Posts Tagged ‘technology’

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Stossel in the Classroom Resource

July 2nd, 2022

It’s Saturday, July 2, 2022, and time for Other Electives at ClickSchooling!

Free DVDs – Stossel in the Classroom

(stosselintheclassroom.org/shop/)

Grades 6 & up (middle school – college level), with parental supervision

A big THANK YOU to ClickScholar Nancy Hogan for recommending this website “Stossel in the classroom.” Sponsored by the Center for Independent Thought (a non-profit educational foundation) it has produced a free DVD each school year that is a compilation of John Stossel’s television programs and specials, along with a teacher guide with lesson plans and ideas for complementary activities. Though they have discontinued their DVDs to focus on streaming videos and other online content, you can still order some of their past editions, and they’re still 100% free, shipping included.

When you get to the site you’ll learn how to register (free) to get past edition DVDs, as well as an accompanying downloadable “Teacher’s Guide” containing lesson plans, activity suggestions, handouts, and vocabulary.

In addition to getting the free DVD and resources, you can use the menu at the top of the home page to watch streaming videos from Stossel on thought-provoking topics in the “Video Library”. These videos cover a variety of categories including business, college, consumer issues, healthcare, law, privacy, and more. You can also search the videos by subject including:

  • Business
  • Government
  • Science
  • Technology
  • Economics
  • Health
  • Physical Education
  • Personal Finance
  • History
  • and much more!

Again, all of this is provided for FREE – they simply request that you send them your feedback on the website and products to share with fellow teachers/educators.

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Posted in economics

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Explore the National Geographic Resource Library!

June 23rd, 2022

It’s Thursday, June 23, 2022, and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

National Geographic Education Website!

(education.nationalgeographic.org/?q=&page[number]=1&page[size]=25)

Grades K-12, with parental supervision

A Maryland ClickScholar tipped me off to this National Geographic’s education website.

It offers an expanded and updated library of popular, free, multimedia education content that brings geography, science, social studies, and technology to life for educators, learners, and their families.

When you get to the site, you’ll see the featured resources that include:

  • Resource Library – Every subject is worth exploring. From science and geography to human culture and history—there’s a world of knowledge waiting to be uncovered.
  • Learn Anywhere – No matter where you are learning, we offer a space to connect with our community, share strategies, lesson plans, education guides, and offer encouragement and inspiration!
  • Education Blog – Explore inquiry-based ideas, lessons, and stories. Learn from other Explorers, educators, and young people. Join #GenGeo, our next generation of Explorers.
  • MapMaker Interactive – Create and view interactive maps.
  • Black Line Maps – Customize maps to download, print, or share.

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Posted in social sciences

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Math in the Movies!

June 13th, 2022

It’s Monday, June 13, 2022, and time for Math at ClickSchooling!

MathBits.com: Math and the Movies

(www.mathbits.com/MathBits/MathMovies/MathMovies.htm)

Grades 6-12, with parental guidance

Want to make math fun? If you’re willing to do a bit of prep work at the audio-visual department of your local library or on Netflix (or whatever movie provider you use), you and your kids will be rewarded with some really fun math explorations.

This website offers free math activities and worksheets based on short scenes or clips from movies and television shows that present mathematical content (not watered-down content) in a variety of educational styles. As explained at the website, the clips fall into two main categories:

1) Clips that demonstrate the actual mathematics at work, such as seeing Abbott and Costello describe how 28 divided by 7 is 13.

2) Clips that are used as a hook or humorous introduction to a topic, such as watching Lucy and Ethel wrapping chocolates on a conveyor belt prior to solving problems relating to conveyor belts and sequences.

You’ll find movie and TV clips that help demonstrate or introduce everything from pre-algebra to calculus. And then, you follow up by doing the exercises on the free worksheets. When you get to the site read the introduction and then use the menu at the top of the page to access:

Part 1 – Contains movie clip descriptions and free, printable math worksheets for movie and TV titles such as:

  • Star Wars – Episode I, The Phantom Menace
  • Star Trek – The Original Series: The Trouble With Tribbles
  • The Matrix Revolutions
  • Die Hard with a Vengeance
  • October Sky
  • Stand and Deliver
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
  • ~ And More!

Part 2 – Contains movie clip descriptions and free, printable math worksheets for movie titles such as:

  • Little Big League
  • Wall-E
  • Father of the Bride
  • Pirates of Penzance
  • Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote – “Hot Rod and Reel”
  • The Simpsons: Bart, the Genius
  • Shrek the Third
  • ~ And More!

Note: The movie ratings run the gamut from G to R, so AS ALWAYS, PARENTS SHOULD PREVIEW MATERIAL TO DETERMINE SUITABILITY OF CONTENT.

