Carpe Diem!
Category Archives: Curriculum Resources
2014 Young Scientist Challenge …A Wonderful Opportunity for Students
As we aim to Share the Good in Education, the 2014 Young Scientist Challenge is a wonderful opporuntity for students to experience the FUN that the field of science has to offer.
We highly recommend the contest and have shared Discovery Education’s post on the 2014 Young Scientest Challenge below…happy exploring!
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things~
Denise
Posted on December 19, 2013 by Discovery Education
THE COMPETITION IS ON
“So you think you’re a problem-solver? Great! Then you have what it takes for our 2014 Young Scientist Challenge.
Here are the basics: Everyday life is full of everyday issues, and our science for middle school challenge is looking for innovative solutions from students in grades 5–8. From helmets that detect concussions to using solar energy for water purification, past contenders have dreamed up answers and ideas that change the way we live.
So what sets the Young Scientist Challenge apart from other science for middle school competitions? It has the power to change lives – including your own. Ten national Young Scientist Challenge finalists earn exclusive summer mentorships with a 3M scientist, where they can work together on special assignments and explore a career in science. This also get the chance to turn their ideas into inventions that will help others. HOW? One lucky student will even win $25,000 and a once-in-a-lifetime trip with Discovery Student Adventures.
Ready to enter? Start by checking out the video competition topic for this year’s Young Scientist Challenge.”
Visit the website below for additional information:
Filed under Curriculum Resources
Great Websites to Use in the Classroom to Make this Past Week Memorable for Kids
Discovery Education Lesson Plans on Biomes: Wild Arctic
Students will
- learn key terms, including food web, zooplankton, and sea ice;
- discuss Arctic plants and animals;
- devise at least three Arctic food chains; and
- help create a food web showing connections among Arctic life.
Click on the link below for further details and allow Discovery Education to help make the weather many students have had an opportunity to experience more memorable. Correlations can be made to weather temps and material can be used as writing prompts for all ages.
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/biomes-wild-arctic.cfm
Great Lesson Plans on Polar Bears
Units and Lesson Plans on Biodiversity, Climate Connections and exciting Tundra Webcasts.
Click below and visit this educational site chuck full of great information!
http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/for-teachers/units-and-lessons
Weather Wizkids
Great weather website for all grades.
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/
Reports coming in are stating that we have not experienced weather temperatures this low in over 20 years. What a wonderful teaching moment we have…
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things~
Denise
Filed under Curriculum Resources
Grant Funding Opprotuntiies for PreK-12 Schools via GetedFunding.com
Supplement Your Stretched Budget
GetEdFunding is CDW-G’s new website to help educators and institutions find the funds they need to supplement already stretched budgets. GetEdFunding is a free and fresh resource, which hosts a collection of more than 1,400 grants and other funding opportunities culled from federal, state, regional and community sources and available to public and private, preK–12 educators, schools and districts, higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations that work with them. The site offers customized searches by six criteria, including 41 areas of focus, eight content areas and any of the 21st century themes and skills that support your curriculum. Once you are registered on the site, you can save the grants of greatest interest and then return to read about them at any time.
Filed under Curriculum Resources
Great Summer Sites to Utilize for Learning Recommended by MACUL
Hello Everyone,
Below are some great sites to utilize for summer learning!
Engage Your Child in Active Summer Reading
Gobstopper is a free tool for assigning,aonitoring and leveraging summer reading in the classroom. As students read, they will see questions and get feedback, and they can stay motivated by earning badges. Teachers can use the tool to assign books, check on students’ progress throughout the summer and even benchmark data on students’ mastery of Common Core Standards before the start of the new school year. The tool can be used on all devices that have a browser and Internet access.
Challenge Children to Find the Location
GeoSettr helps you create your own GeoGuessr games. When you visit GeoSettr, you will see two screens: the one on the left displays a map with a Pegman; the one on the right, the Street View imagery for the Pegman’s current location. Move the Pegman around, and zoom in if you like, until you find the location that you want students to guess. When you’ve chosen the location, click “set round” to save the location. After you’ve set five rounds (locations), your game is assigned a URL that you can distribute to students. When they play your GeoSettr game, students use the visual clues in the Street View imagery to guess the location. After making a guess, students see the correct location and its distance from their guess.
