I got this information in an email recently: Thursday, October 12th School Librarians Get to the Source FREE Webinar, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET TPS-experienced elementary, middle, and high school librarians discuss key considerations for connecting Library of Congress resources with K-12 classrooms. Tom Bober, Heather Balsley, and Jenn Hanson provide insight and strategies to promote inquiry … Continue reading Primary Sources for School Librarians
With the eclipse less than two weeks away, I'm compiling all of the resources I have posted about into one place. Do you have a favorite eclipse resource I haven't discussed? The Exploratorium has a ton of resources, including a "live streaming" of the event and this video explaining why the eclipse is occurring and … Continue reading Eclipse Resource Roundup
Teachers (those of you in the South who start before labor day...), get your eclipse-explainer hat on! This is your chance to finally help your kids understand the Earth--moon-sun relationship. You'll never have them this motivated to understand it again. NASA has a huge collection of materials--you can access all of them from this launch … Continue reading NASA Eclipse Resources (plus MATH!)
At the TASL conference last week, I presented on Squishy Circuits (AKA electric playdough) which is an easy way to introduce basic electricity and allows "instant creativity" with the new information. I recommend it to anyone with a Makerspace or who has introductory circuit info in their curriculum.
Like I've written before, the librarians always introduce me to the coolest things. And apparently, the coolest thing this year is Breakout Boxes. They were all over both conventions I went to. It's sort of like those escape the room challenges--you have a locked box., with a variety of locks. You have a clues to … Continue reading It’s a Breakout!
I spent part of the weekend down a rabbit hole with an app that a friend cursed me with showed me (thanks, Lisa!). It is trying to be the shazam! for plants--you take a picture of a leaf or flower and it matches it against similar images. It's way too much fun for nature geeks … Continue reading Shazam! for Plants?
(Note: Man leaping over graph is a professional. Do not try this at home.) I am currently in love with datanuggets.org, if you can be in love with a website. It features current, engaging scientific research and the data the scientist collected. Students read (or in some cases can see a video) about the the … Continue reading Real Science Research
Google Science Journal is a neat app I've been playing with. The name is misleading. It's really a collection of "devices"--using your phone's sensors to measure light intensity, sound, and acceleration in three planes. It also records and graphs data from those sensors and allows you to make notes on the conditions in which you … Continue reading Google “Science Journal”
I've been on a gardening kick here recently with my posts. I thought I'd share a list of picture books about gardens and gardening. Someone on Goodreads has compiled a remarkable list--169 in all. Many of these I've read, and others look intriguing. I'll add one more that's not on the list, especially for the … Continue reading Gardening by the Books
Just a few weeks ago, I was discussing with another teacher recently about how powerful it can be to use local geologic examples with students, but regretting how much time it takes to research. Then Lo and Behold, the NSTA newsletter highlights this resource: Teacher Friendly Guides to the Earth Science of the United States. … Continue reading Local Geology Guides
Once Upon a Science Book 