This is a great way to use technology and pop culture to engage older students in the fun of mathematics.

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Language Learning Made Fun!

May 28th, 2022

It’s Saturday, May 28, 2022, and time for Music at ClickSchooling!

Duolingo

(www.duolingo.com/)

Grades 5-adult, with parental supervision

This free website for language learning uses fun interactive technology to learn and practice a foreign language.

When arriving at the link, select the language you would like to learn. Available languages include:

  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Korean
  • and so many more!

After selecting your language, you are able to choose to begin with “Basics” or take a short placement test if you are already familiar with the language. Interactive lessons include vocabulary, grammar, and more. Be sure to have your sound on. There are hundreds of lessons broken down to focus on specific language skills. You need to complete certain skills to open new skill/lesson levels.

In order for your lessons to be tracked (and to continue very far into the lessons) you will need to create a free profile. Once you have created your profile you can review words learned, practice with flashcards, check your activity on the program, and more. There is a language discussion board available so parents will want to monitor their students if they do not want them to participate in the board. While working through the lessons, students earn lingots, the Duolingo virtual currency. Lingots can be used in the virtual store for things such as a “Heart Refill” which “allows you to regain one heart lost during a lesson”, “Streak Freeze” which allows your activity “streak to remain in place for one full day of inactivity”, and more program-related bonuses.

From the website:

“In a recent independent study, professors from the City University of New York (CUNY) and the University of South Carolina found that when using Duolingo for 34 hours, students learn the equivalent of one university semester of language instruction.”

And this program is also available as a free app so you can take learning on the go. Learning a new language can be fun using this website that appeals to different learning methods.

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Posted in music

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Examine Bugs with the Bugscope!

May 17th, 2022

It’s Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Bugscope

(bugscope.beckman.illinois.edu/)

Grades K-12, with parental supervision

This website, sponsored by the Imaging Technology Group at the University of Illinois, was conceived to allow K–12 students to interactively view bugs under a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) over the web for free.

Students collect some bugs and mail them to the scientists at Bugscope who prepare the insect specimens for viewing through the electron microscope. Then, a session is scheduled for students to view their specimens and discuss what they see with the Bugscope scientists — all from a regular web browser over a standard broadband internet connection.

You can schedule a session, or simply follow along as a guest whenever a group is having a session. (In that case, simply login as a guest, no password is required.)

When you get to the website, you’ll see information about Bugscope along with a list of “Upcoming Sessions.” At the time we reviewed this review, there was a Homeschool Group scheduled. So, homeschool groups are definitely welcome to participate.

To better understand this website and what it provides, it’s helpful to “Take the Tour” – you’ll find a link for it at the bottom of the home page. Use the menu at the top of the page to sign up to participate, access a microscope tutorial, read the F.A.Q.s., and browse the Archives: Every session is archived at the site and includes a transcription of the presentation and still images of student-submitted bugs as seen through the electron microscope. When you go to this page, just click on one of the markers on the map, and a new page opens with the full session that was provided to a classroom or other group of students.

This is a remarkable resource and would make a great Homeschool Support Group science project.

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The Amazing History of Transatlantic Communication

March 31st, 2022

It’s Thursday, March 31, 2022, and time for Social Sciences at ClickSchooling!

Transatlantic Cable Communications

(epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/205/301/ic/cdc/cable/contents.htm)

Grades 3-12, with parental supervision

Today’s website explores Canada’s historic part in transatlantic communications. You can hear the story of the official first transatlantic cable message (Queen Victoria to President Buchanan), as well as listen in on bits of history such as the distress call from the Titanic!

When you get to the archived site you will see a menu that includes:

  • Introduction – Get a brief overview of the history of the electric telegraph and why the locations of Canso and Hazel Hill on the Atlantic coast of Canada were critical to utilizing this technology.

  • Science – Learn about the invention of the telegraph and how the resin from the Gutta-Percha tree provided just the right properties for suitable insulation to waterproof underwater cables. Explore the science of telegraphy and discover Morse Code. Virtually examine the parts of a telegraph machine. Find out about other great inventions that were a result of the “Cable Era.”

  • History – Read an in-depth history of telegraphy and its socio-economic impact. Find out what the life of a telegrapher was like, and listen to some of the famous messages sent and received via telegraph – including the distress message of the ill-fated ship, Titanic.

  • Media Gallery – See photographs, watch video clips, and visit the sound studio to explore telegraphy.

  • Resource Center – Take a multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge of telegraphy, print out a fun telegraphy-themed word-search puzzle, and discover more links to Internet resources on telegraphy.

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Posted in social sciences

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