Peacefield History

Teaching Critical Thinking Creatively

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Shop
    • The Peacefield History Shop
    • Shop Teaching Materials on TpT
  • Community
    • Join our Email Community
    • Join our Collaborative Facebook Group
  • About Peacefield History

The Monthly Roundup – Loves, Links, Reads, and Reviews

March 1, 2022 By: peacefieldhistorycomment

Welcome back to another Loves, Links, Reads, and Reviews – the monthly link roundup where I post my best Social Studies related finds from the internet and discuss all that I’ve been up to in the past month.

February was a month of refocusing and rebalancing for me. I’ve found that as much as I may try, I really can’t divide my attention towards all of the avenues of the internet. After reading How to do Nothing, by Jenny Odell (my review linked here), I decided that I needed to reassess my relationship with social media. I stepped away from Instagram for the month, and as a result, I found that I was much happier in my daily life. I didn’t find myself “checking in” with the internet nearly as much, and I actually completed my daily Spanish lessons.

The experience made me really question my relationship with the internet in general and the modern need to share one’s life… Does everyone really need to see our vacation photos? Our new laundry room? Are we only successful or accomplished if we share what we have done with others? How do we feel when we see others sharing their successes? What does that say about our relationship with internal satisfaction? Are we less satisfied with our lives because we are aware of something better?

I don’t have any answers, I just thought about this a lot lately.

Going forward, I’ve decided that I will be deleting/archiving my professional Instagram account. All of my new content will be posted here – on the blog. I’ve never really enjoyed being subjected to the whims of a social media algorithm and I just don’t want to spend the rest of the time I have on this earth devoted to growing followers or sharing my anxieties for likes. (I still have a Facebook page, Facebook group, and Twitter. I’ve found them to be more manageable and frankly, they’re enough.)

Therefore, If you have enjoyed what I share, please make sure to subscribe to my newsletter or through an old-school RSS feed. I will be posting here more regularly and I have a blog redesign coming… at some point in 2022? (It’s a LONG work in progress.)

The Crisis in Ukraine

Social Studies teachers always find themselves adapting lessons to meet the needed of current events of the moment. It’s one of the reasons we require so much flexibility as educators (and why we can’t post our lessons a year in advance.) Currently, the crisis in Ukraine has been dominating our newsfeeds, and with good reason. I’ve seen many resources pop up for teaching this topic. I thought I would share a few that I found most helpful here. Of course, the details relating to the invasion are changing daily, so some of these will become dated within the week. Regardless, I find those resources offering historical context (for students and teachers alike) necessary for understanding the current developments.

The Choice Program – Brown University – These resources are certainly above the level of most middle schoolers. However, they would be really helpful for teachers who need context and teachers might choose one of the topics or resources to discuss with students.

The Roots of the Ukraine War – This article also provides some historical perspectives for teachers.

Middle Web – How will students get their news? – This article is also for teachers, but it specifically addresses how students get their news and why those news sources matter.

Today Explained, Vox – There are several podcasts related to Ukraine on this list. They all provide good context for teachers.

Convene the Council – Icivics.org has a new game where students play the president and make foreign policy decisions.

Google Slides Presentation – the War in Ukraine – This is an excellent slideshow for students. While too complicated for middle school, teachers can just make a copy and edit down the text. The original source of this presentation is unfortunately lost. If you know who created this, please let me know and I will add in their name!

Loves and Links

Segregated By Design – I came across this short documentary about redlining. It’s animated, and it breaks down the ideas behind redlining and the “constitutionality” of this process. It’s definitely made more for high school students, still, it breaks down the events that led to segregated cities in a logical fashion, and more importantly, it explains how that segregation was not accidental. What I found most interesting were the shady practices of real estate agents to scare white homeowners against allowing integration with black residents. The whole documentary is packed with information.

Brush.Ninja – This website is super cute and easy for students to use! They can create little animated gifs and then export them easily. I created a little mini one and I was able to just drag and drop it into a Google Slide. This would be a great activity to make sure that students understand vocabulary terms or concepts. Best of all, it’s free!

Pod Save America – Offline interview with Hank Green – Ohhh… this was a good one. Green discusses how inquiry is so essential to an authentic education, how social media platforms have encouraged the situation we’re all currently in, kids with TikTok, and how TikTok has lessened natural human interactions among children. It gave me so much to ponder.

Historial Borders – My teacher brain was mesmerized by this site. This is a map of the world that displays the borders of each country and how those borders have changed through the centuries. Users can toggle through a flat version of the globe and a spherical version of the globe. This site could trigger so many discussions about why borders change or who really “owns” land. Definitely spend some time checking this out.

What Happens to Kids when you Teach about Slavery? – Have you ever gone down an internet rabbit hole? I just did with this news article. That article (which discussed teaching about slavery), then led me to this database Freedom On the Move. Freedom On the Move is a database of all of the newspaper ads that were printed regarding people who liberated themselves during the era of slavery. It’s very user-friendly and brings up tons of lesson ideas. Take time to check out both.

