Early Jamestown

Early Jamestown is a digital textbook that provides users with text, graphics, movies, interactive maps, and timelines about Jamestown’s founding and society. In all, the app contains two chapters about Jamestown, and a “Let’s Review” section follows each chapter. In the review sections, users are presented with questions to answer, key terms to understand, and activities to complete, but they must respond to each prompt on a separate sheet of paper or by using another word-processing app (e.g., CloudOn or QuickOffice). Early Jamestown does not provide answers for the questions; however, in the review questions, links to where the information can be found in the chapter are provided. Additionally, links to chapter tests are included (but the links failed to connect to the chapter tests when this app was reviewed).

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can replace or supplement their current texts about Jamestown using this app.  The interactive maps and movies provide students with a digital platform not included in traditional textbooks.
2. Teachers can assign students a research project about Jamestown or Colonial American life, and students can use this app as a resource.
3. Teachers can assign students to create a slideshow movie using an app such as Educreation, and the movies included in the Jamestown app can be used as models.
4. After reading a section of a chapter or a complete chapter, students could design a graphic organizer about a topic they read using the Popplet app or the Inspiration app to display their conceptual understanding.

Screenshots