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This blog is a series of technology tips for educators. These tips provide ideas for learning, teaching, and using digital skills. The content varies so that the tips can be designed for you ... new teacher or experienced, technophobe or “cutting edge”… or somewhere in the middle. I hope you enjoy reading these tips and, especially, that you find some new, useful ideas. I would love to hear your ideas!
If your passion is elections (USA), polls, or statistics, then this site will most likely interest you!
Here’s an example of what the folks behind the site do…
"The basic process for computing our Presidential projections consists of six steps: 1. Polling Average: Aggregate polling data, and weight it according to our reliability scores. 2. Trend Adjustment: Adjust the polling data for current trends. 3. Regression: Analyze demographic data in each state by means of regression analysis. 4. Snapshot: Combine the polling data with the regression analysis to produce an electoral snapshot. This is our estimate of what would happen if the election were held today. 5. Projection: Translate the snapshot into a projection of what will happen in November, by allocating out undecided voters and applying a discount to current polling leads based on historical trends. 6. Simulation: Simulate our results 10,000 times based on the results of the projection to account for the uncertainty in our estimates. The end result is a robust probabilistic assessment of what will happen in each state as well as in the nation as a whole."
David Moursund’s IAE-pedia (http://iae-pedia.org/Main_Page) provides a variety of resources for educators. I’ll list a few of them here, but you’ll want to visit the site to see more.
A List of Five-Minute Workshops (short videos) topics include Second Life, Google Docs, PowerPoint, the last day of class, embedding resources in wikis, eClips, virtual office hours, a vision of students today, learning styles, podcasting
Creating short hybrid videos (slides with voice-overs) short hybrid videos might be described as a subset of a project page or of a curriculum page unit
PBL (Project-Based Learning) good instruction and resources are available
MathNEXUS good resources for mathematics education dedicated to increasing achievement, especially with a diverse population new resources are added weekly for…
Problem of the Week
Quote of the Week
Statistic of the Week
Website of the Week
Math Person of the Week
Resource of the Week
Golden Oldie of the Week
Calendar: Events and Birthdays
Note: don’t skip this section as just another “problem of the week”… these are really good!
Mathematics Illuminated is an interesting series about key themes in mathematics. The content is geared for adults, including high school teachers. As I examined the series, I also found sections that can be used effectively by middle school teachers. I would have loved to have this series available when I was teaching mathematics!The goals for those participating in the course are that they:
"recognize the fundamental role of mathematics in all intellectual and artistic pursuits"
"appreciate that mathematics can help us illuminate, define, and predict the world around us"
"develop a better understanding of the nature of mathematics"
Units in the series include primes, combinatorics, infinity, topology, symmetry, geometry, game theory, networks, and chaos. Learning is accomplished with videos, online textbooks, interactive web activities, and group and individual activities. The videos provide historical background for the concepts, interviews with experts, animations that explain the concepts, and real-world applications of the concepts. Mathematicians of both the past and the present are included in the course materials. And national and local standards in mathematics are referenced.
Some of the additional resources include video transcripts, a glossary, and a timeline of mathematical concepts. Components in the series may be used individually or as part of the entire course. The facilitator and participant guides are based on an inquiry-based model in which participants become active explorers. The course materials may be downloaded as PDF files.
Last week I shared some interesting mathematics and science web sites that teachers and students might enjoy examining and then trying some of the ideas offered. Sometimes, however, we just need some help with the everyday teaching and learning of the standards for mathematics and science. So, today I’m sharing some mathematics sites that you might find helpful… and next week I shall share some science sites. Many of these sites will work well with interactive whiteboards.
OHIO RESOURCE CENTER FOR MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND READING http://ohiorc.org/ The Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading continues to add new resources to their collections, so even if you’ve visited previously, be sure to stop by to check the new additions! This is one of my favorite sites because their review process assures that their recommendations are worth considering.
Thinkfinity Web Site http://www.Thinkfinity.org The Thinkfinity site has been redesigned and now links to the ORC main page. It includes resources from Illuminations (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) and Science NetLinks (American Association for the Advancement of Science). The site has lesson plans and teaching materials that are of high quality.
