5 Historical Misconceptions Explained - Maybe?

This is an interesting video to share with your students for a couple of reasons in my eyes. 

The first one is that maybe there is a great deal of truth to these new found facts and raises the question of why do we find the need to alter history to suit our needs?

And secondly, how do we ensure our history is truthfully recorded and left for future generations to analyse?

We are already seeing living history challenged and debunked such as the absolutely nonsensical debate that possibly man never landed on the moon. Then certain sectors of society claiming that that Jewish Holocaust of WW2 never actually happened.

They are 20 years only a slick youtube video away from a classroom full of kids believing them, and carrying that story on as fact with no eye witnesses to challenge them.

History should be a recount of factual events for generations to reconstruct and analyse, not a dangerous game of Chinese whispers. 

Plenty of great discussion material for teenagers.

Excellent Interactive Myths & Legends Site for Creative Writers

Myths and Legends is a great site for pupils, teachers and all those who enjoy stories and storytelling. The British Isles is rich in myths, folktales and legends. Almost every town, city and village in Britain has its own special story, be it a Celtic legend, Dark Age mystery, strange happening or fable.

This flash based website has to be one of the best literacy offerings I have ever come accross so far for its depth of content media and its excellent sory creator tool that allows students to create their own animated storyboards of their own myths and legends.

The variety of stories in Myths and Legends aims to give inspiration to young people at school and at home to create and publish their own work. The site provides a multitude of tools and opportunities that enable pupils to submit their stories for the enjoyment of a world wide audience, with the prospect of receiving peer review and evaluation.

Most of the site is for the enjoyment and instruction of young people; just the story origins and teachers' area use language which may be more difficult for some pupils.

Differentiation is achieved by the range and flexibility of the tools offered. Children can, and do, respond creatively at their own level in a variety of media.

All the stories that we receive are moderated, but what you see is the pupils' own work. If work is not suitable to be published, the authors are given feedback and suggestions to help them revise their story or to think about when they create a new story.  Check it out here.

Tales of the Sun - Great Reading and Writing Task

Most cultures have recognized the significance of the sun as prime controller of all life on earth. Read myths, legends, and tales about the sun from the Stanford Solar Center.  Access it here.

Myths, misconceptions and superstitions about Spiders

Spiders have gotten a bad rap. This spider expert from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture restores the spider's reputation by debunking such myths as "Spiders in the home are a danger to children and pets." and "The daddy longlegs has the world's most powerful venom, but its fangs are so small that it can't bite you."  Find it here.