|
Historypin - We Are What We Do - Grades 4
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
This is a site created in partnership with Google as a project to help generations share and talk more through social networking. The concept is that young people ask older people to share their photos; these photos are then uploaded through Google maps to show the world as it once was. The older pictures can be compared to today's images through Google street view. In addition to uploading photos, stories can also be shared about the time period and the pictures. Historypin is still in Beta stage; however, there are plans for events throughout the world to launch the site in the near future.
11588
In the Classroom:
Use as an enhancement to research projects of family, historic events, and world cultures by finding and uploading pictures to the map. Use Historypin as a resource to compare and contrast different time periods in the same geographic area. Demonstrate on the interactive whiteboard or projector how different places have changed over time. Have individual students or cooperative learning groups create podcasts using PodOmatic (reviewed here) to go along with the maps. ESL students will appreciate the ability to upload pictures and/or learn about their country of original. |
|
| Debategraph - Thoughtgraph, Ltd. - Grades 9
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Use this decision-making visualization to outline the strongest case currently in a debate. This visualization tool follows the debates to show public transparency in the issues. Click on the bubbles in the graph to expand them into other areas. Hover over areas of the bubble to read information about the topic. Visit the gallery to find all of the possible debates. View all visualizations without logging in. You can find maps using a key (issue, position, supportive/argument, and more). Members can also use this tool to create maps by clicking the “Create map” link. Create a login to be able to rate aspects of the visualizations. Login requires an email address.
11021
In the Classroom:
Use this resource to view various viewpoints and information about topics in the public eye. Use to create subtopics to be investigated in a class debate. Use the process to delve deeper into debates created by the class. Create visualizations using organizational software to help students follow through on all aspects of a debate topic. If you are having students log-in, rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. |
|
| TeachersFirst's Oil Spill Resources - TeachersFirst - Grades 3
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn about oil spills and the short and long term impact on the environment caused by these environmental disasters. As students read and see images of animals, be aware that younger students may have more questions than they can explain.
11443
In the Classroom:
Use these resources together with your class to help students find ways they can contribute to a greater good after such a devastating event spreads across the news. Extend the opportunity to teach about persuasive writing (letters to legislators or the editor), careers in environmental science, and more. |
|
| Lesson Plan: Oil Spill Solutions - TryEngineering.org - Grades 8
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
This classroom simulation of an oil spill encourages students to think about how engineers work to find fast but effective solutions to oil spills. There are PDF student handouts.
11342
In the Classroom:
Introduce the concept by talking about current events such as the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Provide students with the student worksheets. Have the students work through the laboratory, and debrief by having students discussion their answers to questions. Have students relate their solutions to attempts to clean up real life oil spills. Create a class wiki to discuss oil spills and clean-up options. Not comfortable with wikis? Have no wiki worries – check out the Teacher’s First Wiki Walk-Through reviewed here. |
|
| PWSRCAC - PWSRCAC - Grades 0
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Prince William Sound Regional Citizen's Advisory Council provides a free curriculum that is geared toward teaching about oil and oil spills. While this curriculum is about Alaska's Exxon Valdez oil spill, the information would be very helpful in teaching about other oil spills in recent news. It would be a great place to help develop lessons where students compare and contrast two spills, their magnitude and their effects on the environment.
11343
In the Classroom:
Use the whole curriculum in environmental science classes or pick and choose pieces that you want to incorporate into your curriculum. Have students research and understand about oil spills in general using this tool, and then have students expand by comparing and contrasting the Exxon spill to the BP spill in 2010. Have students create Venn Diagrams using a tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram (reviewed here) to compare these two spills or other oil spills. |
|
| An Oily Problem - CSIRO - Double Helix Club - Grades 5
to 10
- permalink -
|
|
Looking for a good way to explain the Gulf oil spill to your students (or any other oil spill of the past or future)? This is a great lab or classroom activity to demonstrate how emulsions work right in the classroom. Materials list, clear instructions, and variations of the activity are all available at this link.