Let Your Fingers Do the Hiking
Fotonauts’ free Fotopedia National Parks app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch lets users explore all 58 National Parks in the United States—from Acadia to Zion, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park—a journey that would require several years. Users will first discover the diversity of the national parks through a selected set of 1,500 photos; then they can dive into specific parks to find even more photos. The collection includes 3,000 stunning photos by the renowned professional photographer QT Luong, along with photo-stories based on the images of the national parks. In addition, each image is linked to a related Wikipedia entry. The app is available in 10 languages.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fotopedia-national-parks/id406969208
See It in 3-D
AndAR Model Viewer is a free Android app that is capable of displaying 3-D models on Augmented Reality markers. The goal is to help young students better understand the differences between shapes such as cones, cubes and squares, a Common Core math requirement. It helps build students’ spatial reasoning—they can zoom in on these objects and interact with them in the virtual space—and it gives students an understanding of what these objects look like in real life.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.dhbw.andarmodelviewer&hl=en
See Mathematics in Action
The National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) opened in New York City in 2013. The museum’s exhibits and programs aim to stimulate inquiry, spark curiosity and reveal the wonders of mathematics. As part of its commitment to provide engaging, interactive mathematical experiences, MoMath has created Math Midway, a hands-on traveling exhibition that highlights the engaging and playful nature of mathematics. The Math Midway is making appearances at science and technology centers across the country.
Assemble a Geometric Paper Torso
Australian architect and paper artist Horst Kiechle recently constructed a geometric paper torso complete with modular organs, including lungs, intestines, kidneys, pancreas stomach and more. The piece was made for the Science Lab of the International School Nadi, Fiji. On completion of the model, Kiechle launched an extensive website with free downloadable templates you can print and assemble, along with photographed step-by-step instructions for every piece.
http://torso.amorphous-constructions.com/
Explore the Himalayan Glaciers
GlacierWorks, Microsoft and mountaineer/filmmaker David Breashears have collaborated to develop Everest: Rivers of Ice, a new interactive site that takes visitors on a virtual trek to Mount Everest base camp. Virtual travelers make eight stops along the way to base camp. At each stop, they can explore panoramic images of valleys and glaciers. After completing the virtual trek, they can compare the size of Himalayan glaciers in the 1920s to the size of those same glaciers today. GlacierWorks’ mission is to document, educate and raise awareness about changes to the glaciers in the Greater Himalaya through art, science and exploration.
http://www.glacierworks.org/home/
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things~
Denise
Filed under Curriculum Resources
Some Great Science Sites just Discovered to Utilize in the Classroom or at Home
Science News for Kids
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/
Explore: Atoms and Forces, Earth and Sky, Humans and Health, Life, Tech and Math
On this site, they also provide great problem-solving tips too under the “extra” button.
Science for Kids
Science topics: Animals, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Space and Weather
This site also lists many fun science experiment ideas.
Science for Kids…Explore student activity books and science teaching guides for grades K–8
USDA Agricultural Research Service~SCI4Kids
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/
Offers news about plants, animals, and other life science issues. Also includes pop quizzes, and pictures. Site is available in Spanish.
As teachers, administrators, students and parents are all working on finding the 2012-13 school year groove, we would love to hear about some great sites you have discovered.
When we all come together for the common good, amazing things can happen!
May we all continue to seek knowledge in all things~
Denise
100 Positive Comments to Utilize when Referencing Student Behavior
100 Positive Student Comments to Utilize with Parents
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev148.shtml (Jan. 23, 2012)
Recommended by Jen J., a third grade teacher in Michigan.
The student:
- is an enthusiastic learner who seems to enjoy school
- exhibits a positive outlook and attitude in the classroom
- appears well rested and ready for each day’s activities
- shows enthusiasm for classroom activities
- shows initiative and looks for new ways to get involved
- uses instincts to deal with matters independently and in a positive way
- strives to reach his (or her) full potential
- is committed to doing his (or her) best
- seeks new challenges
- takes responsibility for his (or her) learning
Behavior
The student:
- cooperates consistently with the teacher and other students
- transitions easily between classroom activities without distraction
- is courteous and shows good manners in the classroom
- follows classroom rules
- conducts himself (or herself) with maturity
- responds appropriately when corrected
- remains focused on the activity at hand
- resists the urge to be distracted by other students
- is kind and helpful to everyone in the classroom
- sets an example of excellence in behavior and cooperation
Character
The student:
- shows respect for teachers and peers
- treats school property and the belongings of others with care and respect
- is honest and trustworthy in dealings with others
- displays good citizenship by assisting other students
- joins in school community projects
- is concerned about the feelings of peers
- faithfully performs classroom tasks
- can be depended on to do what he (or she) is asked to do
- seeks responsibilities and follows through
- is thoughtful in interactions with others
The student:
- has a well-developed vocabulary
- chooses words with care
- expresses ideas clearly, both verbally and through writing
- has a vibrant imagination and excels in creative writing
- has found his (or her) voice through poetry writing
- uses vivid language in writing
- writes clearly and with purpose
- writes with depth and insight
- can make a logical and persuasive argument
- listens to the comments and ideas of others without interrupting
The student:
- offers constructive suggestions to peers to enhance their work
- accepts the recommendations of peers and acts on them when appropriate
- is sensitive to the thoughts and opinions of others in the group
