Jul 26, 2018
Social studies classes cover a wide array of subjects including history, world culture, geography, and beyond. Using interactive learning methods can help tutors keep their sessions interesting and their students engaged.
What student hasn’t sat in a social studies class, trying to memorize the wealth of dates, events, and facts in front of them? It can be easy for all of that information to blend together, and while textbooks are classic and give students access to the information they need, they can lack the engagement needed to keep lessons interesting.
Tech-based methods of instruction are perfect supplements to traditional resources and can help students stay engaged by giving them an opportunity to interact with what they’re learning.
Check out these six social studies apps that are sure to keep your sessions exciting.
1. Back in Time (ages 10+)
If the entire universe were 24 hours old, the human race would have existed for only 16 seconds. Using this analogy, students can explore the timeline of the universe, learning about the Earth, life, and civilization in the context of 47 chapters.
2. News-O-Matic (ages 7+)
A daily newspaper for kids, this app will keep students up to date on current events. Five new articles are posted each day, ranging in topics from space, to animals, to fashion, making it ideal for any student’s interests. Each article has three different reading levels and is reviewed by a child psychologist, ensuring that every post is appropriate. Additionally, posts can be translated to Spanish and French, and can be read with audio feedback for those with auditory processing issues.
3. iCivics (ages 12+)
Students in the midst of their civics education can learn about democracy, constitutional law, branches of government, elections, and more, through educational materials, games, and interactive learning.
4. Stack the Countries (ages 8+)
This game quizzes students on countries and their counterparts, including their neighbors, languages, landmarks, flags, etc. Featuring interactive maps, the ability to play in multiple languages, and over a thousand unique questions, students can choose to learn about the world or narrow their focus to a specific continent.
5. The Pyramids (ages 10+)
Students love learning about the Pyramids in school, and this app is sure to keep them engaged in tutoring sessions as well. Students are able to explore the Pyramids and their history through virtual reality, analyzing artifacts, hieroglyphics, and more. Tutors and their students can choose to explore on their own or take a guided tour, which covers 12 different chapters.
6. Presidents vs. Aliens (ages 5+)
Students learning about the presidents may find it difficult to remember all of the facts correctly. In this game, students are quizzed on each president along with their political party, events during their candidacy, quotes, facts, etc. The objective is to get rid of aliens using the power of the presidents with every correct question.
No matter what subject your student is learning in social studies, stepping out of the norm once in awhile can help them stay interested, give the information relevancy, and make concepts clearer.
