Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 4/6/18

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

StoryToolz – Great story starter prompts (L:G; SA:A)

Story Dice – free iPad app; “40 dice, 240 images, infinite stories! Roll the story dice and see what stories await you in the up-facing icons. Need some cool ideas? Or just want to see which one of your friends can come up with the best story? Select up to 10 dice, mixing categories like mystery or Star Wars and roll your story. With over 200 icons you have all you need for unlimited stories!” (L:G; SA:LA)

Wake Up Brain – 5 warm up exercises (L:G; SA:A)

Why isn't the world covered in poop? – a TED-ed lesson; “Each day, the animal kingdom produces roughly enough poop to match the volume of water pouring over Victoria Falls. So why isn’t the planet covered in the stuff? You can thank the humble dung beetle for eating up the excess. Eleanor Slade and Paul Manning explain how these valiant insects make quick work of an endless stream of feces.” (L:G; SA:S)

Fireworks – “FireWorks provides students with interactive, hands-on materials to study wildland fire. It is highly interdisciplinary and students learn about properties of matter, chemical and physical processes, ecosystem fluctuations and cycles, habitat and survival, and human interactions with ecosystems. Students using FireWorks ask questions, gather information, analyze and interpret it, and communicate their discoveries. The FireWorks program consists of a curriculum and a trunk of materials, including laboratory equipment, specimens, and kits of specialized materials for educators. While many of the activities can be used in any ecosystem, many are applicable to specific regions.“ (L:G; SA:S)

Original photo by Pat Hensley