Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 11/30/12

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels: E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Picture Book Maker - Have students make their own picture books. (L:LA; SA: A)

English Attack! - “Learn with fun, fast-paced exercises based on video clips and photo albums. Practice what you learn with games. Make friends from around the world, and communicate with them in English.” (L:LA ; SA: A )

World of Tales - “Whether a student, a parent or a teacher, here you can take a magical journey, filled with adventure, or just remember what it feels like to be a kid again. There is a little something for everyone among these pages, starting with the classic fairy tale stories by the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault, going on to the morally edifying fables of Aesop and Jean de La Fontaine, and ending with the wisdom, gathered by the people: the folktales from different parts of the world.” (L:LA ; SA: A)

Study SC - “a website that provides online content to support South Carolina-specific curriculum standards.  StudySC, created by the South Carolina State Library, makes available a student-friendly environment arranged by grade level and by subject area where students can find the information they need fast. This site is loaded with South Carolina-specific web resources for K-12 homework help, projects, and more. StudySC will also provide teachers with lesson plans and other content to support classroom activities. From artist biographies to Native American tribes and Civil War timelines, get it all at StudySC.” (L:G ; SA:A )

Infrared Zoo - “Infrared light shows us the heat radiated by the world around us. By viewing animals with a thermal infrared camera, we can actually "see" the differences between warm and cold-blooded animals. Infrared also allows us to study how well feathers, fur and blubber insulate animals. As you tour this "Infrared Zoo", see what new information you can gather about the animals here that you would not get from a visible light picture. If you would like to learn more about infrared light and the infrared universe visit Cool Cosmos. Enjoy your tour!”

Original Image: Tools by Pat Hensley