TEACHERSFIRST.COM http://www.teachersfirst.com/ TeachersFirst is another of my favorite sites because they thoroughly review all sites which they post. They also make suggestions for using these sites in the classroom. I’ve recommended this site previously, but--like ORC—they also continue to add new, quality sites to their collections.
AAA Math http://www.321know.com/ Choose a grade level (k-8) or choose a topic to bring up interactive activities for practice.
CyberSleuth Kids http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Math/ This site is listed as being appropriate for elementary grades. That’s true… however, there are also some very good lessons for middle school and high school. Navigate through the site to check out explanations, games, puzzles, worksheets, student practice opportunities. Both students and teachers can find helpful information here.
I remember a certain weather reporter who would talk about a “mixed bag” of weather conditions that were heading in our direction. Well, today’s tech tip is a mixed bag of mathematics, science, and general interest web sites that are interesting and even fun.
Having spent many years teaching mathematics to students in grades six through twelve, I could not resist a list of the Hundred Greatest Theorems. The chart includes links to many of the theorems and the mathematicians associated with them. Dates are also included in the chart.
I have taught some of these theorems, but certainly not all of them. The inclusion of the theorems in the list is based on "the place the theorem holds in the literature, the quality of the proof, and the unexpectedness of the result." Archimedes’ Area of a Circle, the Pythagorean Theorem, and Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem are a few of those included in the list.
Two origami sites provide instructions for folding many interesting creations. The instructions for the first site are a combination of words and sketches. The instructions for the second site are contained in videos.
Science 2.0 http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=science-2-point-0&sc=rss The April 2008 Scientific American has an interesting article about Science 2.0. M. Mitchell Waldrop writes about a new practice by some researchers of posting raw results online. How will this practice affect science discoveries and the scientists who make those discoveries?
HyperHistory Online summarizes 3,000 years of world history using lifelines, timelines, and maps. The online version complements a world history chart that is available in hard copy.
Topics available are science (including mathematics), culture (artists, music, and writers), religion, and politics. A section on climate change is the current feature.
General information is linked to specific information in a sidebar and to additional links at the bottom of the page. Another sidebar provides easy access to people, history, events, and maps.
Lifelines are available for over 1000 individuals. Timelines cover the major civilizations. Events provide more detail on a year-to-year basis. And links to many regional maps are also available.
This site is interesting for browsing and is useful for teachers and students in many disciplines. Check out the information in the areas of your interest to see how you or your students could use the information. Be sure to follow the links provided… this site contains more than 2,000 files of data.
The two sites that I am sharing today both have multimedia presentations that could be useful in the classroom. Actually, both sites are so well done that their content is interesting to view even if you don’t teach the content that they illustrate!
The Maps of War web site is a collection of some of the best multimedia war maps on the web. The topics listed include Iraq, World War I, World War II, Darfur, Israel, terrorism, crime, and migration. I also found maps on some other topics (e.g., democracy and strength—or lack thereof—of other countries). These maps have been created by MSNBC, the BBC, and other producers.
What is amazing when viewing these maps is watching in just a few minutes the effects of years of human activities on countries, lands, and peoples.
The maps available at this web site include:
Iraq War Coalition Fatalities,
The Fight for Iraq: A Regional Powerplay,
Baghdad: Mapping the Violence,
The Western Front, 1914 – 1918,
World War II in Europe,
World War II in the Pacific,
The Darfur Tragedy,
Eyes on Darfur,
Strategic Israel,
Failed States Index,
War on Crime : The Homicide Map, and
Snapshot: Global Migration.
I have embedded the March of Democracy map to show an example of these multimedia maps. Watch 4,000 years of the history of democracy in 90 seconds!
John Kyrk is “a biologist by education and an artist by disposition.” He has created and posted on this web site animations of biological processes. The animations are a combination of graphics and text that together explain the process being described. They are very well done.
The cell biology animations include:
amino acids and protein,
cell function overview,
cell anatomy,
cell membranes,
chromosome structure,
diffusion,
DNA: structure, replication, transcription, and translation,
evolution,
glycolysis,
golgi apparatus,
krebs citric acid cycle,
meiosis,
mitochondria/electron transport,
mitosis,
pH,
photosynthesis: light reactions and dark reactions, and
water.
