Archive for the ‘social sciences’ category

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Videos To Help Kids Rethink “Stuff”

October 6th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, October 6, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
PBS: LoopScoops

Age Range: 5-11 (about Grades K-6, with parental supervision)

This website offers a free series of fun 2-minute videos that help kids think about the “Stuff” in their lives, where it comes from, and what it can do to the environment.

When you get to the site just click on the arrow to begin the first video in the series. Then, use the menu to watch all of the videos that include information on:

  • Electronic Gadgets
  • Juice Boxes
  • Magazines
  • Orange Juice
  • Frogs
  • Garbage
  • Happiness
  • Velcro

The videos are designed to get kids thinking about what everyday stuff is made of, where it comes from, and what happens when you throw it away. Feedback is encouraged through a “Tell Us What You Think” form on the website.

Be sure to click on “Learn More” on the horizontal menu at the top of the screen to find more terrific websites designed for kids that use games and activities to teach about the environment, science, social sciences, and more.

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Geography and History Games & Activities

September 29th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, September 29, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Sheppard Software

Age Range: 4-18 (PreK-12 with adult supervision)

This ad-supported website is a ClickSchooling favorite.  And while I’ve featured it before, I want all of our new subscribers to know about this fabulous resource. It’s filled with hundreds of FREE multi-media learning games, activities, videos, articles, and quizzes on every subject for all grade levels including History, Geography, and Social Studies.

When you get to the site, you will see menu icons in the center of the screen. I recommend that you scroll 3/4 down the page (below the icons) to find the activities sorted by grade level including:

*Preschool and Kindergarten – Learn about numbers, colors, shapes, animals, U.S. States, countries, and more.

*Elementary School to Early Middle School – Do activities that teach about math, grammar, geography, science, health, and more.

*Middle School to High School – Discover chemistry, geography, life sciences, and improve vocabulary for the SAT.

*College – Exercise your advance skill level in geography, medical terminology, and challenging brain teasers.

Click on any topic and a new page opens with a menu of activities that relate to that topic. For example, under “Middle School – High School” click on the subject “Geography.”  A new page opens with an assortment of U.S. and World geography games that you can play to boost your knowledge of where places are located in the world.

I also want to draw your attention to a special section called “Kid’s Corner: U.S.A.” You’ll find a great selection of social science activities that include:

  • USA Landmark Puzzles
  • USA Government Games
  • USA Cities and State Word Games
  • USA Regions Games
  • USA History

You’ll want to bookmark this site to return often. Again, all of these activities are available for free on the ad-supported website. For those of you who would prefer to access the site without ads, you can get a family subscription for $36/year and enjoy the activities commercial free.

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History of Chewing Gum!

September 22nd, 2011

Hi! It’s Thursday, September 22, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!
 
Recommended Websites:
See Below

Age Range: 8 and up (with adult supervision)

The following websites present the history of chewing gum and various popular and nostalgic brands. You can even watch video clips that show how gum is manufactured!

CHEWING GUM FACTS

This ad-supported website offers free information about the history of gum from its invention to the modern day manufacturing process. When you get to the site, you can read the history of gum. Then use the horizontal menu at the top of the screen to explore:

*Chewing Gum Facts – Learn about the different types of gum, what happens when you swallow gum, and why chewing gum isn’t allowed in Singapore.

*Chewing Gum History – Find out if prehistoric man chewed gum, discover when bubble gum was invented, explore a chewing gum timeline, and read the biographies of gum inventors.

*Making Chewing Gum – Discover the ingredients used to make gum and watch two short videos that describe how regular gum is made and how bubble gum is manufactured!

WRIGLEY

This website offers the history of gum and information on gum ingredients. Don’t miss “How Gum is Made” – a terrific step-by-step illustration and explanation of the entire gum manufacturing process. And check out some fun facts about Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit and Spearmint gums.

 
I LOVE GUM

This website offers a very brief but fascinating history of chewing gum and nostalgic brands of gum.  When you get to the site use the horizontal menu at the top of the screen to explore:

*The History of Gum – Follow the timeline to learn how a chance encounter lead to an idea that resulted in the start of the giant chewing gum industry! Learn the history of various brands including Dentyne, Chiclets, Bubblicious, and Trident.

*Story of Thomas Adams – Find out how a young photographer became the chairman of the board of the American Chicle Company.

Click on the “I Love Gum” logo in the middle of the menu bar to go back to the home page. There, you can click on the pictures of each stick of gum to learn more about:

  • Beemans – A gum invented in 1879 by Dr. Edward Beeman, a physician.
  • Black Jack – The first flavored chewing gum.
  • Adams Sours – This fruit-flavored sour chewing gum debuted in 1965.

Return to the menu at the top of the page to learn more about Cadbury Adams USA, one of the manufacturers of the nostalgic gum brands.

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Social Studies Through Inventions!

September 15th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, September 15, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
The Great Idea Finder

Age Range: 8-18 (with parental guidance)

This website was created by an Internet consulting company to inspire the “inventor” in everyone. It showcases the history of remarkable inventions, inventors, and great ideas throughout time.

