The Mason Dixon Report - An "1861 Civil War Cable News Show!"

The Mason Dixon Report is an awesome site containing 7 video "News Reports" covering an "in depth look beneath the surface of the Civil War."  I saw this posted on Glenn Wiebe's History Tech Blog HERE!

The Mason Dixon Report re-imagines the events of the Civil War through "live" news reports, on air debates, editorials and more.  Once I started watching the first video, I couldn't turn away.  These videos are very well done and incredibly entertaining.  They cover the "stories" with such a serious demenour it makes the videos almost comical, but always educational and entertaining.

These videos would be a great extension to your Civil War Curriculum, could provide as an opening activitie to help activate and develop prior knowledge for your Civil War Lessons, or simply just provide another resource for your visual learners to explore the Civil War.  As I was watching this, I thought to myself "This is how I would love to explore the Civil War!" 


You could even use these videos as models to create your own Civil War News Reports in class. 


Check out the Mason Dixon Report at:  http://masondixonreport.com/

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Mapeas- Interactive Current Events Browsing

Mapeas is an interactive way to browse Current Events around the world.  Different types of markings are placed on a world map.  The smaller the marker, the older the news.  The numbers on each marker tell how many stories will open/expand under that particular marker.  If you see a Sports Marker with a number 6 on it on Indianapolis, then 6 sports stories will open up/expand when you click that marker. 

The news is updated from the Assosciated Press, ABC, Fox, NBC & More.  Each news event is normally a video report from a local news station.  This helps make Mapeas a fantastic resource for your visual learners and/or learners with special needs.

There are different types of markers for different topics of news (Business, Entertainment, Science, Sports,etc).  Mapeas would be a great resource to help your students quickly find Current Events stories or direct them to finding news stories in a specific country or region. 




Check out Mapeas Today!
http://mapeas.com/

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Scribble Maps - Draw on and customize Google Maps without even signing up!

Scribble Maps is an interactive Google Maps application that allows you to draw, write, add shapes, lines, etc to Google Maps.  You do not have to sign up and the site opens and is ready to use the minute you open it in your web browser.  Want to trace Lewis & Clark's Trailblazing adventures?  Want to have students create a route to their favorite vacation destination?  Want to highlight different areas of your own community?  Scribble Maps allows you to do it.



Scribble Maps takes a few minutes to get the hang of, however, the tools are familiar to anyone who has used the drawing features in Paint or even Microsoft Word.  Your students will pick  it up and run with it in minutes.

http://www.scribblemaps.com

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