Teaching Resources by Shanie https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources What I find and want to share en-us 2018-03-02 19:40:20 UTC 2018-04-04 16:35:51 UTC hello@padlet.com Payback shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/237580398 Zeek and I tried this out today, and he said it was worth doing and sharing with other students. It's a pretty quick game (I think it took Zeek about 15 minutes), and runs the player through decisions from choosing a college to attend to how they're going to spend their money. Pretty cool! (Also, free.) 

#financial]]> 2018-03-02 19:42:55 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/237580398 Curiosities and Puzzlements shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/237625309 I subscribe to a lot of resource-related things. One of the more fun ones is Ian Byrd's Curiosities and Puzzlements. His thing is gifted students, and he sends out a newsletter each Friday with 5 links to cool things. 

My favorite this week was about canyon-spanning bridge between two communities in Peru that has been rebuilt by hand each year, using woven grass, since the time of the Inca. You never know what you're going to get, but it's likely to be cool!  
#resources
]]> 2018-03-02 21:53:03 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/237625309 Free Technology for Teachers shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/237918886 Richard Byrne has a website and a couple different versions of his newsletter where he highlights Free Technology for Teachers. He's often got cool stuff, and always highlights how it might get used in a classroom. Of course, he's talking about a more traditional classroom of 20-30 students, but much of it is useful in the one-on-one setting, as well.

For example, his most recent e-mail highlighted ViewPure's new curated video collections for teachers. These videos are presented in a clean format, without all the distractions common to YouTube.
#technology #videos #resources]]> 2018-03-05 04:02:25 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/237918886 Lab Out Loud shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/238745065 I listen to a lot of podcasts, and some of them are even explicitly education-related. As a science teacher, one of my favorites is Lab Out Loud, hosted by former physics teacher Dale Basler and former biology and chemistry teacher Brian Bartel. Both are now Technology Integration Specialists in Appleton Area School District's K-6 schools. The podcast is sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association and discusses a combination of science news and science education.

For example, this week's episode featured an interview with Neal Manegold, director of Minecraft Education, and discussed the new Chemistry update. The podcast comes out weekly during the US school year, and is typically in the 30-minute range.
#science #podcasts]]> 2018-03-06 17:11:03 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/238745065 The Naked Scientists shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/239308140 Another podcast I listen to is The Naked Scientists, a weekly science show originally launched in 2001 (which makes it one of the first podcasts out there). Based out of Cambridge University, they work with broadcasters internationally to produce a high-caliber science show. What makes it particularly useful in the classroom is that their high-quality website breaks out individual stories, and includes supporting materials. 

I thought one of the coolest stories this week was about how crickets use holes in leaves to amplify their songs (below). After listening to this story, a student could even try experiments to create their own baffle!
#science #podcasts]]> 2018-03-07 18:08:33 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/239308140 Udacity shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/239780793 Udacity is an online course provider, focusing primarily on technology-related classes. At least some of the courses they offer are free, including the Introduction to Physics course Carson and I have been working through. One of the things I like about the format (at least for this course; I haven't looked at others) is that it uses short videos (often a 2 minutes or less) that then ask the student to answer a question based on what they've learned. This class is fairly math-heavy, but that's actually kind of cool, because it's letting him see where the math he's learning in Kelsey's class can actually be used.

For a list of courses, filterable by topic skill level and expected duration, go here. Just be sure to check the "free courses" box if you don't want to pay for the class!
#physics #courses]]> 2018-03-08 17:09:02 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/239780793 Amoeba Sisters Biology shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/240996407 I was a substitute for Nate today, and he was working on DNA transcription and translation. He introduced me to a YouTube series called the Amoeba Sisters. Based on their protein synthesis video, this is a cool series of animated science videos. Not too technical (they didn't get into the details of 3' and 5' ends, for example), but accurate as far as they go. Looks like a cool teaching resource to me!
#biology #videos]]> 2018-03-12 17:05:37 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/240996407 Common Sense Education shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/241599729 From their mission statement, "Common Sense is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We empower parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives." 

