1500 AD.” Research, analyzing information, and communicating information to others are life skills that cross contents. Researching historical facts enhances a student’s concept of the literary work. Another idea is to have students work in pairs. One student could research and create a biographical timeline for a historical figure while the other student could research and create a bio timeline for a writer from the same period. The timelines could be presented together to look for commonalities. Reading and analyzing historical documents is important. Imagine students reading an important document such as The Declaration of Independence or King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Students could then create an interactive timeline chronicling the events that led up to the creation of the document. The idea is to let the timelines be fluid and cross the edge between history and literature. For those of you ready to jump into these timelines now, there are a few limitations that I need to explain. One problem you might run into is that you can’t currently print a timeline. However, the site contains an e-mail address to write to if you would like to see this feature added in the future. It is possible that this feature will become available if enough users request it. Also, there are some bundles of content and timelines available for use if you are willing to pay for a premium package. However, these bundles are currently only geared toward elementary and middle school students. The mission of HSTRY is to captivate students. Any educational tool that can actually do this is worth trying!
  4. Time for Slide 4: 4 minutes, which includes time to view the sample infographic Let’s move from interactive timelines to the amazing world of infographics. If you are still new to this world or aren’t sure of exactly what an infographic is, an infographic is a graphic or visual aid that provides you with lots of information. They are perfect for sharing data, charts, graphs, numbers, or other information that you want viewers to see, understand, relate to, and remember. Piktochart is a great technology tool to use to create your own infographic or to have students create them. While it is easy to see how these graphics can be used in the business world, they have lots of uses in education as well. Just imagine having your students create research products in this format. Piktochart has over 400 customizable themes, editing tools that are easy to use in a menu on the side of the screen, and images you can use. You can also upload your own images or resize the canvas to create any size infographic to meet your needs. As students are analyzing the information they find during research units, they can use Piktochart to create data-driven charts and interactive maps to showcase the information they found in the best way possible. These can also be printed. Imagine how engaged students will be creating infographics with their research! As the teacher, you can create posters for reference guides or explain complex topics in an easy-to-understand format. Let’s take a look at the infographic I created to use before we start our Anne Frank/Holocaust unit in 8th grade. (Click on the infographic to hyperlink to a larger version.)I use the infographic to give students facts about the time period and the story while also trying to hook them into wanting to know more. There are facts, figures, and pictures to entice students to read, think, and explore.
  5. Time for Slide 5: 4 minutes One idea is to use an infographic to introduce a literary period such as the Renaissance or the Victorian Period before studying the major works of the time period. Students could conduct their own research and present their findings to the class. Another idea is to research a significant historical event in with the major writers of the time period. For example, students could research an event such as the Civil Rights Movement or World War II and present three writers during the same time period who were influenced by the events of the day. Students might be surprised to learn about the relationships between the two. This project covers standards in both English and history. US History II SOL 7c requires students to demonstrate knowledge of the major causes and effects of American involvement in World War II by describing the impact of the war on the home front while SOL 9a asks students to examine the Civil Rights Movement and the changing role of women. This pairs with English SOL 7.9a, which calls for students to collect and organize information from multiple sources including online, print, and media to produce a research product. This research project integrates the content areas to produce a cross curricular research product. Finally, we want students to be able to make comparisons and contrasts as they read and draw conclusions about fact and fiction. You can pair a work of historical fiction with a nonfiction work on the same topic. For example, students could read Hiroshima by Yep and Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Coerr. As a final project, students could conduct the research to compare and contrast the reality of the details in the works with the fictional elements. Piktochart is the perfect tool for presenting large amounts of data, figures, or other information in a way that students can relate to and visualize. As with any technology tool, there are a few limitations. One is that students will need an e-mail account to sign up for the basic account. While the basic account is free, basic users will have limited templates and image uploads, and the Piktochart watermark will appear on the infographics created. You can upgrade to an educator’s individual license for $39.99 per year or buy a $120 class subscription, which is for 30 individuals for four months. Finally, make sure you build in time to model how to use the tool and to let students play with it before using it for a major assignment or project. This will help students build their confidence as they create infographics.
