Five must-have tools for social studies instruction

By Jim Beeghley
December 13th, 2013

What are the ed-tech tools that educators can’t live without? Each month, we’ll ask a different reader.

tools-social-studiesGeography and More: Google Earth

This amazing tool can be used for more than just geography. For instance, you can use it to track the travels of historical figures, such as following a particular unit during the American Civil War by adding image overlays to create “then and now” images and looking at its locations over time.

3D Modeling: Google Sketchup

When combined with Google Earth, Sketchup allows you to bring 3D models into locations on Google Earth. Check out the 3D Warehouse to find historical buildings, famous landmarks, monuments, and statues from history. You can also have your students research a monument and then recreate it in Sketchup.