Additional multimedia presentations are also available at the web site. One in particular, the golden ratio presentation, could supplement mathematics or art instruction.
Earlier this month (10.8.2007) I listed some interactive web sites I had found in recent research. Here’s the remainder of that list, covering grades kindergarten through 12 and many of the subjects taught in those grades.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/month2month.htm Kindergarten Literacy and Math Online interactive web sites for mathematics and literacy, includes additional links for activities for grades 1 through 8
At this site you will find thousands of web sites that are aligned to the Ohio Academic Content Standards in the four core areas--mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies. There are three good features about each of these sites: (1) they have been reviewed by teachers, (2) they are interactive, and (3) they are free. If you click on the podcast link on the Ohio Treasure Chest’s home page, you find information about related podcasts and a blog.
The resources are categorized as: • Language Arts - Reading • Language Arts - Writing • Mathematics • Science • Social Studies • Technology • General
The site includes a process for any user to add a resource (web site) to the treasure chest. And, in case you’re not sure if the web site you’re considering adding is good enough, there’s a link to a site—Gems vs. Junk—to help you decide.
The web sites are sorted into K-12 grade levels plus general. When you go to any category (e.g., English Language Arts – Reading – Grade 1) you find the content indicators for the grade level. You can choose web resources that support an indicator or indicators from other content areas that relate to the indicator. New areas that are being added are lesson plans, comments, and assessments. To give you an idea of the quantity of web sites in this treasure chest, in English Language Arts – Reading there are a total of 628 resources in K-12 and general and in the Mathematics category there are 1,281 resources.
The resources at this web site don’t stop there. There is a page of “Viewers, Helpers, and Plugins” should you need to download a utility such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Java, or a PowerPoint viewer. There are tools that Eric Curts and the North Canton City Schools used to help implement the Ohio Technology Academic Content Standards in their district. And a page of ideas for how to use the Ohio Treasure Chest resources is also available.
http://www.ipl.org The Internet Public Library site was begun by the University of Michigan. It provides links in many academic fields. Other schools have since joined Michigan in this well-done project.
http://www.sparknotes.com This Barnes and Noble site features study guides for novels and nonfiction in addition to free reference guides for biology, mathematics, physics, and other topics.
http://www.howstuffworks.com Check this site to find out how simple (pencils) and complex (atomic clocks) items work.
http://www.ask.com Find answers to questions such as "When was Benjamin Franklin born?"
http://www.gutenberg.net Collection of 18,000 public-domain books, including all works by Shakespeare, "Moby Dick," and many religious texts. Selections can be downloaded to be read either on the computer or on paper.
http://www.infoplease.com Almanac of statistics and information on politics, business, sports, weather, and entertainment.
WORLD FACTS
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook The CIA's public directory of countries which includes information such as population, government type, terrain, agriculture, health systems, languages, and broadcast stations.
I've found some very interesting web sites this week, including several which have lesson plans and other activities for the classroom. Although I suspect that you will be most interested in those that match the grade level or subject which you teach, I think you may find some of the others fun to investigate, too. Enjoy!
CHRISTMAS: Cultural and Historical Resources for Christmas for Teachers http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/christmas.htm The history of the Christmas celebration, how it is celebrated in different countries and cultures, and some crafts and activities are the topics of these lessons. One of the sites shows webcam views of Christmas celebrations in other countries.
ECONOMICS: Stock Market http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001931.shtml Information about the stock market--stocks, shares, markets, investing, and the history of the New York Stock Exchange--is all available here. Interactive games, timelines, interviews, and quizzes can be used with students. Resources dealing with personal finance and budgeting are also included.
