Procter R. Hug JROTC sophomore class

Let’s face it. Learning about American history and Government can be boring. The other day one of my students loudly said, “I hate history”. “Why?” I asked. “Because it’s nothing but memorizing a bunch of dates about old dead people”. Of course I laughed and assured her that it is much more than that. But…….It made me stop and think. What can I do to make history come alive and become more relevant for her as well as my other students? The answer? Technology.

Currently my arsenal consists of a textbook, lectures, Videos and worksheets. On occasion I am lucky enough to find a guest speaker that is willing to speak to 6 classes in a day. The students love to debate about current events and controversial topics but unfortunately the information used to defend their position is only what they were able to gather prior to the debate. But with the use of Ipads, they would have access to an infinite amount of information that is the most up to date. I try to make each class as interactive as possible but many times my best laid plans arent effective due to things beyond my control.. The internet is slow or down, my projector blew a bulb, the copy machine is down or 1 or 2 students are absent that day or on a field trip with another class.

Group projects require time in the computer lab or library (which are not always available) and presentations usually consist of pictures and text glued to a piece of foam or poster board or an occasional powerpoint or Prezi presentation from students who are fortunate enough to have a computer and working internet at home.

My students deserve more. They need classes that are more interactive, addressing all learning levels and igniting in them a desire to ask who? What? Why? When? How? And Where? I don’t want my students to just parrot back dates, I want them to be able to engage in deeper conversations about why those “old dead people” did what they did and come to their own understanding. I want them to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, communicators and collaborators which have been identified as essential skills for success in today’s world.

So I am asking for your help. I would love to have a class set (Approximately 30) IPADS for my classroom. I know this is expensive so I am only asking for 10 plus a cart to secure them in and charge them overnight. I will assign them to teams of 2-3 students.

The IPADS will be used to present the curriculum that is focused on interactive project based learning. Instead of taking notes, listening to lectures and doing worksheets students will now learn by participating in interactive group and individual research projects. Students will learn to work collaboratively while still taking pride in their own contributions.

My lessons will include a rich variety of content taken from multiple resources and will be combined into an interactive lesson that will address each learning style. If a student is absent or has special learning needs, they will be able to review each lesson on the IPAD at their own pace. While the students are learning, my time will be used to clarify questions, inspire new ideas and assess each student’s progress.

With these IPADS, my classroom will become a place where students can experience history and understand it at a whole new level. What it won’t be is a classroom where students “memorize a bunch of dates about old dead people”.

My class will become one that my students eagerly anticipate each day.

The video below is an excelent example of what my classes can become with the use of Ipads.Please make a contribution today. Both myself and my outstanding students would appreciate it very much..
Thank you.

Projected costs:
Ipad mini 16GB with WiFi (10 pack) $2,790
Bretford PowerSync Roller 20 for Ipad mini (Case to secure and charge the Ipads) $2099.95
Total cost: $4889.95

If We dont raise the entire amount, we will purchase each Ipad individually at $299.00 each until the money is exhausted.