  6. Time for Slide 6: 5 minutes, which includes time to watch the sample video from Sharalike One tool your students might already be familiar with even if you aren’t is Sharalike, which easily allows you to create a video presentation from your own pictures. The video is set to music, which can convey a strong emotional message to the viewer. This tool works in the classroom because it allows students to see how pictures tell a story, and the final project captures the eye and the imagination. You can add photos, change photos, or change the order of the photos in your slideshow presentation easily and quickly. You can customize the slideshow by selecting a theme for the photos or by selecting the music to play while the video is rolling. The final product can be shared by text, e-mail, or social media since Sharalike is versatile. Students can use Sharalike on the Internet or by using the iPhone app or the Android app. Take a look at the emotional message in this Sharalike video featured on the site. Watch how the pictures working with the music tell a story of the end of a strong relationship. (Click on the Sharalike Video, which is a hyperlink to the video.)
  7. Time for Slide 7: 4 minutes Now that you have seen a Sharalike video, think about the possibilities in the classroom to create learning experiences students can connect to emotionally as they learn. One idea is to have students connect with settings. Have students read diverse literary selections with descriptive settings. Then, have students create videos using pictures of real geographic locations to match those settings. They can even include maps to show where the real locations are to learn about geography. This research project is a virtual field trip for students and covers standards in English and history. This covers World Geography SOL WG 1c in which students use maps, globes, satellite images, photographs or diagrams to develop and refine mental maps of world regions as well as English SOL 10.4 in which students are asked to read, comprehend, and analyze literary texts of different cultures and eras. Imagine combining geography with literature to take students anywhere in the world. Another idea integrates history, literature, and art. After reading a piece of literature, have students find pictures of artwork from the same time period the story was written. The pictures can be organized into a video of images to symbolize the work of literature. Students also have to learn about more recent decades in history. As they are learning about the decades, they can find a character from a story who embodies one specific decade. Students can then bring the character to life in a brief video by wearing period clothing and creating a set. The pictures need to show specific character traits without using words while the music should match the decade as well. A final idea is to have students make personal videos to accompany a written autobiography. Students will love watching each other’s lives play out on video! There aren’t many limitations on Sharalike because it is a quick and easy tool that can be used in minutes. However, keep in mind that you can only add 1 piece of music per slideshow currently. Also, students will want to use this tool for their personal use, so close monitoring is necessary to avoid wasting instructional time.
  8. Time for Slide 8: 4 minutes, which includes time to view the form to create the foldbook If you are looking for a technology tool that you can integrate today without a lot of work on your end, then Foldplay is the tool to help you cross over the edge. Foldplay allows you to play with your photos online and then print neat projects using those photos. While some of these projects would just be for fun (origami or photo kaleidocycles), there is one that can be used in the classroom, and that is the foldbook. The foldbook is a short book that contains 8 pictures. You choose which images to upload, add text for each page, and then click the make your book button. It really is that simple. Here is a look at what students do to create the foldbook. (Click on the Foldbook directions picture, which is a hyperlink to the directions page.) Take a look at the easy form to fill out to create the book. Once you upload an image for each page and add your text, the work is done for you. Once you print the project, you follow the directions listed to cut, fold, and create the book. Students could use a foldbook to summarize text, write their own stories, or present their research findings. The site is simple enough to use with elementary students but could also be used with older students for research products.
  9. Time for Slide 9: 4 minutes One project to try deals with notable speeches from history such as Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches.” Have students read a notable speech, critique from a literary standpoint, and then summarize the main points in a foldbook. This project covers English and history standards. US History I SOL 1h calls for students to interpret excerpt from notable speeches and documents while English SOL 6.6h requires students to summarize supporting details in nonfiction texts. This project gets students reading about history. When it is time to cover poetry, think about poems in a historical context. For example, read a poem that is steeped in history such as “O Captain! My Captain” by Whitman. Have students research the historical context that inspired the poem (in this case it was the death of Abraham Lincoln) and then create a foldbook explaining the real life event that shaped the poem. Another idea is to have students compare character traits using a foldbook. Students should choose a character from literature to compare with a historical figure. This project would actually be a lot of fun as the combinations could get silly! One limitation you need to be aware of is that the book only has room for eight images. If you need more pages, you will have to create another book. Also, be aware that the site does have ads on it. However, if you are looking for a tool that you can use in a lesson tomorrow without spending your night learning how to use it, this is the one to try!
  10. Time for Slide 10: 2 minutes for my part 5 minutes for Q and A and Sharing Total Time for Presentation: 44 minutes Here are our next steps now that we are ready to teach on the cutting edge of technology. Ask questions for me or the group to answer, jot down your ideas before you get back and forget them, and share with the people around you who are excited to get started. You never know what ideas you might borrow!