MATHEMATICS: And Around We Go! http://ohiorc.org/ohiorc_resource_display.aspx?recID=5810 Students use numbers and operations, fractions, statistics, and graphs as they conduct a survey to determine their classmates' favorite sports, soft drinks, music, and colors. Guiding questions, summary questions, assessment tasks, lesson extensions, a survey sheet, and activity sheets are included in this best practice lesson for grades 5 and 6. SAFETY FOR CHILDREN http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001938.shtml Safety rules, lesson plans, games, and activities deal with safety for children and young adults in a variety of situations. Many of the sites focus on safety when using the Internet.
SCIENCE: Energy… Renewable and Non-Renewable http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001930.shtml Learn about different forms of energy--both renewable and non-renewable--hydropower, fossil fuels, nuclear, wave energy, fuel cells, solar, geothermal, wind, and biomass.
SCIENCE: Reactions in Chemistry http://www.learner.org/channel/workshops/chemistry/ This eight-unit workshop features students, teachers, scientists, and experts who share their ideas about chemistry teaching and learning. Downloadable lessons and activities you can use with your students are available.
SCIENCE: Rediscovering Biology… Molecular to Global Perspectives http://learner.org/redirect/november/bio6.html Thirteen units--video, text, learning activities--focus on new developments in biology.
SCIENCE: Weather http://learner.org/redirect/november/weath12.html Explore the forces behind weather: the atmosphere and the water cycle. Look at the results: powerful storms, ice, and snow. Understand forecasting and the changing climate. Check out other weather-related web sites.
SCIENCE: Weather http://ohiorc.org/ohiorc_resource_display.aspx?recID=3279 This best practice instructional resource for grades 3 to 5 includes lessons that allow students to investigate weather locally and around the world. Through these explorations students develop a basic understanding of how weather can be described in measurable quantities, such as temperature, wind, and precipitation.
SCIENCE: Worms http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001940.shtml Watch an earthworm being born, take an interactive quiz on a worm’s anatomy, view worm art, learn how worms keep soil healthy, take a tour through a virtual worm, and learn about composting with worms and how to keep worms in the classroom.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Making a Difference Through Giving http://learner.org/redirect/november/sslib13.html Students in grades 3 to 5 are prompted to consider their responsibilities as global citizens. In this lesson a teacher challenges her fourth- and fifth-grade students to develop realistic solutions to some problems of the world.
SOCIAL STUDIES: World History http://www.learner.org/channel/courses/worldhistory/ Bridging WORLD HISTORY: Professional development and classroom materials to support the study of world history… Bridging World History Units include content, readings, and activities for 26 units organized chronologically. Videos, an audio glossary, and interactive elements are available for these units. The World History Traveler consists of three interesting sections: (1) What is World History? provides materials which facilitate looking at world history from multiple perspectives, (2) Archive is a database of more than 1,500 images and maps which can be used in the classroom, and (3) Audio Glossary allows you to hear how more than 300 names of places and people are pronounced.
WRITING: Conclusions http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001917.shtml Six different conclusion styles and when to use which, types of conclusions to avoid, what a good conclusion should do, and ten common types of conclusion are explained. Resources are available for writing essays, research papers, and paragraphs.
The Ohio Resource Center and eThemes are two sources for high-quality web sites to use when teaching. I think you'll find some helpful and interesting sites in this list. Don't just skim past the titles of these web sites... Check out the nuggets buried in each one. You'll be pleasantly surprised. :)
The OHIO RESOURCE CENTER (http://ohiorc.org/) posts quality lesson plans for mathematics, science, and reading. Each plan include the title, URL, resource type, practice level, standards alignment (grade levels), topics, keywords, professional commentary (class activities), Ohio standards, and national standards.
eThemes (http://www.emints.org/ethemes/) is a database of resources organized around themes. The information provided is designed for teachers to use in their classrooms. Each site includes links to other related web sites. More than 1,000 eThemes are available at this time.
FAMOUS PEOPLE ___________________________________________________________
Famous People: Helen Keller http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001091.shtml Helen Keller—deaf and blind herself—fought to help others with vision and hearing problems. Letters, photographs, and other items help provide information on how she communicated. Classroom activities are suggested.
LITERATURE _______________________________________________________________
Literature: "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000437.shtml The topics of kindness, cooperation, and bullying are included in addition to the book "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson. Reading and vocabulary activities are also available.