11312
In the Classroom:
Have students do the basic experiment explained on the website. Then ask how this activity could be related to any possible scientific current events. Have students take pictures of the experiment and compare it to pictures of oil on the surface of the water in the Gulf of Mexico (or other locations). Or, show them some photos before they come to the oil spill conclusion to engage them in the "mystery" of the activity. Have a classroom discussion about how oil on water could be a problem for wildlife and the water environment in general. This could be the beginning of an exciting research lesson and potentially a good classroom debate with more mature students. |
|
| Stop Disasters - United Nation/International Strategy for Disaster Reduction - Grades 4
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Through various scenarios, this interactive teaches students how to build safer villages and cities against disasters. Students will learn how using different building locations and construction materials can make a difference between life and death.
11320
In the Classroom:
This site will fit perfectly into any social studies, history, or current events class. Have students explore this site independently or in small groups. If used independently put the site on a classroom computer and use as a center. Use the information section to discuss important events that are happening right now. Use the videos with an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the teaching links to improve your knowledge about natural disasters. Have students use the kid friendly links and fact sheets to create a PSA to inform the public how to prepare for a natural disaster. Challenge students to narrate a picture (of a natural disaster) using a tool such as Voicethread reviewed here. This site will work for all learners because they can choose different levels, languages, and map sizes.
|
|
| Innovations That Rocked the World - Newsweek - Grades 4
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
What innovations have truly changed the world? Newsweek has created a slideshow with their top 15 picks. Each picture includes a short description of the innovation including how it changed the world.
11278
In the Classroom:
Challenge students to predict the 15 innovations before sharing the slideshow on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Assign one of the items to students to research for a class project. Have your students create an interactive online poster ("glog") using Glogster EDU, reviewed here. Debate items left off the list and why they should have been included. What do students predict will be the next 15 innovations to change the world? |
|
| Popular Science - Bonnier Corporation - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Created as the online version of Popular Science magazine, Popsci.com offers a great variety of science articles and authentic science work. Information on science, cars, technology and gadgets are searchable and easy to understand. The "DIY" section offers some wild and possibly adult level challenges that would be fun to consider by students. Be sure to check out the DIY options first, as some are not appropriate for middle school or immature high school students (such as making a flamethrower).
10647
In the Classroom:
Use the gadget portion of the site as a launch for student created machines. Look at some newly created products as a class on the interactive whiteboard or projector, and then have students design their own machine that would be marketable to current buyers or potential future buyers. Have students take a picture of their creation. Challenge students to narrate the picture using a tool such as Voicethread reviewed here. |
|
| Climate Challenge - BBC - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
In this interactive students pretend that they are the president of a European nation. The object of the "game" is to take on climate change and stay popular with voters so they can stay in office. Students have to make decisions on what issues they will support and the local newspaper will let them know how the people are feeling. Students can even buy ads in the local paper to support their cause.
11271
In the Classroom:
This is a great site to help students better understand what is happening with climate change. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. This site is a good way to bring in the topic of climate change and how it is effecting the entire globe. This is also a great way to discuss the topic of political popularity. When students have finished the simulation, have them choose a topic to do more research on. Have them each write a news article and create a class newspaper on climate change. Teachers be sure to check out the Science Behind Climate Change. It provides information and additional links about climate change. |
|
| TodaysMeet - James Socol - Grades 5
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
TeachersFirst Edge entry for ANY technology user. This simple-to-use tool allows anyone with the link to today's discussion to participate in a live chat. A simpler and safer alternative to Twitter or text messaging, this tool allows anyone with the URL for the specific chat stream to join in, using short (140 character) messages. Participants can be in the same room or across the globe, and no membership or log in is required. The only "skill" needed is being able to type! Save a transcript via the link at the bottom of the chat and switch to "projector-friendly" view with one click so a group can follow the chat on screen.
11267
In the Classroom:
Skills needed: No special skills needed except the ability to create a name for your chat and to share the URL with others. Create "room" by giving it a name; decide how long you want it to last; and add a Twitter hashtag (optional). The room name becomes part of the URL. For example, The room called tfedge has URL http://todaysmeet.com/tfedge. Give participants the room URL. They join in simply by entering a name (or initials, to keep it safe) and clicking Join.
Safety/security: Require students to use unidentifiable "names." Set rules about polite chat behavior and do only keep the room active as long as you need it. If students leak the URL to outsiders, simply start a new room! Since no membership is required, this backchannel chat tool is as safe as possible. Make sure parents know what the class is doing so they can support this productive use of technology.
