TRADE ROUTES and TECHNOLOGY: AN EDTECH AND MAKER LESSON PLAN

Students need to engage with the profound topics of the past in new and fresh ways. Gone are the days of dusty old tomes and boring old lectures. Thus, it is no mystery that many students hate History and think it is so dull. I want to be part of a movement that makes history sexy again. Yes, science classes have the chance to blow things up and light stuff on fire. That is a hard one with which to compete. However, with a little creativity and ingenuity, I believe creative and powerful lessons can abound in History classrooms all over.

To embrace just such a transformation, I set out to explore creating interactive maps from old maps using Chibitronics paper circuits and sticker LED lights. Below you will find a lesson plan I wrote to accompany this interactive map project. Please let me know in the comments below if you have any suggestions on how to make this lesson plan and activity better. I hope you have fun with this activity as much as I did making it!

*For materials and where to purchase them, see Chibitronics on Amazon. There are some cheaper routes if one buys the stuff à la carte, but getting the material together quickly and inexpensively is no difficult task!