No longer a Muggle!!

Social Studies this week was definitely one of the best hands on learning class I have been apart of in many years! We were all de-muggled and became members of the geocaching world! Geocaching is a treasure hunt that people all over the US and other countries play with each other and a GPS.  We found one "treasure" at ETSU not 100 feet from our favorite building Warf Pickle.  Geocaching can be used inside of a classroom to teach latitude and longitude.  I loved this activity and hopefully plan to use it not only in a classroom one day but with my fiance just for fun!!

Thankful for a Break

It was to have a day off on Monday to try and catch up on all that has been given to us so far.  I am so thankful to be able to look at the calender and see that there is only 6 weeks and finals and block is DONE! It is stressful to think of what is all left to do, but alot is behind us now and that is the goal.  On Wednesday we had to turn in our photo diary of our ideas, thoughts, and ideologies on Social Studies in the class room.  I had a hard time finding the right pictures to truly get at the heart of how I now feel about Social Studies.  Here are a few of the pictures I used. 

 

Lesson in Placement

This week I signed up for our lesson to be observed by Mrs. Dosser.  I am doing it on November 4.  The lesson that I will be teaching is about Social Studies! I am excited to get to actually bring some of the things we have learned with Dr. Meier into a classroom full of students to see how wonderful social studies can be.  The lesson will cover either Tennessee's Government or the Nation's three branches.  I am trying to think of something very hands on and student centered for my lesson.  I love lessons were the students are constantly working and thinking.   I have came across a couple of vision art projects the students could do so that they would have a tree with three branches and each branch will have its specific jobs and people attached to them as leaves.  These are just some ideas though.  If anyone else might have some suggested I would LOVE to hear them. 


Thought this was an awesome cake idea that I would love to be so talented to bring in but here is the just of what  I am thinking for the art project.

So It's Official...

Social Studies is officially my favorite class during block.  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy math and the language arts, but the way Dr. Meier has presented Social Studies to us just makes me so excited to get a chance to get into a classroom and do some of the lessons we have got to experience.  I loved the play reenactments! I feel that everyone did such a wonderful job and really truly learned more about both the Boston Tea Party and the Massacre.  I also loved our history in pictures.  I feel that this is a wonderful activity and can be taken to a different level by researching a famous historical person and doing a history in pictures of them.  I feel the way Dr. Meier has introduced Social Studies to us truly shows how easy it can be integrated into almost any subject.