ReadWorks.org

Social Studies articles – not a huge range atm but maybe to be expanded

From Free Tech 4 Teachers

The latest batch of articles added to ReadWorks covers topics in social studies. The articles and lesson plans for K-5 primarily deal with topics in U.S. History and civics. Articles for grade six through twelve have a mix of U.S. and World History topics. Each article in the collection is accompanied by a set of reading comprehension questions. Those questions are a mix of multiple choice and open-ended questions that you can use for group discussion or individual reflection.

OMG: ‘Baghdad Burning’ Blog

OK, so I can be a bit slow on the uptake sometimes. This blog is dated from 17 Aug 2003 to 22 October 2007. So it’s now been untouched for longer than it was written. But (insert appropriate expletive here) it is a harrowing read. It outlines a Baghdad woman’s take on life in Baghdad immediately post-GWBush war. And ends with her arriving in Syria as a refugee.

If you want an account of a refugee’s experience, her last few posts are expressive, a mix of sadness, uncertainty, regret for her country, a tinge of humour and a clarity of purpose.

Packing that suitcase was one of the more difficult things I’ve had to do. It was Mission Impossible: Your mission, R., should you choose to accept it is to go through the items you’ve accumulated over nearly three decades and decide which ones you cannot do without. The difficulty of your mission, R., is that you must contain these items in a space totaling 1 m by 0.7 m by 0.4 m. This, of course, includes the clothes you will be wearing for the next months, as well as any personal memorabilia- photos, diaries, stuffed animals, CDs and the like. 

I packed and unpacked it four times. Each time I unpacked it, I swore I’d eliminate some of the items that were not absolutely necessary. Each time I packed it again, I would add more ‘stuff’ than the time before.

‘Leaving Home’ 6 Sept 2007

I stumbled upon this an hour and a half ago looking up something (I forget) for a uni assignment. I’ve learnt more reading this blog than I’ve learnt in the uni course.

Just one more snippet, from 26 April 2007:

So we’ve been busy. Busy trying to decide what part of our lives to leave behind. Which memories are dispensable? We, like many Iraqis, are not the classic refugees- the ones with only the clothes on their backs and no choice. We are choosing to leave because the other option is simply a continuation of what has been one long nightmare- stay and wait and try to survive.

I also found an Interview by Al Jazeera with Riverbend.

Stop reading me. Go read Riverbend. I just hope she is now ok, wherever she is.

Cheers

America in class

http://americainclass.org/

Great site for history teachers, big range of USA related resources, including online seminars (some free, in a hurry so haven’t checked it out fully!)

Using a range of sources to establish ‘truth’

Exercise using sources about the ‘bonus army’ of wwi vets marching on Washington during the Depression and use of army troops (under MacArthur) to control and disperse ends in bloodshed.

From the Marchand Archive, UC Davis. Well worth a few good looks.

Value adding in education is far more than improving marks

(no surprises, but nice to be reminded!)

http://hnn.us/articles/what-lost-when-teaching-lifetime-calling-undermined

The Perils of Internet Research: LBJ & Equal Opportunity

http://hnn.us/articles/perils-internet-research-case-lbj-and-affirmative-action

Two important points for this:
1. Look up Executive Order 11246 (Affirmative Action re Equal Opportunity in workplace) and you get amended version, not original, even at US Archives.
2. Great LBJ domestic policy case study for DPHIS Democratic States

Lies of US History

I saw similar in Lies My History Teacher Told Me, but it’s nice to have a few of these sorts of thing on the web for easy access. (There’s a little bit of naughty language if you don’t like ‘sh!t’)

http://www.cracked.com/article_19864_6-ridiculous-lies-you-believe-about-founding-america.html

I like the way he critiques the story, then asks if we should really believe that. Reminds me a little of when I just make random stuff up in class to see if the kids are actually listening – or just gullible!

Might even use this for TOK in the history section – easier than digging out  Reynolds v Windschuttle stuff, and this has pictures!

Self-promotion!

http://aiss-dphistory.wikispaces.com/

Ah, what the hell, a bit of shameless self-promotion. This is the wikispaces site that I’ve been developing over the last year and a bit for my IB Diploma history class. It’s mostly links and stuff, one day I’ll sit down and actually put together some original content too, but for the moment, it’s just to keep the students vaguely on track…

What is the UK Constitution?

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/uk-constitution

Short, clear explanation.

More from The Independent

Australian War Memorial

https://www.awm.gov.au/

Excellent site for huge range of resources on Australia’s involvement in war and peacekeeping operations.

See the Wartime page for some journal articles. Easy to lose a couple of hours here!

(I think it also has the downloadable Official Histories of Australia’s wars)