Teaching with Computer Tools September 30, 2005
Posted by Michael Stokes in : Uncategorized , comments closedI found a great website with lots of ideas for using your computer as a tool for instruction. Webquests, PowerPoint templates, and game templates are just a few. It also contains links to additional websites that might be useful to you when planning your lessons. the LINK Thanks to Denise Voyles, Martha Puckett Middle School Principal
No Rain… No Sunlight…
Posted by Michael Stokes in : Uncategorized , comments closedMYSTERY RAINBOW: What does it take to make a rainbow? Two things: raindrops and sunlight. Raindrops act like tiny prisms, catching sunbeams and splitting them into their primary colors.
On Sept. 26, Bruno Nolf of Belgium observed something strange: a rainbow with no sun and no rain. “It was a very strange rainbow,” says Nolf, who snapped this picture:
“This red rainbow is a mystery because the sun had set four minutes earlier and was well below the horizon,” says atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley. “Furthermore, according to Nolf, there was no rain falling and none visible on local weather radar!”
Cowley and colleague Gunther Konnen, a meteorologist, may have an explanation: Thousands of feet above Nolf, the sun had not yet set. (Think about it: “If your flight has ever taken off shortly after sunset you will see the sun rising again as the airplane climbs,” notes Cowley.) Somewhere off in the distance, they speculate, a mile-high rainstorm that somehow evaded the radar caught the reddened rays of the setting sun, producing the Bruno’s ‘bow.
Taken from www.spaceweather.com
The JASON Project
Posted by Daniel Rivera in : Uncategorized , comments closedI recently had the pleasure of doing a furiously fast training session on the JASON Project in Wayne County. Five hours is just not enough to fully explore the resources and materials that you get with the JASON Project:
This year’s expedition takes us to the planet MARS. The JASON crew teams up with leading scientists from NASA and other research and academic institutions around the world to unravel the Mysteries of Earth and Mars. Students conduct hands-on, inquiry-based experiments that provide challenge and excitement. See how our understanding of Mars transfers to our understanding of life on Earth.
In addition to the oodles of resources they received with JASON, I recently found a few more!
- First is a jaw-dropping program called Celestia. I blogged this about a week ago. Check it out!
- If you haven’t seen NOVA lately, you should look again. This program is true quality, detailing current scientific concepts in a way that we can all understand. Some of their shows are even available online, in full. One of particular importance to the JASON project is Mars: Dead or Alive. Watch the entire episode of the NASA team building & designing the mars rover, and watch as they deal with major problems along the way.
- NOVA also has a tremendous amount of teacher resources for each of their shows, and in particular on their dedicated Mars: Dead or Alive website!
JASON info:
The fee for participating in the JASON Project is only $200 and includes:
- Hands-on teacher training
- Print curriculum with over 250 pages and many hands-on, exciting activites
- Access to the Team JASON on-line gated community with chats, student journals, and forums
- Video Supplements on DVD
- Opportunity to attend live expedition broadcast
- Networking with other teachers across the state and country
- 5 contact hours (0.5 PLU)
NASA recommends Mysteries of Earth and Mars curriculum as “outstanding.†Read more.
To find out more about the JASON project, visit our project page at First District ETTC or go to the official Georgia JASON webpage.
Space Age Helps Avoid Past Mistakes
Posted by Michael Stokes in : Uncategorized , comments closedA thousand years ago, Mayan civilization collapsed. Today, a Space Age “situation room” in Panama is helping modern Central Americans avoid mistakes that doomed the Maya. FULL STORY.
More Google Earth Goodness
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closedAlthough I find it hard to believe, I still keep meeting teachers who haven’t used or even heard of Google Earth. For those educators who have seen and installed Google’s most excellent mapping resource I encounter far too many who only use this powerful resource to “fly around” the earth. What I’d like to see is more teachers using this incredibly engaging learning tool to bring relevance to important places by geographically illustrating historical sites. They could so if they’d check out sites like the Google Earth Community and its archive of history illustrated Google Earth downloads. All these instructors would have to do is download a kml file (for example, the Giza Pyramids) and use it when discussing a related topic in class. After all, think of the many places that have been mapped. With this technology anyone can travel the globe and never leave home—students, included.