The education arm of Common Sense maintains a database of EdTech tools, including reviews and pricing information. They also offer materials for teaching digital citizenship and offer professional development opportunities. I subscribe to their mailing list to keep an eye on what's new, and often use the database to find tools that will help me teach.
#technology #resources]]> 2018-03-13 19:35:01 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/241599729 Khan Academy shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/241978747 I'm guessing most teachers know about this site already, but if you don't, it's worth knowing about. Years ago, a cousin in another state asked Sal Khan to tutor her in math. He wound up creating YouTube videos that were soon being used by other family members, and then others outside the family. These days, Khan Academy's strong suit is still math, but they offer classes and videos in a variety of subjects, and they continue to grow. 

I'll be honest: I hate the videos, personally, but I love the math practice with instant feedback. I also appreciate the mastery approach. Today, Megan and I were using the SAT prep tools. The coaching dashboard also allows me to see what my students are doing and what they're struggling with. The format is not so engaging that my younger students like it, but for someone who wants to learn, it's a good place to pick up some skills.]]> 2018-03-14 16:31:52 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/241978747 Youth In Front shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/242473880 Given yesterday's walkout related to the Parkland shooting, this new resource from the Harvard Graduate School of Education seems particularly appropriate. I haven't used the resource myself, yet, but it looks pretty solid.]]> 2018-03-15 16:44:07 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/242473880 Virtual Reality! shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/243003362 My dad got me a Galaxy S8 and a Gear VR for Christmas. I've been thinking about using it in class, but the issue, of course, is that I've only got one of them.

Yesterday, I went searching for options for streaming what's on the Gear VR to my computer, and came across the app TeamViewer. It's free for personal use. Install the main app on the computer, and QuickSupport on the phone. Run both apps, and enter the code to pair them. Now, when you run the Oculus app on the phone, it'll show up on the computer screen!

Zeke and I tried it out this morning, using Titans of Space Plus. Zeke enjoyed his guided tour of the solar system, and I could see where he was at. The computer side was a little laggy, but Zeek said his side of things was fine. Now I just need to bring in a second pair of Bluetooth headphones, so we can both hear the audio without bothering the folks around us.

I am seriously looking forward to further exploration of VR apps in the classroom. I have quite a few in my library, just waiting to be tried!
#VR #science #tech]]> 2018-03-16 20:29:51 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/243003362 OK Go Sandbox shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/245261505 Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've likely seen a video from the band OK Go. They're impressive enough that they got invited to give a TED Talk called How to Find a Wonderful Idea. Their videos have all sorts of applications in education, and it seems they know it, because they've created this website for teachers who want to use their videos in STEAM. To take the quote off their page: "We want to give teachers whatever tools they need to connect the joy, wonder, and fun in our videos to the underlying concepts that their students are learning."

This site is pretty awesome. It's got Q&A sessions about the videos, as well as challenges for students to try, inspired by the videos. Seriously, check it out.
#STEAM #video]]> 2018-03-22 21:54:36 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/245261505 Brilliant shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/245689295 Carson recently finished his Physics course on Udacity, so I went looking for another suitable resource. We landed on Brilliant.org. It has courses on math, physics, and computer science, heavily focused on problem solving skills and puzzles. It's got some content that can be accessed free, or subscriptions access the whole lot for $20/month (or $8/month, if you buy a year at a time). 

With Carson, we're using Physics of the Everyday, which is pretty cool. So far, we've looked at the physics behind refrigerators, toilets and water tanks, among other things. Some background knowledge may be necessary, or some additional searches for information may be necessary. But I love that it shows just how much of a role physics plays in our everyday lives.
#math #physics]]> 2018-03-24 02:47:12 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/245689295 Proidgy shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/246311228 Prodigy is a math game for students working on 1st - 8th grade math. It's modeled after monster-catching role-playing-games, so it has appeal for Pokemon fans. The teacher side of things lets you select the curriculum students are working on. You can make assignments based on skills or standards, and you'll get a fairly complete set of reports on what your students are doing.

There's things I really like about this game, and things could definitely use improvement. The topics you can assign are listed in some order, but there's no indication of what a reasonable skill progression should be. This might be solved by aligning assignments to standards, but I haven't had any luck with that actually working. The student I tried that with kept getting the same questions over and over. The good news, though, is if you let your students "free-run," the game will automatically follow a fairly logical progression of skills.

