Where in the world are Interactive Geography lessons?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Howat on September 11, 2007 at 7:18pm

thinkquest is good... try these websites also...http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/ ; http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Good luck, Craig

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on September 11, 2007 at 7:26pm

here's a couple of Geography blogs, these guys might have some ideas.
Juicy's Geography Google Earth Blog
Digital Geography

Thinkquest is a website developing contest for students---with millions of dollars of prize money. Ok, when the contest first started they gave away $25,000 to each kid--now they get a laptop for first place. (Wonder if kids are just getting so good with web design they no longer needed to give so much money away to get great entries.) The winning sites are unbelievable, done by teams of students from different countries.

Here are couple of the winners
http://library.thinkquest.org/04apr/01058/
http://library.thinkquest.org/04apr/00460/

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lucy Gray on September 12, 2007 at 7:44am

Take a look at my geography bookmarks in del.icio.us.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by samccoy on September 12, 2007 at 9:14am

Alexis:
ThinkQuest is excellent. I have been a judge for several years, and I can tell you that the students are using lots of web 2.0 software and techniques. The students work in teams and part of the focus is to involve people in different locations, cultures or other groupings. This would be the ultimately practical way to make Geography lessons work for you.

Also, a TappedIn.org colleague of mine started the Postcard Geography project several years ago. The Postcard Geography project is simple, yet quite effective.

Appropriate general instructional standards are provided, and you can use your own. The students are grouped into age categories. Student privacy is maintained because you will just give the number of students, not their names.

Check out the Postcard Geography blog for information about the project and ways teachers are using it to teach geography.

The collaborating students send paper postcards and e-cards. This is also an area where your students can make their own e-cards and paper postcards, related to your area, to help teach others about geography.
If you want to participate, you will need to sign up by September 23, 2007.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alexis Scardello on September 18, 2007 at 5:41pm

Thank you all for your comments and resources. I will definately look into what you have provided!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ana on September 18, 2007 at 6:17pm

Have you tried GoogleEarth? Plenty of interactivity can be created and collaboration as well.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ddeubel on September 19, 2007 at 5:48pm

We just did a whole thread on this, on my EFL community. Something teachers have to promote more! I love Geography at the movies. Short and educational videos for exploring all sorts of topics. 5 stars....

You might also put up a map on voice thread and get the kids commenting about each country...Here is a perfect example, exemplary..

So much more technology you can use for geography. I have a thread on this on my EFL community, if interested.

David
www.ddd.batcave.net

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig Howat on September 19, 2007 at 9:50pm

David,
Where in the batcave did you find this voice thread website. It is awesome! I can't wait to put it to use... Thanks for the wonderful resource!
Craig

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ddeubel on September 20, 2007 at 6:18am

Craig,

Susan from Israel, who helps on my efl site got me into it. I immediately realized the potential (incredible) for education. Interactive but still without so much that is "distracting", just lean and mean like a pencil.....

So surprised that it really hasn't taken off but it will--I know. You can also find lots of great stories there.

Here are some possible uses that I've seen done well there.

1) introduce yourself - great for the beginning of the year, signing up for anything etc...

2) geography, where are you ,where have traveled (see above)

3) advice. One person posts up something and others come and ask for advice. They are responded to and so on...

4) Art appreciation. Art is posted and viewers comment.

5) Explanation, just like a chalk board and I have my own chalkboard picture I use for this application. What you write on the board fades after about 5 seconds.

6) Stories. Especially with multiple voices. Or each person is asked to continue the story, orally.

So much more. It really is at the cutting edge of voip technology. Why it is such a good application, is that it controls "knowledge interface". What lacks in so many Web 2.0 is that it isn't pointed or channeled and blooooogs under its own freedom... education is something that does have its own set of chains, necessary chains.

DD

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JFarrow on October 12, 2014 at 4:05pm

Nice question... take a look at Beautiful Nation Project

Educators are invited and encouraged to get involved and take their classrooms on an around the world journey!

Here is a video for how to get started:

and if you are having trouble accessing site from public schools try our workaround.  Enjoy!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by kenxie on December 19, 2014 at 1:44am

we are a online teaching company located in china. now we need to recruit english teachers. if you are interested in teaching chinese students english, please contact me by email:xiejx@enjoyvc. we will hold a online training for you to know more about us. our site : www.enjoyvc.com. please have a look and give me some feedback. thank you 

Best wishes

Ken

• ▶ Reply