When you get to the site click on “Enter” and a new page opens. In the center of the screen you’ll see some features. Use the vertical menu on the left side of the page to access:

*First Time Visitor – Get an indexed overview of what you’ll find on this content-rich website that features innovation information about the past, present, and future.
 
*History Facts & Myths – Explore an incredible archive of history’s most interesting inventions and the stories behind them including the Abacus, Car, Coca-Cola, Frisbee, Hair Dryer, Internet, Jell-O, Liquid Paper, Microwave Oven, Post-It Notes, Slinky, and many more. Each invention includes a bibliography for further reading as well as links to more sources of info on the Internet. Plus, you’ll find:

  • Inventor Biography – Read the biographies of notable inventors such as Steve Jobs (Apple Computer), Ed Johnson (Christmas Lights), Harvey Ball (Smiley Face), Alfred Butts (Scrabble), and many more.
  • Innovation Timeline – Search any era in history (from ancient BC to the modern 21st Century) to learn about the innovations that occurred during that time period. Includes photographs, quotations, and resources for further learning.
  • Innovation Games & Trivia – Don’t be afraid to take this test BEFORE you explore the site. The questions are intriguing, so if you don’t know the answers and your curiosity gets the better of you — find out instantly by clicking the “answer” button. A great way to introduce the topic of invention and segue to a history lesson. :)

*Idea Showcase – The point of innovation is to improve the quality of life.  That said, inventors like making income by selling their inventions. In this section you can check out award-winning inventions and purchase them as well.  

*Features – Find out how many inventions were the result of an accident. See how inventors improve upon the inventions of others to “build a better mousetrap.” Check out inventions that changed civilization and had an enduring effect on the world.

*Resource Center – Find resources for further learning and investigation including websites, books, movies, and a listing of contests, competitions, experiments, and projects for the young inventor.  (Some are available for free, others for a fee.) Find resources for invention mentors too.

*History Articles – Read in-depth articles on historical innovations, inventors, pioneers, and entrepreneurs. Find out about the Patent Act of 1790 and explore some patents that have become products.

Students will need good reading skills to explore this site independently, and non-readers of all ages will enjoy the pictures  and information with assistance.

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Free Elephant Science Curricula & Activities!

September 6th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Tuesday, September 6, 2011 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Elephants.com

Age Range: 5-13 (Grades K-8)

This website is an online companion for the real world “Elephant Sanctuary” in Tennessee and provides free curricula and learning activities that include science, social sciences, math, literature and more! 

As the website explains, the Elephant Sanctuary “is the nation’s largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for endangered African and Asian elephants. It operates on 2,700 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee. The Elephant Sanctuary exists for two reasons:

1) To provide a haven for old, sick or needy elephants in a setting of green pastures, old-growth forests, spring-fed ponds and a heated barn for cold winter nights.

2) To provide education about the crisis facing these social, sensitive, passionately intense, playful, complex, exceedingly intelligent and endangered creatures.”

When you get to the site, just click on the download buttons for:

*Curriculum for Grades K-3 – Enjoy 39 pages of elephant information and fun educational activities.

*Curriculum for Grades 4-8 – Get 76 pages of cross-curricular learning activities including math, science, social studies, literature, and more.

Both of the printable curricula provide information about elephants along with dot-to-dot activities, mazes, word searches, puzzles, graphs, quizzes, and more. 

Be sure to explore the rest of the site that includes bios and videos of the elephants who live at the sanctuary. Meet the staff and veterinarians, explore their research, find out
about volunteer opportunities (if you live in the area), sign up to receive the newsletter and much, much more!

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Instructables – How To Do Anything!

August 25th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, August 25, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Instructables

Age Range: 10 and up (with parental supervision)

A Wisconsin ClickScholar recommended this ad-supported website that contains thousands of videos explaining and showing how to do a wide variety of things from cooking to building robots and much more.

As the website explains, “Instructables is a web-based documentation platform where passionate people share what they do and how they do it, and learn from and collaborate with others. The seeds of Instructables germinated at the MIT Media Lab as the future founders of Squid Labs built places to share their projects and help others.”

While this is not technically a “kids” site, with parental guidance kids can have a blast and learn plenty of important life and career skills. For example, check out the “Weekend Lego Projects.”

And there’s so much more! When you get to the home page you’ll see a menu of tabbed topics that include:

*Food – Learn to cook including grilling, cake decorating, canning and preserving, and much more!

*Living – Discover how to tie-dye, make an oil cap belt buckle, make frozen dog treats, tie a Windsor Knot, and more!

*Outside – Get camping tips, learn how to repair your bicycle, find out how to do a heel-flip on your skateboard.

*Play – Make a potato chip bag wallet, innovate with Legos, make a paper airplane and more!

*Technology – Make a simple motor, make a computer generated angel’s wing, learn how to solder, and more!

*Workshop – Restore furniture, compost, enjoy metal working, and more!

This is a terrific resource you can refer to again and again.  Bookmark it to return often!

NOTE: Parents, as always, should preview the site to determine suitability of content and supervise all Internet use.

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