Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 4/7/2023

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

Reasonable Colors - “is an open-source color system for building accessible, nice-looking color palettes. (L:G; SA:A)

Quick and Easy Ways to Remove Image Backgrounds - “Removing the background from an image is a good way to protect your privacy and that of people who might unintentionally be in the background of your pictures. Remove image backgrounds is also a good way to get a stand-alone image of yourself to then place in front of a different background.” (L:G; SA:A)

How to Make a Rainbow - “We often see beautiful rainbows during or right after a rain storm, but did you know that you can make your very own rainbow at home? Join Jessi and Squeaks to learn how! “ (L:E; SA:S)

Custom Eye Chart Maker - “This tool lets you make your own custom eye chart, just like the ones the eye doctors use.” (L:G; SA:A)

GZM Shows Podcasts - “Peabody Award-winning Gen-Z Media creates and produces innovative audio programming for an all-ages audience. We’re all about families, friends and classrooms listening together and connecting over great stories.” (L:T; SA:A)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

March 2023 Photo A Day Project

I’m still enjoying my Photo a Day project on Flickr. I find it helpful to look at other people’s photos and see what I like about them, what makes them stand out to me, and the composition of the photo. I believe these will help me take better photos.

Here are my photos from March:

 

Scrapbook Pages from March 2023

Digital scrapbooking is a great activity to use in the classroom. It can be used to capture memories, share important information, or focus on a specific event. This would be a great alternate activity for book reports and even group projects. Here are some examples that I made in March. I use the website Gingerscraps for ideas and even free digital kits. 

Do you do Digital Scrapbooking in your classroom? If so, please share! 

Sensing a Sand Crisis

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In Sensing a Sand Crisis, Rushton features a video that talks about the looming sand crisis.

Rushton gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“Think about other often-discussed problems. Is there a disconnect between how some problems are normally described and what the issues actually are? In effect, can overly simple descriptions create more complex problems?

Have you ever tried to explain something to someone, been surprised when that person became angry, and then realized that the person didn’t understand what you meant because you hadn’t provided enough detail? Is that different, in terms of communication, than the situation with sand?”

I never thought about how much we take sand for granted. I tend to think of sand as never-ending and not as a resource that could be in crisis. This had me looking at other things I take for granted. It would interesting for students to list other things that we don’t think about ever losing but could be a resource in crisis.

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

2023 Goals Review for March

I had a productive month of March. I increased my exercise and got a lot of things done. We had a surprise visit from our niece Deanna, and then we drove to Orlando to see her daughter Kaeli in a college softball tournament. When we got back, we started packing for our return to SC.

1. Learn something new. - I learned Tunisian crochet to make a couple of dishcloths. I’m still practicing my watercolor painting and my ukulele.

2. Knit at least 1 sweater - I’m almost finished with my sweater. (Collins Tee)

3. Yarn - more out than in (use more yardage than I buy) – no yarn bought! I finished 2 more projects: Cabled charity hat and a gnome (Gnedward of Grimblewood)
● Yarn used - 2382 yds.
● -Yarn bought - 0

3. Complete a shawl - I finished my Shawlography shawl

4. Try 4 new recipes. - I didn’t try anything new in March.

5. Stretch regularly (at least 20 days out of the month) - I did these 22 days in March

6. Create at least 2 scrapbook pages each month. - Made 10 pages for March. (Total - 30)

7. Participate in the Photo a Day challenge – Love looking at other people’s photos too.

8. Read the Bible every day. - yes

9. Read 100 books - Read 14 books in January, 2 books in February, 7 books in March,

10. Read 12 nonfiction books. – 3 so far.

- Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today by Valerie Bertinelli

- Prince William: The Man Who Will Be King by Penny Junor

- I Still Believe: A Memoir by Jeremy Camp

What are your goals for this year? Please share.