For Social Studies educators, focusing on current news is one way we connect students to learning and the standards. I’m a fan of Challenge Based Learning (CBL) because it is an impactful framework to help make that connection. For example, learners might direct their attention to the Big Idea of World Peace. What might they develop as their Essential Question(s)? What Challenge might they propose? What local solution might they implement and share?
To introduce learners to a CBL activity focused on Peace I would use iMovie or Clips as a spark. I often work with primary sources from The Library of Congress and searching on the term “peace” brings up many free to use historic posters and signs that have been designed by artist to pass along the message of peace over the years. These can be downloaded into Photos and then easily organized into an effective “starter” movie in either iMovie or Clips to kick off the activity.
iMovie or Clips - here are a couple of simple examples:
Use the Ken Burns effect in iMovie with historic posters to spark interest.
Use Clips with filters on historic peace posters art to spark interest.
- How to: Clips for iPad - Learning Center
Maybe a poster or movie learners create as part of their “Act” in CBL will end up in the Library of Congress someday! At the least, by using the CBL framework, they will be involved in the lesson and think hard about the concept.
What sparks have you used to start a CBL activity in your classrooms?
More new and amazing resources on Challenge Based Learning:
December 14, 2023
Thanks so much for sharing this, Cheryl. I absolutely agree with your comment that 'For Social Studies educators, focusing on current news is one way we connect students to learning and the standards'. As a history teaching (and also with my English classes), I am always trying to make links with what is going on in the world. It was quite surreal teaching about the Black Death during the COVID pandemic!
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