- takes on various roles in the work group as needed or assigned
- welcomes leadership roles in groups
- shows fairness in distributing group tasks
- plans and carries out group activities carefully
- works democratically with peers
- encourages other members of the group
- helps to keep the work group focused and on task
Interests and Talents
The student:
- has a well-developed sense of humor
- holds many varied interests
- has a keen interest that has been shared with the class
- displays and talks about personal items from home when they relate to topics of study
- provides background knowledge about topics of particular interest to him (or her)
- has an impressive understanding and depth of knowledge about his (or her) interests
- seeks additional information independently about classroom topics that pique interest
- reads extensively for enjoyment
- frequently discusses concepts about which he (or she) has read
- is a gifted performer
- is a talented artist
- has a flair for dramatic reading and acting
- enjoys sharing his (or her) musical talent with the class
Participation
The student:
- listens attentively to the responses of others
- follows directions
- takes an active role in discussions
- enhances group discussion through insightful comments
- shares personal experiences and opinions with peers
- responds to what has been read or discussed in class and as homework
- asks for clarification when needed
- regularly volunteers to assist in classroom activities
- remains an active learner throughout the school day
The student:
- makes friends quickly in the classroom
- is well-liked by classmates
- handles disagreements with peers appropriately
- treats other students with fairness and understanding
- is a valued member of the class
- has compassion for peers and others
- seems comfortable in new situations
- enjoys conversation with friends during free periods
- chooses to spend free time with friends
The student:
- tackles classroom assignments, tasks, and group work in an organized manner
- uses class time wisely
- arrives on time for school (and/or class) every day
- is well-prepared for class each day
- works at an appropriate pace, neither too quickly or slowly
- completes assignments in the time allotted
- paces work on long-term assignments
- sets achievable goals with respect to time
- completes make-up work in a timely fashion
Work Habits
The student:
- is a conscientious, hard-working student
- works independently
- is a self-motivated student
- consistently completes homework assignments
- puts his (or her) best effort into homework assignments
- exceeds expectations with the quality of his (or her) work
- readily grasps new concepts and ideas
- generates neat and careful work
- checks work thoroughly before submitting it
- stays on task with little supervision
- displays self-discipline
- avoids careless errors through attention to detail
- uses free minutes of class time constructively
- creates impressive home projects
Positive words go a long way in educating a child and building relationships. When we create positive school and classroom environments, the learning experience is enhanced.
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,
Denise
Filed under Curriculum Resources
Suggested Summer Reading for Teachers and those who Play a Role in the Life of a Child
Having written my thesis on phonics, I found this book a good and reflective read. I am still a believer in the importance of phonics in the classroom and at home but I am and feel we as educators must be, open to others views and opinions. I learned a lot from this book and highly recommend it for your summer “must read” list.
“The Great Reading Disaster: Reclaiming Our Educational Birthright” by Mona McNee and Alice Coleman
Amazon’s Book Description:
“By the late 1980s half the nation’s children were receiving eleven years of progressivism schooling that failed to give them even the elementary basis of education that was completed by the age of seven in earlier days. This great reading disaster was caused by the ?look?say? method of teaching, which presented whole words not individual letters. This book explains the causes and provides the solution to this problem. In 2006, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has ordered schools to use the phonic method but there seems little evidence that its implications are properly understood or that any serious re-training program for teachers is being put in place. The authors believe their explanations and recommendations in this book are thus needed just as much as ever.”
The next book is an excellent read and has sat in my office on my book shelve for a couple of years now. I have lent it out many times now in hopes that it might inspire those who read it to refuse to give into the easy path and CHOOSE to be the difference in the life of our children…our future! Our Unlock the Teacher team has talked on this before on how we feel ALL children are capable of learning. I know many have heard me tell the story of when I taught in the city and I was told that my students could not or would never understand Shakespeare, so I should not waste my time. Well, not only did my 8th grade English/Literature students learn all about Shakespeare, The Tempest became one of their favorite reads that year. Much of how our students respond in our classrooms or buildings depends most on how we choose to approach our environment and communicate learning expectations. I highly recommend this book for all educational staff and parents too!
Amazon’s Book Description:
Dumbing Down Our Kids is a searing indictment of America’s secondary schools one that every parent and teacher should read.
Dumbing Down Our Kids offers a full-scale investigation of the new educational fad, sometimes called “Outcome Based Education” the latest in a long series of “reforms” that has eroded our schools.
-Why our kids rank to, or at the bottom of international tests in math and science
-Why “self-esteem” has supplanted grades and genuine achievements
-How the educational establishment lowers standards and quality in our schools-while continuing to raise their budgets and our school taxes
-The dumbing down of the curriculum so everyone can pass-but no one excel
-How parents, students, and teachers can evaluate schools and restore quality learning.
If you have a good book to recommend or your staff has chosen a book to read as a team, please share and together we can learn from each other. It is in the collaborative process that we will make a difference for our children of today and the future of tomorrow.
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,
Denise
Happy 4th of July
I want to wish everyone a blessed and safe 4th of July!
Time with those we love and hold dear are like quick passing moments…we must cherish each one!
May we continue to seek the good~
Denise
Filed under Curriculum Resources
Unlock the Teacher 