TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Jan 24, 2016

Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive

 

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Parable of the Polygons - Vi Hart and Nicky Case

Grades
6 to 12
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Parable of the Polygons is a playful, yet serious, interactive look at how racism shapes our communities. The underlying theory is that people are generally tolerant and will only want...more
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Parable of the Polygons is a playful, yet serious, interactive look at how racism shapes our communities. The underlying theory is that people are generally tolerant and will only want to move if less than 1/3 of their neighbors look like them. Using that pretext, you move unhappy polygons until everyone is happy through an ongoing scenario of different situations.

tag(s): cross cultural understanding (156), percent (58), racism (76), ratios (47)

In the Classroom

Parable of the Polygons is excellent for use in both math and social studies classes. Use in your social studies class to discover how bias and racism affect diversity through the escalation of small situations into larger problems. Challenge students to explore and interact through different scenarios to view changes. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts demonstrating their understanding of one of the concepts. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Share this site as an excellent interactive for use during math fairs.

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Storyberries - Jade Maitre

Grades
K to 5
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Storyberries offers free bedtime stories and poems for kids in an easy to use format for adults. Stories include classics such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff and original compositions...more
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Storyberries offers free bedtime stories and poems for kids in an easy to use format for adults. Stories include classics such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff and original compositions submitted through the site. Browse through the home page to find popular stories or use the links at the top of the page to search by age, topic, or moral taught. One great feature is the ability to find stories by length from five minutes through chapter books. Each story also includes additional questions to use for further discussion.

tag(s): book lists (159), poetry (188), short stories (18), stories and storytelling (40)

In the Classroom

Bookmark Storyberries as an excellent resource for short read alouds or as a source for stories relating to many different emotions and themes. Share a link on your class website or newsletter for parents to use at home. Use this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector as you read aloud for students to follow along; occasionally stop and allow students to read portions of the book. Use this site as a resource for additional reading materials in the classroom by creating a link on classroom computers. Share Storyberries on your classroom website or in your Google Classroom for parent and student use at home during distant learning or extended absences.

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Cell Phone Recycling - Help Yourself to a Little Humanity - SellCell

Grades
2 to 12
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Did you know that four cell phones a second end up in landfills? That E-waste represents 70% of our toxic waste? Learn about conservation of precious resources, energy efficiency, and...more
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Did you know that four cell phones a second end up in landfills? That E-waste represents 70% of our toxic waste? Learn about conservation of precious resources, energy efficiency, and how to recycle cell phones for cash or to support a good cause with this infographic. The causes supported by eCycle Best include organizations who conduct medical research, save women from abuse, support our troops, and help endangered species and pets. Use the tabs at the top of the infographic to see how to trade in your iPhone, iPad, Samsung, Smart Phone, and many brands of Cell Phones, Laptops, and Tablets. Under those tabs, you'll see a link for other related infographics that may be of interest such as Life & Death After Usage, Man & His Mobile: A Toxic Relationship, Electronic Waste Recycling Methods, and several more.

tag(s): earth day (60), environment (238), natural resources (35), recycling (46), sustainability (44)

In the Classroom

Students love their cell phones and want whatever is the latest and greatest. Create interest by starting a discussion about what's new on the device front. Then ask students what they do with their old cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. Assign them to count, that evening, how many of these items they have at home that they could recycle. When they come to class the next day do a quick tally and have students multiply this by however many classes are meeting at the same time on your campus. They should start getting the idea that there are many devices out there that can be recycled. Next, share the Cell Phone Recycling infographic with your students using a projector or interactive whiteboard. Does your school encourage giving to the less fortunate during the holidays? For a class project, initiate a recycling campaign and create a center for recycling e-waste. How about holding a 'green' competition to see which classroom submits the most items. Assign small groups to create a public service announcement for your school or community to encourage recycling. Use one of the many multimedia/presentation tools reviewed by TeachersFirst here. Donate the cash collected to the school's charity of choice, or one of the charities listed on this infographic. Get parents involved. Make sure they are aware via your website and newsletter about submitting these items to the school. Many parents will be able to contribute items from their workplace that was otherwise destined for the landfill.This site is full of information such as kids and recycling, electronics in education, and many more. Find these by clicking Resources.

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