Instead of using a "physical notebook" opt for a digital notebook. If you teach 7th Grade history, feel free to use this Digital Portfolio and modify for your class. I usually do one activity per day an an anticipatory set before I dive deeply into the topic. Click the images below for the free resources. 

Need a short video to establish context? Use TED Ed videos. They make them for all different subject matters and all grade levels. They also have interactive lessons that accompany the Video. All subjects and all grade levels are located HERE or click the image below from the link. Thank you TED! 

Show this exciting and entertaining video the first week of class to get kids pumped about history! Before the video start, ask the class or put on the board as a warm up "Why study History?"- Students can brainstorm in small groups first and then the video will help inform them about why we SHOULD (and NEED) to study History!

Students and teachers love mini books. Any grade level or content area can use foldables. Students can design them on the computer (see my Atomic Physics are fun foldable), take notes, create a story, make a mini Constitution...the possibilities are endless. 

Show the class the video to make an 8 page mini book (scissors required)

This one I created for my Pentathlon team on Google Docs 

Or give them directions: This one was a storybook about the Mendez v. Westminister Court Case 

Notes on the Crusades 

I teach an "exploratory" class that is aimed at teaching technology skills for our 6th graders. Here is a link to a website with some great TED Ed videos that answer some interesting questions. Students then develop a list of unanswered questions they have and create a short video (using stop motion) and create a Tedx lesson for their peers. It gets kids thinking across disciplines and encourages them to problem solve by creating an innovative video. 

 If you teach 8th Grade History and need a quick wrap up of the war with videos and readings, use this website. And students can take Cornell notes on essential questions, listed in the website. Click the Images below for Links. 

Adobe Spark is a great resource (Must be 13 and older :( though) to make videos, presentations, webpages and posters. Its so easy to use and is great for teachers to make posters and presentations and webpages. 

I love teaching about Rome. Here is a fun web-quest and worksheet you can use to get your students thinking about Rome (and America) as "Sites of Encounters" (The link in in the worksheet, on page two). There are secondary sources for students to analyze and lots of cool videos for them to watch. Click HERE for the free worksheet and web-quest. Feel free to modify it to suit your classroom's needs. As an extension I had my students compare the US and Rome as Site's of encounters, and they had so much fun going it. This is great for GATE learners. Click HERE for the extension activity. 

Updated 8/25/18: Use this website I built and/or placards (click second picture below) if you do not have internet access. 

Now, I want to preface it by saying you cannot use videos and alter them for commercial purposes (make money), but according to copyright law you may use materials for educational purposes. So, I created a Chess club promotional video using an existing youtube video and my iphone.
1. I found a video online 
2. Copy and pasted the URL into this website: http://www.clipconverter.cc/
3. Downloaded the video and saved it to my google drive. 
4. Got my iphone and went to my google drive app and opened the video and saved it to my camera roll. 5. Went into imovie and inserted the video from my camera roll.
6. Added text and presto...I have a custom video for eduecational purposes!
Check it out
 

I was trying to think of a way to share some interesting videos and links with my students, so I created an adobe spark web page. Its really easy to use and looks great. Students would love to create these webpages too! Feel free to use.