Student-Created Civil War Infographics
Infographics are a visually stunning way to deliver facts and statistics to readers. They have become incredibly popular recently on Pinterest, Twitter, and lots of other social media tools because users are looking for a quick way to get reliable information. Great infographics answer questions that people are interested in answering.
They also require lots of research, reading, and analysis to create. Sounds like a perfect activity for my students.
However, as with all of my projects, if students have another tool they prefer that will accomplish the same goal, I'm fine with it. Process is WAY more important that product.
After giving them an overview of the lesson and explaining the steps they should go through, I gave students 2 full 55 minute class periods to think about the essential question, look at the statistics and data, analyze what they'd learned, and figure out infographics and infogr.am. I was in the room: sometimes at my desk helping them research using my own laptop, sometimes walking around looking over shoulders and giving impromptu suggestions, sometimes responding to raised hands. I was never directly teaching, though. Just helping them learn.
Gabrielle explained her statistical choices and how they made her reflect on how horrifying the system of slavery in the United States really was. She also noted the importance of manufacturing, transportation, and population size. (Please note: The interactive elements of infogr.am work best when viewed using the Mozilla Firefox browser.)
Melanie wanted to try another infographic tool and found that Piktochart was a better fit for her. She talked about how the population statistics stood out the most to her and how there was a potential difference between slave owners and non-slave owners in the South.
Parker discussed what infogr.am is, how it can be used to show learning, embedded his infographic, and then discussed in detail how he selected statistics and facts. He even integrated a word cloud, something unique from his classmates. (Please note: The interactive elements of infogr.am work best when viewed using the Mozilla Firefox browser.)
I shared a few of my students' creations with my PLN on Twitter and got these positive responses:
They also require lots of research, reading, and analysis to create. Sounds like a perfect activity for my students.
Lesson Preparation
Essential Question
First, I needed to create an essential question. Answering this question would be the goal of their infographic. As an introduction to our Civil War unit, our essential question was:How did the differences between the North and South affect each region's strategy and success in the Civil War?
Numbers to Crunch
Next, I needed to provide the information and data my students needed to answer the question. I found a few sources for statistics: slavery statistics I received at a scholar lecture a few years ago (here is a recent article from The Root with some of the same information), documents from a DBQ my school purchased from the DBQ Project, and an excerpt from an old U.S. history text book on Union and Confederate strategy. The facts and statistics alone are not enough for my young teenage students. They also needed a few guiding questions to help them interpret the numbers and read between the lines.What Makes a Great Infographic?
Of course, in addition to content my students need guidance on the task at hand. This means they needed a tutorial on what an infographic is. I found this infographic on good infographics, cropped it for my own purposes, and showed them this version:
They also needed modeling, so I found this article on 50 great infographics that they could check out on their own. A video tutorial on what makes a great infographic wouldn't hurt either, so I threw that in too.
Choose the Tool
Finally, I chose an infographic creation tool. After reviewing suggestions from edtech integration experts in my PLN like Richard Byrne and Free Technology for Teachers and Greg Kulowiec at edtechteacher I decided on infogr.am. I also found a screencast on how to get started with infogr.am so that my students would have as smooth an experience as possible with the tool.However, as with all of my projects, if students have another tool they prefer that will accomplish the same goal, I'm fine with it. Process is WAY more important that product.
Teacher as Facilitator
I set up the whole lesson so that my students could access all of the information they needed in one place on our class website. This way they can easily access the resources in class, at home, or anywhere else they needed to throughout the process of completing the project.
Finish, Polish, Publish
After those two days in class students had 2-3 more nights at home to finish up their infographics, write a reflection, and post both to their class blog.Gabrielle explained her statistical choices and how they made her reflect on how horrifying the system of slavery in the United States really was. She also noted the importance of manufacturing, transportation, and population size. (Please note: The interactive elements of infogr.am work best when viewed using the Mozilla Firefox browser.)
Melanie wanted to try another infographic tool and found that Piktochart was a better fit for her. She talked about how the population statistics stood out the most to her and how there was a potential difference between slave owners and non-slave owners in the South.
Parker discussed what infogr.am is, how it can be used to show learning, embedded his infographic, and then discussed in detail how he selected statistics and facts. He even integrated a word cloud, something unique from his classmates. (Please note: The interactive elements of infogr.am work best when viewed using the Mozilla Firefox browser.)
I shared a few of my students' creations with my PLN on Twitter and got these positive responses:
@KerryHawk02 That is so cool! Well done. One of the best student created infographics I've seen.
— Greg Kulowiec (@gregkulowiec) March 7, 2014
@KerryHawk02 Love this. Would work well in Econ. & Social Class unit of US history. Thanks for sharing!
— Molly Smith (@historyfriend) March 7, 2014
I'm not going to tell you that the process was not without some frustration. For some students, the struggle was with the data analysis and understanding how the numbers I provided related to strategy and success in war. For others, learning a new tech tool was difficult and they had to use some trial and error. In the end, everyone accomplished the goal of learning how data can help us understand history and providing proof of this learning. Also, I think they realized that those fancy infographics they see all over the Internet don't seem so fancy after all now that they can create them too!
This content was very comprehensive and I gain my knowledge from your majestic blog. Continuing your great work...!
ReplyDeletePrimavera Training in Chennai
Primavera Coaching in Chennai
Corporate Training in Chennai
Embedded System Course Chennai
Oracle DBA Training in Chennai
Linux Training in Chennai
Unix Training in Chennai
Tableau Training in Chennai
Excel Training in Chennai
Power BI Training in Chennai
Very informative blog! I am glad that I came across your article. I'm learning a lot from here. Keep us updated by sharing more such blogs.
