Using Pinterest in the Social Studies Classroom

 

 

How to use Pinterest

Pinterest is a place where people can post images and videos of things for which they are interested and would like to save or bookmark. It is essentially a bookmarking website where a user can share with others as well as search for ideas and "follow" what they like as well. "Following" is similar to friending another user - one user is able to see all of the things another user posts. 

 

To use this site users must "request an invitation" to join. All that is required is a valid e-mail address. From there the user receives a confirmation e-mail which sends him/her to the log in page to create an account. Once the account is created users are able to "pin" other people's images/websites/videos or upload his/her own "pins" to share with others. "Pins" are places on "boards" which are essentially groups that you place your images in to keep track of them all.

 

It would be recommended that the teacher has a Pinterest account so that they are familiar with the program. The students would not NEED to have an account as you can just right - click and copy or save images into a word document or PowerPoint presentation as an alternate way of sharing what the are sharing. Another alternative is to have one class account and have individual boards for each student or group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

<--- Click the red "Join Pinterest" button

 

 

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 It will take you to this page, insert your information and hit the "create account" button 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an example of a profile of a Pinterest member: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Notice that it has her screen name, a profile picture, an area to type some information about yourself, and all of her pins on the boards that she has created.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pinterest Vocabulary 

"Pin" -

an image that is linked to a video or webpage for more information. It is the "set" that draws the users attention to the main information.

 

"Repin" -

the tool used to link a image or bookmark to a users own board.

 

"Board" -

a way of organizing all of a users pins into categories or ideas for a users own understanding.

 

"Follow" -

a way of connecting with other users to see what they are "pinning" on their own boards.

 

 

Ways to use Pinterest in the Classroom:

One could use this tool in the classroom to help students gain insight into the lives of the past or other cultures. By using the search function ( in the top left ) the teacher or the students can search for relevant images to increase their understanding of the location or era.

 

A lesson that may be helpful in incorporating math and writing in geography would be to have studnets plan a trip around the world.

Students can look in the travel section of Pinterest

 

 

From the categories drop down list have students pick the "travel" section.  ------------------>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students will be taken to a page with travel images, quotes, and all sorts of things that other users have categorized as travel related. 

 

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From here the students can explore and save images of places they would like to visit. It should be directed that students should be aware of where the image is from (i.e. Taiwan Lantern Festival).

Students should either "repin" the images that interest them into their boards or right - click and copy or save the image so that you are able to see what the students are choosing.

After the students have collected 3 to 6 images of places they would like to visit, prompt the students to begin researching where these places are on a map - they should have to map the locations and create a travel path of where they would go first, second, third, etc.

Continuing on the students should research how much it would cost to visit these places or how long it would take for the trip to get to these places (This is the math aspect of the lesson).

Then the students would write a 1 - 2 page paper about why they want to go to these places or a 3-6 day diary about what they saw in these places (describing what is seen in the images).

 

 

Links to More Information 

 

MediaShift ideas on how educators are using Pinterest in the classroom.

 

Three ways to use Pinterest in the classroom.

  

Pearson's ideas to use Pinterest in the classroom.

  

Pinterest tutorial.

  

Blog on "Pinspiration".