Monthly Archives: March 2020

Google My Maps

education, socialstudies, Uncategorized

I recently learned how to use the ‘My Maps’ tool in Google Maps. I have been using Google Maps for years but I had never known I could create my own maps! This blog post will focus on how to use Google My Maps and then how to incorporate it into the classroom.

Using Google My Maps

This is a quick and easy tutorial that I used to help me learn how to create my first map.

What I Created

From this tutorial, I made this map on places to visit in New York City. In my map, I added 2 base layers: one of the places I ate and another on places I visited. I think that my map can be helpful for anyone looking to visit NYC and does not know what to do or where to eat.

In the Classroom

Since maps are a fundamental part of life, I think it is also important to incorporate them into the classroom. With Google My Maps, standard, paper mapping activities can be taken to the next level. One way I think this can be done is by having students map where historical events took place. This combines geography and history and creates a hands-on approach while doing so.

Another way to incorporate Google My Maps in the classroom is by calculating the rate of travel. Students can pin 2 or more locations then figure out how long it takes to arrive by walking, public transportation, car and more.

Overall, I think Google My Maps is a great tool for the classroom or anyone in general!

Thank you for reading my blog post! Feel free to follow my twitter @cooper_jenna1.

EDpuzzle in the Classroom

socialstudies, Uncategorized

I am currently enrolled in an online course called ‘Web Tools for Global Learning’. From this course, I have learned a lot about utilizing technology as an educator and in the classroom. In this blog post, I will be reflecting on my experiences with EdPuzzle.

What is EDPuzzle?

EdPuzzle is a website that allows teachers to post videos, either one they make themselves or from sites such as youtube. Students can watch the video and answer questions during it. Students are able to pause the video and go back if needed. EdPuzzle was founded in 2013 and has more than 20 million students signed up.

Using EDPuzzle to Flip a Classroom

EdPuzzle creates a “flipped” classroom. This allows the teacher to assign students these videos to watch at home. Here is an article I found about using EdPuzzle in the classroom for different subjects.

My Thoughts

I found that as a student, EdPuzzle was easy to use. You just watch a video and answer the questions and the educator can track your progress. I find EdPuzzle super helpful because I sometimes need to rewind a lesson and you cannot do that in a classroom but you can do that on a video. I find EDPuzzle to be helpful to me as a student and hope to one day use it in my future classroom.

Thank you for reading my blog post! Feel free to check out my other posts and follow my professional twitter @cooper_jenna1.