Classroom+Application+Ideas

Implementing the iPad in a High School classroom is a lot of work, but the end result is worth all the time. The iPad creates a new level of student engagement that leads to a more enriched learning experience. Below I have outlined and explained the best ways to implement this device into a high school history classroom. These projects can also be adapted to fit other disciplines as well.

How the iPad will change your classroom:

Taking your high school social studies classroom into the world of the iPad can revolutionize the way your students learn. When you start using your device your current curriculum can be used but a majority of it will need to be changed to accommodate the devices.

Do not fret that you will have to abandon all of your previous assignments that have been successful in the past! With the iPad you will be able to make these assignments that much better, while also increasing other skills in your students. It is no secret that the major push in education is for schools to increase their reading and math scores. While the social studies do not lend themselves to helping in the math department, the iPad can help a social studies class read and write more. Classroom work will change dramatically as you will have to adapt former worksheets that involved a fill in the blank or short description into an assignment that would require the student to write a paragraph response. As the classes implement this practice students writing skills should increase throughout the year.

Below are some examples of actual class projects and assignments that have been successful in an iPad integrated history classroom.

Example of a former worksheet assignment adapted to the iPad:

Scientific Revolution: Today we will be looking at the scientific revolution. To get use started on the topic we will be looking at a few events/people who had a significant impact on the evolution of science.

For today I would like you to answer these questions by using the internet and your own critical thinking, please take some notes on each topic and then answer the questions in paragraph form.

How did the following help pave the way for the Scientific Revolution? 1. The Renaissance 2. Age of Exploration

What did each scientist discover about the universe? 3. Nicolaus Copernicus 4. Johannes Kepler 5. Galileo Galilei <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">6. Isaac Newton

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The iPad also allows the teacher to utilize most of their former internet assignments without having to worry about getting a place in the computer lab! The students' constant internet availability is amazing and will open up the students' eyes to new and great perspectives.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The iPad makes a shift in the classroom towards a Project Based Learning environment very easy. The students throughout the year will increased in their 21st Century skills as that is the basis of a PBL classroom. Here are a few examples of some projects that have done been implemented in an iPad classroom:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Projects in the Classroom: **

//**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Age of Exploration Unit Project: **// <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We have finished the Age of Exploration and to culminate this you will be creating a Keynote timeline presentation. You will need to find 5 events from DIFFERENT aspects of the information we covered in this unit (example: you cannot have two things about pirates). Your timeline must include the following:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">5 Events (2 slides per event) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">1 picture with a description of each event <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">One slide must be all information written in paragraph form <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">All events must be relevant to the Age of Exploration <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Your content must be sound and from the sources we used in class <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You must include the dates of the events (It is a timeline!)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You will submit this assignment to me via iTunes. When you are done you can hit the wrench in the top left hand corner, select share and print, and then hit send to iTunes.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This is your test score for the unit!

//**<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Absolute Monarchy Unit Project: **// <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">For this assignment you are going to have today to work with a partner on creating a story about an Absolute Monarch. You will be using the app "Book Creator" to create it in. This app allows you to create a story while inserting pictures, sound, and many other elements.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You project is to write a story about one of the monarchs below. You will research their life and their reign on the thrown and create a story about it. Your story can take the form of a biography, story about a famous event in that monarch's life, or a short story about the actions of that person and how they show that they are an absolute monarch. Your story must be factually accurate and hold true to the events.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You will be presenting your story to the class.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We will be creating the rubric for this assignment together.


 * //<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">FDR Project: //**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You have just become the President of the United States and although times are tough it is your job to instill confidence into the American people. President Franklin Roosevelt took to the radio when the country needed him and with his easy way of speaking, the American people felt as if he was sitting next to them and comforting them during that time.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">For this assignment you will be with a partner researching a New Deal Program of your choice with a partner. You will then write a speech describing to your classmates the details of that program and its impact that it had on the country. I would like the speech to be at least three minutes in length with both partners speaking equally. You can read it from the view of being the sitting President at the time it was introduced, telling the people how it will effect the economy. You can also tell your audience the historical impact of it from a future perspective.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You will have this period to research your topics and come up with your speeches. I will have you present them to the class the next time we meet. Be creative and have fun with this.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">You will be recording them with the Quick Voice App.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">As you can see these projects are very engaging and use multiple platforms for completion. The students use a variety of apps that develop crucial skills in their educational experience. I highly suggest switching to this form of classroom as it is engaging and fun for both the students and the teacher!

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