Classroom uses: Use backchannel chat on laptops during a video or student presentations. Pose questions for all to answer/discuss in the backchannel, or ask students to pose their own "I wonder if..." questions as they watch and listen. Keep every student engaged and THINKING as an active listener. The first time you use backchannel, you will want to establish some etiquette and accountability rules, such as respectful language and constructive criticism. Assign students to watch a news program or political show and have a backchannel chat during the broadcast. Revisit the chat on a projector in class the next day or post the chat transcript to a class blog or wiki and have students respond further in blog posts or on the wiki discussion tab. The advantage of backchannel chat is that every student has a voice, no matter how shy.
In world language classes or even autistic support class, have students backchannel descriptions of what they see as classmates act out a scene from a video, using new language vocabulary and/or describing the feelings of the actors. In studying literature, collaborate with another class to have students role-play a chat between two characters or - in history class - between soldiers on two sides of the Civil War or different sides of the Scopes Money trial. Make brevity an impetus for well-focused thoughts and use instantaneous response as an incentive for engagement. |
|
| I Spot a Story - Limor Elkayam, President and CEO - Grades 5
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
See news stories from different angles to build creative flexibility, writing skills, current events knowledge, and more. "I Spot a Story" has the typical newspaper categories to choose from, but what makes this site different are the high interest stories, the link to the original story, different “takes” on the same story, and sometimes a video about the story. You don’t need an account to use this site, but if you have one, you can “add another angle”, which means adding the information for another article or video on the same topic.
11268
In the Classroom:
Assign small groups of students to a category. Have the students choose one of the stories to present, one day a week. Older students could do some background research about the article they are presenting. Students could then present their background research and article to the class using your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students include interactive elements in their presentations. Challenge students to narrate a picture using a tool such as Voicethread reviewed here. Another idea: challenge groups to create an online book using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. At the end of the the week, have the small groups rotate to another category. ESL/Ell teachers can use these stories for vocabulary development and language skills in the context of meaningful events. |
|
| Disaster in the Gulf - Natural Resources Defense Council - Grades 7
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Go below the surface of the ocean to identify and understand the problem of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Use this resource to bring home the fact that only a small amount of oil stays on the surface. Click on the question marks to find information about where the oil has gone and how organisms are affected. Be sure to scroll up and down in the image as there is a lot of information there. Find additional fact sheets, news accounts, and footage of the oil spill disaster and its effects.
9492
In the Classroom:
Have students view the interactive image to obtain basic information. Share the site on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Share information learned from the site with others in class and discuss important points learned. Conduct additional research into effects of oil and the food chain(s) that are being affected. Determine the different types of populations of people affected as well by the disaster and write editorial letters of their viewpoint. Create a conventional or multimedia project that showcases students being these animals or people. Create a Voicethread or Voki to share your information. Student groups can research additional information about specific organisms or problems to report back to the class. |
|
| Prince William Sound: Paradise Lost? - Thinkquest - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Learn about the impact of oil spills, specifically the Exxon-Valdez spill of year 1989. Use this information to compare the impact of this spill to others past and present. The site provides details about the impact on wildlife and longterm effects of the spill. Great for students working on a research project!
11227
In the Classroom:
Use this site as a springboard for discussions about the environmental impact of oil spills and, in a broader sense, of human activity in general. Have student groups explore various aspects of oil spills and report to the class, perhaps sharing visuals form this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. As a class or in groups, collect oil spill information on a class wiki, GlogsterEDU (reviewed here) or good, old-fashioned bulletin board. |
|
| Prince William's Oily Mess: A Tale of Recovery - NOAA - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
"How does an ecosystem recover from a major one-time insult such as an oil spill?" This site provides details about the impact the Exxon-Valdez spill of 1989 on the environment, as well as how the recovery that has occurred in the area. Learn about the impact of oil spills, in general. Use this information to compare the impact of this spill to others past and present.
11228
In the Classroom:
Use this site as a springboard for current events or environmental science discussions about the environmental impact of oil spills and, in a broader sense, of human activity in general. Have student groups explore various aspects of oil spills and report to the class, perhaps sharing visuals form this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. As a class or in groups, collect oil spill information on a class wiki, GlogsterEDU (reviewed here) or good, old-fashioned bulletin board. |
|
| Prince William Sound: An Ecosystem in Transition - NOAA - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Learn about the lasting impact of oil spills and how the environment does and does not recover, specifically from the Exxon-Valdez spill of 1989. Use this information to compare the impact of this spill to others past and present. The site provides details about the impact the spill had on the sound and wildlife, as well as how recovery has progressed over the years.