One of the down sides is that, because it's a free game, it does tend to push getting memberships and the special Epic toys. If you're working with a "gotta have it" student, they're going to be disappointed. Also, if your student doesn't have a membership, game progress will be slower. However, there's a workaround for that, at least in our one-on-one setting: Once you've had a teacher account for a while, Prodigy will send you an invitation to join their Champion's Club. They send out fairly simple challenges that are designed around them getting feedback and you marketing their game. If you can earn 500 points a month (which is pretty easy to do), you can turn that in for a free one-month membership. This membership can easily be shifted among your students, depending on who is in class. 

On the whole, it's been a pretty successful tool for me, and I definitely recommend it for younger students!
#math #game]]> 2018-03-26 23:06:17 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/246311228 TED shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/246628428 This is another one that I kind of expect everyone is already familiar with, but if you're not, you're really missing out. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, and every weekday, they post a talk in their Ideas Worth Spreading series. One of my all-time favorites is one by Adam Savage, of Mythbusters fame, called "How simple ideas lead to scientific discoveries." This talk has been enhanced TED-Ed animators. TED-Ed, which features short, usually animated, educational videos on specific topics, is another fabulous resource.

TED-Ed also offers Clubs for schools, which "supports students in discovering, exploring and presenting their big ideas in the form of short, TED-style talks." They provide curriculum that can be used in a flexible format, that focuses on students finding their passion and developing the skills to communicate about it, including video production skills. I tried to get a club going here at Yellow Wood, but there were a number of other clubs going already, and I wasn't successful in attracting students to the opportunity. I hope to try again next fall, though, because I think it'd be an amazing experience.
#resources #video]]> 2018-03-27 17:59:05 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/246628428 Con 'Em If You Can shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/247386019 This is a fun little game about the persuasion tactics used to swindle people. The player goes to con artist school, and then uses their skills to swindle people. They can upgrade their skills along the way, and add extra charms to boost their effectiveness. The Fraud Fighting Agency is on their trail, though!

Zeek tried this out, and knocked it out in a single (50-minute) class period. He had some fun with it, and maybe learned a few things along the way (he's already pretty adept in general financial literacy, though). At the end, he got caught (which I'm guessing is how all the games end), and was given the option of using his skills to help protect others from fraud.

The web-based game uses Flash, or there are apps for Android and iOS. We used the Android app on a PC using Bluestacks, an Android emulator.
#finance #game]]> 2018-03-29 19:44:54 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/247386019 StarTalk shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/247961160 One of my favorite podcasts out there is StarTalk, with Neil deGrasse Tyson. The StarTalk podcast family actually consists of three different shows: 

The main StarTalk has Neil, and is billed as "where science and pop culture collide." There's usually a topic of the day, there's often a featured guest interview, and another guest expert on the topic. There's always a comedian co-host, usually Chuck Nice, but others have been known to appear. 

StarTalk All-Stars features other science communicators, and follows the same general format as StarTalk. 

Playing with Science is a spin-off with hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O'Reilly (former footballer from England). The focus here is on the intersection of science and sports. 

You can enjoy learning from any of them, and your students might enjoy them, too!]]> 2018-04-03 00:48:23 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/247961160 Baba Brinkman shanieh https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/248570853 I was listening to StarTalk the other day, to an episode called Neuroscience and Physics Collide. The discussion was about free will and consciousness. Then they introduced Canadian rapper Baba Brinkman. I'll admit up front: I'm not a big fan of rap. But this guy isn't just a rap artist; he's a science communicator. He proceeded to freestyle a rap about the topics from the conversation, and it was pretty impressive.

I took a look at his website, and discovered titles like "The Rap Guide to Consciousness," "The Rap Guide to Climate Chaos," and "The Rap Guide to Medicine." If you go to his Bandcamp page, you can subscribe for $30 a year. You'll get new releases, and access to most of his back catalog. It's a pretty good deal, especially if you've got some students who are rap fans (as most of mine seem to be) that you want to introduce to some science!]]> 2018-04-04 16:24:41 UTC https://padlet.com/shanieh/TeachingResources/wish/248570853