Students can use iPads to reference full-text copies of historical documents. The National Archives and the Library of Congress offer free apps for this purpose. Teachers can generate document-based questions that require students to analyze historical texts, such as the Constitution or Declaration of Independence. Many textbook publishers provide electronic versions and most historical and classic novels are considered public domain content and are available free.
Free apps like Earth Viewer and Google Earth make it possible to explore every corner of the earth through digital satellite images. A free app called Fotopedia has several versions, including national parks and several different countries. With these apps, students can be exposed to various nations and cultures through professional photographs. Teachers can assign an area of the world to groups of students to virtually visit, research and share with classmates.
Free apps like My Congress and The White House keep students in touch with important government issues by allowing them to track the activities of elected officials via Twitter, videos and news feeds. Most major television networks, newspapers and magazines have free versions of their apps that include text and video. Students can be assigned a particular current event topic to research and then report their findings to their classmates or teacher through presentations and written assignments.
With a free app called Learnist, students can transform any digital media into interactive Learnboards. Teachers can use this app to introduce or reinforce concepts by having students explore these Learnboards independently or in collaborative groups. Students could also create their own boards to share with classmates. There are also many presentation and timeline apps that have free versions so students and teachers can easily share digital content.