Peacefield History posts from this past month…

I posted on my Instagram page about the new book releases for middle grade and YA historical fiction and non-fiction. You can preview the offerings below and shop through these links on bookshop.org. Notably, that will be my last month posting the previously released titles on Instagram. I will still add a link to the slideshow here. If you click through the link and purchase from bookshop.org I earn a small commission. So, thank you!

January 2022 – The Monthly Roundup – If you didn’t catch last month’s monthly roundup, you can check it out through the link! You can catch all of my monthly roundups by clicking here.

New Peacefield History Resources

I finished up my Progressive Era unit with a few more resources to provide options for teachers. (I LOVE having options. If half of my students are suddenly out because of quarantine, or a half-day (where some kids just don’t come), or a random field trip, I need an alternative lesson!)

Triangle Fire – Video Guide – This resource provides a video guide for students watching the American Experience documentary about the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. I think the video provides a nice overview of the events of the fire. The video guide breaks down the events even further and offers a way to make sure kids are engaged without overburdening them with information to document.

Black Thinkers of the Progressive Era – With this lesson, I wanted to make sure that students had an opportunity to spend more time thinking about and reading the words of Black Progressives. Each of these individuals – Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Booker T. Washington – had different ideas about the movement for racial equity. This resource breaks down those ideas and has students discuss the differences.

The Progressive Era – Full Unit Bundle – With the addition of these resources, I was able to create a bundle of all of the Peacefield History resources from that era. I also wrote a unit outline and pacing guide to include with the unit.

I also have some new resources coming for World War I very soon. (The three days missing from February really impact my workflow!)

Reads and Reviews

This was not a reading month for me. I started and DNF several books and I ended up just making it through one fully. This was a good one, however!

Reads and Reviews - February 2022
Profit and Punishment: How America Criminalizes the Poor in the Name of Justice

Profit and Punishment: How America Criminalizes the Poor in the Name of Justice

Author: Tony Messenger
Series: Reads and Reviews, Reads and Reviews - February 2022
Genres: Historical Nonfiction - Adult, Social Commentary

This book succinctly summarizes and effectively argues how the for-profit system of fines and fees criminalizes poverty in the United States. It makes its case by following the stories of three people who were caught up in the system. Messenger supports these anecdotal stories with data from many states detailing how this system has caused significant harm. It's clear from his assessment that the only groups who are winning from this system are the for-profit prisons. It costs the government more to criminalize poverty and it certainly doesn't help those in poverty to escape their circumstances, nor does it make communities safer in any shape or form. It's clear that this system needs to change and hopefully politicians will be clear-eyed enough to look past the immediate profits and towards the longstanding damage these fines and fees create.

More info →
bookshop.org
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
  • Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • You May Also Like

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    About Peacefield History

    Peacefield History is filled with all topics teaching and history related. Follow me for trends in education, teacher tech tips, history related reading, and other more general musings.

    Search

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Join the Facebook Group

    Categories

    • AP U.S. History
    • Assessment
    • Classroom Management
    • Curated Book Lists for Teachers
    • Digital Learning
    • Inquiry Based Learning
    • Lessons
    • Loves, Links, Reads, and Reviews
    • Professional Development
    • Standards Based Grading
    • Teacher Budgeting
    • Teacher Interviews
    • Teacher Self Care
    • Teacher Tech
    • Teaching Strategies
    • Teaching the Election

    Popular Posts

    • Designing your Social Studies Classroom Cheaply and Easily
      Designing your Social Studies Classroom Cheaply and Easily
    • The Monthly Roundup - Loves, Links, Reads, and Reviews
      The Monthly Roundup - Loves, Links, Reads, and Reviews
    • 4 Fun Websites for Teaching Geography Interactively
      4 Fun Websites for Teaching Geography Interactively
    • Utilizing MEAL for Paragraph Writing in Social Studies
      Utilizing MEAL for Paragraph Writing in Social Studies
    • Eight Youtube Channels for Teaching Middle School Social Studies
      Eight Youtube Channels for Teaching Middle School Social Studies
    • Keeping Students Organized With a Binder Organization System
      Keeping Students Organized With a Binder Organization System
    • A Critical Thinking One Pager Assessment
      A Critical Thinking One Pager Assessment
    • My Middle School Students Don't Take Notes Anymore
      My Middle School Students Don't Take Notes Anymore
    • 8 (More) Podcasts for History Teachers
      8 (More) Podcasts for History Teachers
    • My Favorite History Review Game of All Time!
      My Favorite History Review Game of All Time!

    Find me on Facebook

    Find me on Facebook

    © 2018–2022 Peacefield History.
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy Policy

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.View Terms and Conditions
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
     

    Loading Comments...