Chapter 12

Three things I have learned about this chapter are:
1. "It costs $900 to equip 30 computers with TimeLiner software." Thus, since the cost to purchase the software is so expensive, teachers either have to justify having the software or do without, leaving the students to look elsewhere for interactive materials.
2. While assessment tests are important, "most states limit their graduation tests to language arts." Since I'm a language arts teacher I agree that it's important for students to understand language, but on the other hand, if students aren't fluent in culture, history, politics and everything else social studies teachers teach, then the importance of language is pointless.
3. "Google Inc., reported that in 2006, Google Earth was downloaded more than 100 million times." I was surprised by the number. While Google Earth is a fascinating interactive tool for students to locate different parks, monuments, etc, I didn't realize it was so widely used.

Two things I would use in my classroom are:
1. Google Earth. I could apply this to my English class by having students locate a particular point on the internet and recreate a story about why that place is important or how it came to be or why it was named the name it's been given. It would be more of a creative writing class type of thing.
2. "Digital Storytelling" would be essential for my unit on film adaptations of Shakespearean plays. This way students are able to analyze the text and put their own spin or theory on the text, then show the whole class in a short segment with their digital storytelling project.

One question I have about this chapter is:
Do teachers of social studies have the ability to do more field trips at lesser costs then technology based programs that do the same thing? Which do students prefer?