ReplyDeleteAWS Training in Chennai
Amazon web services Training in Chennai
AWS course in Chennai
UiPath Training in Chennai
Blue Prism Training in Chennai
Machine Learning course in Chennai
AWS Training in OMR
AWS Training in Porur
AWS training in Adyar
AWS training in Thiruvanmiyur
The All-in-One Solution for Secure Remote Access and Support. Remotely access, manage, and support computers, mobile devices, network machines. We provide best computer support at computer support and solve your issues at time.
ReplyDeletewebroot cyber security is a ultimate internet security suite for complete protection against today's diverse range of threat on windows. key features are 100% secure secure shopping, 1 click virus scanning, malicious website filtering, unblock antivirus.Visit webroot purchase our site if you want to install it.
ReplyDeleteMalwarebytes protects you against malware, ransomware, malicious websites, and other advanced online threats that have made traditional antivirus obsolete. visit malwarebytes support website for more information.
ReplyDeleteMcAfee support phone number McAfee antivirus works as a shield of device. It protect against the virus, malware, online threats, etc. You can easily download, install and activate McAfee products through. Visit mcafee customer service phone number when you will go with this link, you can follow the process of downloading, installing and activating McAfee with activation code
ReplyDeleteIt is a family of client software, server software and services through you can create professsional looking documents , charts , calculations, reports, and presentation in high speed and accuracy visit support office 365 here.
ReplyDeleteRed Hat Certified Engineer is a professional who has expertise in handling the Red Hat Enterprise Linux System. The Certified Engineer takes care of various tasks such as setting kernel runtime parameters, handling various types of system logging and providing certain kinds of network operability. The professionals must have the ability to install networking services and security on servers running Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
ReplyDeleteRed Hat Certified Engineer
OnlineQuranTeachers' aim is to teach the Quran with all tajweed rules perfectly Online Quran Classes for Kids
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteNORTON.COM/SETUP
NORTON.COM/SETUP
NORTON.COM/SETUP
Visit to create your Webrootaccount. Install Webroot on your device from webroot.com/safe to remove viruses and bugs
ReplyDeletewebroot.com/safe
McAfee software has several features like protection against viruses and malware, permanently delete the damaged data, protection for many devices, etc.
ReplyDeleteMcafee.com/activate
Microsoft Office is client software available for data collection
Office.com/setup
Hоw dо ореn-ѕоurсе рrоduсtіvіtу ѕuіtеѕ compare tо MS Office - аnd dоеѕ іt mаkе ѕеnѕе fоr уоur оrgаnіzаtіоn tо сhооѕе frее соmmunіtу software rаthеr thаn Microsoft's commercially licensed оffеrіng? www.office.com/setup www.office.com/setup
ReplyDeleteNice. I am really impressed with your writing talents and also with the layout on your weblog. Appreciate, Is this a paid subject matter or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to peer a nice weblog like this one nowadays. Thank you, check also event management and free event software
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the information. It's Very Useful.
ReplyDeleteOnline Primavera Training | primavera p6 training online
Open your pc, go to any web browser and search www.amazon.com/mytv and create your Amazon account , if you already have an account then sign in to your account. Now enter the mytv activation or verification code that appears on your tv display after enter code click on submit.finally your device is registed with Prime Video.
ReplyDeletewww.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteYou simply unpacked a new Amazon gadget and are eager to investigate - exactly how might you start? Find how to associate your gadgets to Prime so you can without much of a stretch see and tune in to select Prime masculinity content from anyplace. You basically need to make amazon accounts and initiate it utilizing amazon my TV actuation code.
amazon.com/mytv
www.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteTo get to the Amazon account, you should simply to enlist from your device and utilize the www.amazon.com/mytv enter code Wii that is of 5 to 6 character and it is arranged in the Amazon video application on the TV or the device.
amazon.com/mytv
www.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteYou simply unpacked a replacement Amazon gadget and are wanting to investigate - exactly how might you start? Find the way to associate your gadgets to Prime so you'll without much of a stretch see and tune to pick Prime masculinity content from anyplace. You basically got to make amazon accounts and initiate it utilizing amazon my TV actuation code.
www.amazon.com/mytv
www.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteOpen the Amazon Prime Video app on your TV.Sign in with your newly created Amazon Prime video account.There will be a 6 digits code at www.amazon.com/mytv .Enter the Amazon mytv prime video code shown on the TV screen in the activation window on your PC.Your TV has been successfully registered with your amazon.com/mytv.
www.amazon.com/mytv
www.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteFrom your PC, Go to amazon.com/mytv and make your Amazon Prime record, in the event that you as of now have a record, Login in to your record with email and secret word. Presently enter the Amazon Mytv enactment or check code that shows up on your TV show.
www.amazon.com/mytv
www.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteGo to www.amazon.com/mytv and create your Amazon account, if you already have an account then sign in to your account. Now enter the activation or verification code that appears on your TV display.
amazon.com/mytv
www.amazon.com/mytv
ReplyDeleteYou can essentially select from your device to the Amazon record and use www.amazon.com/mytv to enter code that is somewhere in the range of 5 and 6 characters and is coordinated on a TV or contraption in the Amazon video software engineer. In the event that you don't have the foggiest idea what the Amazon Prime resembles, www.amazon.com/mytv is a paid participation application that will give you admittance to a wide scope of free quick transmission and limitless electronic video includes that must be gotten to through arrangements, among others.
amazon.com/mytv
Roku.com/link
ReplyDeleteRoku.com/link is the page to activate your streaming device on your smart TV. Allow us to begin the enactment cycle. From your cell phone, open an internet browser and glue the URL, www.Roku.com/link.
Roku.com/link