11229
In the Classroom:
Use this site as a springboard for discussions about the environmental impact of oil spills and, in a broader sense, of human activity in general. Share some of the text portions on a projectir or divide up the site among different student groups. Have student groups explore various aspects of oil spills and report to the class, perhaps sharing visuals from this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Voicethread reviewed here. This site allows users to narrate a picture. Challenge students to find a photo of the oil spill (legally permitted to be reproduced), and then narrate the photo as if it were a news report. |
|
| Oil Spill Lesson Plans and Resources - NOAA - Grades 3
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Learn about the impact of oil spills. Use these lessons and information to compare the impact of spills past and present. The site provides details about cleaning up oil spills, as well as the science of oil dispersal, how to clean animals, and more.
11230
In the Classroom:
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and classroom activities on this site! Be sure to save this site as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on. Students can select different aspects of oil spill cleanup and mitigation and play the role of experts in a mock blog post playing their role. Have students continue their role play by commenting on each other's posts. |
|
| Tracking the Oil Spill in the Gulf - NY Times - Grades 6
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Follow the footprint of the Gulf Oil Spill 2010 in this interactive map. Use this information to compare the impact of this spill to others past and present. The site provides details about mapping the spill, as well as the geographic range the spill has affected.
11231
In the Classroom:
Use this site as a springboard for discussions about the environmental impact of oil spills and, in a broader sense, of human activity in general. Use the map on the interactive whiteboard or projector to show students the physical location of the spill, as well as where the spill has had an immediate impact. For another view of the map, try this resource which allows you to superimpose the area effected onto your home town. |
|
| Oil Spill Crisis Map - - Grades 3
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
Learn about the impact of oil spills, specifically the BP spill of 2010. Use this information to compare the impact of this spill to others past and present. The site provides details about the land, animals and human health that have been negatively affected by the spill - all in map form.
11232
In the Classroom:
Use this site as a springboard for discussions about the environmental impact of oil spills and, in a broader sense, of human activity in general. Have student groups explore various aspects of the map, and report back to the class how the environment, wildlife, and humans in the area were affected. Have students use a tool such as Woices (beta) (reviewed here). This site allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map) where the story takes place.
|
|
| Ifitwasmyhome - Ifitwasmyhome.com - Grades 3
to 12
- permalink -
|
|
This site hosts an interactive map, along with bountiful information about the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010. The interactive map updates daily during the aftermath of the spill, allowing users to chart the gradual growth of the spill in the Gulf Coast. It also allows users to "move the spill" to their hometown, providing a better perspective of how big the spill actually is. The information on the site is mostly specific to this spill, but there are connections to how wildlife has been affected by this and others like it in the past. Note the links on the bottom that host information about other spills, and the dramatic pictures of the wildlife suffering from the sludge. The images are graphic, so use with caution in an elementary classroom where students are apt to react strongly to images of animals suffering.
11221
In the Classroom:
This site and information it hosts are great at capturing two essential skills in Social Studies. To begin with, it's an excellent map reading source, especially to demonstrate regarding map distortions and how they can change the shape of something like a projected oil spill. It also highlights concerns about deep-sea drilling, a heavily contested topic, particularly after the oil spill of 2010. Both government and earth science classrooms could investigate aspects of drilling as real world topics related to the curriculum.
Introduce the site on the interactive whiteboard before allowing cooperative learning groups to explore, giving the teacher a chance to explain how the map works and what kind of information is on the site. Have cooperative learning groups explore the site and summarize important details, such as how people and wildlife are affected by environmental disasters. This would be a great review activity before a debate on deep-sea drilling. Classes can also chart the growth of the spill for a period of days to trace how much it changes, providing evidence for the debate. Government classes could use this and other references as part of a simulation on how the U.S. government reacts to environmental disasters and discussions of related policy issues. Younger students will need assistance reading some of the text-based material. |
|
|
Records 1
to 20 of 352
previous
20 - next
20 - New Search |