Want To Encourage Higher Level Thinking? Process This.
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closedThe beautiful thing about computer technology is that it can cross artificially constructed boundaries between content areas and disciplines and allow its users to bring meaningfulness to all manner of topics being studied. Such synthesis encourages higher level thinking, creativity, and problem solving. If you have students who like lure of programming or just want to play around with graphics, animation, or sound and you want them to sharpen their cognitive skills, consider steering them toward Processing. Thanks to Ben Fry of the Broad Institute and Casey Reas of UCLA Design Media Arts, it’s a free programming language and environment (available for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows ) that’s designed to teach the basics of computer programming within an engaging visual medium. It also serves as a digital sketchbook and professional production tool.
Flora And Fauna Photos: Forestry Images September 29, 2005
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closedIf you’re studying ecosystems, biomes, and habitats or have students that are interested in learning more about the organisms that are found in our forests, there’s a useful site that’ll allow you and your pupils to integrate technology as you locate a number of colorful biology/ecology-related graphics. It’s a joint project of the University of Georgia and the USDA Forest Service called Forestry Images. I’m willing to bet that your students will enjoy it. This site contains wonderful pictures of insects, trees, and wildlife that inhabit our wild places. It also does a good job of representing invasive plants and damage caused by animals.
A World Of Learning: Google Earth Blog
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closedI like Google Earth. What’s not to like about it? This excellent resource blends Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, and Math into a powerful geo-cognitive tool. Imagine my pleasure after stumbling upon Frank Taylor’s ultra-informative Google Earth Blog. I felt as though I’d uncovered buried treasure. Frank is a big believer in the power of GPS technologies. He wants to share what he knows and discovers about this amazing application with both new and experienced users of Google Earth. He’s got some outstanding content. For example, did you know that there is new web site which allows people to geo-reference Wikipedia articles? It’s called Placeopedia. I didn’t know about this treat until I read Frank’s article on the topic. A little more reading revealed that he had some terrific hurricane weather tools. He demonstrated how Google Earth can be used to track the progress of an organism (in this case, a whale shark) as it moves about our planet. Drop by Frank’s site and read his other posts for more great instructional ideas.
Science Teachers: Calamari Cam—Giant Squid Caught On Camera And Other Breaking News Of The Deep September 28, 2005
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closed
Integrate a little technology in a way that might captivate a budding Captain Nemo. If your pupils are exploring the concept of oceanic life forms or large marine ecosystems, and you want to capitalize on their sense of wonder (because, after all, learners tend to study what they find meaningful or interesting), consider having them read, view, and discuss a recent National Geographic article about the first-ever photographic record of a live giant squid in the wild. While your students’ minds are on the topic of the deep blue sea, you might be interested to know that Oceanography professors John Delaney and Deborah Kelley of the Research Channel will be broadcasting a live stream of volcanoes one-half miles below the ocean’s surface, along the Juan de Fuca Ridge, which lies 200 miles off the Washington coast. If you’d like your class to watch, the live feed will begin today (September 28 and tomorrow on the 29th) from 10 am to 6 pm, Pacific time. Thanks for the lowdown on both stories goes to Cori at BoingBoing, who is always in the know.
EZ Email: Zimbra
Posted by Jeff Giddens in : Uncategorized , comments closed
If your office, district, system, school, department, or team is having trouble making email productive you might want to drop by the Zimbra™ Collaboration Suite Open Source Project Beta Launch site. Zimbra’s goal is to make e-mail technology tools as efficient and effective as they can possibly be. The company is inviting everyone to help. Zimbra is doing this through an open-source initiative that’s very similar to what Firefox did when it created its award-winning browser. You can download the beta open source software if you’re game to try something new. I’ll bet you’ll want to use it after you see the flash demo of Zimbra.