Posts Tagged ‘economics’

“Why Do I Have To Learn Math?”

November 7th, 2011

Hi! It’s Monday, November 7, 2011, and time for Math at ClickSchooling

Recommended Website:
mOtivate – maths enrichment for schools 

Age Range: 11-17 (with parental guidance) 

The University of Cambridge presents this terrific website with downloadable multimedia explorations of how math relates to real life issues such as nutrition, disease, vaccinations, and the economics of heath. The math topics covered include percentages, graphs, probability, equations, contingency tables, tree diagrams and much more! 

When you get to the site you’ll see a description of what’s provided on the site. Click on “Multi-Media Packs” to get to the engaging math activities that answer questions such as: 

  • Is eating bacon sandwiches bad for you (or are the statistics
    misleading)?
  • What are the odds that you test positive for something and the
    test is wrong?
  • How does vaccination work?

Explore these and other health-related questions from a mathematical perspective.

You can also do an in-depth study of “Babylonian Maths” that hone skills in number and place value, multiplication, division, inverses, shape, and symmetry.

If you still want more, click over to the “Cross-Curricular Resources and Projects” section to find correlations between mathematics and art, geography, history, music, science, sports and more. The videos (VCs) in this section don’t work any more, but there are plenty of good suggested activities to stimulate learning over a wide variety of subjects.

Social Sciences Via Free Documentaries!

July 28th, 2011

Hi! It’s Thursday, July 28, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Top Documentary Films

Age Range: Varies

This website offers access to free, high-quality documentaries that you can watch online. This is essentially an archive of links to documentaries housed at other sites such as GoogleVideo, YouTube, etc.

 The content is well-organized making it easy to find and watch educational films covering diverse topics such as:

  • Art & Artists
  • Biography
  • Economics
  • Environment
  • Health
  • History
  • Nature
  • Performing Arts
  • Philosophy
  • Society
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • And Much More!

When you get to the site you’ll see some featured and recommended documentaries. Use the menu tab at the top of the page to browse the documentaries and learn more about the site. You can also purchase documentaries to use offline.

Bookmark this terrific resource to use again and again.

Play the American Budget Game!

May 16th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Monday, May 16, 2011 and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Budget Hero

Age Range: 11 and up (middle/high school with parental supervision)

American Public Media (the largest operator of public radio stations) offers this free, multi-media game that provides a non-partisan, values and fiscal based lens for U.S. citizens to examine budget policies. The idea is to take your game results and use them to start a conversation with your fellow citizens, legislators and policy makers. 

When you get to the site, wait for the game to load and then click on “Get Briefed” to listen to a narration that explains the federal budget and how to play this game. The budget you create will be based upon your values such as:

  • Health and Wellness
  • National Security
  • Economic Stimulus
  • Efficient Government
  • Energy Independence

As you play the game, you get to control where tax dollars go including to:

  • Defense
  • Schools
  • Science
  • Housing
  • Health Care
  • Social Security
  • Paid Interest On Debt

You’ll be able to explore options for:

  • Health Care Reform
  • Troop Withdrawal
  • Transportation

And you’ll see how your budget priorities compare to those of the Obama Administration.

Be careful!  If you spend too much or tax too little – the national debt rises. What will that mean to future generations?

This game reflects the growing deficit and major policy debates occurring in Washington, D.C.  So, in addition to math you’ll cover social studies, economics, and history. 

Note: This site offers an opportunity to join a national conversation with other like-minded citizens who have played the game as well. I did not explore that option and have no recommendation regarding it.  Parents, AS ALWAYS, should preview this website and supervise Internet use.
 

 

Social Science Interactives & More!

March 31st, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, March 31, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
My Wonderful World

Age Range: 6-17 (varies, depending on game/activity)

Did you know that a National Geographic survey showed that half of young Americans can’t locate countries like Japan and India on a map? Twenty percent can’t even find the Pacific Ocean!

My Wonderful World is the official website of a National Geographic campaign to expand kids’ global knowledge. It offers information, games, activities, quizzes, and resources about countries, people, cultures, economics, and environments.

When you get to the site you’ll see a variety of online activities that include learning to read maps, learning about world music, and geocaching (real-life treasure hunts).

There are also science and nature games, crossword puzzles, and world trivia challenges. You can even play children’s games from around the world and learn to speak a foreign language!

All of the resources are right there — with the click of your mouse!

Interactive Economics Games

February 10th, 2011

Hi!  It’s Thursday, February 10, 2011 and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Here are some free, fun, interactive games designed for students of varying ages that teach economics and financial literacy

Recommended Websites:

Mapping Your Future

Age Range: 12-20

This free financial literacy game is designed to help tweens, teens, and college-age students prepare for their futures. The game helps players understand:

  • The Cost of Living
  • Budgeting
  • Difference Between Wants and Needs
  • Importance of Financial Planning
  • Setting Career Goals
  • Value of Higher Education

You can play the game repeatedly choosing different character identities each time, which varies the circumstances, your choices, and the outcome of the game.
 

Economics Jeopardy

Age Range: 9-13 (approximately)

In Economics Jeopardy you can play solo or against your friends and learn about economic principles. This is based on the television game show, “Jeopardy.”
Peanuts & Crackerjacks Baseball

Age Range: 13 and up

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston offers this interactive baseball game that tests your knowledge of economics and pro sports trivia. This game has 9 innings covering all kinds of economic terms, laws, and principles and is very educational.
Econ-o-mania

Age Range: 10 and up (approximately)

In this game, the challenge is to “become the Vice-President of Production in the land of Econ-o-mania.”  To do that, you must create a good or service using available materials. Then you must present your final product through a KidPix slide show, a poster created on the computer or paper, a written proposal, or a finished product. This site offers printable worksheets as students move through each step of the process.

Enjoy!

 

Diane Flynn Keith
for ClickSchooling
http://www.ClickSchooling.com

Open Source Literary Works & Lessons & More (CSAW)

December 1st, 2010

Hi!  It’s Wednesday, December 1st, and time for Language Arts at ClickSchooling!

Recommended Website:
Open Culture

Age Range: All (There’s something for everyone here.)
 
Wow! Wow! Wow! Would you like access to “the best free cultural and educational media on the web”?  Your wish is my command through today’s amazing website. 

OpenCulture.com offers “free, high-quality cultural & educational media for the worldwide lifelong learning community.” You’ll find enriching, intelligent literary and cultural works delivered in a variety of ways to suit every learning style. 

When you get to the website simply use the menu to access a terrific selection of free:

*Audio Books and E-Books – Enjoy fiction and literature, non-fiction, poetry, and get access to an amazing list of audio book podcast websites.

*Online Courses – Take over 250 free courses in Literature, History, Math, Science, Engineering, Economics, Political Science, Philosophy and more.

*Movies – Access free movies online, “intelligent video sites,” “smart YouTube collections,” and university videos.

*Foreign Language Lessons – Learn Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish and more.

You’ll also finding an archive of free resources to learn about Music, Art, Science, Technology, and much, much more!

Developed in 2006, by the Director & Associate Dean of Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program and some terrific techies, this site is dedicated to “bringing relevant, perspective-changing information to large audiences.”

This is a terrific library of resources that you can use again and again. Bookmark it to return often.  Open Culture earns a ClickSchooling Award (CSAW) for excellence in providing free educational content via the World Wide Web.